As I'm sure most of you are aware, the new Ford Fiesta is generating quite a buzz, even right here in the states. I'm planning on buying an '09 Fit sport in a month or so... but man the Fiesta is really making me die for a test drive. Theres no doubt the Fiesta's styling is gorgeous inside and out, but what I'm really curious about is which is more fun to drive... perhaps we'll know more when reviews come out. Any thoughts?

 

I'm not a fan but this is exactly what ford needs right now IMO

Lets hope the american public can get over the "bigger is better" mentality

 

Just found this... looks fantastic in white, especially on the rims. Like the new Hyundai genesis coupe, I can see this having alot of potential and being a hot little item.



An intake, exhaust, and reflashed ECU netted 140 hp on this car, not bad at all.

 

All these new cars coming out has some crazy aggressive headlight designs.

The genesis and this have very similar headlights.

 

Jalopnik.com reviews the Euro spec Ford Fiesta:
Jalopnik - Ford Fiesta: First Drive - ford fiesta

according to the article, base price is $12k and options bring it up to $16k. 1.6L 118hp, 39.8 mpg, 0-60 in 9.9 seconds. if the reliability is up to par, i believe the Fit may be de-throned.. if i didn't already have a Fit, i would buy a Fiesta/Mazda 2

 

The Fiesta not being out yet is the reason I ended up with a Fit. Don't take that as a negative; I absolutely love my Fit so far (I've had it for almost a month now). I needed something to replace my aging '01 Focus ZX3, and with the Fiesta not coming out yet for quite some time here, I was forced to go outside of Ford for a fun and practical hatchback, and the Fit was basically in a league of its own.

The Fiesta does look like a really cool car though.

 

i am liking that car there..

 

The one slightly disappointing thing about it is the way the rear seats fold. Obviously, I'm spoiled by the disappearing seats in the Fit, but even in my old Focus hatch, they folded down fairly flat by being able to flip up the rear seat cushion. This picture doesn't make it look so good for hauling stuff.

 

I think it looks great, especially the 5 door in that dark red color. It gives up cargo flexibility to the Fit but might give better highway mpg in return.

At 100+ lbs lighter than a Fit and with great reviews on the handling so far, I would have definitely considered this were it available now. And that's saying a lot as all three of our current cars are Honda products made in Japan. I would like to see Ford rewarded if they do the right thing and bring this here mostly untouched (and in hatchback form!)

 

Saw one in Spain a couple weeks ago while I was there, looked pretty nice. Even the Focuses in Spain look 10x better.

 

Ford Fiesta sedan for U.S. market gets minor changes: AutoWeek Magazine

This spy shot of the US-spec sedan looks pretty horrific. What a butt that this has. Sheesh. I guess they want the sedan to compete with the Yaris (which I see a surprising number of)?

I really hope they don't ruin the hatchback.

 

Test drive it once you have the chance...lol

 

Yep, another car being ruined by the ol' USDM treatment.

 

I would defintely pass on the sedan, kinda like the Nissan Versa. But Honda didn't do to bad on the City (I think that's the Fit Sedan). I'm glad Decided to just keep the hatch instead.

 

The Fiesta would have been a serious contender to the Fit if it'd come out this year. I really REALLY like the hatchback's look (that I've seen so far). Though chaaree's link of how the back seats fold down is VERY disappointing. If that's what we're getting I'd likely still get the Fit. :-/

 

True. but you can still put a k-series in the fit. I doubt a duratec swap would beat a k-series fit though

 

So the fiestamovement.com campaign held a ride & drive event at a local art festival this weekend. They had three cars, all 5 door hatchbacks, and I was surprised that one of them was a manual. I got to spend some time snooping around and also took it for a quick drive.

I'd say I was very impressed- it met the high expectations I had from reading about the car and seeing pictures. It looks really nice, a clean modern hatch and I especially liked the front end grille and headlights.

The interior is nice too. The switchgear was closer in quality to the Fit than every other econobox I've sat in, and the dash top was a nice soft touch material. The steering wheel tilts and telescopes with a lot of range. The seats were decent, and front and rear space including headroom was excellent considering the outside dimensions. Overall I'd rate the interior close to the Fit, and better than the Yaris, Versa, etc.

The rear seats don't fold completely flat, so cargo space is obviosly not Fit-like, but what you'd expect for a small hatch.

On to the drive- it was a short one with 4 people in the car, but it had decent pickup considering. The engine sounded pretty smooth as it revved too. The steering was direct and accurate, maybe not quite as quick as the Fit but toward the better end of modern EPS systems. The shifter was the biggest surprise, I found it better than the Fit linkage with a more solid, connected feel and shorter throws. The clutch and driveline had a light, easy nature that would be second nature to anyone used to Hondas.

Overall, I'd say this car is a winner, and a good sign for Ford going forward. It is on-par with the Fit for fun-to-drive and interior quality. It trades some utility but I would expect it to return slightly better mileage in return due to less weight and frontal area. When I bought the Fit I also drove the Yaris and the MINI, and my choice was clear. Were the Fiesta available it would be right there making my choice much harder, and as a hardcore Honda guy that's saying something.

 

As a former hard-core Ford person, that makes me happy that this car seems to be worth the hype about it. I bought a Honda because Ford didn't offer anything to compete in the cool/practical/fun hatchback area anymore like they did when the Focus first came out almost 10 years ago.

 

After owning 2 Fords that both died before their 8th birthdays (both before 120,000 miles), I swore to myself I would never buy another Ford. With that said, the Fiesta DOES look good with some wheels and a few mods, but if I was forced at gunpoint to buy a Ford, I'd buy a Focus RS.

 

it can beat a corvette





















if the race is in a mall...