Ford Fiesta first impression: very, very cool
We'll admit, we're a little bummed we didn't win a chance for the six-month Ford Fiesta visiting rights. Sadly, we're even less enthused about our Fiesta-free 2009 now that we've had a chance to read Autoblog's first impression of this little wonder. This is good news for Ford, which is bringing this popular car (in Europe) to the U.S. next year. Autoblog dug the power, the look and the driveability of the Fiesta. During the hour in New York that our friends had with the car, the city public was intensely interested in the little car (perhaps because it was Simpsons nuclear green, perhaps because it's a sleek little Ford), and constantly asked questions like how much they cost (not sure yet) and what the mpg will be (30+, we epect). But why listen to me get more and more envious? Check out Autoblog for the full details.
Gallery: Ford Fiesta in NYC
[Source: Autoblog]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Tohe 8:11PM (4/03/2009)
Nice, desirable, youthful and if only this was an EV, it would be just the car we are waiting for.
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Noz 8:51PM (4/03/2009)
Even a mild hybrid or start/stop system would have been a good start.
Buying an IC car these days is going to be a mistake IMO.
Matt 11:20PM (4/04/2009)
Can they please not call it the Fiesta? It looks like a good car and even has great reviews from Top Gear... but Fiesta? I don't want to think about food when I look at my car :(
Snowdog 8:53PM (4/03/2009)
Can it be? An actual, real life desirable, Detroit Small car?
Fingers crossed on this one. Looks better than a Fit, hopefully with better highway gearing to get better highway mpg and quieter ride.
It is already the best looking small hatch. It just needs to deliver on driving side.
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solution 9:13PM (4/03/2009)
Judging just by the looks, I would so buy this car over Toyota Yaris. If no hybrid or EV option will be offered, I would consider swapping the ICE for electric motor with some lithium :)
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NeilBlanchard 10:39PM (4/03/2009)
Hi,
I just read somewhere that this car has a disappointing Cd of 0.33? The Yaris' is 0.29...
I'd have to sit in this car to know whether I can fit or not, and what the sight lines are like. I'm sure it will help Ford to have this car "in their quiver". I will say that I was extremely disappointed with the build quality of my 2002 Focus ZX5. I liked driving it, but, I only got ~27mpg (with a 2L 16 valve 5-speed), and among other things, it have paint flaking off of it in about 7 places. I wrote a long letter to Ford, and they basically said: "Sorry, we can't help you."
I traded it in with 50K miles on my 2005 Scion xA.
Sincerely, Neil
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Luke 12:21AM (4/04/2009)
Both Ford and GM make very desirable small cars. They just don't sell them in the US.
I spent half of my trip to Scotland bitching about it and wondering why I couldn't get a turbodiesel Focus at home, when I saw them every few minutes there.
The car company executives keep saying that they can't build small cars -- but they don't even need to ask another company for help. They just have to go and ask the folks in their European division to come over with some PowerPoint slides.
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eliot 1:12AM (4/04/2009)
Hell Luke I've been bitching about it for years I went to Europe and and I've never knowingly seen a Detroit nameplate with a diesel. They were always in the European brands Citron, Peugot etc. and I'm well aware of what Detroit calls their cars on the other side of the pond.
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matt 6:05AM (4/04/2009)
Ford, Vauxhall (GM), Chrysler, Chevrolet all have modern turbo diesels on sale in the UK
Of course then you have all of the European brands doing modern turbo diesels as well - BMW, Fiat, Mercedes, VW, Porsche, Citroen, Peugeot, Seat, Saab.
Oh and all the Japanese and other asian brands do modern turbo diesels too - Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Kia, Hyandai.
Basically this is what you get for a "Made in America" attitude. Don't get me started on mobile phones or even culture :)
Max 2:28AM (4/04/2009)
That's what the Focus should be. The current Focus is a horrendous design failure.
The current Focus stands alone at the top of the fugly car pyramid, distantly followed by the BMW X6
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Luke 10:39AM (4/04/2009)
Eliot,
I determined that there was a diesel Focus by listening to the sound of the engine. Either there were diesels, or dozens of brand-new Focus's had a knocking problem.... :-) But that was my only exposure to the European car market, so I could be wrong.
IIRC, we rented a Vauxhall club car of some sort (Zafira?) for the four of us, which is (was?) a GM product. It was a very basic car, but it Did The Job -- and it would meet my current needs very nicely living in the American Midwest. There's NFW that they'd sell that car here and jeopardize their high-end CUV market.
In any case, Ford said earlier that they were bringing the Euro-Focus to the US, which did seem to be a different car. The 2009 grill in the US makes it look more like a car intended for grownups, and if it gets a wider variety of powertrain options (BEV, diesel, etc), body styles (compact station wagon!), and a crisp suspension, it'll probably be a real contender when my current vehicle is no longer serviceable.
(A Volt wagon would be nice, too. It's only 5 miles to the hardware store, so if towing a 4'x8' utility trailer with a Focus BEV or a Volt destroys the all-electric-range (as it well should), I might still be able to get my gardening and woodworking supplies without personally using any oil.)
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jharlan 1:03PM (4/04/2009)
US turbo-diesels NOW! Dam it! They will reduce fuel consumption by 30% and carbon emissions as well. The gasoline ICE has made Exxon the wealthiest entity on Earth. Do you think that massive power is not controlling our politicians? Europe is greener than the US, and they have turbo-diesels! We can make the diesel out of sunflowers!
This is the best interim strategy. It will be half a decade before the transition to EVs will make a significant contribution.
For you pie in the sky hydrogen people, carbon capture and recycling will be cheaper and simpler than building a nation wide hydrogen infrastructure (which is what Exxon and the politicians they own (and you)want).
Some of us are waking up every morning to reality.
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Don 2:17PM (4/04/2009)
"The gasoline ICE has made Exxon the wealthiest entity on Earth"
There are many much, much bigger companies on earth than Exxon Mobil. The world's most valuable company (state owned) is Saudi Aramco, worth over $1.5 trillion, followed by a bunch of other state owned oil firms.
But you're right, Oil is lobbying every politician and misleading the public by funding 'scientific reports' (written by paid scientists) and misleading ad campaigns. The Pentagon + Military Industrial block + Big Oil are controlling the decisions and making things the president himself isn't aware of.
Noz 3:14PM (4/04/2009)
Indeed...and let's call lobbying what it really is.....bribing and blackmail.
Snowdog 6:27PM (4/04/2009)
What are you suggesting? They will only bring what people will buy in numbers.
In case you missed it Honda is dropping diesel for North America(That would seem like a more appropriate thread to air you lack of diesels grievance. ), I suspect Subaru will announce the same. Leaving VW ( and some $50K BMW/Mercedes).
They aren't dropping diesel because of some conspiracy, but because most people don't want them.
harlanx6 12:01AM (4/05/2009)
Whether people want diesels or not can't be determined unless they are on the showroom floor, and from what I hear VW TDIs are selling as fast as they come in. I have talked to TDI jetta owners and they are very happy with the 48-49 MPG they are getting. Snowdog, you may be misjudging demand.
harlanx6 12:20AM (4/05/2009)
I may not be correct all my assumptions, but my point is we have a real problem. To solve it we have to attack on multiple fronts. Conservation by fuel efficiency, promoting alternative fuels, and pursuing any new technology that frees us from dependency on importing energy, and particularly on importing energy from our enemies in the middle east, and that includes Saudi Arabia. That's right, Saudi Arabia! Saudi Arabia where they allow the Madrassas to preach hate of the west to their children, and promote terrorism. We must stop the bleeding of wealth to the middle East before they use it to fund a holy war which will result in the middle east becoming a radioactive wasteland for thousands of years. World piece depends on our energy independence.
Snowdog 9:38AM (4/05/2009)
Do you have any actual sales figures? Sales should be through the roof among Diesel enthusiasts. They were no Diesels for about a year, so there will be pent up demand and VW has the niche all to itself.
Now with that perfect storm of conditions, how many were actually sold? I suspect the number isn't that large and may even smaller in the next year as the "pent up demand" such as it is, will be over.
I don't think there is demand to support multiple manufacturers spending the money making them smog compliant with North America for slice of the tiny diesel niche market here.
harlanx6 10:40AM (4/05/2009)
Snow dog, you have nothing to back up your opinion. Turbo diesels are coming because the demand will be there because it's a superior technology. No one is asking you to buy one. The people of the US are being denied the superior performance they provide now unless they want to buy a German car. It shouldn't be that way. We can make diesel out of agricultural products and with the superior economy and carbon emissions this technology provides it can be one of our weapons in the war to end our dependency on foreign oil. I am not the only one who believes we should have this option.
Noz 2:03PM (4/05/2009)
What is being suggested is that this triage work together regardless. It has nothing to do with just diesel...the whole infrastructure and approach is what has been shoved down everyone's throats.