Topic: Test Drive: 2011 Ford Fiesta SES hatchback

[rrocket]

My Echo with a stick was 0-60 8.5 seconds with 105HP.  Curb weight is only ~2000 lbs.

I know they are a touch heavier, but it may come down to gearing...

Is that sourced from a biased car magazine? 

If an Echo can go 8.5, I don't think 8.3 for a Fit is necessarily the stuff of science fiction.

Hey - I wouldn't have been the least bit surprised to see high 8's and low 9's for this trio.  But I don't find 8.3 to be so face-peeling fast for the Fit that I would be calling the magazine's integrity into question based on the number alone.

I know the gearing as between the manual and automatic Fit is significantly different, even though both offer 5 forward gears.  The gearing is much shorter on the manual - making it much more responsive around town, but rev higher than the auto on the highway.  It's a tradeoff I'd gladly live with - though a 6 speed would give it the best of both worlds.

Jaeger

Slushbox does it in 9.5-9.8 seconds.

[tpl]

Gentlemen.  I believe there is an Iphone app that can measure 0-60 and such things.  Sooooo one of you with an Iphone can spend the 99c and then go to a dealer for the Mazda 2 and for the Fiesta and have a test drive.  You'll need some "infrastructure"  like some way to attach the iPhone to the car solidly but that should not be too too difficult.

 


2 minutes later.   I read about the availability of this app in the NP driving section a year back but I can't find it in the Apple app store.

But anyway doesn't someone have that fancier gadget that plugs into the OBD II plug ? That would do it.

[Jaeger]

I believe Car and Driver makes every effort possible to record accurate results for their testing.

I do too.

Jaeger

[rrocket]

I believe Car and Driver makes every effort possible to record accurate results for their testing.

Unless a BMW is being outperformed by some other car....

[wing]

I have a Mazda2 coming but I believe it's Auto

[Jaeger]

I believe Car and Driver makes every effort possible to record accurate results for their testing.

Unless a BMW is being outperformed by some other car....

Nah - they'll say the other car was faster, but that the power delivery on the BMW was better.  They'll say the other car had a faster slalom time, but the BMW felt more poised and predictable. Bias tends to emerge in the subjective areas.

Though in fairness, they did just pick the new 5-Series dead last in a three-way comparison with the new M37 and A6 (first place).  So bias can be overcome. 

Jaeger

[Bubba]

I believe Car and Driver makes every effort possible to record accurate results for their testing.

Unless a BMW is being outperformed by some other car....

I'm talking about their instrumented testing, not the subjective portion.

[bikenut]

cycleworld adjust for temp etc too
but also adds circuit dissection and has identical tires put on all the bikes in a comparo example aug o9 issue
doesn't change the fact that they are biased

[Dante]

If the cars are tested back-to-back indeed, which I would assume it should be the case for a comparison (same place, same time, same driver, same techiques etc.), why would they need to adjust anything? Stating the test conditions would be enough IMO.

[bikenut]

higher altitudes affects performance -- thinner air
same with cold days over hot days , air is more dense on cold days
making the engine perform better, so they just factor this in

if your guy tested them all on a hot day then again on a cold day there would be a difference
in 0-60

[normancw]

Gentlemen.  I believe there is an Iphone app that can measure 0-60 and such things.  Sooooo one of you with an Iphone can spend the 99c and then go to a dealer for the Mazda 2 and for the Fiesta and have a test drive.  You'll need some "infrastructure"  like some way to attach the iPhone to the car solidly but that should not be too too difficult.

 


2 minutes later.   I read about the availability of this app in the NP driving section a year back but I can't find it in the Apple app store.

There's a free one from BMW called the "BMW M Power Meter".