For too long, Europeans have kept the fiesta--the Ford Fiesta--to themselves. A perennial best seller, the 1995 Fiesta was among the vanguard for Ford of Europe's renaissance based on great-handling cars.
The great news is that the newest Fiesta, a car developed for global markets including the United States, continues that tradition. A brief drive shows that this new Fiesta has all the signs of going to the top of the enthusiast's list of best all-around small cars.
"It drives like a go-kart," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president for global product engineering. Hyperbole, yes, and the same one they use over at Mini. But coming from a man with the measured delivery of a late-night radio disc jockey dispensing love advice, it is downright off-the-wall enthusiasm.
Here's our verdict: The Fiesta is as good a small car as can be found, sourced from anywhere in the world. That it comes from the Blue Oval is remarkable and heartening; its brilliance is the first ray of sunshine on what has been a seemingly midnight horizon.
At only 154.4 inches long, the Fiesta is an all-around car. That may seem surprising, but these "superminis" are as common in Europe as pickups in the United States. Priced from the equivalent of $11,000, such cars are primary transport for many families.
What the Fiesta brings to the game is a balance of styling, interior space, dynamic feedback and refinement.
Dynamically, the closest European competitors are French, but those are meaningless comparisons for a U.S. audience. Against more familiar models--the Chevrolet Aveo, the Honda Fit and the Toyota Yaris--the Fiesta rises above this competition and every other segment-Beautiful car
The new Fiesta's ride is butter-smooth, its turn-in ability is effortless and with sufficient feel that a driver stays connected, and its quiet cabin makes the internal fan sound loud. Clearly, Ford has learned how to make cars that are among the best available--and it's coming to play on American roads.
The styling is a revelation, too. European superminis are a tall breed, and the 58.6-inch-tall Fiesta is no exception. But Ford's internationally flavored sheetmetal somehow manages to give the Fiesta a stretched-out, long and low look. The detailing is clever, too, with the right touch of chrome highlight and the car's personality expressed in the ground-hugging and gaping front grille.
Martin Smith, Ford of Europe design director, calls it "kinetic" design. It has energy of motion while standing still, using a form language that was first revealed at the Frankfurt motor show in 2005 with the Iosis concept car.
Among the styling cues that were carried forward to the Fiesta, as well as the current-generation European Mondeo, Focus and Kuga, is a distinctive DLO--the daylight opening, or profile, from the rising beltline up. There is a kick toward the C-pillar and an aggressive roof pitch. The Iosis and the cars it spawned benefit from an athletic and taut--kinetic--design.
"Design drives revenue, and we have the research to prove it," said Kuzak.
Under the skin is Ford's latest global B-segment platform, developed in Japan and first used for the Mazda 2. The suspension layout is standard for the class--front struts and a rear twist-beam axle--but Ford has shown itself a master of this setup, and here's more proof.
The interior is a huge step forward. You're tempted when looking at a small car like this to think there isn't enough space for you and your stuff. The Fiesta proves you wrong. Not only is the interior a welcoming cockpit, with a contemporary design--from the instrument panel, to the thick, formed steering wheel, to comfortable seats for adults of all sizes--but the packaging is sufficient to carry it all. "Think small" is something Ford wants to emphasize, and when it comes to a total product like this (heck, even the trunk space will swallow your goods with ease), it is easy to do.
The wedgy styling does have one drawback: The rear window is narrow, reducing rearward visibility.
Gas mileage is the driving force behind Ford's decision to bring the Fiesta to the United States, and the car hits home with frugal engines helped by lightweight engineering. Ford reckons the new Fiesta is 88 pounds lighter than the old one, pulling the curb weight of some models to less than 2,200 pounds.
Although it's not yet clear which engines will go into production for the U.S. market, the Euro models are strong on economy. The 115-hp, 1.6-liter engine, for example, is good for 120 mph, 0 to 62 mph in 9.9 seconds and about 40 mpg. That's quicker than a Toyota Prius and not far off its fuel economy.
That's why Europeans love these cars--they're frugal, they're great to drive, and they suit the roads brilliantly.
And there's not much reason Americans shouldn't grow to love them for exactly the same reasons when they drive the Fiesta.
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