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

Anonymous

Much prefer the styling of the mk7 but the interior is a massive improvement

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

I just hope that they won`t use a 3 cylinder in the ST,because I am tired of this stupid down-sizing trend.Otherwise,it seems like a very good car.

11/30/2016 - 11:48 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

The outgoing one is better looking (at least for me), it looked younger and sportier. This interiors are a lot better tho

11/30/2016 - 12:14 |
2 | 0
Jakob

I like the front alot. It gives it a hint of sportiness without making it look overly agressive. But the rear looks way too much like the Focus Turnier or the C-Max, especially in combination with the four doors. The interior seems to be a massive improvement, if the material quality is alright. I’m looking forward to it. The massive success of the Mk.7 should have given Ford the budget and the confidence for a better model after all.

11/30/2016 - 12:15 |
0 | 0
DL🏁

Interior: 9/10
Extetior: 4/10
Never was a fan of the current fiesta body shape, but this one is even worse to my eye. Much prefer the previous gen, boxy-looking one.
Engines: 8/10
Fiesta’s engines are the best 3-pots on the market. Fun to drive cars and this one seems to be even better.
Tech: 6/10
Great tech, but I think mostly unnecessary. I’d rather they spent money on better build quality and more cabin comfort (e.g sound insulation)

11/30/2016 - 12:45 |
2 | 0
nobody 1

Looks like a small kuga.

11/30/2016 - 13:19 |
0 | 0
Vanos kicked in yo 1

Its not a ford fiesta unless the transmission gives out after 5k miles. I’ll wait for reviews.

11/30/2016 - 13:26 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

The front end looks shocked! Like if you found out your wife of 50 years was actually your twin sister

11/30/2016 - 14:28 |
2 | 0
Johan Karlsson

Looks even better than the current model.

11/30/2016 - 14:42 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Wow! Really nice interior!

11/30/2016 - 15:04 |
4 | 0