Just two weeks away from receiving my diploma from San Diego State University, I find myself with the keyless fob to start my almost one-of-a-kind 2009 Euro-spec Ford Fiesta five-door hatchback. It’s an enviable position, I realize, because I was selected as one of the 100 “socially vibrant millenials†to participate in the “Fiesta Movement†designed to promote this new small car in America.
I’ve teamed up with Leftlane to provide you with regular updates on my experiences in the Fiesta. Though Ford has provided me with the car, they’re not dictating what I do with it or what I say about it. I’ll probably stay away from Tijuana, but anything else is fair game.
I drove “my” Panther Black Ford Fiesta home a couple of weeks ago from Willow Springs Race Park and during the course of the subsequent 1,100 miles I’ve added to my Fiesta, I’ve already managed to attract quite a bit of attention, as you can see in my first “sighting” video below.
Two people have exited their vehicles on the road to run towards me, grinning ear to ear, and proclaiming their love for this exciting new premium subcompact hatchback. Wait, premium subcompact hatchback? We have those in America? Yes, we certainly will when Ford brings the top-selling European market Fiesta over in about a year as a 2011 for an estimated price in the low-teens.
I’ll be providing regular updates on my little Fiesta over the coming weeks, but for now let’s start with a basic rundown of what makes it a premium subcompact.
In Europe, drivers buy small cars because they want them, not simply because they’re cheap. With the success of the Honda Fit , among others, Ford thinks it’s high time to join the party. Or the fiesta, if you will.
For starters, it offers unique-to-the-class features like rain-sensing wipers, capless “Easy Fuel†fueling, Ford’s Microsoft-developed Sync hands-free system and heated leather seats – not to mention its driver-oriented European engineering.
Beyond the driving experience, which I’ll address in further detail in the future, a few things stand out. Most notably, the Fiesta’s high-speed silence. Luxury car-esque, the Fiesta provides so much isolation that the three recipients of my handsfree (thanks, Sync) phone calls said there was virtually no indication of road noise on their end. This isn’t like any small Ford you’ve been in; in fact, it’s not like any small car ever sold on these shores.
But small car virtues like fuel economy don’t seem to have been lost in the translation from econobox to cool ride. I’ve been averaging approximately 34 mpg in mixed driving from the 1.6-liter four-cylinder that pumps out about 120-horsepower. In my car, it’s mated to a five-speed manual, but by the time the slightly revised North American-spec cars arrive next year, the Fiesta will get a six-speed dual-clutch automatic dubbed PowerShift as an option.
So there you have it: A brief inside look into Ford’s latest world car. Sure, it’s not the first world car Ford has tried – and it’s not the first Fiesta sold in America, either (Leftlane Editor’s note: If you currently own a U.S.-spec 1978-1980 Fiesta, please contact us using the form on the site!). But if my first week’s experience is any indication of the long-term experience of owning a Ford Fiesta, the Fiesta is a reason for celebration in Dearborn.
Words and photos by Mark Kleis.
