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Driving the Ford Fiesta’s cousin, the Mazda2, I was left dumbfounded over the fact that such a diminutive car was an unbridled blast to drive. It is well known that these two B-segment compact cars share many mutual components, ergo it is also safe to expect they share the same fun-to-drive chromosome, right?
Well, sort of. Their respective underpinnings, the Mazda DE and Ford B3 platforms, are mutual between the two. But major components, specifically engines and transmissions, differ. That’s not to say the Fiesta, which has just gone through the requisite mid-life refresh, does not have the chops to be a blast to drive.
For 2014, much of the Fiesta’s powertrain is a carryover. Powered by the same 1.6-litre inline four-cylinder since its North American debut three years ago, it pumps out 120 horsepower at 6,350 rpm and 112 pound-feet of torque at 5,000 rpm. Later this year, however, Ford will introduce two additionalturbocharged engines to the Fiesta’s roster — a 1.0-litre three-cylinder mill and a high-potency version of its 1.6-litre four-banger.
Available in Canada around Christmas, the 1.0L — you know, the one with an engine block that can fit into a carry-on bag — is good for an impressive 123 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque. Ford says it will best the fuel economy of its 1.6L normally aspirated four while pumping out more torque, but that is yet to be determined. For the record, Natural Resources Canada rates the normally aspirated Fiesta at 6.9L/100 km in the city and 5.1 on the highway.
Read more http://www.driving.ca/research-car/roadtest/First+drive+2014+Ford+Fiesta/8612409/story.html
