How good is the all-new Ford Fiesta? I will tell you… it’s very good, perhaps approaching brilliant.
From the second you nestle in behind the wheel and run your eyes over that crisp modern interior, you know you’re onto something special here. It looks good, and feels just right.
But fire the engine into life, slip the nicely-weighted shift into first, and poke it out for a quick lash around the ‘burbs… then, mere minutes later, you’ll be grinning like the cat that got the cream.
It is an absolute delight to drive. With the new Fiesta, released to rave reviews in the UK and Europe, Ford has popped a genie out of the bottle.
No question, the Zetec model we drove has got the measure of the benchmark for the class, the Mazda2 - with which it shares its platform and much of its underpinnings (and which won The Motor Report’s 2008 BEST DRIVE BEST VALUE Small Car Award).
We would seem, then, to have a new leader in arguably the toughest class of them all.
So, stop reading now if this is starting to sound a little cosy. C’mon, you’re thinking, you’re drunk, it’s a tiddler – just 1.6 litres - you can’t expect us to believe that this thing is a serious set of wheels?
Well, yes it is. Having driven those wheels off for a week, the further I drove it and the longer the week went on, the more I found to like about it.
But I like small cars anyway. Especially sharp-handling ones with zesty engines and a snappy manual shift. Can’t help wringing their feisty little necks, whippin’ the stick through their slick little gates and throwing them around my favourite looping ‘test track’. Who doesn’t like fun of that order?
Sure, it’s not perfect, there are a few things Ford Australia will need to attend to before you’d give it a straight-A report card, but the Fiesta is a pivotal car for Ford and will grab the market by the throat over the next 12 months.
What’s so good about the Fiesta then? Here’s what.
Super-neat, cool-as interior
Some interiors work, some don’t. Some look alright, style wise, but are then let down by sub-standard materials or incomprehensible ergonomics.
The new Fiesta’s interior works. The ‘transformer’ dash and console are just right. Smart, distinctive, as modern as next year, with good quality materials and everything right at hand.
The instruments are clear and easily read. The wheel – carrying cruise, menu, and audio controls in the LX and Zetec - is the right size, square to the driver, and easily set ‘just right’. There are smart touches like a soft blue-lit strip sitting under the lip of the dash, running from the centre console across and above the glovebox.
It’s also got all the electronic geekery that everyone who can still wear a tight T-shirt insists on: Bluetooth with voice control (available on LX and Zetec), USB connectivity, MP3 player integration, CD player and a crisp high-fidelity audio system.
The seats, in the Zetec model, are nicely shaped for comfort as well as for securing the bum region when out hunting the bends. Ford, across its range, is using some very appealing trim materials – the interior of the more up-market Zetec looks, well, up-market.
While ‘ours’ came in shades of grey, there are a variety of funky trim-colour combinations available that carry into the dash and door plastics. In Zetec trim, it looks like you spent more dollars on it than its list price suggests. (And that’s gotta be good.)
It is also amazingly quiet on the road. Wind noise is banished – it is as quiet as a Lexus – and road noise too is suppressed to only intrude on the coarsest black-top. This level of refinement is totally unexpected in an inexpensive small car. And this is where the secret to the Fiesta starts to emerge.
You have to keep reminding yourself which sector the Fiesta is actually competing in and what it’s competing against. It carries the refinement of a larger, more expensive car, though it’s not much bigger than a size 14 boot.
And speaking of boots, the two door Zetec hatch in our care managed to swallow a small Bose PA comfortably (we were convinced we’d have to tip the rear seats forward… but no). It can easily carry a couple’s or small family’s clobber for a weekend away.
Interestingly, the Zetec was completely untroubled on the road by that weight in the boot.
2010 BMW 120d Hatch manual (E87) 
2009 Holden Commodore SS Sportwagon 
2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage 
2009 Ford Mondeo MB (Titanium) 
2009 Honda Civic Type R 
2009 Nissan 370Z Auto 
2009 Volkswagen Passat CC V6 FSI 
2009 HSV Clubsport R8 Tourer
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Makes me want to go out there and buy one!
Now we have a good review for the Mazda 2 and a good review for the Fiesta. Which is TMR’s choice?
Instant reminder of Frank Costanza :]
However is car reminds me, in no way what is over, of Frank. It’s a cute little green thing. The interior is very…’asian eyes’ happy
Yo L and N,
Yup, Fiesta is the new leader in the class, edging out the excellent Mazda2.
N, may all your festivuses be happy and bright.
The Insider
This car just keeps on getting rave reviews!
European Fiesta sales are at a record high for the new model while the market(s) tank.
Certainly got me interested. Well done Ford!
Had the pleasure to test drive a 1600. I was very impressed. Will definitely buy one when I move to Australia!
I love japanese cars, but I got to give this to ford. Ford finally knows what customers want. The design is will designed, not like the past ford, boxy and ugly.
Thanks again for another great article. The Fiesta is a great little car and the pick of the bunch, however there is one thing that really irks me. Every single review I have seen of this great little car is of the zippy 1.6 manual. I have not seen a single aussie review about the 1.4 auto. Is Ford only giving the media manual press cars on purpose to try and hide the 1.4 auto, because to me it almost seems that way. It would be very interesting to know if the auto and smaller engine dilute the “Fiesta experience”, especially considering how popular autos are in Australia. Could it be a case of if you want a small car in a manual the Fiesta is the only way to go, however if you want an auto would you be better off going to your friendly Mazda dealer for a 2?
hmmm, i love this car, personally think that this is sexier than the mazda 2, looks much bigger on the outside too
Who can tell me about braking distance of this car?
Yo James, can’t say we ran a tape measure over the stopping distances, but the Fiesta’s brakes are fine. Disc brakes all round, ventilated discs up front, it’s also got all the smart braking acronyms - ABS, EBD and so forth.
RACV, NRMA or one of the other ‘royal’ auto clubs might have the information you’re looking for, as, likely, would Ford.
The thing, of course, is that braking distance is relative to a whole lot of factors, some not inherent to the car.
Things like the road surface, tyre wear, the condition of the shockers, the presence of moisture - all these things affect braking distance.
Most times, ‘braking distance comparisons’ are conducted in ideal-world conditions and are really only indicators of braking performance out there in the wild.
The Insider
Actually, it has drum brakes in the rear - we one a WS Zetec
Yup Wazza, yer right there… specs with the article are right, my comment isn’t (and it was only 7:00pm… must have made an early run on the cheap plonk).
But brakes are fine, we gave it an (ahem) dynamic run through the hills and weren’t troubled with fade.
The Insider
What do you think of your Fiesta Wazza? Be interested in your views (we reckon, for the money, the package is a ripper).
The Insider
Auto Zetec drives well even if a bit gutless on hills. Agonised over buying it as the 1.4 motor with a 4 speed could have been inadequate and probably would be for a mountain woman. For my purposes it buzzes around town like a cherry bloated mosquito on steriods, steers and holds the road like a dream with reasonable fuel economy. At speed nurses around 3000rpm. still in its comfort zone, no road noise, good positioning, luxury feel and view. It is true that the brakes seem a bit soft, drums I suppose, noticable due to downsizing cars as well. The heater is a furnace even set to one. Researched the life out of web on this car before forking out 25k and no regrets. The seating/driving position in alfa mito, peugoet and mazda2 does nothing for my long legs, but the adjustables on fiesta won me.If you want a bigger engine to thrash get the manual and don’t hold your breath waiting for the diesel…a bit noisy. Burned off a golf at the lights in my mozzie, should have seen the drivers face before he smacked into 2nd and I’ve long since seen 40. The bastards always get you on options but the larger wheels, safety pack and bluetooth are worth it. Go the Zetec..Small package, great car.
Fiesta footnote:
by the way, there’s been a few snitches that because the bonnet drops away, you can’t see the gutter etc when parking. True, but this thing is the size of a go cart. Er, sorry, supermini. So just be guided by the car parked next to you - when the driver is level with their BACK seat - hee hee. Even if you’re a metre out, the arse end is still going to be in the parking confines. It ain’t euclidian mathematics. Actually it’s one of those cars that HIDE short in the parking bay and is cursed by others who think they’ve found an empty park !!!!!! Oh yeah, this car is FUN.