Regarding the options list, is the ESP option worth considering for driving around central London or is just a luxury? I dont have much knowledge of cars, but I assume its only useful for high speed cornering which wouldnt happen much in London.

Your opinions are welcome.

ESP prevents you accelerating out of control. For example putting too much power down causing your wheels to spin. ESP detects the spin and reduces power to the engine. This is useful if you have a heavy right foot and have a powerfull engine. Also useful in snow.

if you are going for the 1.6 engines petrol or diesel and you drive fast, go for it, otherwise I think it is probably not needed.

I read in one of the many reviews that ESP couldn't be switched off, so if it was found to be intrusive as some can be you were stuck with it.

I opted not to order ours with it and when I test drove a 1.6 it didn't feel like it needed ESP.

Thanks for the replies, its helped me greatly.

Regarding the options list, is the ESP option worth considering for driving around central London or is just a luxury? I dont have much knowledge of cars, but I assume its only useful for high speed cornering which wouldnt happen much in London.

Your opinions are welcome.

traction control stops you spinning the walls too much, but the ESP is electronic stability programme, which in the event that you need to swerve to avoid hitting something and will stop you spinning out of control and allow you to miss the object. there is an episode of fifth gear where tiff shows the advantages of ESP, which he says all cars should have as standard, its a safety feature worth having.

Fair comment grainger7, I described traction control whereas ESP takes traction control one step further by comparing stering angle with the cars direction.

"it compares whether the

driver’s steering intention corresponds to the actual

direction of the vehicle. If the vehicle moves in a

different direction and starts to slide out of control,

ESP® intervenes instantly by braking the relevant

wheel. This selective braking intervention generates

the desired counteracting force, so that the vehicle

reacts as the driver intends"

My 6 cylinder audi has esp and I have only ever seen it come on when accelarating hard from a standstill in very wet weather or snow.

Fair comment grainger7, I described traction control whereas ESP takes traction control one step further by comparing stering angle with the cars direction.

"it compares whether the

driver’s steering intention corresponds to the actual

direction of the vehicle. If the vehicle moves in a

different direction and starts to slide out of control,

ESP® intervenes instantly by braking the relevant

wheel. This selective braking intervention generates

the desired counteracting force, so that the vehicle

reacts as the driver intends"

My 6 cylinder audi has esp and I have only ever seen it come on when accelarating hard from a standstill in very wet weather or snow.

I had it on my Astra TT and Cooper S so I wanted it on the Fiesta although in fairness I only saw it come on a couple of times with the Astra--once under hard acceleration and once in the snow).

It was handy on my Cooper S but that was an animal with tremendous acceleration--once the economic climate picks up I'll probably consider something a little more rapid...... B) maybe a ST Focus or RS Focus or another Cooper S perhaps..........

On the Fiesta it came with the X pack and it's lit up a couple of times (both in the snow / ice) but once it's loosened up a bit more I'll get it to come on under hard acceleration no doubt! ;)