Ford Fiesta 2010 Review

Ford Fiesta CL, LX and Zetec

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OVERVIEW
-- Fiesta is now warmed up for the big bout
Since the launch of the WS Ford Fiesta in early 2008 Ford has seen its sales in the VFACTS light-car segment practically double. But the road to that success over the last couple of years hasn't been without the occasional pothole along the way.

For instance, the four-speed automatic variants were coupled with a smaller 1.4-litre engine and were frequently scarce in dealer showrooms, thanks to constrained supply from the factory.

Nissan's new K13 Micra -- a logical competitor for the Fiesta -- won't be limited by supply. The Micra is just one of the new breed of light cars that are progressively more sophisticated. Ford couldn't allow the grass to grow underneath the Fiesta.

With the launch of the upgraded WT Fiesta, Ford has not only resolved both issues, it has expanded the car's appeal in a number of ways. Supply shortfalls should be a thing of the past, now that the car is built in Thailand -- and Ford Australia is reportedly the principal Fiesta-buying client for the AAT factory (run jointly by Ford and Mazda).

Buyers in the market for a light car with an automatic option can now purchase the petrol Fiesta with a Getrag-developed 'PowerShift' transmission, which bolts up to the same 1.6-litre engine that powers the manual variants. It's a dual-clutch transmission with two more forward ratios than the four-speed epicyclic box it replaces and there's added performance from the larger engine.

While the Fiesta continues with the ECOnetic model in the range, there are new diesel variants, priced lower and offering LX and Zetec grades in both hatchback and (new) sedan body styles.

Boasting a 430-litre boot space, the Fiesta sedan beats most small cars for luggage capacity -- and offering that body with the same diesel package in the LX level of trim, Ford is just possibly offering the market's outstanding mix of interior packaging, driving dynamics and diesel practicality for the price.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
-- Thai FTA a blessing for Ford Australia
Importers must pay a 5 per cent import duty on passenger vehicles brought into this country -- unless the vehicles are being imported from a country such as Thailand. The south-east Asian country and Australia have entered into a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which lends Ford a hand balancing the books. Without that impost up front, Ford can bring in a sophisticated light car like the Fiesta at a price you might expect to pay for a lesser car from Japan or South Korea. That should keep the dealers happy.

The WT-generation Fiesta Zetec models are not yet on sale, and Ford tells us that they won't arrive until sometime during the first quarter of next year. In the meantime, the new Fiesta range is being rolled out to dealers in base CL and mid-spec LX variants.

Pricing starts from $16,990 for the Fiesta CL hatch with petrol engine and manual transmission. For the money, the buyer gets 15-inch steel wheels, air conditioning, power mirrors/front windows, trip computer, height-adjustable driver's seat, cloth trim, MP3-compatible six-speaker CD audio, Bluetooth connectivity, voice control, remote controls (steering wheel) for audio and remote central locking.

Ordering the car with the PowerShift automatic option adds $2000 to the purchase price --  $18,990, which is the same price for the CL sedan. The booted Fiesta in the CL level of trim is available in the one variant only: petrol engine and PowerShift transmission.

Ordering the Fiesta CL with the optional safety pack will add side curtain and knee airbags, plus seatbelt reminders for the front-seat occupants. These features are fitted as standard for the LX and Zetec variants.

$18,990 is a popular price point in the Fiesta range, since it's also the price of the mid-range LX variants powered by the petrol engine, driving through the manual transmission. This drivetrain combination is available in both the hatch and sedan variants equipped to LX level. Standard features additional to the CL specification are: 15-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, power rear windows and three-spoke leather-bound steering wheel with remote controls for the cruise control.

Opting for the PowerShift box with the petrol engine will add $2000 once again, taking the price to $20,990. The Fiesta LX is also available with the diesel engine, driving through the manual transmission for a further $500 ($21,490). Ford is selling the Fiesta LX diesel in both hatch and sedan form for the same price.

When it goes on sale here, the Fiesta Zetec will be a hatchback only, albeit with the choice of petrol engine (manual or PowerShift transmissions) or the diesel engine with manual alone. The flagship is priced at $20,490 for the petrol/manual variant, rising to $22,990 with PowerShift and $23,490 for the diesel.

Over the LX grade, the Zetec features 16-inch alloy wheels, body kit/additional chrome trim, sports-style cloth trim and a USB input for the audio system.

MECHANICAL
-- Fiesta at the forefront of accessible drivetrain technology
There's nothing amazing about the new drivetrain components in the WT Fiesta. They've all been seen elsewhere. Volkswagen already offers its own DSG transmission with dry-plate clutches in the Polo -- and that box is a seven-speed job as well. Diesel's not new to the segment either, but few car companies can offer these two items in a car of the Fiesta's distinction, for the price. If only the two (diesel and auto) could be brought together somehow...

The 1.6-litre DOHC petrol engine powering the WT Fiesta is a development of the engine in the WS model. It now features variable valve timing for both camshafts, but fuel efficiency (6.1L/100km) and output (88kW/151Nm) remain the same as for the earlier car. The power and torque figures occur at slightly higher engine speeds now.

Not available in the Fiesta CL, the 1.6-litre diesel engine uses as little as 4.4L/100km of fuel for power and torque figures of 66kW and 200Nm respectively. It's from the same family as the engine powering the Fiesta ECOnetic, but without the same focus on lean running.

Both engines drive through a five-speed manual, although buyers can choose the PowerShift transmission option at extra cost for the petrol variants. Built by German transmission specialist Getrag, this particular unit features six forward speeds and dry-plate clutches. It's a twin-clutch transmission in the same vein as Volkswagen's DSG boxes, so it combines the ease of use that goes with a conventional automatic and the efficiency of a manual. Dry-plate clutches are more efficient still than the wet-plate clutches in some similar twin-clutch systems. According to Ford, the Fiesta's version of the PowerShift transmission will handle up to 250Nm of torque and is lighter and more compact for the light-car application.

Drive from the transmission goes to the Fiesta's front wheels, which are steered by an electrically-assisted rack and pinion set-up. Suspension and braking could both be described as conventional, with MacPherson struts and disc brakes up front, and a torsion beam and drums behind.

PACKAGING
-- As buyers move downmarket, expectations rise through the roof
Ford was arguably the right company in the right place at the right time, when it introduced the WS Fiesta in 2008. The new car hit a home run for the car company, just as the GFC began to bite. Part of the reason for the Fiesta's success is that Ford has concentrated on delivering small-car space in a light-car footprint.

As new-car buyers watched their share prices tumble and their salary packages cut back -- assuming they retained their jobs throughout the GFC -- they set their sights lower. Small car buyers were now in the market for light cars, and the Fiesta was exactly the right answer to their prayers. It was a light car, mostly priced that way, but with the roominess and sophistication of a well-equipped small car.

Being an upgrade of the WS model, the WT Fiesta retains those packaging virtues, but in an enhanced form, now expanded by the inclusion of the new sedan body style in the range.

Whether hatch or sedan, the Fiesta provides adult-levels of head- and legroom in front, although it can be squeezy for kneeroom in the rear if the driver is using much of the available legroom. The pedals feel slightly skewed to the right and the driver's side mirror won't adjust far enough outboard to eliminate the blind spot on that side.

Overall though, the driving position is good and controls and instruments are easy to use. Seats, even in the Fiesta CL and LX grades, are exceptionally comfortable and supportive by light car standards. Unlike some of the Fiesta's rivals, the Ford features seats with plenty of length in the base. In the sportier Fiesta Zetec variants, the seats are more aggressively bolstered at the side, but give nothing away in comfort.

Boot space is substantially better in the sedan, naturally. 430 litres gazumps the 385-litre capacity of the larger Focus, itself one of the more accommodating cars in the small-car segment. But light sedans do seem to punch above their weight where boot space is concerned. Holden's ancient Barina sedan is just 30 litres behind the Fiesta and Mazda claims 459 litres for the Mazda2 sedan, in accordance with the VDA method of measurement. Fiesta's hatchback models are about line-ball with competitors for luggage-carrying capacity (281 litres); the Mazda2 hatch ready to pack 250 litres by way of contrast.

Ford sells the Fiesta with a Temporary Mobility Kit in lieu of a spare wheel. This comprises a 12V compressor driven from the auxiliary power outlet in the cabin and silicon sealant. As with a space-saver spare, there are safety-related limits to use of a tyre that has been repaired using the TMK and Ford recommend Fiesta owners have the tyre properly repaired or replaced at the earliest convenience. Ford does offer the option of a full-size spare for those who prefer, although the company argues that many of the Fiesta's owners are more likely to repair the tyre than attempt to change it.

SAFETY
-- Five stars for Fiesta, barring the base model
In the light-car segment, more and more cars are scoring five stars for their ANCAP crash rating. Mostly they're newer designs selling in the upper tier of the segment. The WT Fiesta is among them, but there's a wrinkle.

ANCAP rates the WT Fiesta a five-star car, since it's a minor facelift and upgrade of the WS model previously tested to destruction for that highly prized accolade. But the base-grade Fiesta CL has to be specified with the optional safety pack to add the seatbelt reminders and side curtain airbags (plus a knee airbag for the driver) before it can truly be described as five-star safe.

The Fiesta certainly feels solid to ride around in and its active safety is beyond reproach. Stability control is standard (although the rear brakes remain drums) and the car's roadholding and traction proved to be up to the job of coping with an unseasonal deluge in Adelaide for the drive program.

COMPETITORS
-- Many rivals, but few with all the bases covered
Volkswagen's Polo is the car that first springs to mind as a competitor for the Fiesta. If you disregard the three-door Volkswagens, Fiesta has the edge on pricing. Ford can also provide buyers the option of a four-door sedan, something Volkswagen can't do. But in respect of vehicle dynamics, interior space and comfort at an affordable price, it's our view that the Polo is a premium alternative to the Fiesta.

Next on the list is the twin-under-the-skin, the Mazda2. Built in the same Thai factory, it shares much with the Ford -- including sedan variants. But there's no diesel in the Mazda2 range, although a Mazda2 diesel is sold in Europe.

Honda's City and Jazz twins are prospective rivals for the Ford, but as with the Mazda, there's no diesel option. If five-star ANCAP safety is important, the Jazz has what it takes, from October 2010. The City sedan is still a four-star car.

Nissan's Micra undercuts the Fiesta on price, but does so with smaller petrol engines and optional four-speed automatics, which lacks something against the six-speed PowerShift option in the Fiesta's case. Also there's no diesel for Nissan and the Micra is a hatchback only.

Suzuki's Swift is a good car and one that in many ways can keep up with the Fiesta, but it's due for replacement shortly, by an all-new model. Whether we'll see a diesel engine in that remains uncertain. It definitely won't offer a sedan.

Although the Fiesta is a light car and the Hyundai i30 is a small car, Ford has often argued that the Fiesta has the interior space of a small car. Now that the cheapest diesel Fiesta undercuts the cheapest diesel i30 by precisely $1000, the gloves are off.

In petrol form, the Fiesta sedan starts from $18,990 -- a price that undercuts the petrol/auto combination in the Toyota Yaris sedan by $900.

ON THE ROAD
-- Great dynamics, but petrol engine lacks urge
Even during a sudden deluge in the Adelaide hinterland, the Fiesta just didn't put a foot wrong. The small Ford is a car that encourages enthusiastic driving, with steering that provides prompt turn-in and excellent feedback through the wheel -- from an electrically-assisted power steering system yet! This type of steering system, often criticised for lifeless feel, aids fuel efficiency in the Fiesta. Weight through the wheel is very light, but not at the expense of feel -- and it's a pleasure to use, whatever your preference. Many typical buyers of a car like the Fiesta will welcome the level of assistance, which is comparable with that of the car's competitors.

And typical light-car buyers are also likely to prefer the ride quality of the basic Fiesta CL -- both the Fiesta LX and Zetec models ride quite firmly. In spite of its relatively supple ride, the Fiesta CL still handles and steers neatly. All Fiesta variants provide levels of grip, handling and steering that place the Ford at or near the top of the class, dynamically.

The Fiesta in its latest WT guise introduces an upgraded version of the 1.6-litre petrol engine, now featuring variable valve timing on both intake and exhaust cams. Peak power of 88kW is healthy enough for the engine's displacement, but the powerplant struggles on hills. Holding gears and allowing the engine to rev beyond 5000rpm delivers the best results, if the driver feels so inclined. It's a very refined engine, even at that speed and the power delivery is linear across the range. Around town the petrol Fiesta is more than capable of keeping up with traffic.

Depending on the variants, the petrol engine can be specified with either a five-speed manual transmission or the optional six-speed PowerShift twin-clutch transmission. The manual transmission is $2000 cheaper than the PowerShift box, and that might be the major factor influencing whether buyers opt for the manual over the Getrag-sourced PowerShift, but there are other pros and cons. Buyers who enjoy driving manual-equipped cars will find the Fiesta's five-speeder offers a light and precise shift action. It's a sportier option and doesn't suffer from the occasional split-personality character of the PowerShift box used manually.

There's no conventional sequential-shift facility available with the PowerShift unit, but it will automatically downshift sequentially if the driver selects 'L' ('Low') with the lever. In this mode the transmission will hold any gear right up to redline and will shift down once road speed falls below a level where the lower gear can be selected without undue stress on the drivetrain. It's a sort of sequential shift system for the uncoordinated and lazy among us and works fairly well, in our experience -- although it's not as fast to shift as other twin-clutch transmissions and when it does, changes are slurred, much like a conventional auto's.

For those drivers who don't care about such things, PowerShift will operate just like an ordinary automatic when left in Drive.

If you can't live without straightline performance and pulling power on hills the Fiesta with the 1.6-litre 200Nm turbodiesel is the car to have. There's much more go on tap and it's available from low engine speeds, thus aiding driveability. We experienced next to nothing in the way of turbo lag and the engine suffered little of that low engine speed labouring that can afflict diesels when they operate below 1500rpm. It will also cruise happily enough in higher gears at that sort of engine speed. When required, it will also muster plenty of performance and its engine note can sound sporty, on occasion.

The one problem with the diesel is that Ford doesn't offer the engine with the PowerShift transmission -- it's manual or nothing. If manual shifting poses no problem, the diesel represents a real bargain. There are simply no other cars in the light car segment that offer a diesel powerplant for anything approaching the price of the Ford.

Once the rain began to bucket down, the wipers presented us with a slight problem. They simply didn't sweep a broad enough area during the deluge. They leave unclear a large area at the top of the screen and on the passenger side. This became a concern as we approached a tight, uphill left-hand bend during the drive program. With the top left corner of the windscreen obscured by the heavy rain, the acute nature of the corner wasn't evident until we were right on top of it.

From an NVH standpoint, the Zetec is significantly quieter than the base CL. In fact, the petrol Fiesta CL emits more engine noise during acceleration than the diesel Zetec variant. It's due to the Zetec's tyres that noise makes its presence felt in the flagship model. Despite Ford's efforts to ensure Asia/Pacific-spec Fiestas are quieter over coarse-chip bitumen than the European versions, it's still the road noise that's most prominent in the Fiesta Zetec at speed.

What noise there is though, is a minor trade-off for the Fiesta Zetec's undeniable cornering competence. We're almost left wondering why Ford doesn't offer the Zetec as a sedan -- with the diesel. That would be a great sporting combination in a light-segment car with the practicality, comfort and safety of a small car. In the meantime, the closest approximation is the Fiesta LX sedan with the diesel.

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