It's quite funny actually. I already saw the new Fiesta in November,
in the Ford-factory in Cologne. Now I've been invited to drive it here,
and recently we learned the Fiesta was the best sold car in Europe.
I'm not talking about this brand new Fiesta, but about its predecessor.
It's kind of funny the car you're about to replace, becomes the best sold model in Europe.
Sure, you can say 'they could wait with the new model', or even 'how good will this new one be then'.
If I'm talking about the new Fiesta, I also should say I'm talking about one of the four new Fiesta's.
This one is equipped with the ST-line, or 'ST-lijn' in Dutch.
So that's one of the four versions Ford has launched.
You have the old-fashioned Titanium-version, which acts as the base model.
The ST-line acts like the sporty version, it's been lowered as well.
You've got a Vignale-version as well, like we've already seen with the Edge and Mondeo.
So it's a little bit more luxurious, and it's got a nicer interior.
Also, you're supposed to get a special treatment when you go to the dealer.
All new is the Fiesta Active, which has been heightened a little bit.
It'll grant you a higher entry.
Ford states it's for people with an 'active' lifestyle, but in reality it's for retirees which want a higher entry.
Let's start with the roominess, but now that I'm walking past it...
The nose of the new Ford Fiesta is different for all four versions.
That's something Ford has done very well.
Not just small logo's inside or on the seats, but every version has a different grille,
a different nose, and different headlights.
That way, you can tell the difference between the versions.
A nice feature. Let's move on!
The roofline shouldn't compromise the headroom.
If I get in here... For a B-segment car...
My hair touches the roof a little, but the headroom is very decent.
The legroom then. I've seen more spacious cars in this segment,
but I've seen more cramped cars as well.
My feet fit perfectly under the seat, even though it's in the lowest position.
It's not too bad in here. Getting out is harder than sitting in here,
so if I'm in here, I'll be alright. It isn't the roomiest in its segment though.
Then, the boot. It's got quite a high floor.
A case of beer has to be lifted over here, but the advantage of that depth is that you've got much more litres available.
In total, you've got 303 litres of luggage space. Under here we only find a tire kit.
If you put the rear seats down, you get a total of 980 litres.
Now, let's talk hard numbers. There are some difficult things about the new Fiesta's.
Especially when it comes to 'when' and 'what.
We've got these four versions. They're already at the dealers.
That's something Ford has done very quickly, normally Ford takes way longer.
On the other hand, the car got revealed in November and this is the first time I'm driving it.
But at the dealers, the Trend and Titanium base-models are available right now.
Then, you've got the ST-line, which I'm driving right now,
and the luxurious Vignale-version. They'll arrive around September/October.
Then, you've got the Active, and the real ST, because that's finished...
and they will arrive in the beginning of next year.
Those are the first steps. Then, the engines.
The range starts with a 1.1-litre 3-cylinder, producing 70 horsepower.
That's the least expensive entry version, for on the billboards.
The engine is also available in a 85 horsepower version, a more realistic entry version.
Above that, we find the turbocharged 1.0-litre EcoBoost 3-cylinder, which produces 100 horsepower.
That'll be available immediately. In time, a version with 125 horsepower will become available.
And finally you've got this 140 horsepower-engine, the strongest in the range.
If you want one in the Netherlands, you've got to wait for quite some time because Ford wants to make it a special edition.
Then, the diesels. There are two diesel engines available.
You've got the 85 horsepower version, and one producing 120 horsepower.
Both of which are 1.5-litre TSI's.
In the Netherlands, the 85 horsepower version will probably be the only one that'll become available.
The market share for diesel engines in this segment isn't very big, it's even decreasing.
Ford reckons the people who want to diesel, think 85 horsepower is sufficient.
Ford wants to place the new Fiesta in a higher market now, and that's not a loose thought.
It's the fault of another car. The Ford Ka+.
It's a completely different car than the original Ford Ka, but it's in the B-segment to combat cars like the Suzuki Swift,
the Toyota Yaris, the lower B-segment, if you like.
If you want to use such a strategy, you'll have to push up the other car in the segment,
otherwise you've got rivalry in your own range.
That's why the new Fiesta has to be... Well, 'premium' is a dirty word of course,
but let's say it had to go upmarket, so that it would get on the level of the Volkswagen Polo.
One thing really had to be upgraded, the interior.
That was the biggest, but maybe the only disadvantage in the retiring Fiesta.
The interior looked very simple. Very old-fashioned with a lot of hard plastic.
It just wasn't pretty or nice, it was almost depressing.
Now, look here. I know a lot of people dislike high screens like this...
You'll have to get used to it though, because more and more cars are being fitted with them.
High and low segments...
Ergonomically speaking it's a very good solution, because it's within reach of your hands.
It's also in your sight, so you won't have to look away from the road.
It just looks very good.
The ST-lines gets you an even nicer interior. Take this leather on the handbrake and the steering wheel for example.
But the way you control the climate control, the finishing and the materials used in here...
It's such a big step forward.
Above all, they've dealt with the biggest problem now.
When you drive the new car, youngsters tend to ask me when the ST, GTI or RS arrives.
In this case, we're talking about the ST. Well, I've got news for you: it's already here.
It's all done, but we won't get to drive it until 2018.
So, you'll have to patient.
The outgoing ST was one of the best cars in the segment, until the Peugeot 208 GTi came along it was the best car to be honest.
It was a brilliant car. Ford really captured the driving magic.
That's very promising for the new ST.
Then, the specs: a 1.5-litre...
Indeed, a 1.5-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged engine, producing 200 horsepower.
with cylinder deactivation. So you might find yourself driving on two cylinders.
The biggest strong point in the Fiesta was its drive, and guess what. It still is.
It's even better than it was before. This car drives so incredibly good.
It's very fun to drive. Some hot hatches from six years ago,
which won't be able to beat the normal Fiesta in this segment.
Of course, 'normal' is a variable term. I mean I'm driving the ST-line, which has been lowered.
It's got a firmer anti-roll bar, the springs and dampers have been altered.
So I have to be honest, but it still isn't a hot hatch.
It's still a base car with a sporty package.
The steering is great. A lot of finesse.
The gear shifts are great as well, you feel exactly what's happening.
Also, the gear lever isn't weak, so you always have control for quick shift manoeuvres.
Braking in, shifting down... It's great.
Then, understeer. Thanks to the torque vectoring,
you won't even notice it when you brake into a corner.
If I go into a sharp hairpin and then go full throttle...
You notice you won't get all of the power, but the car also doesn't lose power or anything.
The car won't block, the car won't slip...
It's the exact amount the have lots of driving pleasure.
And driving pleasure is something this car breathes. What already was good, has become even better.
One of the powers of Ford has always been value for money.
And that isn't in the car itself, but more in the packages they offer.
If it's a winter-package, a safety-package, or a music-package...
You always get a lot without paying a lot of extra money.
Opel uses the same strategy as well.
In this case, if it's about the multimedia or the sound system...
I mean Bang & Olufsen in a Fiesta, bravo...
But also the safety features. Everything Ford has put on the previous Focus is now available on this car as well.
Auto-brake, automatic cruise control, a warning if you're reversing and you encounter cross-traffic,
those small things... You might need them once in 5 years of driving this car,
but you do have them.
I've already mentioned the engines, but let me tell you how they drive.
Right now, I'm driving the 140 horsepower version... Because it's here.
In the Netherlands though, it won't become available on a short notice.
The personality of the 3-cylinder is very nice though. There's enough torque in the lower revs.
If you compare them to the atmospheric engines in the previous Fiesta, this is so much better.
Even if you get the 100 horsepower-version.
Just go for it, don't you worry.
Relatively speaking, it isn't the best 3-cylinder engine around anymore.
Ford was relatively early with these engines, so eventually they lost their lead to PSA and Opel.
The 1.0-litre TSI from Volkswagen is a nicer 3-cylinder as well.
The base level is this high however, that I'm not annoyed if those cars aren't around.
There's a reason the outgoing Fiesta is still so popular. A model like that just establishes itself.
People will start to appreciate the way it drives, the way it looks...
Apparently, at the end the sales were boosted thanks to the private lease. It's now sold out.
Ford didn't expect that level of success at the end of the line.
But what does that mean for the new one? Ford has done this very well,
because they haven't forced a big change in what was already good, they've tackled the problems from the outgoing Fiesta.
Those problems were in the interior, and that has improved.
The driving is more refined now, even though it's still very dynamic.
And as a total package, you've got a car...
Picture this if you will. If you're a young lease-driver, 25 years old,
you've got your first job and you want a car which drives great?
This is the car you want.