Preview: 2010 Ford Fiesta for U.S.

Ford Motor Company, responding to customer demand for smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles, is accelerating its efforts to bring six small vehicles from Ford's respected European lineup to the North American market sooner than originally planned. To accomplish this, several of Ford's large assembly plants will be converted from truck and SUV production to build the new-to-America models.

The automaker is banking heavily on its EcoBoost gasoline turbocharged, direct-injection engine technology and engine downsizing to reduce fuel economy by 20 percent and lower CO2 emissions by 15 percent. Plans are to have the capacity to build more than a million North American four-cylinder engines by 2011.

Ford can't make the transition fast enough. The most anticipated car of the bunch will be the Ford Fiesta subcompact 'B' class car that's expected by early 2010. The all-new Fiesta is going on sale in Europe this year and as soon as Ford can move production capacity closer to home, the car will be launched in North America. Ford's Cuautitlan Assembly Plant in Mexico, which currently produces full-size F-Series pickup trucks, will cease production of this model and change over to build the new subcompact for North America.

The Fiesta is clearly a car right for the times and a vehicle Ford Dealers wish was on their lots already as gasoline prices have spiked. The 2010 Ford Fiesta will compete directly with the Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa, and Honda Fit. In that fast company, it should do quite well.

This is by no means a rush-to-market effort. Ford has been building the Fiesta in Europe for more than three decades. The latest seventh generation iteration offers considerable refinement and character, building on this model's success as one of the best selling cars in Europe for many years. Interestingly, Ford turned to the Fiesta once before in the 1970s during a time of similar fuel concerns and it did very well. It was dropped from the line to make way for the U.S. built Ford Escort in the early 1980s.

In Europe and other global markets, the Fiesta is sold as both a three- and five-door hatchback. Ford is planning a four-door sedan variant for the U.S. market, which is said to be very close to the Verve concept car that debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this past January. The Verve doesn't look like a traditional sedan, however, offering the sporty profile of a five-door hatch with a small trunk on its tail. No word yet on whether Ford will take advantage of the brand equity of seven generations of the Fiesta nameplate or go for something more progressive like Verve.

The new Fiesta's front-drive chassis architecture is very similar to that of the Mazda2. That architecture offers 55 percent high-strength steel throughout for safety and a light but rigid body structure. In addition to frontal airbags, the Fiesta will be the first Ford small car with standard knee airbags and head and thorax side airbags. It will also offer a wide array of comfort and convenience features including keyless entry and push button starting.

We expect the interior of the new car to be exceptional, with cues drawn from the European Fiesta and the Verve concept car. Look for a very sculpted dash and instrument panel that integrates personal electronics into the cabin design. The higher-end European version is very aggressive, with a thick, three spoke steering wheel and large easy-to-read analog gauges.

The Fiesta's U.S. spec powertrains are still in question, but we expect some form of the 1.6-liter DOHC Duratec Ti-VCT gasoline engine that's offered in other markets. We'd love to see a four-cylinder clean diesel in the future (two Duratorq TDCi diesels are offered in other markets), though Ford's push for EcoBoost technology is a more likely candidate for the near-term. In Europe, Ford is also showcasing the Fiesta ECOnetic diesel model that offers super-low CO2 emissions and exceptional fuel efficiency. Ford will use electric power assist steering and other fuel savings measures on all models to maximize economy.

Bringing the Fiesta across the pond is a move that should pay-off for decades to come. Along with Ford's restructuring and a solid portfolio of smaller, more efficient transportation choices in the pipeline, things are looking up. As far as the Fiesta is concerned, 2010 can't get here quick enough.