I Drove the European Fiesta

Working at the Phoenix Auto Show I got a short test drive of the European Ford Fiesta. I drove a 1.6 liter five-speed four door in Jolly Rancher Green Apple (my name for it).

Bottom line: I like it. This is a car Ford needs to sell in the U.S. It's also a car the U.S. needs to have on sale here. The drivers reported they are seeing 38-39 MPG on test drives, and as much as 43 MPG on the interstate. And knowing that they aren't paying for their own fuel, their probably running 80-85 on the interstate. The car is small but it is very functional, with very intelligent packaging inside and a lot more room than you would expect. The interior is nice with good seats and nice materials. And the car is good looking on the outside.

I'd love to buy one to replace the Saturn.

David

Keep in mind that there are two different gallons, and hence the mpg figure is probably inaccurate depending on where you got it.

huh?

If he's driving it in the states than he is likely basing the MPG off the fuel pump used to fill it up and the capacity of the tank.

As I understand it they are expected to get around 40mpg highway and 30's city.

It might very well be my next car.

Ok so how is the 0-60 and what about turn in, How are the brakes? Good pedals? Are you connected to the wheels or is it that disconnected 1/2 second delay feeling I get in so many new econoboxes

Details .. . . . We need more Details!!!!!

It handles well enough to out-hustle a Corvette through a shopping mall.

Here it is all explained, in Top Gear's most complete car review ever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_KIqdS1SO0

PHeller wrote: huh? If he's driving it in the states than he is likely basing the MPG off the fuel pump used to fill it up and the capacity of the tank. As I understand it they are expected to get around 40mpg highway and 30's city. It might very well be my next car.

He said "the drivers reported" which doesn't specify where these drivers live.

The US version of the Fiesta got leaked:

http://jalopnik.com/5415512/2011-ford-fiesta-us-sedan-hatchback-revealed-accidentally

The hatch doesn't look too different from the Euro version - which is a good thing - but the sedan has the stupid "Gillette Razor" grille.

Well, with a grill like that JC whitney has its stimulus for the rest of the recession.

Its nice. If they got the drive wheel position right and out of the 80's I'd buy one the second they came out.

The British mag CAR really likes the new Fiesta, calling it the best of the superminis. They felt the only really disappointing bit was the electric steering assist that wasn't quite perfectly set up. They actually prefered it to the Mazda2....but only because the Mazda has no performance models in it's range.....yet.

I was under the impression the Fiesta doesn't have any performance models either.

Electric Assist steering? Ugh..that's a bummer.

Here's hoping a Mazdaspeed 2 gives us a healthy dose of torque steer likes it's bigger sister, with the launch control off of course.

Salanis wrote: It handles well enough to out-hustle a Corvette through a shopping mall. Here it is all explained, in Top Gear's most complete car review ever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_KIqdS1SO0

the RMC liked it too

I drove one of the Fiesta Movement cars around the airport in Mojave, CA a few months ago. It was a quick trip, but enough to get the idea.

Overall, I was impressed. My two biggest gripes were pedal position (the brake pedal and gas pedal were not at all level under braking, making it very, very difficult to roll my foot over to the gas pedal, AND the pedals are too far apart) and the fact that the backs of the fold down seats were black painted steel with no carpeting. On that second point, the metal was already scratched up from use as a cargo floor, and I pointed out that this was unsightly. I didn't see any glue indicating that something was missing.

I drove a red manual one at SEMA and I did like it a lot. I felt the 1.6 was a little gutless, to be expected I guess, but the guy I drove with said that Ford is expected to offer an ecoboost version.

It felt solid, it had a very European feel to the suspension and I am considering it for my next car. It will most likely be between that and the Fiat 500.

Fine.... but where's the new Swift? We need a new Hot Hatch wars.

Tuna and Heller, you're thinking. That's good.

But the MPG figures I quoted are already converted from imperial gallons. This is based on the trip computer, then converted to U.S. MPG. The cars are driven between cities in the U.S. And yes, this was the Fiesta Movement program.

David

I saw one of the Fiesta Movement cars outside of an event. I didn't have a chance to drive it. However it is the first small hatchback that I liked the looks and packaging of as much my '93 Civic.

No coupe?

Mazda 2 or wait a year or so.

And here's the U.S. Mazda 2, complete with 5 doors and a squee-inducing happy face grille:

http://jalopnik.com/5417313/2011-mazda2-gets-happy-us-face-summer-2010-launch-date?skyline=true&s=i

Gearheadotaku wrote: No coupe?

No! Go away!

Seriously... how many cars have you seen that were designed as hatches in Europe and Asia and turned into coupe's here and still worked as a design.

I think the worst offender is BMW. The 1 series was designed as a hatch from the beginning.. in 3 and 5 door guise.. they only made the coupe so they could sell it in the US.. and honestly, it looks like a hacked design.

I also love hatchbacks!

Why to all the new compacts look either like catfish or jack-o-lanterns from the front?

Im assuming those chrome thingys that go where fog lights should be are optional? Those would be a deal breaker for me.

"Fiesta Movement" .....were the cars brown?

Seriously though, I want to love this car! But I swore-off Fords in the mid 90's because of quality problems. After being a hard-core ford fanatic for 3 decades. I just hope ford brings us a eurospec car, not some watered down POS. If they do I will buy one.

you can now build and reserve a model

http://bp2.forddirect.fordvehicles.com/2011-Ford-Fiesta