2010 Ford Fiesta ECOnetic Review

2010 Ford Fiesta ECOnetic Review

CLEVER MOVE FORD AUSTRALIA... on the day that Toyota rolled its first hybrid Camry off its Altona production line last week, Ford launched Australia's most fuel-efficient car - the Fiesta ECOnetic.

And, as many of you will know, there is not a lithium-ion battery nor electric motor in sight.

Ford's Fiesta ECOnetic simply relies on a super-efficient diesel engine, a unique transmission with tweaked final-drive ratios, low rolling-resistance tyres and a bit of fiddling with the ride height and basic aerodynamics to take the bacon.

In fuel efficiency, with an official fuel economy rating of 3.7 l/100km, the Fiesta diesel is a mile ahead of the much larger Camry Hybrid. It also pips the Prius at the post. So, who needs the technical complexities of tandem drive and a battery pack when a simple but very clever oil-burner can whip 'em?

Even in CO2 emissions, the ECOnetic is the first 'conventional-engined' car in the Australian market to come in under the magic 100g/km, sneaking in with 98g/km. This compares with the MINI Cooper D’s 104g/km - which is next best of the conventional brigade - and the Pruis with top spot, emitting just 89g/km.

Yes, we tried it, and it works. Driving to maximize fuel efficiency but covering a mix of roads and conditions, including a relatively light urban commute (through Canberra) and a longish stint through the ranges north of the national capital, we recorded a planet friendly 3.1 l/100km.

The consumption of the Fiesta ECOnetic, with urban cycle fuel consumption of 4.6 l/100km and a highway cycle figure of a mind-bending 3.2 l/100km, is little short of astonishing. But perhaps more surprising is the way it performs.

Forget pre-conceived notions about how a ‘fuel-miser’ is supposed to drive. The Fiesta sacrifices nothing at the wheel in delivering its extraordinary economy figures. If anything, for its tractable, effortless and under-stressed diesel power, the ECOnetic is the pick of the Fiesta stable for performance.

So, here is your car if saving the planet is on top of your "to do" list today.

More to the point, here is your car if you simply don't like fuel bills but want a small car that looks good and performs well.

Styling

Externally, the ECOnetic shares its styling with the rest of the Fiesta range.

That, of course, is a good thing. The dynamic and modern lines of the WS Fiesta give it real verve and personality. In our view, for aesthetics, it is the segment leader and a high point in modern Ford design.

Available in five-door hatch form only, the ECOnetic is, to the casual observer, not greatly different to a base model Fiesta CL (though it is specced to align with the Zetec).

The 14-inch steel wheels and their aero-optimised hubcaps are unique (and also the smallest wheels in the Fiesta line-up), and a prominent ECOnetic badge on the tailgate is another hint at its environmentally-friendly credentials.

The ECOnetic also rides lower than the standard Fiesta (a feature designed to cut aerodynamic drag).

The interior

As we have noted in earlier reviews, “the 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.”

That impression remains. There is a very nice marriage of function and crisp styling in the Fiesta range. The trim, fit and ‘feel’ throughout is impressive and a distinct step up from the Yaris, Getz and Barina.

It is also a place where you can get settled very comfortably behind the wheel, not something always achieved in a smaller car.

The seats are good, not especially 'grippy', but comfortable and well shaped (at least for this frame).

And, as we've noted in earlier reviews, access to both front and rear is good with quite long doors tucked into its swoopy but compact dimensions. Boot space with all seats in place is limited, but the split-folding seats add versatility and a lot of extra cargo room when needed.

It can carry four adults in comfort and with reasonable leg-room, five at a stretch for shorter trips (three kids will have no trouble fitting across the back). No doubt many of us are praying for the day when we see more cars like the Fiesta ECOnetic doing the school run and less gargantuan four-wheel drives.

Equipment and Features

The ECOnetic's standard specification is a grab-bag of what's available on other Fiesta models in the range. Air-conditioning is offered as standard, along with a trip computer, cruise control and electric front windows.

The rear windows wind up manually, but, unlike the CL, the ECOnetic features the same six-speaker premium sound system as the LX and Zetec.

The head-unit incorporates an AM/FM tuner and a single-disc CD player, which can read MP3 file formats. A 3.5mm auxillary audio jack and a USB input for external music players are provided, and steering wheel-mounted audio controls are standard.