The three-week initiative followed an online appeal for volunteers for extended test drives in its petrol Ford Focus EcoBoost and Ford Fiesta ECOnetic cars. The Ford Fiesta ECOnetic 1.6 TDCi recently clocked up over 100mpg in the MPG Marathon.

Applicants were asked to stake their claim for inclusion based on their credentials on eco-living and eco-motoring. Here’s how the Nijjar Family from South Woodford, Essex got on behind the wheel of the latest Ford Fiesta ECOnetic. See how the Thomas family got on here.

THE NIJJAR FAMILY

Lives: South Woodford, Essex

Own car: Ford Fiesta ECOnetic (old version)

Background: IT consultant Rajinder Nijjar commutes to West London every day, while wife Amanda works part-time just inside the Congestion Charge zone near Old Street. They have two sons, Aron (17) and Rowan (14).

Test drive car: The Ford Fiesta ECOnetic is the most environmentally friendly model the company has ever sold. Thanks to a suite of technologies including stop/start of its 1.6-litre 95PS TDCi diesel engine, it has Official Combined Fuel Economy of 85.6mpg and CO2 exhaust emissions of 87g/km.

Swapping their own older Ford Fiesta ECOnetic for the newest version was an intriguing idea for the Nijjar family. Part of the appeal was that it would still give them Congestion Charge exemption, but hopefully lower their weekly running costs. Rajinder was quick to spot the vastly improved fuel economy of his usual M25/North Circulate commute.

“On my car I usually get 55mpg, but the trip computer on the test car was showing 65mpg. I’m pleasantly surprised by that; 10mpg improvement is quite impressive because I’m driving it exactly the same way, perhaps even a little more aggressively because the new ECOnetic handles better than mine.”

Rajinder shared the car with wife Amanda during the loan period and noted she was getting around 60mpg. “She’s a bit more heavy footed than I am!” he joked.
[portfolio_slideshow] He was also keen on the cruise control – missing from his own 2011 car – and the Sony radio with DAB. “It just sounds crystal clear and very crisp. I’ve not got a musical ear but it’s a notch above everything else.”

Also picking up praise from the Nijjars was the ride and handling, which Rajinder says is better than on his Fiesta. It is helped by the car’s supportive seats. “Amanda is very keen on the higher spec of this ECOnetic loan car, and I think she would prefer we had this one! She also likes the higher quality interior.”

See how the Thomas Family got on with the Ford Focus EcoBoost

Read More Ford articles at Drive.co.uk/Ford