With the Fiesta, Ford is coming back to a market segment whose popularity closely mirrors the evolution of gas prices. Subcompacts have been ignored by the Blue Oval since 1997, the last year it sold the Aspire.
Granted, the latter proved ironically bad as no one in their right mind would actually aspire to own such an uninspiring car.
On the other hand, the all-new 2011 Ford Fiesta is unique and desirable for many reasons. Heck, its top-of-the-line model even offers available leather seats! Clearly, quality and refinement have nothing to do with size!
Perfectly timed
The Fiesta couldn't have arrived at a better time. New and exciting products are taking the small car segment by storm, especially hatchbacks like this Fiesta SE I recently tested.
Toyota, Honda and Kia have long satisfied those who turn to 5-door subcompacts to fulfill their driving needs – with the Echo/Yaris, Fit and Rio5, respectively. More recently, Nissan (Versa) and Mazda (2) introduced their own alternative, the former also on the verge of resurrecting the Micra.
Ford's plan involves not one, but two separate offerings, each one with a very distinct personality. The first is this little ''Lime Squeeze'' (green) Fiesta Hatchback primarily designed with functionality and versatility in mind. The second targets more conservative buyers and is built in traditional 4-door fashion.
While the sedan is available in S, SE and SEL trim, the hatchback only comes in SE and SEL variants.
Single powertrain
Every 2011 Ford Fiesta features a 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder Duratec engine that sends 120 horsepower to the front wheels through a standard 5-speed manual gearbox. The brand's 6-speed, dual-clutch PowerShift transmission can be specified for an extra $1,250.
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| The Ford Fiesta Hatchback is an interesting alternative to the Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit. (Photo: Luc Gagné/Auto123.com) |
Granted, the latter proved ironically bad as no one in their right mind would actually aspire to own such an uninspiring car.
On the other hand, the all-new 2011 Ford Fiesta is unique and desirable for many reasons. Heck, its top-of-the-line model even offers available leather seats! Clearly, quality and refinement have nothing to do with size!
Perfectly timed
The Fiesta couldn't have arrived at a better time. New and exciting products are taking the small car segment by storm, especially hatchbacks like this Fiesta SE I recently tested.
Toyota, Honda and Kia have long satisfied those who turn to 5-door subcompacts to fulfill their driving needs – with the Echo/Yaris, Fit and Rio5, respectively. More recently, Nissan (Versa) and Mazda (2) introduced their own alternative, the former also on the verge of resurrecting the Micra.
Ford's plan involves not one, but two separate offerings, each one with a very distinct personality. The first is this little ''Lime Squeeze'' (green) Fiesta Hatchback primarily designed with functionality and versatility in mind. The second targets more conservative buyers and is built in traditional 4-door fashion.
While the sedan is available in S, SE and SEL trim, the hatchback only comes in SE and SEL variants.
Single powertrain
Every 2011 Ford Fiesta features a 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder Duratec engine that sends 120 horsepower to the front wheels through a standard 5-speed manual gearbox. The brand's 6-speed, dual-clutch PowerShift transmission can be specified for an extra $1,250.
 |
| Every 2011 Ford Fiesta features a 120-horsepower, 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder Duratec engine. (Photo: Luc Gagné/Auto123.com) |