2011 Fiesta SE - quick test drive

[pow]

Stopped by the Ford store after work this evening. They had two Fiestas; a ghastly green SE five-speed with no options for around $15,000 and a black SE with Sport/SYNC and PowerShift for $2K more. I chose the black car because it was already outside and, frankly, it looked so much better.

The car was "only" an SE but it didn't feel like it was missing any content. It had nice 15" alloys, same as the ones on the Euro Fiesta; kinda cheapo looking LED DRLs; power everything except the seats; and buttons on the steering wheel for SYNC. The only missing features I'd want are 17" alloys (the current Focus SES has nice charcoal ones) and maybe manumatic control for the automatic (I'd get the manual, though).

Speaking of the transmission, it's a six-speed double-clutch design, like VW's DSG, though it doesn't feel like as quick or immediate. It's a bit slushier between gears, but the end result is something smooth like, well, a conventional automatic. Only when you really concentrate at low speeds do you notice the clutch engaging and disengaging.

Surprisingly for a car designed around EPA mpg results, the transmission is programmed fairly aggressively. Even puttering around slowly, it shifted at 3,000 rpm and the revs hung on at 2,000 rpm when I quickly left my foot off the gas. I'm used to the low-rev turbo spool of my Passat. That's why a manumatic function would be nice...

Power was fine around town, and it was easy revving the guts out of the smooth 1.6 (you can feel an extra kick ~4,500 rpm), but it's definitely not a quick car. There's no surge of torque like you get in a turbo car or EV. A 155-hp 2.0 liter would be nice, or even better, the C-MAX's 180-hp 2.0 EcoBoost.

The steering, brakes, and throttle response/tip-in were great. All three felt natural and just right.

This may be a B-segment sized (Yaris, Fit, Versa) but in many ways, it feels like a much larger C-segment car. The doors close with a VW-like thunk. It goes over bumps with a solid thump. There's very little road or wind noise. Interior materials, while not classy, appear durable and solidly constructed. Charcoal seat fabric is actually pretty nice, not scratchy or anything. The front feels airy and commodious; the back less so.

It was easy to get comfortable, though I would have preferred seat bottom angle adjustment (it adjusts for height, like, again, a VW). The bottom bolster is kinda flat. Driving position is excellent, controls are within easy reach. But the radio interface was confusing and unfamiliar; I suppose it'll make more sense over time. It's loaded with clever touches, like ambient lighting, three-click turn signals, blind spot mirrors...

And, finally, the styling. It does look kinda tall and narrow when viewed head on, but I like it from every other angle. I was very disappointed when I saw the pics of the US car, but in person, the changes don't completely ruin it. I still prefer the Euro car's looks... their projectors look so much classier than our halogens, but the US car exceeded my expectations in black SE spec.

I'm seriously tempted to get one, but I simply don't need a car. The Passat just had its timing belt job at 85K for $700, and while it's a bit creaky and scratched everywhere, but functionally it's still great. A new Fiesta won't be cheaper to insure, it'll be considerably slower, and it'll have less rear seat space. But if my Passat became undriveable with age, I'd definitely consider the Fiesta as my top contender for buying new.

My ideal car would be a white SE Sport+SYNC manual, MSRP $16,550. Maybe 20% tint for the back, blacked out headlights, and some smoked 17" multispoke alloys from the current Focus SES/old SVT...

Look I'm going after... drove this white on black A4 Titanium recently (same, but with tint) and also loved it:

Edited July 13, 2010 by pow

[ocnblu]

I'm going to have to lurk around my local dealer's lot to see if the party has started.

[A Horse With No Name]

This car may be my salvation for my wife's next car. She wanted a Fit to replace her Scion xB (2005) which has 137,000 miles on it....but after looking at the Fieta...she MUCH prefers the Fiesta...

HMM...Miata...fiesta...add one MINI...three cars...three continents...could be quite the nice garage, esp. if the MINI were an S model.

but agree with you, pow...Ford outdid themselves on this one!

[regfootball]

nice review, thanks. If the fiesta needs more beans to be fun, i can't imagine how a cruze could be fun with under 140hp also.

fiesta is nice but i would prob spend a couple grand extra for a cruze. compared to a fit, the fiesta is a nice choice.

i still don't hold much hope for dual clutch, after driving one of the DSG's awhile ago. Great concept but they gotta figure out how to get it to bang out shifts like a conventional automatic.

I'd rather see carmakers develop 8 speed automatics with really tall top gears for good high speed mpg than to reinvent the wheel on dual clutch.

Edited July 13, 2010 by regfootball

[intrigued]

The fiesta will likely get an ecoboost 1.6 utrbo good for 180 hp and 180 torque. It will deffinetly get a 1.2 3 cyl ecoboost with almost 140 hp and torque as well for the premium fuel economy model. It's a great little car either way.

[Intrepidation]

I need to go check one out as well, thanks for the writeup.

[pow]

The fiesta will likely get an ecoboost 1.6 utrbo good for 180 hp and 180 torque. It will deffinetly get a 1.2 3 cyl ecoboost with almost 140 hp and torque as well for the premium fuel economy model. It's a great little car either way.

Oops, yeah, I meant to say 180-hp Ecoboost 1.6, not 2.0.