Autoblog

2013 Ford Fiesta reveals Fusion-like face

Jeff Sabatini — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 13:28:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Budget, Sedan, Ford, Design/Style

And the Ford Fiesta spy shots continue to pour in...

First we saw the hatchback undergoing cold weather testing. Then just last week, our spy shooters caught the sedan testing in Germany. But now we've got the best view yet of the mid-lifecycle Fiesta refresh due in 2014.

Caught in Michigan wearing only light applique camouflage, this Fiesta sedan prototype looks like a shrunken Ford Fusion. Except that the relative size of the Aston Martin-esque grille is much larger on the subcompact Ford, combining with the new headlight design to give the 2014 Fiesta the look of a carnivorous, prehistoric fish. Let's just hope the sedan doesn't look as awkwardly narrow and high-rumped as the current car.

Rumors that the Dunkleosteus Fiesta may come to the U.S. with a turbocharged, direct-injected three-cylinder EcoBoost engine persist. The new 1.0-liter engine is said to pack 125 horsepower and allow the Fiesta to hit 55 mpg, but we'll take that miles per gallon figure with a few grains of salt. Other speculation involves the triple also getting an electric supercharger that could boost power to 175 horsepower.

Check out all the high-res images in our gallery.

2013 Ford Fiesta reveals Fusion-like face originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Jun 2012 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford offers $50 gift cards to customers facing late Fiesta deliveries

Steven J. Ewing — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Sedan, Hatchback, Ford

2011 Ford Fiesta - Click above for high-res image gallery

Due to circumstances reportedly beyond Ford's control, many customers are having to wait a bit longer to receive their new 2011 Fiesta sedans and hatchbacks. After Hurricane Alex and Tropical Storm Bonnie rolled through Northern Mexico earlier this summer, railroads were damaged that provide shipments to the factory where Ford builds the Fiesta.

Customers may have to wait up to two weeks longer than expected to receive the hot new subcompact, and as a token of appreciation for being patient, Ford will be giving these customers a $50 MasterCard gift card. That's a free tank of gas and a smattering of delicious coffee drinks... or a fancy dinner for two!

In speaking with Automotive News, Ford sales analyst George Pipas says that Ford has "about 6,500 to 7,000 [Fiestas] in transit to dealers" and that the cars should start to be fully stocked within the next couple of months. For now, customers will have to wait patiently and take solace in the extra $50 in their pockets when it finally comes time to take delivery.

Gallery: Review: 2011 Ford Fiesta SES

Photos Copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

Ford offers $50 gift cards to customers facing late Fiesta deliveries originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Poll: Mazda2 versus Ford Fiesta

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 19:59:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Sedan, Hatchback, Ford, Mazda

In case you missed it, we just published our First Drive of the brand-new Mazda2 today. If your attention spans is anything like ours, allow us to remind you that we've also driven the Ford Fiesta once or twice. Since both cars are built atop the same platform and will be competing for your hard-earned bucks in short order, the natural question is: Which one would you choose?

If you don't have time to read both of our drives, here's a quick glance at some of the more salient details:

	2011 Ford Fiesta	2011 Mazda2
Base Price	$13,995 (four-door sedan), $15,795 (hatchback)	$13,980 (hatchback)
Engine	120 horsepower, 112 pound-feet of torque	100 horsepower, 98 pound-feet of torque
Transmission	Five-speed manual, Six-speed dual-clutch auto	Five-speed manual, Four-speed auto
Base Weight	2,537 pounds	2,309 pounds
Efficiency	29/40 (auto), 28/37 (manual)	27/33 (auto), 29/35 (manual)

Naturally, there's more to the equation than the tale of the tape. For instance, if you're in the market for an automatic transmission, the six-speed dual-clutch gearbox in the Fiesta seems to be a much more attractive option than the old-school four-speed automatic in the Mazda. Also, the Fiesta can store more cargo and has more comfortable seats.

It would seem that the scales are tipping in the Blue Oval's favor. Consider too that the Fiesta is available as both a sedan and a hatchback while the Mazda2 is a hatchback only. Add in an available navigation system, leather interior, SYNC infotainment system and heated seats - none of which are available on the Mazda - and we've got a slam-dunk win for the Ford. Right?

Perhaps not. Our man Steven Ewing, the only member of the team to have driven both U.S.-spec models, tells us that the Mazda2 is notably more fun to drive than the Fiesta. Plus, he claims the 2 looks better in its specific shade of green, if that kind of thing is important to you. So, is the promise of an added dose of driving enjoyment worth the significant loss in comfort, convenience and economy? That's up to you to decide.

View Poll

Poll: Mazda2 versus Ford Fiesta originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Jun 2010 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: 2011 Ford Fiesta rated at 40 mpg highway

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 17 May 2010 00:01:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Hatchback, Ford

2011 Ford Fiesta - Click above for high-res image gallery

The EPA has finished calculating the fuel economy of the 2011 Fiesta and as Ford projected, its new baby has hit 40 miles per gallon. The official numbers from the Feds are 29 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway for Fiestas with the new six-speed dual-clutch Powershift gearbox. Those highway numbers top the Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit by four and five mpg, respectively.

Fiestas with the base five-speed manual gearbox get a rating of 28 mpg city and 37 mpg highway. All North American Fiestas for now are equipped with a 120 horsepower, 1.6-liter inline four regardless of which gearbox is selected. The first batches of Fiestas should be on their way to dealers in the coming weeks now that production has started.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Ford Fiesta

Photos by Damon Lavrinc / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Officially Official: 2011 Ford Fiesta rated at 40 mpg highway

Officially Official: 2011 Ford Fiesta rated at 40 mpg highway originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 May 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #155 - 'Twas the night before the LA Auto Show...

Dan Roth — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:31:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Podcasts, Audi, Buick, Chevrolet, Ford, GM, Mazda, Nissan

Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!

With the LA Auto Show near at hand, Chris, Dan, and Editor Extraordinaire Paukert sat down and talked over some of the latest for Episode #155 of the Autoblog Podcast. First up is the surprisingly thorough re-rework of the Mustang, before we move on to talk about the early release of U.S.-spec Ford Fiesta pictures. Gazing at photos brings us to the Chevrolet Cruze, which has also been lensed in North American garb. The Chinese-market Buick Excelle is rumored as a possibility for our market, and we scratch our heads about that for a while. Toyota's handling of its gas pedal recall and Nissan's low-priced and well-integrated navigation unit wraps it up before we move on to some of your questions. Right before signing off, we jump back to talk briefly about the newly unveiled Audi A8 and Saab's sad fortunes. At one hour, 50 minutes, it's an epic. We blame Paukert.

If you get bored once the new Autoblog Podcast bliss has worn off, check out our colleagues at Joystiq and Engadget. Let us know what you think by dropping us an email at Podcast at Autoblog dot com, reviewing the show in iTunes, filling out our survey, or even leaving us a voicemail on our Google Voice line 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763). Thanks for listening, we'll see you next week!

Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #155 - 'Twas the night before the LA Auto Show...

Autoblog Podcast #155 - 'Twas the night before the LA Auto Show... originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Ford Fiesta gets another early reveal

Sebastian Blanco — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Budget, Sedan, Hatchback, Ford

2011 Ford Fiesta Hatchback - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Fiesta Movement, Ford's campaign to introduce the little global Fiesta car to the U.S. market, kicked off at the Chicago Auto Show earlier this year and will end this week during the LA Auto Show with, what else, a party. Oh, and the official unveiling of the 2011 North American version. We got a sneak peek of the Fiesta earlier today that it now seems was incorrect, based on these new pictures found buried on Ford's website.

The U.S.-style three-bar grille is thankfully not present in these official pics, though the hatch and sedan do wear different grilles (we like the hatch's version better, for what it's worth). The rest of the car remains as good-looking as the Euro-spec version ever did, and the interior will be a big draw for this car - along with solid MPG numbers, of course. For those of you who hoped Ford would bring the Fiesta over from Europe pretty much intact, it appears your wishes have been granted. We'll have all the details from LA right soon.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Fiesta Hatchback

Gallery: 2011 Ford Fiesta Sedan

[Source: Ford]

2011 Ford Fiesta gets another early reveal originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Ford Fiesta sedan caught in The D

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Budget, Sedan, Ford

It shouldn't be entirely uncommon to run across a Ford Fiesta here in the United States now that the Blue Oval has handed the keys to a hundred of 'em to various "agents" all across the country as part of its Fiesta Movement program. What is unusual, though, is seeing a Fiesta sedan, but that's exactly what Domino Vitali, a spy shooter for our friends at WebRidesTV Blog, managed to snap a few shots of just north of the Motor City in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

Though the Ford Fiesta Sedan is already available in China, the American version of the car will differ slightly to conform with U.S. regulations. We'll likely get revised fascias front and rear along with bumpers that offer a smidgen more protection in low-speed impacts. Fortunately for those of us who prefer the utmost in practicality, FoMoCo is also expected to send the hatchback (in both three- and five-door configurations) to America in addition to this new sedan when the Fiesta finally goes on sale as a 2011 model.

[Source: WebRidesTV Blog]

Spy Shots: Ford Fiesta sedan caught in The D originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Ford Fiesta Sedan for U.S. caught testing

John Neff — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Ford

Ford Fiesta Sedan for the U.S. - Click above for high-res image gallery

Ford has already released 100 Euro-market Ford Fiesta hatchbacks into the hands of its Fiesta Movement ambassadors, but the actual production model being developed for the U.S. will have some differences, as these spy shots indicate. For one, the U.S. will have a sedan model in addition to the two- and four-door hatchback. If you peruse the gallery below, you'll notice the sedan gets a large trunk with a high decklid. The extra cargo capacity adds some rear overhang, but it appears to integrate nicely with Ford's overall design.

This model snapped while testing also features camouflage over its front and rear end to hide the various design tweaks that will be exclusive to our market. As much as we can tell through the cloaking, it appears U.S.-spec Fiestas will have a different, larger grille than their European and Chinese counterparts. Check out the rest of the spy shots that reveal Ford's new small car from every angle in the gallery below.

Gallery: Ford Fiesta Sedan for U.S. - Spy Shots

[Photos: KGP Photography]

Spy Shots: Ford Fiesta Sedan for U.S. caught testing originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford reveals US-bound Fiesta Sedan in China

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:58:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Ford, Misc. Auto Shows

Click above for more high-res live shots of the Ford Fiesta sedan

Ford's latest Fiesta subcompact is finally coming to America, which is definitely cause for celebration. To get it ready for U.S. consumption, the Blue Oval brand has grafted a trunk onto the ex-hatch's hind end, as we Americans inexplicably nearly always choose a sedan over a more functional hatchback. At least Ford has managed to keep the Fiesta's Kinetic design language intact, and the freshly unveiled Fiesta sedan bears a striking resemblance to the Verve sedan concept from the last Detroit Auto Show. For the record, the sedan body style will not be available in Europe, though we expect Ford to also offer the two- and four-door hatchback version in the U.S.

Ford officially took the wraps off the Fiesta sedan at the Guangzhou Auto Show in China where the new car will soon go on sale. When the Fiesta makes its long-awaited American debut as a 2010 model, it will be built in Mexico and reportedly cost around $15,000. The team from Autoblog China (did you know there's now also an Autoblog UK, Autoblog Germany and Autoblog France, all with teams of local bloggers producing them?) on the floor in Guangzhou managed to snap some live shots of the Fiesta sedan for your viewing enjoyment, so check out the galleries below. Enjoy!

Gallery: Ford Fiesta Sedan

Gallery: Ford Fiesta Sedan LIVE

[Source: Autoblog China, Ford]

Continue reading Ford reveals US-bound Fiesta Sedan in China

Ford reveals US-bound Fiesta Sedan in China originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford Fiesta snapped in the wild

Dan Roth — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Europe, Hatchback, Ford

Click above to visit FoMoCoNews for more pics

For once, we don't have to stare at shots of an attractive compact Ford and wistfully complain that it won't be available here. The production Ford Fiesta hatch has been spotted in the wild, and with Ford's confirmation that we're getting the hatchback and sedan for 2010, the potential is there for this vehicle to be a common sight on U.S. roads. The Fiesta is a stylish domestic offering for a segment where the Fit beats all and the only domestic offering is the Aveo. A bigger choice of small cars is a good thing, and while the Fiesta's backlight looks a little pinched in a function-follows-form kind of way, it's still more handsome than the Yaris. Those hoping for a high performance SVT version should start making noise now. It wouldn't even have to be fast, just make it handle like the original Focus SVT and we'd be happy with that.

[Source: FoMoCoNews]

Ford Fiesta snapped in the wild originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Ford Fiesta Sedan snapped

John Neff — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:56:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Budget, Sedan, Ford

Click above for gallery of high-res Ford Fiesta spy shots

The question of whether or not Ford will offer the upcoming Fiesta in the U.S. as a three- or five-door hatchback is still unanswered, but we do know that a four-door sedan version is on the way. And here it is, recently snapped by spy photographers in Dearborn, MI. Though this prototype is wearing heavy cladding, its clear that the design will stick closely to what was previewed with the Verve sedan concept. Also note the sharp forward rake of the beltline, which gives the car a very high rear trunk lid and might lead to a sense of claustrophobia for rear seat passengers who can barely see out. Nevertheless, we're ready for Ford to reenter the small car market with a bang when the production Fiesta sedan arrives sometime later next year.

Gallery: Ford Fiesta Sedan - spy shots

Gallery: 2009 Ford Fiesta

[Source: KGP Photography]

Spy Shots: Ford Fiesta Sedan snapped originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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