Popular elsewhere in the world but only recently reaching U.S. shores, the 2011 Ford Fiesta is a contemporary subcompact which shatters the notion that small and affordable cars have to be cheap by design. Aimed at younger buyers, the Fiesta should also appeal to those in other demographic groups who may be looking to downsize their rides, but don't necessarily want to downscale their automotive expectations. We lived with the Fiesta over the course of a week's driving and can easily see why nearly 100 million of them have been sold worldwide.
Available as either a four-door sedan or a sportier-looking hatchback, the Fiesta's dynamic exterior styling is highlighted by a wide, lower air dam and waterfall grille flanked by narrow headlamps that sweep gracefully up and into muscular front fenders. The four-passenger Fiesta is just a bit longer than other subcompacts like the Nissan Fit and Toyota Yaris, though it's just as narrow; combined with a sweeping roofline, this gives the car a bullet-like appearance.
Inside, the Fiesta stands out. Its cleverly cast cabin features high-quality materials that give the space a richer feel than one might expect in this class. The instrument panel is nicely designed, with large and legible gauges featuring needles that look like little spaceships firing red lasers. Front seat travel is generous enough for the tallest drivers and passengers to stretch their legs, though the seats themselves can begin to feel stiff on longer drives. Headroom is adequate, but a dearth of back seat legroom limits its utility to kids or shorter riders. A generous cargo hold includes a wide opening to the passenger compartment for carrying larger objects with the rear seats folded flat.
Seven air bags, including one at knee height on the driver's side, are standard. Buyers can equip the Fiesta with upscale amenities like a seven-color user-selectable ambient lighting array, heated leather seats and pushbutton start. An optional premium audio system features the latest version of Ford's Sync multimedia voice-control system that includes turn-by-turn navigation.
Out on the road, the Fiesta delivers a sportier feel than most entry-level models offer. An electronic power steering system optimizes assist based on speed, cornering forces and movement, and it teams with a specially tuned suspension to provide nimble handling. It feels stable at highway speeds and secure through sharply sweeping exit ramps; the ride can get rough over extended pavement irregularities, however. Ford's AdvanceTrak stability control helps keep the car on track through extreme and emergency maneuvers. Antilock brakes are included and while they stop the car with authority, we did detect a degree of brake fade in sudden stops and some skidding before the ABS kicked in.
The Fiesta's 119 horsepower 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine is reasonably peppy on the uptake, but it runs out of steam rather quickly at full throttle; a throaty exhaust note at least aurally enhances its acceleration. A five-speed manual transmission is standard and is recommended to wring as much thrust out of this powerplant as possible.
Our tester came with the optional six-speed sequential-shift automatic transmission, which is essentially an automated manual. This design is popular among sporty cars because it can deliver quick manual-like shifts, and it helps the Fiesta garner an EPA-estimated 29 city/40 highway mpg. Unfortunately, we found it to be just too busy for its own good, especially in low-speed city driving, where it seemed to be constantly searching for the right gear.
Overall the Fiesta affords an engaging combination of style and substance at a reasonable cost, provided you go easy on the options. While the car's base price is just over $13,000, the top SES hatchback is priced around $17,000 and can reach well beyond $20,000 when fully loaded with the automatic transmission, a sunroof and other extra-cost items.
