LA 2009: US-Spec Ford Fiesta Gets 40 MPG!

Tiny economy cars are, by nature, not all that exciting. The challenge is creating one that's both good at being a cheap economy car, as well as being a car people actually want to own.  Whether it's related to how expensive gas has gotten lately, or the fact that it's just an attractive car, it would seem Ford already has a home run with the Fiesta even though it hasn't hit dealers yet based on the press hype around the car.

The new Fiesta has been on sale in Europe for about a year now, and has been flying off lots like it had wings and was free.  Ford is using the Los Angeles motor show to debut their sub-Focus entrant for the US market, and it's made the transition from Euro-market model to US model mostly unscathed, thankfully.

Of course, being the US market, we simply have to have a sedan, regardless of the fact that compared to hatchbacks, sedans are grossly space inefficient.  We just like our trunks.  Now I'm going to be forthright about this:  the Fiesta Sedan is, uhh, ungainly looking. Maybe it'll grow on me, or maybe it just never should have existed - like the horrible looking sedan version of the Nissan Versa.  Ditto the Toyota Yaris.  You'd think Ford would have learned?

Styling changes are minimal.  The sedan gets a goofy-looking three bar chrome grille up front (aping the Fusion?  woo, and indeed, hoo!) and a strip of LED lights in a chrome surround instead of real fog lights.

The Fiesta will be sold as the (awkward looking) 4 door sedan as well as the Euro-tastic 5-door hatchback, which gets a smaller body-colored grille and generally looks not so ridiculous.

Under the hood, all US-market Fiestas will be powered by a 1.6L DOHC 16v I4, which has a few tricks up it's sleeve.  Primarily, there's the fancy valve-timing control setup which Ford calls Ti-VCT (Twin independent Variable Cam Timing), as well as a new accessory drive belt setup that drops the tensioner for increased efficiency.  Power output is 119bhp, which is quite good for a port-injected NA 1.6L, along with 109lb-ft of torque.  More than enough for the segment, let's say.

Standard on the Fiesta will be a slick-shifting five-speed manual (no surprise), but the two-pedal option is what's really surprising.  Ford calls it PowerShift (heh), but we'd call it a DSG - it's a twin-clutch automated gearbox.  This dry-clutch unit is sealed, meaning it shouldn't require maintenance during the expected lifetime of the vehicle, and internal lubrication allows for less friction losses and greater efficiency.  Plus it's driver adaptive, and will shift eons faster than, say, the dim-witted 4-speed torque converter automatic in a Yaris.

Continuing with the efficiency binge, the Fiesta uses EPAS - Electronic Power Assisted Steering.  While these systems have been criticized in the past for not offering enough feedback, Ford swears up and down that the steering has been calibrated with just the right amount of feel.  Obviously electric power steering is more efficient than a fully hydraulic system, and is usually lower maintenance as well.  Can you tell they've been doing their homework?

All this adds up to a very efficient car indeed.  With the 6-speed PowerShift transmission, Ford rates the Fiesta at 30mpg city, 40 mpg highway - which is well above what any of it's competitors can reach for EPA numbers.  This alone should be enough to sell a boatload of Fiestas, but there's more to it than that.

For one thing, this car will probably go a long way towards abolishing the idea that a small car isn't pleasant to be in.  The Fiesta is available with just about every modern convencience you could really want, and a few you probably didn't think of.  The interior design is surprisingly attractive, and goodies abound.  Keyless entry/pushbutton start?  Yup.  SYNC integration for your bluetooth phone?  Yup, with voice commands.   There's also a 4" LCD, automatic climate control, and available heated power leather seats round out the niceties that will set this car apart.

Ford's got big hopes for the Fiesta in the US - they say they've already got orders for 60,000 of the things - and I really have no doubt this car will be a huge success in the US.  It's just a shame the sedan looks so goofy, because you know you'll be seeing them all the time.