The latest Fiesta is an undeniably handsome design, with its ground
hugging snoot, upturned tail, and primly pursed Aston Martin copy grill
imbuing it with unexpected flair. The only discordant note in the
stylistic aria is struck by the 15 inch SE standard alloy wheels, which
are visually swamped by spaciously flared wheel wells. It’s been a long
time – 40 years to be exact – since a 185/60R15 tire was considered to
be the hot setup in street rubber. It’s not that these Hankook Optimo
H426 tires perform without merit, rather that they just don’t look the
part on this otherwise up to date styling exercise. The only thing
you’ll really appreciate about these tires is their cheap price when it
comes time to replace them with new ones. But if this were my Fiesta,
I’d upgrade it with Plus 1 (16″) or Plus 2 (17″) tire and wheel
packages, either through Ford, which offers both, or via an aftermarket
supplier. In either event, the new Fiesta will look more like something
from the 21st century than an artifact from the groovy Sixties.
In addition to its cleanly sculpted body, the SE Fiesta offers the
impecunious buyer a host of other, more practical advantages. Topping
the list is its negligible purchase price of just $15,450. You can
hardly buy a decent motorcycle these days for that amount. Our test
SE’s electric “Blue Candy” tint added a negligible $395 to the bottom
line. Its “Power Shift” 6 speed automatic transmission, a $1,095 extra,
bumped the bottom line to $16,940, still a sensational deal in the
automotive scheme of things today. I would forego the optional
transmission in favor of the standard 5-speed manual, which is such a
pleasure to operate that it makes the lightweight (2,665 lbs.) Fiesta
feel even sportier than it really is. The manual gearbox facilitates
ratio choice, a job which is rather a chore with the automatic, which
lacks paddles, and requires use of a minute, stick-located toggle switch
to swap ratios.
You won’t be overwhelmed by the passing power of the Fiesta’s 120hp,
1.6 liter four, which makes just 112 pounds of torque. On the other
hand, you’ll love how long it takes to drain this Ford’s 12 gallon fuel
tank. We zipped all over the Bay Area for a solid week before stopping
to refuel, because the range on a single tank is nearly 400 miles at 32
MPG overall. On highway trips, you can run close to 470 miles before a
recharge, since the Fiesta is good for 39 MPG on the freeway. Of
course, your butt might give out before your fuel supply, because the
cloth seats of the SE are pretty much entry level in terms of
adjustability and comfort. Fore and aft travel is manual, as is
seatback rake, which is inconveniently controlled by a lever shrouded by
the shoulder harness. Steering wheel angle is also manually
adjustable, but there is no provision for altering reach.
The rear seats are useless unless your Fiesta is full of occupants no
taller than 5 feet. Even then, your rear passengers will have to duck
their heads to climb aboard. Anyone 5’8″ tall will find a dearth of
knee room back there, and just 1 inch to spare in headroom. On the
other hand, the Fiesta is perfect for packing 2 adults up front and a
pair of kids in back. Ford even provides seatbelts and headrest for a
3rd, center mounted victim in the rear seat. Even with a full load of 4
or 5, the sedan leaves you with a surprisingly spacious trunk of 12.8
cubic feet. If your cargo requirements call for more storage length,
the rear seats flip down in a 60/40 split pattern, though you’ll need to
remove the rear headrests prior to flattening the seats.
Because the Fiesta is so small and nimble, it’s unexpectedly fun to
drive. Even in this mildest state of tune, the SE offers immediate
throttle response when you’ve dialed up the proper gear ratio. The
steering is refreshingly accurate, and you can really boogie on back
roads in spite of the Hankook’s modest adhesion limits. If your
interests tend more to sporty driving than basic transportation needs,
Ford’s Fiesta product line includes the turbocharged ST with 17 inch
rims and 197hp. But for most occasions, the base engine is more than
adequate. It may be hard to believe, but for the price of an entry
level Harley Davidson bike, you can buy a genuinely useful, economic and
good looking little sedan that exudes value and versatility.
- Engine: 1.6 liter DOHC Inline 4
- Horsepower: 120hp
- Torque: 112 lb.-ft.
- Fuel Consumption: 29 MPG City/39 MPG Highway
- Price as Tested: $17,735
- Star Rating: 9 out of 10 Stars
source : carreview
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