ARE 999 cubic centi-metres in the Fiesta enough to justify an outlay of R211 200? Is it a large enough displacement to successfully propel more than 1,1 tonnes? Most importantly, is 999 cm3 too small a figure to alter buyers’ perceptions?
Questions one and three will be answered in the coming months as buyers either shy away from downsizing and head straight for Volkswagen dealerships, or take the plunge to the beat of a three-cylinder thrum. We can, however, confirm that the 2012 International Engine of the Year has just enough pep to make the Ford Fiesta feel sporty, but we did not come even close to matching Ford’s boisterous performance claims.
The 1,0-litre engine debuts as the new flagship powertrain in the revised Fiesta range (until the ST finds its way here later this year). It replaces the 88 kW/149 N.m 1,6-litre and is offered in Trend (tested here) and Titanium spec. The 1,4-litre petrol engine remains as is, while the 1,6 TDCi has undergone mild changes that have upped power to 70 kW. Torque remains
at 200 N.m at 1 750 r/min.
The entry-level 1,4 Ambiente’s price has dropped by R12 000 to R164 400 and the 1,6 TDCi Ambiente from R206 211 to
R178 400. The diesel is now also offered with the mid-level Trend package for R201 400. The Ford Fiesta 1,0 Ecoboost costs R211 200 for the Trend and an eye-watering R231 500 for the Titanium.
Design tweaks are centred on the new headlamps and enlarged grille, while the chintzy, chromed foglamp surrounds have been binned in favour of subtler units. New taillamps, alloy-wheel designs and paint colours complete the exterior changes.
Inside, glossy panels have been added to the facia, some switches have been revised or relocated and Ford’s SYNC connectivity system debuts on Trend and Titanium models. Otherwise, the cabin remains as is. And the fact remains that it’s perhaps the Fiesta’s biggest area of disappointment. The dashboard is covered in squishy, matte material, which matches anything Volkswagen produces, but lower down and further back the plastics become hard and shiny.
Practicality also takes a knock; the Ford Fiesta has a distinct lack of kneeroom in the second row of seats, while the narrow front seats compromise comfort. Conversely, its boot is one of the largest in the B-segment at 248 dm3.
The 1,0-litre engine comes in two states of tune, 74 and 92 kW. South Africans will be offered only the latter version. It has direct injection and a compact, low-inertia impeller on the high-speed turbocharger. In combination with a low mass of 97 kg that helps keep the weight down to 1 124 kg (as tested), these technologies allow for a claimed consumption figure of 4,3 litres/100 km in the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of 99 g/km. Lastly, Ford claims it will reach 100 km/h from standstill in 9,4 seconds.
That’s the theory. In practice, however, the 1,0 Trend failed to match these figures. The best 0-100 km/h run we achieved was 11,01 seconds, with the ECU refusing to allow the rev needle to climb past 4 000 r/min from a standing start. The result was that ARE 999 cubic centi-metres enough to justify an outlay of R211 200? Is it a large enough displacement to successfully propel more than 1,1 tonnes? Most importantly, is 999 cm3 too small a figure to alter buyers’ perceptions?
Questions one and three will be answered in the coming months as buyers either shy away from downsizing and head straight for Volkswagen dealerships, or take the plunge to the beat of a three-cylinder thrum. We can, however, confirm that the 2012 International Engine of the Year has just enough pep to make the Fiesta feel sporty, but we did not come even close to matching Ford’s boisterous performance claims.
The 1,0-litre engine debuts as the new flagship powertrain in the revised Ford Fiesta range (until the ST finds its way here later this year). It replaces the 88 kW/149 N.m 1,6-litre and is offered in Trend (tested here) and Titanium spec. The 1,4-litre petrol engine remains as is, while the 1,6 TDCi has undergone mild changes that have upped power to 70 kW. Torque remains
at 200 N.m at 1 750 r/min.
The entry-level 1,4 Ambiente’s price has dropped by R12 000 to R164 400 and the 1,6 TDCi Ambiente from R206 211 to
R178 400. The diesel is now also offered with the mid-level Trend package for R201 400. The 1,0 Ecoboost costs R211 200 for the Trend and an eye-watering R231 500 for the Titanium. Design tweaks are centred on the new headlamps and enlarged grille, while the chintzy, chromed foglamp surrounds have been binned in favour of subtler units. New taillamps, alloy-wheel designs and paint colours complete the exterior changes.
Inside, glossy panels have been added to the facia, some switches have been revised or relocated and Ford’s SYNC connectivity system debuts on Trend and Titanium models. Otherwise, the cabin remains as is. And the fact remains that it’s perhaps the Fiesta’s biggest area of disappointment. The dashboard is covered in squishy, matte material, which matches anything Volkswagen produces, but lower down and further back the plastics become hard and shiny.
Practicality also takes a knock; the Ford Fiesta has a distinct lack of kneeroom in the second row of seats, while the narrow front seats compromise comfort. Conversely, its boot is one of the largest in the B-segment at 248 dm3.
The 1,0-litre engine comes in two states of tune, 74 and 92 kW. South Africans will be offered only the latter version. It has direct injection and a compact, low-inertia impeller on the high-speed turbocharger.
In combination with a low mass of 97 kg that helps keep the weight down to 1 124 kg (as tested), these technologies allow for a claimed consumption figure of 4,3 litres/100 km in the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of 99 g/km. Lastly, Ford claims it will reach 100 km/h from standstill in 9,4 seconds.
That’s the theory. In practice, however, the 1,0 Trend failed to match these figures. The best 0-100 km/h run we achieved was 11,01 seconds, with the ECU refusing to allow the rev needle to climb past 4 000 r/min from a standing start. The result was that the Fiesta bogged down on each acceleration run. These figures are soundly beaten by those of the 1,6 Trend we tested in November 2012 (it required 10,53 seconds to reach triple figures).
Similarly, the best consumption figure we could achieve was 5,6 litres/100 km while driving considerately and with the air-con switched off. This often climbed into the low-sevens in more spirited driving conditions. That said, 5,6 is still lower than the figures achieved by all nine B-segment hatches we tested in November 2012.
But … as is often the case, figures tell only a part of the story. In day-to-day driving, the 1,0-litre is a revelation. It feels far stronger than its languid standing-start acceleration would suggest; in-gear acceleration times best those of the 1,6 across most increments (the 1,0-litre loses some oomph at higher velocities), while its diesel-like low-down torque allows the driver to ignore the gearlever (the shift of which is short and sweet) at low revs. Furthermore, the powertrain remains creamy all the way to the red line, accompanied by a characteristic three-cylinder thrum. In fact, the only intrusion into the cabin is a mild vibration through the pedals at idle.
Braking proved fail-safe and mostly fade-free, with a very good average of 3,01 seconds from 10 stops from 100 km/h, while the balance between ride refinement, handling and steering remains the benchmark in the B-segment.
Test Summary
This Ford Fiesta is difficult to fault. Admittedly, we were expecting more performance and lower consumption, but its figures are close to the front of the class. And that’s before you factor in the sheer appeal of the Ecoboost powertrain in daily use.
At R211 200, the Trend isn’t cheap, but neither is the competition. And our qualms are few; the perceived quality of the cabin, space utilisation and the fact that only the top-spec Titanium has more than two airbags are the only notable concerns. Otherwise, it’s a brilliant addition to the segment. We wait with bated breath to see how the competition respond in the battle for downsizing dominance.