Ford Fiesta sedan 2011 Review

It's easy to get caught up in the hype with all the fancy cars that we get to drive. And it's just as easy to overlook a little nugget like the Ford's sporty but modestly priced Fiesta sedan. What it lacks in panache, it more than makes up for in terms of practicality.

PRICE AND MODELS

The sedan comes in two model grades - base CL and better equipped LX. Priced from $18,990 the CL is available only as an auto, but for the same price you can have the LX with more goodies and a manual gearbox. The auto is a $2000 option with this model.

The LX adds side and curtain airbags as well as a bag to protect the drivers' knees in the event of an accident. It also gets cruise control, leather wrapped steering wheel and power windows in the back.

One of the highlights of the Fiesta range is the high level of technology offered, with Bluetooth, steering wheel audio controls and AUX input for music players standard.

Bluetooth is also partnered with Voice Control, so you never need to touch your phone again once setup (mind you setup is not what you'd call intuitive). It's available with a petrol or turbodiesel engine, but the fuel-saving diesel will set you back another $2500.

The 1.6-litre, four cylinder petrol engine, is however a light sipper at just 6.1 litres/100km and provides some of the liveliest performance in this segment.

Our test vehicle was the five-speed manual - nothing special about that but it's a more satisfying drive than the optional, four speed auto. The 1.6-litre petrol engine produces 88kW of power and 151Nm of torque at 4300 revs.

DRIVING

We've driven this car with both the manual and new dual clutch automated transmissions. We much prefer the manual. The Powershift dual clutch transmission is good, but without the provision to change gears manually it lacks the fine control of the manual which we miss.

Performance is strong and you can push the car hard with confidence, with standard stability control to catch it if things start to go wrong.

Fuel economy was impressive for a petrol engine. We were averaging almost bang on the stickered figure at 6.2 litres/100km and, with a smallish 43-litre tank, this gives the sedan a range of almost 700km.

The sedan boasts an impressive 430 litres of boot space.

Although it's now built in Thailand, with which we have a free-trade agreement, one of the things Fiesta has got going for it is its European design. It shows in the way the sporty way the car drives and handles and Holden will find it difficulty matching this with its Korean produced models.

Comes with a full five-star safety rating with a battery of safety features including electronic stability control. Having said that, there's plenty of cheap plastic in the cabin, but this goes for most cars in this price bracket.

The sound system is a decent one but the removable cap on the 12 volt outlet in the centre console probably has a life expectancy of about five minutes before it is lost.

Talking about caps, the cap-free fuel filler door deserves a mention. Just pop the flap and you're good to go.

What a pity it doesn't come with a full-sized spare.

FORD FIESTA SEDAN

Price: from $18,990
Warranty: 3 year/100,000km
Engine: 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder, 88kW/151Nm
Transmission: 6-speed Powershift auto
Thirst: 6.1L/100km, 146g/km
Fuel: 43-litre tank, 91-98 RON