by Bryan Redeker

Well, I have now had the Fiesta for a complete week. Has the honeymoon come to an end? Not at all; actually, I want a Fiesta more now than ever.

Week one observations:

1.     Technology is great! Not having to dig out my keys to start the car or unlock it is wonderful. I also enjoy not having to listen to the sound of clanking keys hanging from the steering column. Bluetooth is also something I am starting to really enjoy. I bought a new phone so I can use the Bluetooth connectivity, and I find it to be great for using the phone while driving. Safety Bryan enjoys the added safety and convenience of a hands-free phone that doesn’t require that silly ear piece. Rain sensing wipers are also nice, as we have had constant rain for the past week. I like how the wipers adjust their speed accordingly depending on conditions. I am still working with the voice commands, and not having too much luck. An owner’s manual in English may help me learn the commands.

2.     Precision. For some reason, I really like the ability to adjust the temperature by one half degree increments. I love the feel of the temperature dial, and each move of the dial adjusts the temp by exactly .5’C is great. Even the sound of the dials inspires precision and quality. Gone are the dials that are too loose, or the ones that make annoying clicks that are loud enough for the person next to you in traffic hear. From a driving aspect, the handling is very precise! The turn-in is very crisp, and the steering feel gives great feedback. I am afraid that the US spec “All-season” terrible tires will diminish the outstanding steering feel. Slight movement of the steering wheel rewards the driver with instant change in direction. First order of business when I buy a Fiesta is to toss the factory tires in the trash. All-season tires do nothing well and most things terribly. Summer tires for summer, and winter tires for winter. This is how it is supposed to be. The only thing not precise in the Fiesta is the shifter, which is very good by “factory” standards. Having a short-throw, high-effort shifter in everything I have ever owned makes a factory gear lever feel loose. For 90% of consumers, the shifter is perfect. For the rest of us, I am hoping Ford Racing comes up with a better option.

3.     Fun to drive is an understatement! Driving the Fiesta around town is smile-inducing fun. The kind of fun you get from driving go-karts. While the Fiesta is not going to turn trees into blurs streaking past the windows, it will put a silly smile on your face when you toss it into a corner. The steering input is so accurate, it just responds to your commands like an extension of your arms. The car is easy to drive quickly, and you can accidently find yourself speeding if you don’t watch out. Like many small cars, the Fiesta requires momentum to go quickly around corners. Just like the original Focus, you keep your speed up around corners, allow the mechanical grip to keep the car planted, and gently roll the power back on at the end of a corner. My Mustang requires stopping at each corner, turn the wheel, and then hammering the gas pedal to go the next corner. Just from driving around town, I can tell that this car is going to be great to autocross!

After the first full week with the Fiesta, I am sold on this car. I just hope and pray that the US version is as good as the one I am driving. Softening the suspension, decreasing the quality, ditching the manual transmission, and leaving off the all of the techno gadgets would make the Fiesta just another also-ran, world-car attempt. I am fairly confident that Ford learned their lesson, and won’t strip the Fiesta down. The end result will be a game changing car for Ford. The same way the Model-T, Mustang, and Taurus changed the automotive landscape forever.

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