Driving Position
The first thing I noticed when I got into the Fiesta was how well the driver’s seat fit me. Everything seemed to be in the right ratio. Once I adjusted the seat to reach the pedals comfortably, the steering wheel was exactly right and the gear shift fell in hand with nary a glance to see where the lever was. Mirrors were large and easy to adjust so getting into a good driving position took mere seconds.
Rear Seat
I looked into the back seat and noted there was a lack of leg room if there was a real tall person in the front. I didn’t try to fit in since I always maintain that if you make payments, you don’t sit in the back. My son, on the other hand, tells me that the back is reasonably comfortable with a decent amount of head room. Space for his shoulders and hips is pretty good and overall he is quite comfortable if the person in front (me) pulls the set up a couple of notches.
The back seat does fold down (60/40 split) to provide more cargo space if you need it. I can vouch for the fact that it has to be folded down when the grocery bill from CostCo is about $500, but can stay up when the Sobeys bill is only $100.
Comfort and Ease of Use
Fiesta quickly became the car of choice at my house. Heated front seats (a bit leisurely in warming up, but quite effective) and a good interior heater meant comfort was only minutes away during cold starts. Add to that the ease of operating the five speed manual gear box as well as the flexibility of the aluminum 120 hp 1.6 litre DOHC four and you have a car that will have you speeding on your way.
Driving
That speeding is quite literal. Every time I started out, I couldn’t believe how smooth and how quickly the Fiesta got past the speed limit in town or on the highway. Coming off a light all I had to do was go first to second and it was “Hello Officer”. Out on the highway it was the same, just add a gear. Fifth was great for easy cruising, although acceleration was a bit sluggish. If you wanted zip to get by someone you had to drop down to third. Using fourth would get you by too, just not as quickly.
The first thing I noticed when I got into the Fiesta was how well the driver’s seat fit me. Everything seemed to be in the right ratio. Once I adjusted the seat to reach the pedals comfortably, the steering wheel was exactly right and the gear shift fell in hand with nary a glance to see where the lever was. Mirrors were large and easy to adjust so getting into a good driving position took mere seconds.
 |
| The first thing I noticed when I got into the Fiesta was how well the driver’s seat fit me. (Photo: Charles Renny/Auto123.com) |
Rear Seat
I looked into the back seat and noted there was a lack of leg room if there was a real tall person in the front. I didn’t try to fit in since I always maintain that if you make payments, you don’t sit in the back. My son, on the other hand, tells me that the back is reasonably comfortable with a decent amount of head room. Space for his shoulders and hips is pretty good and overall he is quite comfortable if the person in front (me) pulls the set up a couple of notches.
The back seat does fold down (60/40 split) to provide more cargo space if you need it. I can vouch for the fact that it has to be folded down when the grocery bill from CostCo is about $500, but can stay up when the Sobeys bill is only $100.
Comfort and Ease of Use
Fiesta quickly became the car of choice at my house. Heated front seats (a bit leisurely in warming up, but quite effective) and a good interior heater meant comfort was only minutes away during cold starts. Add to that the ease of operating the five speed manual gear box as well as the flexibility of the aluminum 120 hp 1.6 litre DOHC four and you have a car that will have you speeding on your way.
Driving
That speeding is quite literal. Every time I started out, I couldn’t believe how smooth and how quickly the Fiesta got past the speed limit in town or on the highway. Coming off a light all I had to do was go first to second and it was “Hello Officer”. Out on the highway it was the same, just add a gear. Fifth was great for easy cruising, although acceleration was a bit sluggish. If you wanted zip to get by someone you had to drop down to third. Using fourth would get you by too, just not as quickly.
 |
| The 2011 Fiesta SES has a 120 hp 1.6 litre DOHC engine. (Photo: Ford) |