The Ford Fiesta may be the best little car you never heard of.
More than 12 million Fiestas have been sold in Europe since it was introduced in 1976.
But except for a three-year run from 1978 to 1980, Fiesta has been absent from the U.S. American buyers are not known for their hospitable attitudes toward domestic small cars.
Honda Fit and Nissan Versa — yes. Chevrolet Aveo or Dodge Neon — no.
Now the sixth generation makes a Fiesta-heralded return to the U.S. after a triumphant run in Europe, where it has been on sale since 2008.
It is the first major new model to launch as part of CEO Alan Mulally’s “One Ford” strategy
With its adventurous styling, innovative electronics, and razor-sharp handling, the Fiesta will win a lot of fans. I wish I liked it better than I did.
My issues fall into two categories: one aesthetic, the other functional.
The aesthetic has to do with the instrument panel, which looks as if it was lifted from a 1970s-vintage minor Asian brand. Chrome-colored plastic is slathered about, the center-stack switches are arranged in an unfortunate V-pattern, and the digital readouts are generated in a cheesy red typeface.
The “Lime Squeeze Metallic” body paint on my test car didn’t make any friends either.
My functional gripes have to do with the powertrain — and I use the word, “power,” advisedly. Fiestas are powered by a 1.6 liter, four-cylinder engine that is rated at 120 horsepower. My car was equipped with a five-speed manual transmission.
Now granted, I drive very few cars with small-displacement four-cylinder engines. But the Fiesta felt pokey on flat roads and positively lethargic when it encountered hills of any gradient, even though I was the only person on board. Frequent downshifting was required, and the engine still labored.
Edmunds.com reports a zero-to-60 time of 9.5 seconds for the Fiesta five-speed manual, and getting up to speed felt every bit that long.
I hope the Fiesta has a long and happy return to the U.S. I like the five-door hatch style, and at 28 mpg city/37 mpg highway, the fuel-economy is admirable.
With a base sticker price of $15,120 (my test car with the sport appearance package checked in at $16,920), the Fiesta hits a sweet spot for many consumers.
America needs to start getting used to small cars. Ford’s reputation hasn’t been higher in 50 years, and the availability of Ford dealers on just about every corner should help turn Fiesta into a household word.
As for me, I’m waiting for the turbo-charged version in a less-aggressive color.