Now entering its second year at U.S. dealerships, Ford's smallest, entry, the subcompact Fiesta proves once and for all that diminutive does not necessitate boring.
Reborn in the 2011 model year, Ford Motor Co. brought back a name once utilized back in the 1970s while updating fuel economy, safety, style and horsepower; creating a next-millennium over hall. Fiesta remains relatively unchanged from its successful launch last year. Prior to its debut in America, the Fiesta platform underwent a three-year test run in select over sees markets.
The solely front-wheel-drive Fiesta joins a number of recently introduced tiny titans with solid builds and solid fuel economy, including the Chevy Sonic, Hyundai Accent and Nissan Versa. While not available with gas-electric hybrid technology, Fiesta's fuel numbers are eye-opening enough to entice shoppers of many propulsion platforms thanks to low-teen starting pricing.
Fiesta is available in sedan and five-door wagon. At $13,200, the Fiesta sedan checks in as the lowest-priced offering in Ford's North American lineup. The five-door wagon starts a few shillings more at $14,100. Sedans sport three trim levels (S, SE and up level SEL) as does the five-door hatchbacks (S, SE and up level SES). All include seven air bags (including driver's knee, front seat side mounted and side-curtain), four-wheel anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control and rear safety locks. Air conditioning, rear defroster, power steering and power windows, mirror and door locks are also built into all trims.
Powering all body styles and trims is Ford's proven 1.6-liter, 120 horsepower, naturally aspirated global Duratech engine. In contrast, the Michigan-built Chevrolet Sonic subcompact ($13,865 starting price for its sedan style) offers a pair of four-cylinder powertrains, including a turbocharged variant. Both Sonic engines deliver 138 horses. While all Fiesta trims come standard with a five-speed manual, the game changer remains the optional transmission.
Ford's dual clutch transmission (marketed as a 'power shift automatic') combines the convenience of a traditional six-speed automatic with engineering and fuel conservation of a manual. This technology gained prominence in the auto racing circuit, undergoing refinements for the past 30 years. Usually the domain of high-end import automakers, this lighter weight technology eliminates the unsvelte torque converter found in conventional automatic transmissions. No foot clutch is needed and forward gears move automatically very much like a conventional automatic. It's class exclusive to Fiesta.
Dual Clutch transmissions utilize two independently operating clutches (thus the name dual clutch) where lightning-fast electronic and hydraulic technology control up and down shifting rather than the driver. One clutch operates odd gears (1,3,5) and the other even ones (2,4,6).
Fiesta's dual clutch transmission actually delivers one mile better highway fuel economy than the five-speed manual. When mated with the power shift automatic transmission, mileage estimates read 29 city and 39 highway. Five-speed manuals enjoy the identical 29 mpg city. Regular 87-octane fuel fills the smallish 12.4 gallon tank. Fiesta also offers a hyper-mileage specialty trim of sorts, the sedan-exclusive SFE (Super Fuel Economy) features dual clutch transmission complete with mileage-extending low-resistance tires and front grille vent shutters. Subcompact rivals Chevy Sonic and Honda Fit also offer specially tweaked versions designed to streeeeetch highway miles to the 40 mile per gallon summit. Officially, the 2012 Fiesta SFE generates 28 mpg city and 40 mpg highway.
Ford's much hyped Sync is optional in the two upper trims of each body style. Sync, developed in conjunction with software giant Microsoft, brings voice command, hands-free connectivity to portable phones and audio functions once mastered.
Ford supplied a SE hatchback with a $15,670 staring price. A $1,245 option group included Sync interface, upgraded speaker and cruise control. Stand-alone extras included the six-speed power shift ($1,095), heated front seats/blind spot mirror inserts ($220) resulting in a $19,420 bottom line after $795 destination charge and equipment group savings.
Cloth upholstery adorns tall bucket seats, tending towards the soft rather than firm seating. Cushion inserts feature multi-colored, cosmic, nebula-type patterns. The blue hue of the exterior mimicked the stitching on front and back seats. Row two seat backs fold forward onto cushions with a 60/40 split, gaining access to the cargo hold. New for 2012 are optional interior styling packages with two-tone leather-trimmed seats and color coded steering wheel/instrument panel available in uplevel SEL sedans and SES hatchbacks. As with just about every subcompact, two adults fit with optimal comfort in back; three is asking a bit much. Headroom in front and back is decent. Between the front buckets are three inline cup holders (one accessible for back riders), hand-operated parking brake, 12-volt outlet along with USB and iPod ports.
The largely analog instrument panel resembles a pair of old-school racing goggles with the left portal housing a tachometer and right side home to the speedometer. The fuel gauge resides beneath and below, acting as the bridge of the nose. A foldable arm rest resides to the right of the driver's bucket (new for 2012) while shotgun passengers must do without one. The tri-spoke steering column manually tits and telescopes with ease. Push button start is standard only in the top trims of each body style.
A small, square, deep set message window is top center of the dash. Slightly down stage is the sound system with the profile/outline of a winged avian. Electronic power locks and hazard button are nearby. Below and set back are dials monitoring the single-zone temperature settings including a left-side fan speed dial, right side temperature setting and large, easy-to-grasp middle dial guiding fan direction.
The five-door hatchback design brings a bit of a styling edge over its sedan counterpart thanks to side character lines traveling back to front on a downward sloping trajectory. Strap-like body-colored door handles run along this same plain. Both body styles incorporate long, 'dragon's eye' headlight housing (home to quad beam halogen lamps) stretching all the way up to the front wheel well region, creating a divide between front fender and hood. The small front grille includes two horizontal bars with familiar Ford logo front and center. An elongated oval air dam resides towards the bottom. In back, tear drop shaped tail light housing flanks the hatch window with standard wiper and small top-side spoiler. The hatch opens tall enough to allow plenty of head clearance. As with all recently-built Ford products, Fiesta goes capless. When visiting the filling station, the fuel nozzle gently breaks a thin sheet metal-like barrier when refueling, and self seals upon the nozzle's exit.
Drivers experience good road perception with minimal blind spots. Beveled blind-spot corners built into both side view mirrors provide operators with useful, visual feedback of any vehicle cruising close by. The brake pedal responds quickly when pushed into action with little foot travel needed. The 1.6-litre engine hums a few octaves higher than class rivals. Between speeds of 25 and 40 miles per hour, the power shift transmission, when hunting for the optimal gear, can be a bit sluggish. From a standing start, however, performance is predictable and pleasant. Ford paid special attention to reduce wind and outside noises from cabin entry. Techniques include extra insulation on the A,B and C pillars, front door seal treatment and acoustically-laminated windshield, creating an enjoyable driving environment.
At a glance
Price as tested:
Engine: 1.6-liter, four cylinder
Horsepower: 120
City/Highway fuel economy: 29/39 mpg
Overall length: 160.1 inches
Overall height: 58 inches
Overall width: 67.8 inches
Wheelbase: 98 inches
Curb weight: 2,628 pounds
Powertrain warranty: Five years/ 60,000 miles
Built: Cuautitlan, Mexico
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