2011 Ford Fiesta SEL

Compact hatchback appeals to a global audience

By Nina Russin

2011 Ford Fiesta

The original Fiesta was Ford’s answer to oil shortages in the mid-1970s. The Fiesta Mark 1 arrived stateside in 1978, sporting a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and four-speed manual transmission.

It might not have been fast or fancy, but the Fiesta was the right car for the time, selling millions of units  before being replaced by the Escort in 1981.

This year, Ford rolls out an all-new model as part of a global strategy to shift focus from large trucks to fuel- efficient, small cars. As with the original, the new Fiesta went on sale in Europe and Asia before coming to the US.

With a base MSRP starting well below $20,000, Ford hopes the Fiesta will appeal to young buyers looking for segment-leading technology, style and good gas mileage.

A 1.6-liter engine produces 120 horsepower. The four-cylinder engine comes with either a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. A dual dry clutch design reduces parasitic power loss for the automatic transmission: highway fuel economy is 38 miles-per-gallon, according to EPA estimates. Read the rest of this entry »