.

Click HERE to return to the Index Page

.

.

Sharon's New Car

**************************************************************************

Reviews and Road Tests

Sharon's Vehicle = 2009 Ford Fiesta .. WS Series .. CL Model .. 3 Door Hatchback .. 1.6 litre with Manual Transmission

.

Ford Fiesta Review and Road Test
7th December 2008
Test Vehicle = 2009 Ford WS Fiesta CL 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol four-speed automatic five-door hatch

It’s time to start using the 'F' word with confidence
Say it more frequently and with greater conviction - the Ford Fiesta rocks

The Ford Fiesta CL is the base model in the Fiesta range, joined by the LX, Zetec and new ECOnetic variants
There is however, nothing basic about this entry level Fiesta - it sets a high benchmark

The Ford Fiesta CL comes standard with a 1.6-litre, five speed manual spec, but we’re testing the four-speed automatic which is matched to a 1.4-litre engine - but don’t let that put you off, the Ford Fiesta is a solid performer

This model Fiesta gave us significant styling changes from its boxy predecessor
Now boasting a modern design, particularly when you compare it to rivals such as the Hyundai Getz, the Ford Fiesta looks set to be a leader in light car style
Its sleek body and sloping roof line shows hints of a fun and funky personality
In a recent light car comparison the Fiesta was voted the most 'unisex' of a six car line-up

The Ford Fiesta's 1.4-litre engine produces 71kW at 5,750rpm and 125Nm at 4,200rpm, which translates into a surprisingly eager performance, with a sweet little engine note

The Fiesta performs beautifully on long freeway journeys and amidst tight winding roads and the automatic transmission is quick to drop gears when the going gets a little more demanding on steep hills

The Fiesta’s steering is effortless - light and easy to handle on all manner of roads
It provides just enough feedback to make it a fun and engaging drive, without too much effort

The Ford Fiesta’s suspension - MacPherson strut front suspensions and torsion beam on the rear - delivers a very composed ride
Precise steering and a very well balanced ride make for a very agile ride

Poor rearward visibility on the other hand, makes the Fiesta more tricky to park than you might expect

On a combined route test, the Ford Fiesta CL delivered a fuel consumption figure of around 8.4L/100km - not quite the 6.9L/100km as claimed by the manufacturer

The Fiesta’s wedge shape cuts a slick, sporty profile which sits nicely on 15-inch wheels
Sweeping headlights, fog lights, tinted windows, a rear spoiler and well proportioned panels all work together to pull off a great looking car

And when it comes to interior styling, the Fiesta does not disappoint
The angular lines of the interior create a very modern feel, the dash and instrumentation is clean and the design cohesive, while all five seats offer great comfort, with good seating position and adjustability for the driver
Knobs, dials and buttons are solid to the touch, adding to the quality feel of the Fiesta

The lack of cruise control is a downer

Second row passengers it seems are somewhat of an after-thought, with manual wind windows and no storage options
Aside from this, the Fiesta feels well aligned with the price tag and exudes a high quality and well thought out finish

The Fiesta boasts a great audio sound, despite having only four speakers
Audio controls can be found on the steering wheel and an auxiliary point puts your gadgets to good use
If you haven’t graduated to iPod status, a single CD player is also included

The Fiesta CL falls disappointingly short on some safety features
Driver and front passenger airbags are standard, but side airbags and driver’s knee airbags are an option
Anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution are standard, but stability control with emergency brake assist and traction control are an option
The Fiesta scores a four-star ANCAP rating nonetheless (five-star when fitted with the optional safety pack)

The Fiesta has 60:40 split-fold rear seats that flip forward easily to reveal a good load space
It’s no Honda Jazz, but it will accommodate a decent load (281-litres with seats up)

The Fiesta puts up a very convincing show of style and substance
Option the safety package and the Fiesta ticks all of the boxes
As stated, it’s time to update your vocabulary to include the 'F' word

**************************************************************************

First Drive ... New Fiesta Is Ford’s 'Comeback Kid'
15th December 2008

All guns blazing, Ford Australia hits back with its all-new global B-segment hatch
Underlined by its international 'This Is Now' ad campaign, Ford Australia believes the new WS-series Fiesta is the right light-car in the right place at the right time

Presented to the Australian media in Adelaide last week, but not slated for sale until late January, the German-built hatchback range arrives just three months after its global debut in Europe

Prices kick off from $15,750 for the base Fiesta CL, culminating (for now) in the $20,990 Zetec
Choosing an automatic adds $1500, while adding two more doors to the CL and Zetec costs another $740

Developed under the 'One Ford' regime that aims to slash inefficiencies and streamline global model line-ups, this fourth-generation 'Mark Six' Fiesta’s mission is to turn Ford around - and fast
That is why the baby Ford is in Australia in record time, aggressively priced, brashly styled and lavishly equipped with multimedia connectivity and excellent crash-test results to impress younger buyers and the older demographic alike

No light-car available in Australia right now can be had with the combination of stability control, MP3, Bluetooth and voice-control connectivity, cruise control and a five-star Euro NCAP adult occupant safety rating (safety pack models only)
Currently, the Fiesta also leads in ENCAP child safety (four stars) and is pedestrian-impact competitive (three stars), thanks to an energy-absorbent front bumper, a specially designed bonnet and the careful rearrangement of likely engine-bay hard-points
However, unlike its DE-series Mazda2 cousin with which it shares around 50 per cent of parts, the Fiesta forgoes curtain airbags - head and thorax-protecting side airbags are for the front occupants only, as are whiplash-reducing and anti-submarining seats and a special carpet underlay designed to lessen lower-leg injuries

Mirroring the Mazda, though, the Ford is lighter than its predecessor, by approximately 40kg
This has been achieved through the adoption of a lighter body structure employing high-strength and ultra high-strength steels - with a welcome ten-per-cent torsion stiffness increase to boot
Particular attention has been paid to beefing up the A and B-pillars, rocker panels, rocker baffles, side roof arch, lower A-pillar area and floor pan
The mass exodus has allowed Ford to fit around five kilogram of extra sound deadening, along with double door seals, fully encapsulated glass, and a secondary bulkhead barrier, in order to quell road and mechanical noise intrusion into the cabin

Cutting wind noise was a further priority, with detailed work in this area carried out at component level in order to create a quieter car "…even before the first prototype was built" according to Ford
The company says the Fiesta achieves class-best front-seat articulation indexation, with rear-sited passengers able to experience easily audible conversation with the people in front

Reducing weight also means that while power and torque outputs rise in the manual-only 1.6-litre models, fuel consumption and carbon dioxide figures fall
And although the automatic-only 1.4-litre WS Fiesta is not as powerful as the old 1.6-litre WQ auto, it too is significantly more economical and less polluting, as Ford strives to slash European consumer-penalising carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions

Furthermore, our Fiesta will come out of Ford’s 100 per cent renewable-energy Cologne factory initially, before switching to the joint Ford/Mazda plant in Thailand from about 2010
It will also be built on three other continents and available on five, with the floundering United States market getting its first taste of a B-segment Ford in three decades

Ford Australia president and former global small-car line director Marin Burela said this Fiesta is the most significant vehicle for Ford since the Model T commenced mobilising the world 100 years ago

To aid the new Fiesta’s global reach, more body styles are on their way, including the recently unveiled four-door sedan and a tall wagon-esque mini-MPV that is expected to be called the B-Max, but for now the WS line-up in Australia is a hatch-only proposition

Compared to its WQ predecessor, the base CL in three and five-door guises is the new LX, the five-door-only LX is the new Ghia and the Zetec continues to be the saucy Fiesta, whether it comes as a manual-only three-door or manual-or-auto five-door
No XR4 or ST version has been announced as yet, but you can bet that small-capacity forced-induction Fiestas will be on their way in the not-too-distant future

Key length/width/height/wheelbase dimensions of 3950/1722/1481/2489mm mean the WS is around the same size as the WQ model (3924/1685/1468/2486mm)

Styled under the watchful eye of ex-Audi designer Martin Smith (whose credits also include the acclaimed 1991 Audi Avus Quattro concept and current-generation Opel/Vauxhall/Holden Astra), the Fiesta is charged with visually enticing its way onto light-car buyers' consideration lists
To that end, it features Ford’s Kinetic design language as introduced in production vehicles by the current Mondeo mid-sizer, espousing a gaping air-intake, setback headlights, large wheel-arches, a coupe-esque wedge profile, chamfered rear window and raised tail-lights - all of which is in stark contrast to the preceding Fiesta’s boxy, Teutonic, visage

The same is true inside, where an organic symmetry, soft surfaces and an eclectic use of trim and colour replace the hard if functional edges of the old car
Ford says it was inspired by mobile telephones and personal music players, and introduces a new level of interactivity and functionality to this class of car coined the Human Machine Interface (HMI)
This includes a high-mounted screen that is sited above the audio and communication controls, which are laid out like 'good portable electronic designs' for younger/technophile people to identify with
The instruments are bright and 'binocular-shaped' and are easily seen through a steering wheel that ' on most models ' contains all the essential remote switches as well as cruise control functions

Differing from the old model inside is the 30mm-lower seating position, a driver's seat that adjusts up and down by 55mm as well as 286mm fore and aft for improved accommodation, the implementation of a driver's left footrest, a tilt and reach-adjustable steering wheel (that is now set at a less acute angle), a higher instrument panel and a 20mm higher gear lever
All aim to ensconce individuals ranging from the 2.5 percentile female to the 97.5 percentile male, while creating a cosier 'cockpit' feel
Front legroom is up by 11mm to a class-leading 1069mm; front shoulder space is rated at 1350mm; and front headroom is 991mm, while there is 953mm of clearance for rear-seat heads despite the swoopy styling, plus 1297mm for shoulders and 823mm for legs

Cargo area capacity climbs from 281 litres to 965 litres when the split/folding rear seats are down

Ford has also introduced a number of colour and trim combinations depending on which Fiesta variant is chosen, while the use of ambient lighting further strives to emulate premium electronic devices

Electronics have also found their way into the steering set-up, resulting in Ford of Europe's first wholly electronic-powered steering system dubbed E-PAS
A rack-and-pinion design, E-PAS reduces low-speed effort while maintaining the weightier feel of the hydraulic set-up of the old Fiesta, Ford claims
It also cuts out when not needed to save fuel and cut CO2 emissions
A speed sensor controls this, while a reduced steering ratio from 15:1 to 14.25:1 aids responsiveness and allows for a competitive 10.2-metre turning circle
The E-PAS move marks a seachange for Ford, which previously resisted similar set-ups in the name of the kind of dynamic agility and feel offered by an electro-hydraulic system as found in the current-generation Focus
"(Yet) people kept telling us they love the finger-light steering feel of the Toyota Yaris and Honda Jazz" stated Ford’s import product marketing manager, Jogi Shetti
Ford says it covered over 50,000km of E-PAS-related testing and fine-tuning, on roads as disparate as "…narrow city streets to twisty country roads"

While the 'B299 project' architecture is fresh, the segment-norm MacPherson strut front and twist-beam rear suspension design is an evolution of the old car's system, but has been completely reworked - as well as pared down in weight - for the latest Fiesta
The twist-beam, for instance, is 28 per cent thicker in diameter and a 3mm front anti-roll bar thickness increase has also been administered for more agile handling, while a larger twist-beam pivot bush helps to better-absorb bumps for improved refinement
Cost and packaging-related space constraints precluded a multi-link independent design that underpins many larger models such as the Focus, Mondeo, Falcon and Territory - yet Ford claims the Fiesta twist-beam's level of controllability and ride comfort is comparable

Unfortunately for fast-Ford aficionados, the harder European Zetec suspension tune - with its firmer dampers and thicker anti-roll bars - has been rejected for Australian Zetec models on the grounds of simplicity - this means all local Fiestas will run the same (albeit European-spec) standard suspension tune
'Our' Zetec, by the way, is an amalgam of the European Titanium model, since its mechanical package more closely aligned with Ford Australia’s needs

The ventilated front brake discs are 258mm in diameter by 23mm thick, while 200x40mm wide drums reside at the back, and are backed up by an anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) as standard
Among the driver aids is electronic stability control (ESC), known as Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) in Ford-speak
Along with traction control, emergency brake assist (EBA), side airbags and a driver’s knee airbag, it is standard on Zetec models but part of a $1000 safety pack option on all other Fiestas
Ford tuned its DSC to be "…non-intrusive during spirited driving but to provide crucial protection should the situation require it, something which required careful, detailed development work"

Frustratingly, the Australian drive launch of the Fiesta precluded the 1.4-litre automatic-only engine derivatives that are expected to account for at least 45 per cent of all sales
The alternative, a 1596cc (1.6-litre) DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder Duratec petrol engine, is new to Australia, and is only available with a five-speed manual gearbox at present
It possesses twin independent variable cam timing known as Ti-VCT, which operates on both the intake and exhaust camshaft, to help deliver 88kW of power at 6000rpm (with 85 per cent available between 2000 and 6000rpm) and 152Nm of torque on tap from 4050rpm
These are up from the WQ Fiesta 1.6’s 74kW at 6000rpm and 146Nm at 4000rpm respectively
Euro 4 emissions-rated, the new unit returns 6.1 litres per 100km and 143 grams of CO2 emissions, compared to its predecessor's 6.6L/100km and 156g/km outputs

Meanwhile, the four-speed automatic gearbox is paired to another fresh powerplant to Australia - Ford’s 1388cc 1.4-litre DOHC 16-valve four producing 71kW at 5750rpm (down 3kW) and 128Nm at 4200rpm (18Nm below before)
At least it’s greener, recording 6.9 instead of 7.5L/100km and 164 instead of 177g/km, as the company recognises that key European markets are now taxing owners according to their CO2 outputs

A 1.4-litre TDCi turbo-diesel engine may be released sometime in the future ("I’d love to have it on sale in Australia" opined Mr Shetti), but the $3000-plus premium this would incur eliminates it from Australia for the time being

Ford may be stalling the diesel, but the Fiesta’s new anti-stall engine software is already here, and is aimed at luring novice drivers who prefer to change gears themselves

A total of 3.5 million kilometres of on-road testing was carried out, with 41 prototypes accumulating up to 45,000km per vehicle every eight weeks on public roads
Others included 550 component and system-level lab tests for durability, functionality, serviceability and degradation over a vehicle's lifetime, as well as 300,000 operations for doors, tailgate and bonnet life tests in real-world environmental conditions featuring dirt, dust salt, humidity and temperatures varying from -40 to 80 degrees Celsius
This car has been engineered and tested for a life of at least 240,000km or 10 years, the company states, adding that this is the same standard achieved for the Focus and Mondeo

Besides Germany and Thailand, the new Fiesta will also be built in Spain, China and the Americas

All Fiestas are equipped with a multiplex electrical system incorporating a trio of CAN-Bus networks to look after driveability and safety (ABS, DSC, E-PAS, airbags and transmission), 'upper body control systems' such as the automatic temperature control devices and the HMI media and audio features

A capless fuel filling system is another Fiesta innovation that follows in the tyre treads of the Mondeo, while the Zetec model benefits from high-intensity projector-beam headlights for better night-time vision

All models come standard with ABS and EBD, dual front airbags, air-conditioning, power windows, remote central locking and a CD/AM/FM sound system with MP3 input jack
The LX adds the five-door body as standard, plus cruise control, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, Bluetooth with voice control, a trip computer and 15-inch alloy wheels, while the Zetec has all the safety gear (DSC, EBA, side and knee airbags) plus 16-inch alloy wheels, a perimeter alarm and a body kit - among other items

Tyre choices are 195/50 R15 on steel rims (CL), 195/50 R15H with alloys (LX) and 195/45 R16 with alloys (Zetec), while all versions come with a 175/65 R14 temporary spare wheel

Of the 11 exterior colours on offer, the European 'Magenta' hero hue (as seen on the Verve concept cars that previewed the B299) is not yet available in Australia as it is only a base-model colour
However, Ford is working on bringing this in

More importantly, Ford hopes to improve on the 500 or so WQ Fiesta vehicles it sells in Australia each month as the WS Fiesta takes on the Mazda2, Suzuki Swift and other Euro imports such as the VW Polo and Peugeot 207
Around 45 per cent of sales are expected to be CL models, followed in popularity by the LX at 35 per cent and the Zetec at 20 per cent
Manuals should narrowly outsell automatic models, says Ford
But the real chance for success against cheaper rivals such as the Hyundai Getz and Holden Barina arrives when Fiesta sourcing switches from Germany to Thailand in 2010
Since the original Fiesta was launched in Europe in 1976, some 12 million have been sold worldwide

Generational changes occurred in 1989 (MkII) and 2002 (MkIII), with Australians having to wait until 2004 before the latter took over from the unsuccessful Ka and Ford Australia’s first modern B-segment vehicle in the Mazda 121-based WA Festiva launched in 1991
So far about 26,000 WP and WQ Fiestas have found homes in Australia

**************************************************************************

Road Test ... Ford Fiesta
4th February 2009
Test Vehicle = Ford Fiesta WS LX 5-speed manual 1.6-litre Inline 4-cylinder petrol

Derived from the Latin word festa - to feast - Ford's new German-built Fiesta is very tasty

The all-new Ford Fiesta is a completely new vehicle that draws on the Blue Oval's 'kinetic' design philosophy and from the moment you sit in the vehicle it's clear that the bar has been set remarkably high
With a sharp new style designed to appeal to younger generations, the Fiesta range starts at $15,750 for the 3-door CL model

We're testing the mid-range Fiesta LX model, in 5-door configuration, which is priced at $18,490 and comes standard with driver and front passenger airbags, alloy wheels and cruise control

According to Ford's CEO Alan Mulally, the new Fiesta is the first vehicle to embody the 'One Ford' plan - the Blue Oval's bold first attempt at a truly global car
Designed from the outset to be sold in all major markets, including China, Australia, America and Europe, there's a lot riding on the new model
It is the "most significant global vehicle project since the Model T," according to Marin Burela, Ford Australia's President and CEO who was previously in charge of Ford's global small car division

As we discovered during our first test of this crucial vehicle, Ford appears to have broken very few eggs making this particularly flavoursome omelette
Even with dozens of vibrant and competitive rivals like the Honda Jazz and Mazda2, the Fiesta is in another league

From the outset it's clear that the Fiesta is a class leader - it took all of about three and a half minutes driving the car from Ford's HQ to realise how much the Blue Oval's European engineers have achieved with this new global car

The Fiesta feels like it was born to drive
It has a remarkably refined ride that is on par with some luxury cars - truly, it feels like it's a prestige car trapped inside a compact car's body
Simply put, it's able to soak up and deal with pretty much anything the road throws at it, quarantining occupants from diseased surfaces
Smooth roads, bumpy roads, changing road surfaces, tram lines, pot holes, train tracks, crumbling verges - the Fiesta almost seems to glide over them

And it gets better
Paired with the Fiesta's ultra-smooth suspension tune is one of the best gearbox-engine combinations I've come across in a compact car
Once you're seated comfortably in the drivers seat - and it's fairly roomy for such a little car - rowing through the gears and pedalling the clutch is very intuitive
The 5-speed manual transmission shifts cleanly and smoothly between gates and a light clutch makes this car eminently drivable
It requires very little effort to drive the manual model but is still remarkably involving to punt around - which bodes well for the automatic variants

The pint-sized Ford is a satisfying little buzz box, sporting what is arguably the best chassis of any car in its class
The steering is light and easygoing, which makes tight maneouvres, parking and U-turns effortless and contributes to the Fiesta's composed attitude
With its smooth ride and sophisticated powertrain, the new Ford Fiesta truly is a compelling drive - something that can seldom be said of compact cars
As strange as it feels to write this, few cars feel this well-rounded - compact or otherwise

Another aspect that impressed me about the new Fiesta was the clear rearward vision
The window line is quite high but it wraps around the rear of the vehicle giving you a good field of vision, cutting down the size of the blind spots

The story of sophistication continues inside the Fiesta LX, where occupants will find cloth seats upholstered with patterned fabric
This gives the cabin more character than the usual black-grey seats of most budget cars

Featuring a futuristic centre console with a wing-like motif for the control panel - not to mention some of the best soft-touch dash plastics in existence - it's hard to believe that Ford is making money from the vehicle
The sense of quality in the cabin is astonishing for a compact car and the overall design (particularly the futuristic instrument dial shrouds) is refreshingly original
Inspired by mobile phones, the interior is designed to appeal to generations X and Y but I reckon its got universal appeal
The dashpad is finished in contrasting colours to the rest of the interior plastics, adding to the cabin's high-end look and like the ultra-modern Mondeo the kinetic design permeates almost all design aspects
Everything from the instrument dials - even the needles - to the centre console and the door handles all look very modern and this bodes well for Ford's future product line-up

The LX model we tested also featured voice control - a feature that used to be sole preserve of luxury cars
You can activate the Blue Tooth phone functionality to dial up numbers or program radio stations without taking your eyes off the road

Steering wheel controls comprise cruise and stereo/menu inputs on the LX model and though there's a lot to take in at first - 10 buttons all up - the system works well once you've spent a few days toying with the system

Like all good compact cars there's a profusion of storage bins throughout the car to safely stow mobile phones, MP3 players, wallets, bags, food, drinks, maps - you name it
And there's also an external AUX jack to plug in audio devices and the range-topping Zetec models even come with iPod/USB connectivity
Detailed menu systems on the LX and Zetec models mean you can spend hours customising car options, which will appeal to gadget lovers
Meanwhile the small details like the door lock/unlock button on the centre console add to the car's user friendliness

Rear seat room isn't massive but rear leg room has improved over the previous model and boot space of 281 litres means you can get four people and all their beach gear in the car

The air-con is pretty good too, as we discovered on a sweltering 42° day !!

The rear seats can also be folded down in the traditional 60:40 split-fold formation to load bulkier items into the car
Opening the small rear hatch - even with hands full - is not difficult either

Ford's new WS Fiesta also sits quite low to the ground and I found that this aids ingress and egress - though older drivers may not share this opinion
Another benefit of this low ride height is that you feel closer to the road, giving you more of a 'connection' with the car
This closeness to the road is a real boon when you reach tight, twisting roads as the well-sorted chassis ensures the Fiesta is satisfying to drive
There's not too much body roll when you build up steam through corners and the progressive steering gives it a sporty persona, but this never overrides its overall smoothness
By and large, it's difficult to criticise the way the Fiesta behaves on the road

Even when the time comes to fill up the vehicle, the new capless fuel filler makes the whole rigmarole quick and efficient and hassle-free
Fuel efficiency is another strong suit of the Fiesta, with the manual model's 1.6-litre engine using 6.1 litres of fuel per 100km on the combined city/highway cycle, which is relatively frugal for a car that weighs almost 1.1 tonne
We managed around 6.7L/100km over about 450 kilometres of mainly urban and some highway driving

In top gear (5th) while cruising at 100km/h the car engine spins @ 3000rpm and the motor is surprisingly responsive, able to accelerate for overtaking needs at this speed without any need for a down shift
It's a flexible, revvy little unit that churns out 88kW and 152 Newton metres of torque and will happily putt along at 60km/h in 5th gear
The engine revs cleanly and puts its power to the ground effectively via the 5-speed manual and if you do find some nice winding roads that require haste, the Fiesta hits its stride at around 4000rpm and can hustle along pretty swiftly when kept above this mark

Our Fiesta LX test car featured the optional safety pack ($1,000) which adds thorax side airbags, a driver knee airbag and dynamic stability control (DSC) with traction control, the latter of which kicked in only a couple of times when we took off too quickly from standstill

The only real issue I found with the Fiesta was that there were some annoying creaks coming from the rear, but this is more likely due to media car abuse rather than anything to do with build quality

Though I'm not completely sold on the new design, everyone we showed the car to thought it was a real head turner and if nothing else it's an evocative, modern look, one that eschews the tall body design of some compact cars
The front end design features an ultra-slim grille underneath which sits a large air dam that adds a sporty edge
The headlights work well and are one of the first features that attracts the eye, and the rear is likewise fairly attractive with neatly integrated brake lights

Ford's Fiesta is low, sleek and well-proportioned and will no doubt set a new standard for what small car buyers will expect
Despite having a super sophisticated feel, impressive features and an ultra-modern cabin, compact cars rely most heavily on their looks to make sales and in this respect Ford appears to have nailed it

Overall - 4.5 from 5

One of the best compact cars we've ever driven, the Fiesta is sumptuous vehicular cuisine
It's very much a mini Mondeo, motivating ever-so-smoothly like its bigger sibling, yet quietly and with a level of sophistication that's left me dumb-founded

With ultra-modern designs inside and out, this is a tremendous effort from Ford - a very positive sign for the company's future

It's an urbane little vehicle with an expressive exterior and plenty of useful features that represent remarkable value for money when priced from under $16,000

The Fiesta has changed the playing field forever
It has a bevy of neat innovations and manages satisfy the driver like no other compact car on the market
Who knew compact cars could be this slick?
In a nutshell, this is the best compact car on the market

Engine - 1.6-litre I4 Petrol
The transversely mounted 1596cc 4-cylinder petrol engine has an inline layout with an all alloy construction
It has dual overhead camshafts (DOHC) that actuate 16-valves (4-valves per cylinder) that feature variable valve timing
The engine electronically injects fuel into the cylinders from a 43 litre fuel tank
It will run on standard grade (91 RON) or higher unleaded fuel
Fuel consumption - 6.1L/100km
CO2 Emissions - 143g/km
Max Power - 88kW @ 6000rpm
Max Torque - 152Nm @ 4050rpm

**************************************************************************

1000km Road Test ... Ford Fiesta
1st January 2009
Test Vehicle = Ford Fiesta WS CL 5-speed manual 1.6-litre Inline 4-cylinder petrol


.

.

.

.