2011 FORD FIESTA: It’s a party on wheels!

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/05/2010 (5980 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

San Francisco, Calif. — Last September, auto journalists from across Canada were invited to Toronto to evaluate the reborn Ford Fiesta, the first major product from Ford’s new global product development process.

Never one to pass up the chance to flog a Ford, I was in like a dirty Tempo. The testers we drove were shipped in from Holland and featured far more bells and whistles than the vast majority of small, affordable cars currently available in Canada.

At first blush, it was apparent that Ford was onto something big with the new Fiesta. It was a decent driver with a firm suspension and a reasonably peppy 1.6-litre Duratec 4-cylinder engine.

Thanks to an appealing “dragon eyes” front and nine funky colours to choose from, the Fiesta seemed poised to have mass aesthetic appeal to younger drivers.

My only concern was that, by the time the big hats at Ford finally got the car across the pond, it would be little more than a watered-down version of its European sibling.

Boy, was I ever wrong. Last week, Ford invited us back, this time to San Francisco, for the North American launch of the 2011 Ford Fiesta, and it not only equals the European model but in some ways surpasses it. Take that, Goldmember!

Production of the North American Fiesta began in early 2010 at Ford’s Cuautitlan Assembly Plant in Mexico. The new Fiesta will hit showrooms here in Canada in early s ummer and will be available either as a 4-door sedan or a 5-door hatch.

The Duratec 4-cylinder mill produces 120 horsepower, and either a 5-speed manual or 6-speed PowerShift automatic transmission is available. Class-leading fuel economy has also been promised.

In addition to all the usual amenities like air conditioning, power windows, cruise control and keyless power door locks, some added touches not typically found in the small-car segment are available, including a push-button start, remote start, a booming stereo with an auxiliary jack and Sirius satellite radio, ambient interior lighting, Ford’s SYNC hands-free communications and entertainment system, heated power mirrors, a power sunroof, four-way adjustable driver’s seat and even a tilt and telescopic steering wheel.

The most refreshing thing about this car is that with a starting MSRP of only $12,999, even if you loaded your new Fiesta with options, you’d be hard-pressed to crack the $20,000 mark.

The Fiesta name is not entirely unfamiliar to North American drivers; it was offered for a short time in the U.S. and Canada from 1978 to 1980. Despite its quick exodus from our market, more than 12 million models have been sold worldwide since its introduction in 1976.

The current version is actually the sixth generation and was developed by the European arm of Ford’s global product development team. It went on sale in Europe in late 2008 and is currently the No. 1 seller in that market. It was also recently launched in Asia. The new Fiesta will also be on sale in markets across South Africa, Australia and South and Central America. Each market will offer a variety of regionally tailored models, all derived from a common platform.

On the road, the Fiesta not only handles great but also has very little road noise. It feels like a much more expensive ride, and its European roots are evident in all areas including acceleration, handling and braking. Although it isn’t what anyone would deem a performance machine, the 1.6-litre Duratec engine does rev high and hard when pushed to the limits and easily tackled the steep inclines that made the streets of San Francisco famous.

We also had the opportunity to race the Fiesta around a challenging autocross course in the parking lot of Candlestick Park. You’d have been proud of me. I had that little Ford squealing like a pig and finished in second place among about 40 drivers. Even with all-season radial tires, the Fiesta hooked up like it was on rails.

On the same course in a similarly equipped Honda Fit, I maimed no less than 10 pylons and got totally sideways. There was honestly no comparison — the Fiesta really does drive like a European car, and promises that just because you opt for a sub-compact car you don’t have to be bored out of your skull.

It’s no secret that Ford is on a roll, and with the new Fiesta it’s added yet another venerable weapon to its growing arsenal of great vehicles. Expect to see many Fiestas on our city streets in the very near future — many, many Fiestas.

THE SPECS

2011 Ford Fiesta

Type of vehicle: Sub-compact front-wheel drive 4-door sedan or 5-door hatchback.

Engine : 1.6-litre Duratec inline 4-cylinder engine. 120 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm, 112 lb.-ft. @ 4,250 rpm

Transmission: 5-speed manual or optional 6-speed automatic with auto-shift.

Pricing: $12,999 to $18,889.

Basic warranty: 36 months or 60,000 kms. Powertrain warranty: 60 months or 100,000 kms.

Fuel economy: 7.1 L/100 km city and 5.3 L/100 km highway with the five-speed manual. The Powershift six-speed automatic offers even better fuel economy with 6.9 L/100 km city and 5.1 L/100 km highway.