The new Ford Fiesta is off the beaten path

There is no revolution here, if someone likes the current Fiesta, he should accept the new one as its more perfect embodiment - bigger, safer, more modern and more environmentally friendly.

The Fiesta appeared in 1976 as a quick response to the older Polo, but primarily to the growing urban hatchback market. The success was immediate and over 16 million units across all generations have been sold to date. How many were there? Ford, including all significant facelifts, claims that the latest Fiesta should be labeled VIII, Wikipedia gave it the designation VII, but given the significant differences in design, we are only dealing with the fifth generation .... And it is this terminology that we must adhere to.

The 2002 third generation Fiesta did not live up to customer expectations, resulting in poor sales. Therefore, Ford decided that the next generation should be much better and more beautiful. After all, in 2008 the company introduced the best Fiesta to date, which, in addition to excellent sales, is also at the forefront of the segment, incl. in the performance category. Engineers who are tasked with building a successor to a beloved and respected model have a hard time, because the expectations from their work are very high.

What's changed?

Although next generations of cars are no longer growing on the road, here we are dealing with a significantly larger body. The fifth generation is more than 7 cm longer (404 cm), 1,2 cm wider (173,4 cm) and the same shorter (148,3 cm) than the current one. The wheelbase is 249,3 cm, an increase of just 0,4 cm. However, Ford says there is 1,6 cm more legroom in the rear seat. We don't know the official trunk capacity yet, but in practice it looks quite roomy.

In terms of design, Ford was very conservative. The shape of the body, with its characteristic line of side windows, is reminiscent of its predecessor, although of course there are also new elements. The front end of the little Ford now resembles the larger Focus, the headlight line is less refined, but the effect is quite successful. At the rear, things are a little different, where we immediately notice a new concept. The high-mounted lanterns that are the hallmark of the current Fiesta have been abandoned and moved lower. As a result, in my opinion, the car has lost its character and can easily be confused with other models of the brand, such as the B-Max.

A complete novelty is the division of the Fiesta offer into stylistic versions alongside traditional equipment versions. Titanium was representative of the "mainstream" at the time of the presentation. The choice was not accidental, since this rich equipment accounts for half of the Fiesta's European sales. And since buyers are willing to spend more and more on city cars, why not offer them something even more special? Thus was born the Fiesta Vignale. The wave-like ornaments of the grille give it a specific look, but to emphasize the rich interior, special markings appear on the front fender and on the tailgate. Its opposite will be the basic version of Trend.

Stylized sports versions are also booming in Europe. Regardless of which engine we choose, the ST-Line version will make the car more attractive. Big 18-inch wheels, spoilers, door sills, blood red paint on the ends and interior inserts in the same color scheme are the highlights of the sporty Fiesta. The racial look can be combined with any engine, even the base one.

The Fiesta Active is new to Ford's city range. It is also a response to the specifics of the modern market, that is, to the fashion for outdoor models. Features include inherent unpainted moldings that protect the wheel arches and sills, as well as increased ground clearance. True, the extra 13 mm will not give the car features that allow it to overcome any impassability, but fans of this type of vehicle will certainly like it.

The interior followed the latest trends to make it easier to operate. Ford has done this almost exemplarily, leaving the most commonly used knobs and buttons, such as volume control, changing frequency/song, and retaining the air conditioning function panel. Already known from other Ford models, SYNC3 will provide quick and easy media or navigation control via an 8-inch touchscreen. A new feature is a collaboration between Ford and the B&O brand that will supply the sound systems for the new Fiesta.

The driving position is very comfortable and the adjustable seat is low. The glove box has been enlarged by 20%, bottles from 0,6 liters can be placed in the door, and larger bottles or larger cups can be inserted between the seats. All exhibits featured had a glass roof, which resulted in a very significant limitation of headroom in the back row.

The technological leap can be seen in the list of safety systems and driver assistants. Fiesta now supports the driver when starting uphill and maneuvering in tight spaces. The new generation will have everything that can be offered in a car of this class. The list of equipment includes systems that generate the most important collision warnings, including detection of pedestrians from a distance of up to 130 meters. The driver will receive support in the form of systems: keeping in the lane, active parking or reading signs, and adaptive cruise control with a limiter function will provide his comfort.

The Fiesta relies on three cylinders, at least in its range of petrol units. The base engine is a 1,1-litre similar to the one-litre EcoBoost. It's called Ti-VCT, which means it has a variable clock phase system. Despite the lack of supercharging, it can have 70 or 85 hp, which is an excellent result for this power class. Both specs will only be paired with -speed manual transmission.

The three-cylinder 1.0 EcoBoost engine should be the backbone of Fiesta sales. Like the current generation, the new model will be available in three power levels: 100, 125 and 140 hp. They all send power through a six-speed manual transmission, the weakest will also be available with a six-speed automatic.

Diesels are not forgotten. The Fiesta's power source will remain the 1.5 TDCi unit, but the new version will significantly increase the power offered - to 85 and 120 hp, i.e. for 10 and 25 hp respectively. Both versions will work with a six-speed manual.

Let's wait a few more months

Production will take place at the German plant in Cologne, but the new Ford Fiesta is not expected to hit showrooms until mid-2017. This means that at the moment neither prices nor driving performance are known. However, there's a good chance the fifth-generation Fiesta will still be fun to drive. Ford claims that this is how it should be, and cites a number of facts as evidence in the form of an increased wheel track (3 cm in front, 1 cm in the rear), a stiffer anti-roll bar in the front, a more accurate gear shift mechanism, and finally, the torsional rigidity of the body has been increased. by 15%. All this, combined with the Torque Vectoring Control system, increased lateral support by 10%, and the braking system became 8% more efficient. We still have to wait for confirmation of this wonderful information, and unfortunately it is several months.

At the moment, nothing is known about the fastest variations of the new Fiesta. However, we can assume that the sports division of Ford Performance will prepare a worthy successor to the Fiesta ST and ST200. It seems like a natural move because Ford's current small hot hats are some of the best in their class.