Need Hybrid Power to Get 40 MPG? Not in Ford’s 2011 Fiesta

The much anticipated 2011 Ford Fiesta is full of pleasant surprises, not the least of which is best-in-class fuel economy. At its official North American unveiling at the recent Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford announced a projected highway fuel economy of 40 mpg and 30 mpg in the city cycle. For comparison, that’s 4 mpg better than the Kia Rio and Hyundai Accent, 5 mpg better than the Honda Fit, and 6 mpg better than the Nissan Versa. All these are competitive “B” Class subcompacts.

Ford last sold the feisty first-generation Fiesta here in 1980 after introducing it in 1978 as an economical solution to the 1970s oil woes. Unfortunately, Ford stopped importing the Fiesta when it launched its new ‘world car’ – the 1981 Ford Escort. After a 30 year hiatus the Ford Fiesta is finally back…and the 2011 model was worth the wait. The new sixth-generation model destined for North American buyers will be built at Ford’s Cuautitlán, Mexico assembly plant.

The new Fiesta will be offered in two body styles – a sporty five-door hatchback and a four-door sedan. Both models are built on the same 98-inch wheelbase, although the sedan is 13.5 inches longer than the hatchback. Despite the additional sheetmetal, the sedan is only 41 pounds heavier than the hatchback so fuel economy won’t be adversely affected.

The sedan and hatchback both offer the same 85.1 cubic feet of interior passenger room, with the sedan’s trunk yielding more cargo space than the rear cargo area in the hatch. Styling on both models is head turning, with the hatchback retaining more of the model’s European flair and the sedan featuring more U.S. cues, including a chrome three-bar grille like its bigger siblings.

Both models are powered by a 16-valve, 1.6-liter Duratec four-cylinder DOHC engine manufactured at Ford’s Taubate, Brazil engine plant. The engine features Ford’s twin independent variable camshaft timing technology that optimizes cam timing on both the intake and exhaust sides as needed, delivering improved performance and fuel economy. The engine has an 11:1 compression ratio to enhance power, yet runs on regular 87 octane fuel, which saves money at the pump. It produces 119 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 109 lb-ft torque at 4,250 rpm. Fiestas sold in California emissions states will meet SULEV/PZEV standards, while all others will be federal Tier 2 Bin 4/ LEV II emissions compliant.

The Fiesta will be available with either a five-speed manual transmission or a new six-speed automatic. The PowerShift automatic is a dry dual clutch design that offers better fuel economy than a traditional automatic with torque converter or a manual transaxle. Unfortunately, the PowerShift trans won’t offer a manual shifting option or paddle shifters on the North American version.

Designed to be a fun car to drive, the car’s European heritage shows with a MacPherson strut suspension tuned with a 22 mm front stabilizer bar up front and a twist-beam suspension with tuned shocks at the rear. Particular attention was paid to mitigating noise, vibration, and harshness car to ensure a quiet and comfortable ride. Ford uses 55 percent high strength steel, including Boron steel, in key locations like the A and B pillars to make the unibody construction very rugged. The Fiesta has been engineered with seven airbags including a knee airbag, which is a subcompact class exclusive.

While the Fiesta is new to our shores, it’s far from an unproven package. Ford has already sold more than a half million Fiestas around the world and it’s currently the second best selling car in Europe. From what we’ve seen, the Fiesta is sure to be hit here, too. Ford already has a backlog of orders…and you can bet they won’t stay on Ford dealer lots long after they arrive.