Super TestCar reviews - Ford - Fiesta - rangeFord modelsOverviewNew sedan, diesel and Powershift models headline Ford's smarter Thai Fiesta range7 Dec 2010 TREADING water Ford is most definitely not. Except for the fuel-sipping Econetic variant, the Blue Oval's popular German-built WS Fiesta gives way to the new Thai-built WT version, adding a raft of incremental driveability, packaging, safety and refinement improvements, as well as more features and better choice, thanks to the inclusion of a bulbous new four-door sedan variant, as well as an expanded diesel line-up in the mid-range LX and best-selling Zetec hatch models. There are one or two surprising omissions, but otherwise the Fiesta re-establishes itself as one of the best light-car all-rounders money can buy. And that is quite a feat in this post-VW Polo world. Model release date: 1 December 2010 to 1 July 2013 All car reviewsAlfa Romeo Abarth Alpine Alpina Audi Aston Martin BMW Bentley Chevrolet Chery Citroen Chrysler Dodge Cupra Ferrari DS Ford Fiat FPV Foton GWM Great Wall Holden Haval HSV Honda Hyundai Hummer Isuzu Infiniti Jeep Jaguar Lamborghini Kia LDV Land Rover Lotus Lexus Maserati Mahindra McLaren Mazda Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-AMG Mini MG Nissan Mitsubishi Peugeot Opel Proton Porsche Renault Ram Rover Rolls-Royce Skoda Saab SsangYong Smart Suzuki Subaru Toyota Tesla Volvo Volkswagen Previous modelFord’s underrated baby finally hit the big time in Oz with the release of the fourth-generation WS Fiesta, a German three and five-door hatch available with the choice of an 88kW/152Nm 1.6-litre VVT petrol engine (with a five-speed manual) or a 71kW/125Nm 1.4 if the (four-speed) auto was chosen. The former was a winner, flying high in the light-car segment with its smooth and responsive nature … while the latter felt sluggish by comparison. But buyers didn’t seem to care, for the WS doubled Ford’s share in the segment, garnered a swag of awards and cemented our faith in the company’s engineers. The top-line Zetec proved the most popular, followed by the mid-range LX and then the base CL. In November 2009 a 66kW/200Nm high-economy model called the Econetic arrived, a manual-only diesel five-door that instantly established itself as the most economical new car in Australia, giving hybrids like the Toyota Prius a scare in the marketplace. Get the full story: Ford goes back to the drawing board to produce an even sharper, sexier Fiesta |
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