Topic: Test Drive: 2014 Ford Fiesta SE 1.0L EcoBoost

[JacobBlack]

First you say "According to the EPA, the Fiesta with the 1.0L EcoBoost engine offers 7.6 L/100 km city and 5.5 L/100 km highway "

but then you say "The fuel economy display showed 5.5 L/100 km, not far off the EPA’s highway estimate of 5.2 L/100 km.

So which EPA is right? 5.2 or 5.5?

It's 5.5. I've fixed the typo in Greg's article. Thanks for pointing it out.

[Spec5]

to the reviewer...would you recommend this over the manual Mazda2??
do they share the same 5spd transmission???

Personally, I'd rather have the Mazda2 because it has a sportier driving feel.  I don't think it has the same manual transmission, but I don't know for sure.  I will check with Ford and post the answer before the end of the week.

We're looking at downsizing right now - turning in the Odyssey 21 months early and trying to get into a Fit. Tried to get a local Kia dealership to see if they would help me out but they were saying that dealership I bought the van from would have "first right of refusal". Something about how Honda Canada Finance owns it (its a lease) but that you can't buy it from HCF - you have to do it through a dealership and that its unlikely they would "let" me out of it to jump to another manf. Wouldn't be so bad if I bought it from the local Honda dealership but this one I got in Brampton. Anyway I digress....

I wouldn't mind taking a look at the Fiesta (and I have - but just looking through the window). The Fiesta (heck almost anything) is larger than a Mazda 2. I would be surprised if you could fit a child seat behind the driver in a Mazda 2 it really is incredibly small back there. Its more in the same category as the Micra. As noted above I'm more likely to end up in a Fit but really not thrilled about the crash worthlessness of the existing Fit. New one should hit any time but the rates on that are going to suck for a year or two. I'm trying to see if I can move up to a Civic for close to the same money - we'll see... I've got no issues with this Fiesta being a) manual only (this it is EXTREMELY odd I must say) and b) 15" steelies. I agree with most others here though - would put snows on those and go wheel shopping!

As an FYI most of these cars (ie. sub compacts) don't come with A/C standard. So all these great 12-14k starting prices are all models without A/C. Who rides with no A/C anymore?! Its the ONLY option I really care about and you have to move up from base trim to get it. Most of these vehicles are 17-18k starting if you take this into account. And this is with manual trans too - add on another $1,000-1,500 if you want the auto/cvt. Personally I'm looking to save some costs there and get the stick - not only that but in vehicles with 110hpish power all geared for efficiency I'd much rather shift it myself. I know our Civic trans is incredibly annoying and slow to downshift when called upon. Usually 2-3 seconds before the committee accepts the throttle input and decides to do something serious about it.

[gwilson]

to the reviewer...would you recommend this over the manual Mazda2??
do they share the same 5spd transmission???

Personally, I'd rather have the Mazda2 because it has a sportier driving feel.  I don't think it has the same manual transmission, but I don't know for sure.  I will check with Ford and post the answer before the end of the week.

We're looking at downsizing right now - turning in the Odyssey 21 months early and trying to get into a Fit. Tried to get a local Kia dealership to see if they would help me out but they were saying that dealership I bought the van from would have "first right of refusal". Something about how Honda Canada Finance owns it (its a lease) but that you can't buy it from HCF - you have to do it through a dealership and that its unlikely they would "let" me out of it to jump to another manf. Wouldn't be so bad if I bought it from the local Honda dealership but this one I got in Brampton. Anyway I digress....

I wouldn't mind taking a look at the Fiesta (and I have - but just looking through the window). The Fiesta (heck almost anything) is larger than a Mazda 2. I would be surprised if you could fit a child seat behind the driver in a Mazda 2 it really is incredibly small back there. Its more in the same category as the Micra. As noted above I'm more likely to end up in a Fit but really not thrilled about the crash worthlessness of the existing Fit. New one should hit any time but the rates on that are going to suck for a year or two. I'm trying to see if I can move up to a Civic for close to the same money - we'll see... I've got no issues with this Fiesta being a) manual only (this it is EXTREMELY odd I must say) and b) 15" steelies. I agree with most others here though - would put snows on those and go wheel shopping!

As an FYI most of these cars (ie. sub compacts) don't come with A/C standard. So all these great 12-14k starting prices are all models without A/C. Who rides with no A/C anymore?! Its the ONLY option I really care about and you have to move up from base trim to get it. Most of these vehicles are 17-18k starting if you take this into account. And this is with manual trans too - add on another $1,000-1,500 if you want the auto/cvt. Personally I'm looking to save some costs there and get the stick - not only that but in vehicles with 110hpish power all geared for efficiency I'd much rather shift it myself. I know our Civic trans is incredibly annoying and slow to downshift when called upon. Usually 2-3 seconds before the committee accepts the throttle input and decides to do something serious about it.

I agree, the price of subcompacts really adds up after you start adding features like a/c and automatic transmission.  You might want to think about buying a two- or three-year-old certified used car with a warranty.  By the way, the Fiesta's manual transmission is not the same as the Mazda2s.

[Spec5]

We're looking at downsizing right now - turning in the Odyssey 21 months early and trying to get into a Fit. Tried to get a local Kia dealership to see if they would help me out but they were saying that dealership I bought the van from would have "first right of refusal". Something about how Honda Canada Finance owns it (its a lease) but that you can't buy it from HCF - you have to do it through a dealership and that its unlikely they would "let" me out of it to jump to another manf. Wouldn't be so bad if I bought it from the local Honda dealership but this one I got in Brampton. Anyway I digress....

I wouldn't mind taking a look at the Fiesta (and I have - but just looking through the window). The Fiesta (heck almost anything) is larger than a Mazda 2. I would be surprised if you could fit a child seat behind the driver in a Mazda 2 it really is incredibly small back there. Its more in the same category as the Micra. As noted above I'm more likely to end up in a Fit but really not thrilled about the crash worthlessness of the existing Fit. New one should hit any time but the rates on that are going to suck for a year or two. I'm trying to see if I can move up to a Civic for close to the same money - we'll see... I've got no issues with this Fiesta being a) manual only (this it is EXTREMELY odd I must say) and b) 15" steelies. I agree with most others here though - would put snows on those and go wheel shopping!

As an FYI most of these cars (ie. sub compacts) don't come with A/C standard. So all these great 12-14k starting prices are all models without A/C. Who rides with no A/C anymore?! Its the ONLY option I really care about and you have to move up from base trim to get it. Most of these vehicles are 17-18k starting if you take this into account. And this is with manual trans too - add on another $1,000-1,500 if you want the auto/cvt. Personally I'm looking to save some costs there and get the stick - not only that but in vehicles with 110hpish power all geared for efficiency I'd much rather shift it myself. I know our Civic trans is incredibly annoying and slow to downshift when called upon. Usually 2-3 seconds before the committee accepts the throttle input and decides to do something serious about it.

I agree, the price of subcompacts really adds up after you start adding features like a/c and automatic transmission.  You might want to think about buying a two- or three-year-old certified used car with a warranty.  By the way, the Fiesta's manual transmission is not the same as the Mazda2s.

I would consider it but really what I'm after is a monthly payment. For what you would pay for a 2 or 3 year old vehicle via Financing from just about anyone would be at best equal to what you pay for a lease - likely more. Plus a 2 or 3 year old vehicle is a lot closer to things like replacing tires, brakes, etc. I'd rather be giving it back at that point instead of starting the purchase process knowing thats a year or 2 away - in addition to my monthly payment.

[Noto]

Oh good, purple lighted cup holders, but no block heater. 

The cupholders can be more than just purple there are a bunch of colour choices and I really like the option.

I don't own a Fiesta, but I've rented MANY and have to say that it is actually my favourite subcompact, pretty well tied with the Rio.

I find the 1.6L to be fine in the Fiesta, but agree that the 1.0T would be better - then again, if you attach an auto tranny (tuned for fuel economy), the engine may feel lethargic and not particularly spritely.  I have a feeling that's why it's manual-only, but then why bother bringing it to Canada?  $1,300 is not absurd for the engine, but it should be made available with an automatic well-matched to its attributes.  Then again, Ford's DCT is probably the reason most don't buy the Fiesta - it's jumpy, wonky, and makes you worry about its longevity.  For a long-standing company, Ford should be better with its powertrain refinement and availability.

My biggest complaint with the Fiesta is the driver's seat - very flat bottom.  Other than that, I would still buy it over any of its competition.  It handles the winter driving FAR better than the Yaris, too.

I don't think the Fiesta is expensive, but the packaging definitely needs to be reworked a bit.

Also, if someone comes in thinking "that 1.0T is a big selling feature for me" and then finds out that it's not available in an automatic, they won't otherwise buy a 1.6L.  They'll head to Kia and buy a Rio, or whatever.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

The DCT used in the Fiesta and Focus was produced by a Getrag/Ford join venture. I'm assuming they'll be reverting to a wet clutch design going forward.

[tpl]

The DCT used in the Fiesta and Focus was produced by a Getrag/Ford join venture. I'm assuming they'll be reverting to a wet clutch design going forward.

Sensibly they'd licence the 6spd and 7spd DSGs from VW and the 8 spd slushbox family from ZF.  problem solved then.  Although the Top Brass would hate the idea they could actually brag about having the best transmissions available in their cars.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

They went with a dry clutch because of a marginal reduction in parasitic losses. Can't blame them for trying. With various software revisions they work pretty well except for creeping in bumper to bumper traffic. They might consider slapping a torque converter in there for that mode of operation, though I don't know if that would be a more economic solution.

[dkaz]

As an FYI most of these cars (ie. sub compacts) don't come with A/C standard. So all these great 12-14k starting prices are all models without A/C. Who rides with no A/C anymore?!

We rarely need to run A/C in Vancouver, but the few weekends last summer when we needed A/C, you bet I was glad I had it.

Also, I believe you can get the Fiesta 1.0L Ecoboost (or with the 1.6) with automatic temperature control. From my experience with the Mazda 5 and now the Honda Odyssey, automatic climate control systems do a decent job at managing cabin temperature while minimizing A/C compressor use so the fuel consumption hit is negligible, as long as you don't have the temperature set to say 18C or something. I typically set the cabin temp at 23.5 in the summer and use the A/C for its air drying capabilities rather than wasting gas turning the passenger compartment into a refrigerator on wheels. I enjoy the little summer heat we get, as long as it's dry.

[Noto]

Sensibly they'd licence the 6spd and 7spd DSGs from VW and the 8 spd slushbox family from ZF.  problem solved then. 

...until you get a recall on the ZFs, like the recent airbag debacle of 2014.

I'm a bigger fan of in-house development of a transmission to fit a car rather than tuning a car to fit a transmission.

Subaru, with its 4EAT won our money over the BMW X3 based entirely on the slow-to-shift ZF-sourced 8-speed auto.


As for the A/C debate, our 1997 Cavalier, when we had it, was blunted when the A/C was on.  Sure, we had it, but we NEVER used it because a Mitsu Mirage would have been faster.  To be honest, I still have to turn off the A/C compressor when merging/passing while driving the Corolla.

I'd like to see manufacturers automatically shut off the compressor when the throttle is depressed more than 30%.  Is that mechanically a possibility?

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Pretty much all manufacturers have the AC compressors de-clutch when the throttle is wide open. I'm not sure if there is a lower threshold than that.

[tpl]

Sensibly they'd licence the 6spd and 7spd DSGs from VW and the 8 spd slushbox family from ZF.  problem solved then. 

...until you get a recall on the ZFs, like the recent airbag debacle of 2014.

I'm a bigger fan of in-house development of a transmission to fit a car rather than tuning a car to fit a transmission.

Subaru, with its 4EAT won our money over the BMW X3 based entirely on the slow-to-shift ZF-sourced 8-speed auto.


As for the A/C debate, our 1997 Cavalier, when we had it, was blunted when the A/C was on.  Sure, we had it, but we NEVER used it because a Mitsu Mirage would have been faster.  To be honest, I still have to turn off the A/C compressor when merging/passing while driving the Corolla.

I'd like to see manufacturers automatically shut off the compressor when the throttle is depressed more than 30%.  Is that mechanically a possibility?

I find the ZF 8 spd in the Q 5 shifts as fast as the DSG in my GTI did.  I presume it is all software anyway.



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[EV-Light]

Sensibly they'd licence the 6spd and 7spd DSGs from VW and the 8 spd slushbox family from ZF.  problem solved then. 

...until you get a recall on the ZFs, like the recent airbag debacle of 2014.

I'm a bigger fan of in-house development of a transmission to fit a car rather than tuning a car to fit a transmission.

Subaru, with its 4EAT won our money over the BMW X3 based entirely on the slow-to-shift ZF-sourced 8-speed auto.


As for the A/C debate, our 1997 Cavalier, when we had it, was blunted when the A/C was on.  Sure, we had it, but we NEVER used it because a Mitsu Mirage would have been faster.  To be honest, I still have to turn off the A/C compressor when merging/passing while driving the Corolla.

I'd like to see manufacturers automatically shut off the compressor when the throttle is depressed more than 30%.  Is that mechanically a possibility?

that's interesting...I've driven the X3 a few times and I never thought the transmission was slow - it was actually so fast and smooth that I came out of the test drive very impressed. The dealer unwiliness to negotiate and my laziness to drive a car from Ontario affected my decision.

[Noto]

I've driven the X3 a few times and I never thought the transmission was slow

It's not that the shifts are slow, it's that the transmission (or more likely, as pointed out, the software was overseen by RIM executives) took forever to choose a gear.  Flooring it on the highway had the tranny shift from 8 to 7 to 6 to 5 and then I finally got power.  I've only tested the 2012 X3 28i xdrive, so it's possible that the turbocharged and/or newer versions are better, but that transmission (or again, its programming) robbed that beautiful straight 6 from delivering any power with haste.  It was literally more than 2 seconds before power was put down to the wheels.  Unacceptable, in my opinion.  Hell, the turbo lag in the Forester is quicker.

[dragonfly]

 Man..you can put lipstick all over this little piggy...but those little donuts with the cheapo hubcaps make it stink like the little pig it is..What an oinker..Jack

[Spec5]

Funny I just finished a mountain bike trip and drove over 2100kms round trip in our Civic w/auto. There were many times where I was wondering what on earth the trans was doing. You'd climb a long hill on the outskirts of Ottawa around Mattawa/Pettawawa and then you'd be at the top of the hill and for like a kilometer the trans would stay in 3rd or 4th at like almost 4,000 rpm - a few times I thought I had accidentally manually shifted down the 3rd. It seemed worse with the ghastly "Eco" mode on so I turned it off as I do in town - what a useless feature. You'd really have to drive like a complete tool for that feature to be useful. In the end I averaged 6.7L/100kms for the entire trip - pretty good I think.

We're looking at getting out of our Odyssey early and perhaps getting another Civic LX - this time with a manual - I'm done with autos - at least in small cars.

[joyofriding]

Yet another example of how manufacturers were mandated to produce more efficient vehicles, but they make it hard for the general public (with higher prices, manual transmission as the only choice and in the case of Focus, only offering it in the sedan)

[tpl]

Yet another example of how manufacturers were mandated to produce more efficient vehicles, but they make it hard for the general public (with higher prices, manual transmission as the only choice and in the case of Focus, only offering it in the sedan)

In its native land most people buy manuals.   I suspect that the 1.0  is available in the hatchback as well there.     It is North Americans who are out of step.

[OliverD]

Yet another example of how manufacturers were mandated to produce more efficient vehicles, but they make it hard for the general public (with higher prices, manual transmission as the only choice and in the case of Focus, only offering it in the sedan)

I'm pretty sure the sedan-only thing is a problem with the configurator. It's definitely available in the hatch in the U.S.