Saturday, December 5, 2009

LA 2009: 2011 Ford Fiesta Hatchback Arrives in North America... Finally

Ford has just officially revealed the North American market version of the Fiesta hatchback, its widely popular and successful model currently on sale in Europe.


Debuting alongside the hatch, is an all-new Fiesta sedan, designed specifically for North America. The Fiesta marks Ford's return to the sub-compact segment for the first time in over a decade.

We can't say the style of the car is as pleasing as the Euro-spec model (which we love), but it is close and retains most of that car's sporty and youthful character. It also retains the high-grade interior with the Motorola Razor-inspired dash.

Under the hood of the Fiesta, we're glad to see the peppy 119-hp 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine has been carried over from the European model. It makes 109 ft-lbs of torque and in our test of the Euro-spec model provided plenty of fun.

This engine also delivers impressive fuel-economy with a best-in-class rating of 40 mpg on the highway. This is in part due to a new six-speed automatic transmission, while a five-speed manual will also be offered.

Ford also promises that the car's European driving dynamics have been retained thanks to an electronic power steering system that is not only responsive but helps to reduce fuel consumption.

The suspension setup is a MacPherson Strut front design with a 22mm sway bar and a rear twist-beam setup. A set of 15-inch wheels will be standard with 16s optional. There will even be a set of 17-inchers made available through Ford Racing.



Source: www.autoguide.com

No comments: