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The all new 2011 Ford Fiesta resurrects a legacy nameplate in the Blue Oval family with a sparkling new sedan and hatchback that sport new technology inside and underneath. The result is a car that today's newly arrived urbanites should find perfectly fitted to their needs, wants and comforts. Inside, the Fiesta breaks new ground in the mobile multimedia market with a voice activated infotainment system that augments the traditional AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo with audio and podcasts streamed into the car's sound system via a Bluetooth link to a smart phone. Non voice audio controls and for creature comfort settings revert to basic knobs and buttons that are sized and arrayed for ease of use with minimal distraction from the driving task. Comfortable seats have enough side and bottom bolsters to keep occupants properly positioned, but gingerly, without obstructing ingress and egress. Quality of interior materials is either on a par with or a tick or two above the expected standard for cars in the new Fiesta's class. Ford wants to boost this even further, too, with something not commonly found on cars in this size and price class: Leather seating surfaces and heated front seats are optional on the top of the line sedan and hatchback. Underneath, the Fiesta introduces a new transmission technology as an option to the Fiesta's standard, 5 speed manual gearbox. This is a 6 speed, twin clutch, automated manual that operates like an automatic but with the fuel economy of a manual transmission. This offers what approaches the best of both worlds for people who like driving but live a city centered life: not having to deal with a clutch pedal but enjoying authentic manual transmission gear changes and the traditionally better fuel economy of a row your own gearbox. Evidence of this latter benefit is the EPA estimated, city/highway rating of 30/40 miles per gallon for the 6 speed against 29/38 mpg for the 5 speed. Normally, an automatic would come up two or more mpg short of a manual.
Photo Premiere 2012
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