I looked at the Fiesta and wasn't that impressed. I chose my 2012 Fit over a 2012 Ford Focus. Not even in the same vehicle category and the Fit had it beat.

If you're tall, there's literally no room in the back seats of the Focus for other passengers. My wife is not tall and even behind where she sat there was not enough room. That wasn't the case with the Fit. The Fit has more room when the rear seats are folded forwarded, if you can even get the Focus seats to fold forward. I asked the salesperson to fold the seats forward. That ended up literally like jumping through hoops. First you have to take the head rests off. Then you have to lift the bottom of the back seat forward and then finally you can drop the rear seats forward.

Not to mention, initial quality wasn't that great. The passengers side door was not aligned properly and wouldn't close easily.

What impressed me most about the Fit is, it's a much more intuitive car. I'm not saying Ford doesn't build a good car, it's just Honda does it better.

 

my buddy got a fiesta as his rental car while his fiat 500 was getting serviced. i do realize that the rentals are stripped down models and it was an a/t but it was the most boring car ive ever ridden in. we couldnt get it to do anything fun nor could we fit anything or anybody in it. i have a blast driving my fit. if im gonna buy something small and slow it better at least entertain me.

 

The Fit was a no brainer decision for me. I needed a car that would last 10-15 years and into which I could fit a bunch of 36x48 paintings. The Fiesta didn't even come close.

 

First, you suppose 140 hp will accelerate faster than 118? or be as fast?
Second, that 40 mpg is downhill on smooth road with a tailwind and no traffic. The Fiesta here averages about 26 mpg in the real world. Learn to ignore marketing ads; you know, the salesman's caveat: if they're talking its overstating the truth.
All new cars you should expect the city rating, not the highway one.

 

I got 32 mpg on my very first tank here in metro Atlanta's rush hour traffic. I drive 30+ miles to work each way, in a combination of city and highway. I believe it will improve, as the Fit breaks in. I doubt the Fiesta would get much better in the very same scenario.

 

I drove the Fiesta before I drove the Fit and liked it a lot, the 6th gear was nice to have. It had two glaring faults, first you can't see a thing out the back, way to design a car Ford (not as bad as the Hyundai Accent, almost), and second the rear seats don't fold flat, a necessity for me. They were at at 15 degree angle when folded, useless.

 

Just checked the Ford site..... Fiesta only has 120 hp, not 140 hp. I thought I saw where Fit was slightly faster (it probably weighs less). Did everyone see "Car & Driver Ten Best" (Jan 2012 issues). Fit was chosen again!!

 

when i was looking for a new small hatch, i thought the fiesta would be in the hunt with all the hype and all. i was surprised how puny it was on the interior after being in the fit and new accent. i need some good utility and the fiesta didnt offer it. i went with the accent as i felt it was the best overall car, but i support others here in saying the fiesta is no fit killer.

 

Ford is one of those car companies that always amazes me how they can manage to make such a poor performing car that on paper is every bit better than the competition.

The Fiesta has more on paper HP, it's lighter than a Fit, and it has what SHOULD be a better transmission (at least is when any other company makes i) I'm talking about the double clutch 6 speed auto. But every magazine that has reviewed the two clearly shows that the 5 speed manual fit is faster in every department.

 

After market performance parts availability could make the Fiesta more attractive but Ford will have to sale a shitload of them first.

 

I have driven the Fit and the Fiesta. If you are the only person in the car, the Fiesta is great. If you want passengers in the back seats or want to actually haul something, the Fit is way better. If you want a car that is reliable, buy the Fit, I bought the 2012 Fit.

 

I have hauled more stuff in the Fit than in our old pickup or 2009 Forester since I bought mine in July 2006... I need to drive it more, I am losing my ability to take curves at near the speed I used to or as smoothly.. It could be the recent changes to the suspension, tires and wheels.

 

The Fiesta is one of the best Ford vehicles I've seen in my entire life. I really can tell Ford put serious thought into it.

But it's was just too much money ($19k+) for too little car. The seats don't even fold flat. What's the point of even having them fold? Plus terminology like "automated manual transmission" convinced me that Ford is still good at what it's know for: innovation ...... and bad at what it's shunned for: durability.

Happy as I could be w/ my Fit.

 

HONDA vs. FORD? Really. cmon guys, we know better.

 

Game over. 2013 Ford Focus ST | Focus ST. Experience the Thrill. | Ford.com

 

Focus is not competition to the Fit.. And Ill take back my old GTI over a Focus any day. Or a new GTI R.

My sister had a 03 Focus Hatch, and a 06 Focus Sedan, NEVER again she said. Tried to make it work. Reliability down right awful. Just do some googling on the new ones also, problem after problem, what Fords are known for.

 

My bad, I totally read Fiesta not Focus. Would be nice to see honda get their shit together and make an actual "hot hatch" though.

 

Never experienced a Fiesta. Experienced lots of American cars. I hate to still be beating this drum, but....

I believe that American cars are made to look good in the showroom and maybe during the first few months of ownership. My wife's Saturn Aura / Chevy Malibu was a great example of this. Looked fantastic. The base V6 was remarkably quick. Decently tuned suspension. But this alleged hallmark of American fit & finish had interior panels that rubbed (door / dash interface). The a/c & radio controls were showing wear after just a year. Incidentally, she now drives a Smart. But that's another story....

How many American cars do you see made in the 80's and beyond that have totally jacked up paint after just 3 or 4 years? How many Hondas or Toyotas do you see that suffer the same fate?

We don't drive spec sheets. We drive cars. A brief look at history and a simple consideration of the long term ramifications of a major buying decision should eliminate the Fiesta. Of course, if you don't care about the practical superiority of the Fit and are looking for a 2 year dispose-a-car lease situation, by a Fiesta. The fit will not pay off.

I am a buyer. I plan on driving my 2010 MT Sport for a LONG time.

Ford will have to first spend a decade proving that it's products are worth more than the paperwork the leases are printed on.

Just my opinions.

 

Mom had a 96 ford explorer. Drove it till 2010. Racked up 230,000 miles before the odometer stopped reading in 2009. After that it was still driven 400-500 miles every weekend for 10 more months. Only thing that was ever replaced on that vehicle, aside from tires, brakes, and oil, was the heater core and radiator. Ford can make a reliable vehicle. Just treat the damn thing right.

I can't tell you how many times I used to see cars, when i valeted, that would come in and be 200, 300, sometimes even 2500 miles pass service and this was for everything from hondas to land rovers. If you don't take care of it. Don't expect it run worth a shit... Just my opinion.

 

My only gripe about Fords are that they are more difficult to work on than Chevrolets but they don't need to be worked on as often... Lincolns and other Ford products with power windows have plastic gears that go bad and are difficult to replace.