The sports enhanced Zetec five-door is on sale now, joining its German engineered stablemates – the LX (three- and five-door), Zetec (three-door) and Ghia (five-door) – in an expanded Fiesta line-up.

"The introduction of this exciting new model combines all the popular sports characteristics of the Zetec with the passenger-friendly set-up of the five-door bodystyle," said Ford Australia President Tom Gorman.

"Fiesta is renowned for having outstanding driving dynamics and the Zetec five-door delivers the much loved sports styling of the current three-door, as well as the added functionality of direct rear seat access.

"For customers attracted to the Zetec's inherent sporty nature, the increased user-friendliness is sure to prove a compelling proposition."

Fiesta Zetec five-door is powered by a 1.6-litre Duratec all-alloy engine, which develops 74 kW at 6,000 rpm and peak torque of 146 Nm at 4,000 rpm. It is available with a five-speed manual transmission or optional four-speed automatic.

Fiesta's strong body, advanced chassis and finely tuned steering deliver an outstanding driving experience, which has seen the Fiesta consistently rated one of the most invigorating light cars on the market.

In keeping with this expectation, the new five-door model will offer the same sporty features as the Fiesta Zetec three-door, including 16-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension and revised gear ratios in the manual transmission.

Standard fitment safety features include ABS brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, driver and front passenger airbags, front seat belt pretensioners and three-point lap/sash seatbelts at all seating positions.

The arrival of the new model coincides with the release of a new exterior paint colour called Viola – a deep violet that exudes vitality and complements Fiesta's vibrant, fun-to-drive personality.

In addition, colours previously reserved for the Fiesta Ghia will now be available across the rest of the range, increasing the number of paint options for all new Fiesta models to ten.

Further enhancements include the introduction of a new interior trim on Fiesta Ghia. The new dark ebony environment provides a sense of elegance and prestige, complementing the European heritage of the Fiesta brand.

"The Fiesta Zetec five-door adds further excitement to a fun-to-drive, feature and value-packed line-up that continues to prove extremely attractive to light car buyers," Mr Gorman said.

"Fiesta Zetec five-door's acclaimed sports underpinnings are sure to see it become a very popular part of the new Fiesta line-up."

Recommended retail pricing for the Fiesta Zetec five-door is $18,990* for the five-speed manual and $20,490* for the four-speed automatic version.