Ford Fiesta ECOnetic 2010 Review

Ford Fiesta ECOnetic

Overall rating: 3.0/5.0
Engine and Drivetrain: 4.0/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 3.5/5.0
Safety: 3.0/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.5/5.0
X-factor: 2.0/5.0

About our ratings

OVERVIEW

Neither is it wise to drive with the air conditioning on. Nevertheless this is exactly how yours truly drove the car, and it was a miracle I didn't come dead last in the competition...

It must be said that driving the Ford Fiesta ECOnetic like an XR6 Turbo is a lot more fun that just short shifting from first to fifth gear because believe it or not, this ultra fuel efficient car can be satisfying to drive.

Australia's new eco emperor combines a compact 1.6-litre turbodiesel engine with a number of aerodynamic tweaks -- a lower ride height, less weight, special wheel covers -- and revised ratios for the five speed manual gearbox to make its environmentally responsible mark.

And there you have it, Australia's most fuel efficient car.

Ford is very chuffed to have wrested the fuel efficiency crown from Toyota, and the new Fiesta ECOnetic is the first of a number of Fords to work the economy angle. The LPI gas injection Falcon will arrive in late 2010 followed by a four-cylinder EcoBoost Falcon and the highly anticipated diesel Territory -- all vehicles that will make Ford's fleet more environmentally friendly.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT

Best of all, it's a more dynamic car to drive than the Prius hybrid. But we'll get to that soon.

Standard features include air conditioning with pollen filtration, cruise control, power steering, electric front windows and mirrors, Bluetooth phone connectivity with voice control system, and a six-speaker CD stereo with AUX and USB inputs for portable audio devices like iPods and even USB sticks with MP3 files on them.

Buttons mounted on the leather steering wheel take care of audio and cruise control systems, and the Fiesta ECOnetic also comes standard with remote central locking and a tilt/reach adjustable steering column.

Because it's an ultra-efficient car, the 14-inch steel wheels are shod with low rolling resistance 175/65 R14 tyres, and specially designed aerodynamic wheel covers help reduce wind resistance. Instead of a spare wheel, the Fiesta ECOnetic comes with a Temporary Mobility Kit to save weight.

MECHANICAL

Though it's not the most powerful engine in the Fiesta range -- that honour goes to the 1.6-litre 88kW petrol models -- the 1560cc oiler does have the most torque. Peak power is 66kW at 4000rpm and torque of 200Nm arrives at 1750rpm.

Fuel consumption is without par, besting even the Toyota Prius' 3.9L/100km. The Fiesta ECOnetic uses a claimed average of just 3.7L/100km, which can be broken down to 3.2L/100km on the highway cycle and 4.6L/100km on the urban cycle.

Equipped with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) the Fiesta ECOnetic emits 98 grams of CO2 per kilometer which, unlike the fuel consumption figure, is not better than the Prius' 89g/100km.

The 1.6-litre turbodiesel engine drives the front wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox. No automatic option is offered.

Other changes unique to the ECOnetic Fiesta include a lowered ride height and optimised aerodynamics (air deflectors and plastic wheel covers), low rolling resistance tyres, and weight reduction via the omission of a spare wheel. These modifications combine with a gear shift indicator light that prompts drivers with optimum gear shift times.

Independent MacPherson type front suspension and a rear torsion beam suspension combine with front disc and rear drum brakes to round out the chassis.

PACKAGING

The driver and front passenger have plenty of head and leg room and, with a tastefully finished soft-touch dashboard and clearly labeled instruments, the cabin ambience is pleasant. It certainly doesn't look or feel like a cheap and nasty compact car, particularly with its large LCD display screen connected to a detailed trip computer and the audio system to provide easily accessible information.

Ergonomics are very good: this is a nice car to drive even over longer distances. The cloth upholstery combines with good seat foam and decent adjustability, including seat height adjust, to cater for different sized drivers.

Rearward vision could be better, but overall there's not much to complain about. Boot space of 295 litres is an advance on other Fiesta models' capacity (281 litres), due to the omission of the spare tyre, and this space can be expanded via 60/40 split-fold rear seats.

SAFETY
-- All the mod cons
Boasting a five-star ANCAP safety rating, the Fiesta contains a comprehensive safety package. Dynamic stability control, traction control, ABS, emergency brake assist and electronic brakeforce distribution combine to ensure the wheels have the best chance of retaining traction in all conditions.

Five airbags are also fitted as standard, comprising driver and front passenger airbags, head and thorax front airbags, plus a driver's knee airbag. Side curtain airbags are not offered.

In the latter case, vehicles such as the Holden Barina, Toyota Yaris and Mazda2 are obvious rivals, but even without its clever ECOnetic augmentations, none of the abovementioned cars can hold a candle to the Fiesta. It's simply in a class all its own.

The fuel efficiency rival would include vehicles such as the Toyota Prius hybrid, MINI D and BMW 120d, though these vehicles will hit your hip pocket with more severity.

The hybrid versus diesel argument will rage on for quite some time (here's some more fuel for the fire, the Fiesta ECOnetic is cheaper and simpler than a hybrid) but ultimately a buyer searching for the cleanest and greenest car on the market shouldn't have difficulty choosing, especially if the initial outlay is of prime importance. If this is indeed the case, the Fiesta ECOnetic is a hands-down winner.

ON THE ROAD

To put it simply, the ECOnetic is a very smooth and satisfying car to drive. Though we were supposed to be embarking on an 'eco drive' during the vehicle's launch in Canberra (the winner scored an organic hamper) I decided to flex the car's muscles and was impressed with the spritely response to right foot manipulations.

Tipping the scales at 1088kg, the Fiesta's 200Nm of torque is enough to spin the front wheels, should you need to do so, whether to prove a point or just move off in haste. And even though the Fiesta ECOnetic is a manual-gearbox-only proposition, things like a light clutch, a sweet gear shift and a clever stall-prevention system make it a doddle to drive.

It even features an 'optimum shift light' to show you the best possible shift time to achieve low fuel consumption.

Ford's German made light car accelerates smoothly and strongly thanks to its torquey bottom end, generating almost as much torque as the high performance Honda Civic Type R; it has a flat torque curve which results in strong response across a wide rev range.

Indeed, the engine has the kind of flexibility to get you going in any gear. Even if you panic and mash the accelerator pedal in the wrong gear, the engine will bog down momentarily before regaining composure and pulling through.

Despite sitting lower to the ground than other Fiesta models, the Blue Oval's green machine exhibits good ride quality, evidenced on a number of sub-par Canberran and New South Welsh roads we crossed during the launch. The shock absorbers do their job well, but it should be said that every now and then you will be reminded of its European suspension tune via a thud coming through the wheel arches.

It tips into corners nicely and doesn't display chronic levels of body roll through tighter corners, finding a nice middle ground between the requirements of ride quality and the desire for handling dynamics.

The steering wheel is relatively light but feels good underhand. The car steers well, has a tight turning circle and is very much at home in urban traffic. That said, the cruise controls and tall fifth gear make it a good highway cruiser too.

Comfort is good, with well designed seats that offer decent lateral support and soft cushioning, and the fabric upholstery comes across as hard wearing.

At the end of the 'eco test' we recorded a 3.6L/100km figure, just under the claimed 3.7L. That was with air conditioning on the whole time, very little attention paid to the shift indicator light and no suffrage of right lane hogs.

Ultimately, that was one of the most impressive things about the car, to be able to drive it normally and still find some satisfaction in the journey -- yet still be cleaner and greener than driving a high-tech Japanese hybrid.

And that's one of the chief hooks for the Fiesta ECOnetic -- you can reduce your fuel bill and your carbon footprint, both issues that are at the top of many car buyers' checklists, without having to pedal along at the speed of lint. The Prius is a frugal car, but it lacks character -- something the Ford Fiesta ECOnetic does not.

Australia's most fuel efficient car may not be as instantly recognisable as the previous title holder, but it's far less dull to drive and to my reckoning that's a very good thing.

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