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Interactive Review: 2011 Ford Fiesta Hatch SES

Drew Dowdell

By Drew Dowdell
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Drew Dowdell Grand Master

Drew Dowdell

Posted
Posted

Interactive Review:

2011 Ford Fiesta Hatch SES

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This week's Interactive Review subject can fit in the bed of last week's Ford F-350. A quick spin around the block gives a good first impression of this little car. It's got a decent amount of pep. Back seat room is Camaro tight when the driver's seat is adjusted for my 5'10" frame. The only way I could sit back there is if my knees were sideways. Still, I've only had the car for about 20 minutes, so as I start my commute home, think up some questions for the 2011 Ford Fiesta Hatch.

Media Gallery: 2011 Ford Fiesta Hatch

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vonVeezelsnider Newbie

vonVeezelsnider

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It'll be nice to see how the Fiesta does in the market... This car has a special place in my mom's heart- she bought one new in 1978 from a local Ford dealership, absolutely loved it and kept it for sixteen years.

Just like this one...

blue.jpg

So I took her to see the new one and she really liked it, seemed wowed by the safety features, comparative level of comfort, and the trick features like the capless fuel filling. She'll have to look at the Sonic when it comes out too, I sense she wants a smaller car than the Malibu, but she's also waiting to see the new Chrysler 200 Convertible.

My questions:

How stable is it on the highway? Does it feel more substantial than it looks or is it like a tin can? How refined would you say the powertrain is?

ocnblu Newbie

ocnblu

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Shame it isn't a 3-door. How's the transmission/clutch action? Is it eager to drive, or does it feel as if it's being thrashed?

Drew Dowdell Grand Master

Drew Dowdell

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It's surprisingly spirited for a 1.6l. Must have decent torque at the low end too, because I was able to take off from a dead stop in 2nd gear (by accident) without it even hinting like it was going to stall. Hill climbing you really put your foot into it to maintain speed. I'm not sure how I'd rate the engine noise yet.

regfootball Community Regular

regfootball

Posted
Posted (edited)

is it worth 20 grand.

does a cobalt make more sense at 8 grand less

can it get out of its own way

does it have any trunk or back seat space that you couldn't just get in a Kia Forte5?

would you say its fit for interstate travel

will you get epa mpg

will the dual clutch tranny blow up on you while you have it, otherwise is it a good tranny

how are those drum brakes

how is the heated seats

how are the seats in general, good support??

is it FUN?

Edited by regfootball
Drew Dowdell Grand Master

Drew Dowdell

Posted
  • Author
Posted

is it worth 20 grand. No

does a cobalt make more sense at 8 grand less. yes

can it get out of its own way yes, quite peppy

does it have any trunk or back seat space that you couldn't just get in a Kia Forte5? don't know

would you say its fit for interstate travel for 2 people and 1 baby

how is the heated seats On or off, no level adjustment. but temp is comfortable

how are the seats in general, good support?? decent but haven't spent enough time in them yet to know for sure

is it FUN? So far, yes, you can dart in and out of traffic

Only answered what I could so far

ocnblu Newbie

ocnblu

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Not that you could answer this one, Drew, but I wonder if dealers are discounting these yet. Local dealer finally got another one with chrome on the front recently, a yellow hatch, among its array of lower trim models.

I could see Cory in a blue SES hatch manual to replace his Golf, if the Ford weren't so expensive.

I was over at Ford's UK configurator the other day, building various Fiesta 3-doors and wondering to myself, again, who the birdbrain is at Ford who banished the sportier body to the EU, when I guarantee they'd sell a good many over here.

Lamar Newbie

Lamar

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In your opinion, could the 5MT use a 6th gear?

How's the audio system? Button layout, screen, accessibility, overall ease of use?

Robert Hall Veteran

Robert Hall

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So, 20k for a reasonably equipped Fiesta, the next Focus will probably be around 25k reasonably equipped, the Fusion close to 30k, the Taurus 35k....that's the new normal, it seems..

Edited by Cubical-aka-Moltar
regfootball Community Regular

regfootball

Posted
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Ford already has the Focus configurator up and yes its gonna be closer to 25k than 20k for a well equipped Focus.

That is why I am guessing the ST will be around 30g, and at least for me, out of my reach.

But I'm sorry, 20 grand is still a lot of money and really too much for a Fiesta IMO. So new normal i guess is the case.

Makes one wonder if those WRX's for 23, 24 grand just a couple of years ago weren't a smokin deal....

Edited by regfootball
regfootball Community Regular

regfootball

Posted
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That's fine, but $18k for this car is too much.

right, dead on. there is a limit the public will pay on a car like this. Let the people who feel like throwing away money go buy the 800 A1's they may sell in this country for 35k.

16k for a fully loaded fiesta would make sense to me....as long as most of them sold in the 14k range.

Was in the Mazda showroom the other day, they had a Mazda2 priced at 17 grand. What a steaming pile at 17k. Right across the floor was a new for 011 Mazda6 for not much more than that. The new 6 has a nice interior cloth upgrade that changes the game on that car.

regfootball Community Regular

regfootball

Posted
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the market will decide, you will see lots more fiestas going for 15k than 18, 19k.......

Honda is even having trouble unloading Fits at that price nowadays

Edited by regfootball
caddycruiser Newbie

caddycruiser

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When these first showed up, they seemed hot with all the previous web chatter, etc.

Very cool little car. But we sure haven't sold many...and if anything, lately we've sold more and had more interest in our Mazda 2's. Price point vs. size, drive, etc. I like the more loaded-ness of the Fiesta, but the Powershift trans is odd and the price climbs up quick. Common to the 2 and Fiesta, don't expect too much back seat or cargo hold and you won't be disappointed.

Interesting little Ford. I like it. But it's not for everyone, and still a new market of sorts being upscale tiny.

NeonLX Newbie

NeonLX

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I didn't realize the new Fiesta was so spendy...:(

Darn it, I really had high hopes for this little tyke.

Both the Fiesta and the Cruze are too pricey in my view; I can find a year-old Cobalt or Focus coming in off of a fleet with 12K miles on the odometer for just over half the $$$$ of either of these. I guess there is a certain amount of boutique-y cachet about them but it ain't worth the extra dough for an old fart like me.

regfootball Community Regular

regfootball

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I've seen ads already for new Fiestas "as low as 11,999!" but should I assume that means no air? To be honest, a new one with air at 13 or 14 is very well priced I think. 20k, not so much. Versa death traps at 15k and up but at least people can sit in the back of a versa. Versa would be a cool car if the interior wasn't ugly and if it didn't drive like crap.

Lamar Newbie

Lamar

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I've seen ads already for new Fiestas "as low as 11,999!" but should I assume that means no air? To be honest, a new one with air at 13 or 14 is very well priced I think. 20k, not so much. Versa death traps at 15k and up but at least people can sit in the back of a versa. Versa would be a cool car if the interior wasn't ugly and if it didn't drive like crap.

All Fiestas have air standard.

Satty Newbie

Satty

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Or buy a Cruze or Malibu... or, at $30 grand, a Regal.

The Regal seems like a raging bargain. I almost hope the Jetta gets wrecked so I have an excuse to get one.

Intrepidation

Intrepidation

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This 24k, 30k for a compact car thing seems to be news to some people, but it isn't new. Go price out a Civic, and you can easily hit 30k. Somehow they manage to sell them though.

  • Agree 1
Z-06 Newbie

Z-06

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The Regal seems like a raging bargain. I almost hope the Jetta gets wrecked so I have an excuse to get one.

Tired of diesel?

Satty Newbie

Satty

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Tired of diesel?

I love the mpgs, but the car has some eccentricities, a few quirks that I wouldn't miss. Not enough to make me actively try to get rid of it, but I wouldn't cry if a boulder were to somehow crush it.

This 24k, 30k for a compact car thing seems to be news to some people, but it isn't new. Go price out a Civic, and you can easily hit 30k. Somehow they manage to sell them though.

Hell, doesn't the Fit run into the 20's?

Cory Wolfe

Cory Wolfe

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This 24k, 30k for a compact car thing seems to be news to some people, but it isn't new. Go price out a Civic, and you can easily hit 30k. Somehow they manage to sell them though.

Actually, if you forgo accessories, it tops out just below $25k. I decided to price every single compact to their maximum excluding accessories, appearance packages sport trims, etc. The most expensive were the Focus, Lancer, and Cruze. Cheapest turned out to be the Corolla.

Intrepidation

Intrepidation

Posted
Posted

Actually, if you forgo accessories, it tops out just below $25k. I decided to price every single compact to their maximum excluding accessories, appearance packages sport trims, etc. The most expensive were the Focus, Lancer, and Cruze. Cheapest turned out to be the Corolla.

So let's see the chasm of disparity between the prices, post them if you would, since you looked them all up and I can't be bothered. Somehow I doubt 10k separates the competitors.

Cory Wolfe

Cory Wolfe

Posted
Posted

So let's see the chasm of disparity between the prices, post them if you would, since you looked them all up and I can't be bothered. Somehow I doubt 10k separates the competitors.

It's coming. I'm working on a 'on paper' comparison of sorts. $10k is pushing it, but $6k easily separates the most and least expensive.

regfootball Community Regular

regfootball

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I was getting the oil changed on my taurus X today and in the showroom they had a new Fiesta. I had not even sat in one yet so I was very curious about it.

I think the sticker was like 18k and they did not have much off on it. I have to say i was impressed with the EPA rating on it.

I tried to get in the trunk but for some reason I could not. I got in the back seat and the seating itself seemed comfortable but it also seemed tight and claustrophobic in just about every dimension.

This particular example did not have an armrest. I am like 'wtf' why do these carmakers not even put in a simple 100 dollar armrest?

Once I got in front, I did admire the dash design, the touch and feel of some of the surfaces, and the upper door and dash plastic I thought was well done for a cheap car. If the Focus merely matches this I think its not bad. Seat cloth was kind of cheap.

Climate controls seemed flimsy cheap but at least easy to understand. The radio stack was interesting, but this unit had a small display.

View out the front seemed nice. the narrow width of the car seemed prevalent, leg room was provided but it didn't seem like you could sprawl out. Front headroom didn't seem to bad. The seat recliner lever was in a dumb spot. The seat bottom felt a bit chintzy.

I will say it seemed to have a much more interesting cabin than the Fit. I have to admit it seemed like a pleasant cabin. If the Focus is as good or better, than Ford should do well with the Focus. I'd be a lot more comfortable with this car 2 grand cheaper though. an 18k sticker on a nice penalty box is still a hard paradigm change when the next class and two up is not that much further out of reach and gives you so much more.

I thought I did have was if I was single or just in high school or college, and not making many trips, the small size of the car would be totally ok. easy to park, etc.

It will be interesting to see how the Sonic hedgehog compares in interior space.

Edited by regfootball
jlgolden Newbie

jlgolden

Posted
Posted (edited)

I've driven the new Fiestas, and they are simply OK. But to be fair, I drive a much more hefty & powerful V6 car everyday, so most anything I test-drive with a 4-cyl engine quickly comes across as buzzy and weak.

My summary: If your budget is capped around $16K for a new car, the Fiesta looks like a decent buy...but your hard-earned $16K won't buy much extra comfort or pizazz in that new Fiesta (no, not even a simple arm rest for the front!) Among $16K cars, however, it's probably the "nicest". Now, if your budget is closer to $18K, then you've just moved into another league, and a new Hyundai Elantra or KIA Forte are immediately more appealing.

Edited by jlgolden

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