Everything You Need To Know The New Ford Fiesta

Ford's new Fiesta is here, with better handling and a load of clever tech. Here's everything you need to know!
Everything You Need To Know The New Ford Fiesta

We spend rather a lot of time talking about fast, expensive cars here at CT, but really, it’s little motors like the Fiesta that are way more important for the car industry. After all, Ford’s supermini has been Britain’s best selling car for years now, so when there’s a new version - as there is with the newly revealed seventh-gen car - it’s a jolly big deal.

Casting our beady eye over the press release, we’ll kick things off with engines. For now, the petrol engines are only tiddly ones - there’s a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder engine with either 99bhp, 123bhp or 138bhp, and a 1.1-litre three-banger based on the same architecture. The latter unit replaces the old 1.25-litre engine, putting out 69 and 84bhp.

Everything You Need To Know The New Ford Fiesta

We can expect a more powerful petrol engine when the new ST arrives, but there’s a question mark as to what it’ll be. Ford may use an updated version of the current car’s 1.6-litre four-pot, but there have been rumours of a modified version of the 1.0-litre Ecoboost appearing under the bonnet.

A supermini is obviously best powered by a peppy little petrol engine, but if you must have a diesel, there is a 1.5-litre TDCi available. The entry level oil burner kicks out 84bhp and 82g/km of CO2 (no word on mpg yet), or if you want more poke than that there’s a 118bhp diesel too.

Everything You Need To Know The New Ford Fiesta

The interior looks to be a massive improvement on the cheap and cheerful cabin of the outgoing Fiesta, a sign of Ford’s attempt to nudge the car slightly up market. The crummy old infotainment system is gone, replaced with Ford’s Sync 3 system, hooked up to a screen which is anything up to eight inches big depending on spec and options. There’s even a Bang & Olufsen ‘B&O Play’ stereo on the options list.

That’s not where the new tech ends for the Fiesta. The 1.0-litre Ecoboosts plus the lower powered diesel all get a snazzy ‘Active Grille Shutter’ to aid aerodynamics (along with underbody aero shielding), but the big news is all the sensory shenanigans.

The Fiesta 'Active' features tough black plastic cladding and a raised ride height - because lifestyle car
The Fiesta 'Active' features tough black plastic cladding and a raised…

The Fiesta gets a pair of cameras, a trio of radars and 12 ultrasonic sensors, all of which work in harmony with the car’s various driver assistance features. Notably, there’s ‘Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection’ which will deploy the brakes when necessary, plus ‘Active Park Assist’ which allows for hands-free parallel parking if you’re rubbish at it. Or just lazy.

Everything You Need To Know The New Ford Fiesta

Now for the really important bit: handling. And it’s here that Ford is confidently telling us that the Fiesta will be even better to drive than before.

Torsional stiffness is up 15 per cent thanks to strong boron steel and laser welding among other things, while the track has increased by 30mm at the front and 10mm at the rear. The wheelbase has been extended by 4mm, and the anti-roll bar is a little stiffer. There’s even a torque vectoring system, which should come in handy when the powerful ST comes along.

Everything You Need To Know The New Ford Fiesta

It’s all looking rather rosy so far, but we do have some less welcome news to report: Ford will be making a Vignale version. Yes, an ultra-luxurious Fiesta. Because that formula worked so well for the Mondeo (sarcasm alert: it really didn’t). We’ll happily eat our words if Ford sells shed loads of the things, but that’s not something we’re expecting to happen.

Our advice? Be sensible and get the high-spec Titanium version instead. There’s also the mildly sportified ‘ST Line’ version, and the Fiesta Active with a raised ride height, roof bars and tough black plastic cladding. For lifestyle things, obviously.

The car will go on sale next year. What do you think of it?

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Comments

Olivier Culat #86

1.It looks like a Kia

11/30/2016 - 11:05 |
32 | 2
  1. Kias actually look pretty damn good in some cases.
11/30/2016 - 11:14 |
14 | 4
  1. Kia is actually a good economy car and looks better than a Toyota (Here in Asia). Trust me I drive one (Yes I know I’m poor)
12/04/2016 - 08:20 |
0 | 0
Ryan Ellington

Just me or is that one of the best interiors ever in a small car? It looks stunning

11/30/2016 - 11:07 |
174 | 4

it is good looking but it looks allot like the 208 interiors :)

11/30/2016 - 11:22 |
26 | 0

Mazda did a good job on the Mazda 2 as well

11/30/2016 - 11:41 |
56 | 2

Do you class a 147 GTA as a small car?

11/30/2016 - 13:45 |
4 | 0

I still prefer the interior of my Opel Adam S, but Ford definetley made a giant step in the right direction with the new Fiesta.

12/01/2016 - 11:51 |
4 | 4

Well, the new C3 interior looks even better to me

12/01/2016 - 12:22 |
8 | 0
Anonymous

Just give us the ST version please :)

11/30/2016 - 11:10 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

The triangular bit inbetween the door mirror and the bonnet of the car actually ruins the look of the car for me. It looks like the bonnet comes up too high and the door is a funny shape. Interior is very nice though and so is the rest of the car but all I can see is that triangular bit staring at me.

11/30/2016 - 11:11 |
14 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

I hate you for pointing out that triangle to me -.-

11/30/2016 - 11:20 |
14 | 0
Dprac1ng

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

fixed it :P

12/01/2016 - 09:46 |
4 | 0
Adrian T. R.

It looks great! The outgoing fiesta is hard to replace, but by the looks of it they’ve done a good job, especially with the interior. They’ll probably release an ST next year when the new WRC car is getting used. An RS 3 door would be really good to see though

11/30/2016 - 11:19 |
0 | 0
Mr.PurpleV12

I just wish they got away with their fish look…

11/30/2016 - 11:19 |
8 | 0

Yeah. I personally think this is the best looking fiesta so far. Shame it didn’t have a hot version.

11/30/2016 - 12:43 |
18 | 0
Williard

The entertainment screen ruins that interior in my opinion, should have placed it down where the air con controls are, moved the air con controls where the air vents are and put the air vents on top. (quite a read sorry)

Also the airbag part of the steering wheel looks a little bit dated now

11/30/2016 - 11:27 |
2 | 0

But that would be dangerous, you’d have to take your eyes off the road to look at it.

11/30/2016 - 11:50 |
0 | 0
Nicklas

looks fine on the inside but the outside looks like a car for seniors :D

11/30/2016 - 11:28 |
0 | 0
iCypher(Joel Chan)
  1. It looks uglier now.
11/30/2016 - 11:32 |
8 | 2
Alex Andrei

that moment when you forget to add an “about” to the title 😂

11/30/2016 - 11:33 |
2 | 0