For the price, driving the Fiesta feels a bit naughty, as if maybe you have stolen a more expensive car than you can actually afford…
by Mike Zacharias
Contributor, Driveway Canada
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Subcompact cars are set up to be basic transportation with emphasis placed on low cost and great fuel economy.
That said, you might think they are all a bit boring and not very fun to drive or even very interesting to look at. This is not the case on the 2014 Ford Fiesta: it has had a face-lift and features more standard options than in the last model year.
Usually little sub-compacts like this come with more plastic than a TV sports reader. The Fiesta feels different. You do get some plastic to be sure but the dash has softer materials and some of the plastic around here actually looks and feels good. For the price ($19,990 as tested), driving the Fiesta feels a bit naughty, as if maybe you have stolen a more expensive car than you can actually afford. I would love to be able to afford an Aston Martin as my daily commuter car but at this point in my life that is not an option. With the redesign, you do get the Fusion / Aston front-end styling.
Now some people might say, “well it looks too much like an Aston”. Really? That’s like someone telling a girlfriend that she looks too much like Scarlett Johansson, you’re not really going to complain are you?
Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying it drives or feels like an Aston but it is great fun to drive, handles our roads very well and all the tech options needed to keep your eyes on the road are available. The SE model I drove came with, Bluetooth, satellite radio, navigation, power locks, windows and the My Ford Sync.
I drove the Fiesta around Prince George and practicality wise it didn’t skip a beat. As I live downtown, anywhere I go in my daily life I am always driving right through the heart of the city. When I headed out to the hockey rink, I was able to put all of my goalie equipment into the back, no problem. Parking in cities is increasingly becoming a premium. Parking a sub-compact like the Fiesta was a breeze even without a backup camera! As some people with larger vehicles will know, parking at places like malls in and around the city the spaces are tight with not a lot of movement space for bigger vehicles. In addition, of course, it does get worse in wintertime when the snow is piled high.
With that in mind, how will it handle our winter roads? – The Fiesta has good ground clearance for a smaller car and handling our winter roads should not be a problem. Of course, you would want to invest in a good set of winter tires.
Beyond the city limits, out on the highway, heading south it handled the road well, with enough get up and go for good passing power when needed.
It’s quite roomy for a small car. There’s room for three in the back seat as long as those passengers are not of a larger body type, if I may delicately put it that way. If you are of a larger body type, there is plenty of room in the trunk, if you desperately need a ride at that exact moment. Just kidding. But it does tell you the trunk is also roomy!
Verdict: No complaints. For a sub-compact, you get great tech options, great fuel economy, in a car that doesn’t feel like you are driving something as inexpensive as it is. It’s fun and zippy for driving around town or highway driving. If you need a small car as a daily commuter or it’s your second car to accommodate a bigger SUV or truck, I would recommend taking one out for a test drive and see if it fits for you in what you are looking for in a car. The Fiesta right now for me is tops in the subcompact class.
View a video review on our YouTube Channel – Driveway Canada.
Specs:
Power: 1.6L, 16-valve, 4-cyl engine, generates 120hp and 112lbs of torque
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual (standard), PowerShift 6-Speed Automatic (optional)
Fuel Economy : Manual – 8.5/6.5/7.6 L/100km (city/hwy/combined), Auto – 8.7/6.4/7.6 L/100km
(city/hwy/combined).
Price range: $17,987 – $27,220
Contact:
mike [dot] zacharias [at] drivewaybc [dot] ca
Twitter: @mikezachreviews