Topic: First Drive: 2011 Ford Fiesta

[wing]

That's because I don't think they are done by ford but by bloggers.  Well the
"movement" people, they may have been influenced though

[Arctic_White]

Love its fuel economy (6.9L/100 kms in city?!), and love the looks!

[Loudpedal]

I sat in the new Fiesta at my local Ford store today.  It's a nicely packaged little car. 

Here are my likes/dislikes.

Likes:
Leather in SEL (for this class of car)
Seats felt comfortable, if a bit lacking on support
Dash design looked nice
Big speed and tach guages
Chrome brightwork on the front of the SEL made it look nicely upmarket
195/50/16 on handsome aluminum wheels


Dislikes:
Lots of different graining on the dash, one would likely get used to it however. 
The molded front door pockets have a bottle holder.  However, when resting my legs against the door, it was hard and uncomfortable.  Getting out, my shoe hit it every time. 
The rear door sculpted armrests have a ridge near the rear that I find uncomfortable.
When sitting in the rear seat, the front seat rails and seat belt anchor bolt are exposed and in need of some plastic shroud.

All in all, it appears to be a solid effort for Ford.  If I were looking for a car in this class I'd give it a drive.   

[Dante]

Which delalership was that?

[Loudpedal]

Which delalership was that?

McAlpine Ford in Aurora.   They only had one, outside (4 dr SEL with Leather).   Apparently, it is a FoMoCo car that was doing the rounds at each dealership.  Today was their day.     

[G0dspd]

Love its fuel economy (6.9L/100 kms in city?!), and love the looks!

The EPA has finished calculating the fuel economy of the 2011 Fiesta.
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/17/officially-official-2011-ford-fies/

6-speed dual-clutch Powershift  gearbox
City:        29 US MPG - 8.1 L/100km
Highway:  40 US MPG - 5.9 L/100km

5-speed manual gearbox
City:        28 US MPG - 8.4 L/100km
Highway:  37 US MPG - 6.4 L/100km

I would still get a 5-spd hatch.  A little more gas for a lot more fun. 


Ford Fiesta Armrest by Boomerang.  Should be around 200$-ish.  Assuming it's not in the way of the shifter ... great idea. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jk_KhMABqk

[wing]

And the Canadian official numbers are better of course!

4.9 L/ 100 km highway and 6.8 L / 100 km

[Bubba]

And the Canadian official numbers are better of course!

4.9 L/ 100 km highway and 6.8 L / 100 km

Are the numbers the same for both powertrains?

[wing]

manual is much worse
 7.1 L / 100 km city and 5.3 L / 100 km highway.

[quadzilla]

Some reasons to get the Fiesta over the Lambo.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/14/video-the-only-way-a-fiesta-can-beat-a-lamborghini/#continued

[dkaz]

American fuel economy ratings were revised a few years back to account for more real world figures from aggressive drivers etc.

Canada still uses the old method which I often have no problem exceeding, even with a lead foot once in awhile.

[Arctic_White]

Love its fuel economy (6.9L/100 kms in city?!), and love the looks!

The EPA has finished calculating the fuel economy of the 2011 Fiesta.
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/17/officially-official-2011-ford-fies/

6-speed dual-clutch Powershift  gearbox
City:        29 US MPG - 8.1 L/100km
Highway:  40 US MPG - 5.9 L/100km

5-speed manual gearbox
City:        28 US MPG - 8.4 L/100km
Highway:  37 US MPG - 6.4 L/100km

I would still get a 5-spd hatch.  A little more gas for a lot more fun. 


Ford Fiesta Armrest by Boomerang.  Should be around 200$-ish.  Assuming it's not in the way of the shifter ... great idea. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jk_KhMABqk

These numbers are more believable.  Thanks for posting, GodSpeed.

[Mike]

I will watch this roll out of the Fiesta.
When the 2001 Ford ZX3 was first sold here in Canada, all of the new car reviews raged on and on how it was the same as the Euro ZX3 blah blah blah...
It was my first new car ever!
I told the Dealership to hang onto the car for a few extra days incase and recalls, or repairs would be needed. Picked it up, and I had a recall message on my home phone before I even got home(10 minutes from Ford)
I complained about a very bad vibration and the A/C was not cooling. Two days in the shop and nothing wrong. Get a recall notice about the rear wheels falling off(bad vibration or what)and then the A/C recall...and then another recall..and another...and another....I traded it in after 6 months. Lost over $6,000 on it.
My rec? WAIT for year two of production. Made in Mexico also like my ZX3?
Blah!

Mike

[Ice]

I will watch this roll out of the Fiesta.
When the 2001 Ford ZX3 was first sold here in Canada, all of the new car reviews raged on and on how it was the same as the Euro ZX3 blah blah blah...
It was my first new car ever!
I told the Dealership to hang onto the car for a few extra days incase and recalls, or repairs would be needed. Picked it up, and I had a recall message on my home phone before I even got home(10 minutes from Ford)
I complained about a very bad vibration and the A/C was not cooling. Two days in the shop and nothing wrong. Get a recall notice about the rear wheels falling off(bad vibration or what)and then the A/C recall...and then another recall..and another...and another....I traded it in after 6 months. Lost over $6,000 on it.
My rec? WAIT for year two of production. Made in Mexico also like my ZX3?
Blah!

Mike

Sounds like a horrible time you had with that car.  I hope that the same problems don't hit the Fiesta, however, I can say that the Ford Fusion is also made in Mexico at one of the Ford plants there and that car has a very high reliability rating from Consumer Reports and has since very early in production.  So one would hope that Ford is using the same kind of quality controls for the Fusion as they are the Fiesta and things will be very good for them.

[Rupert]

An overall 'highway/city combined average' of 40 mpg.(Canadian) 'actual' is not too shabby. The equivalent observed on the Accent is about 33 mpg.(Canadian).

You have to compare apples with apples.

[McGarnagle]

The only things that leave me unimpressed are the useless chrome surrounds around the LED 'fog lights' that look positively cheap, and I wish the SES model had sportier 5-spoke alloys rather than sharing the relatively pedestrian design of the other models. These are minor complaints though, considering what Ford has done here it is still an impressive car and I look forward to taking one out for a spin. But Ford, now that you have the magnificent chassis and excellent quality, where's our turbo ST version!? Pleeease!

I understand Ford will offer a black housing for the lower LED driving light as well
http://fiestafaction.com/forums/2011-fiesta-facts/31385-fiesta-se-sedan-photos-mexico-7.html#post35664

Any idea if these will be available for sale when the Fiesta starts showing up at dealers?

[Dante]

The only things that leave me unimpressed are the useless chrome surrounds around the LED 'fog lights' that look positively cheap, and I wish the SES model had sportier 5-spoke alloys rather than sharing the relatively pedestrian design of the other models. These are minor complaints though, considering what Ford has done here it is still an impressive car and I look forward to taking one out for a spin. But Ford, now that you have the magnificent chassis and excellent quality, where's our turbo ST version!? Pleeease!

I understand Ford will offer a black housing for the lower LED driving light as well
http://fiestafaction.com/forums/2011-fiesta-facts/31385-fiesta-se-sedan-photos-mexico-7.html#post35664

Any idea if these will be available for sale when the Fiesta starts showing up at dealers?

Most likely you'll be able to buy them as parts not accessories.

[jjac28]

The Fiesta looks like a great little car, but how is the reliability? The Ford Focus had 13 recalls 

Im not sure if I can trust Ford.

[jjac28]

I'll definitely add this to my list to replace the Sentra. Though the old "never buy the first version" is making me very wary.

This exact car has been on sale in Europe since model year 2008.  It's new HERE, but not actually new.  Any first-year design defects will have been sorted over there. 

Anyway, I seriously want one of these.  I should probably wait for the Focus for the extra space, but the Fiesta just exudes cool, and the price (both base and as I would like it equipped) is awesome.

Thats what was suppose to have happened to the Focus as well..