Test drive Ford Fiesta
Fiesta returned to Russia at the height of the crisis, but with a completely different dowry: localized production and a sedan brother
Ford Fiesta comes to the Russian market for the second time: in 2013, it was decided to remove the current generation from the configurator due to extremely low demand (less than a thousand hatches were sold during the year). Then the Fiesta in the top configuration cost about $ 10, which was comparable to the price tag of small crossovers and C-class sedans. Fiesta returned to Russia in the midst of the crisis, but with a completely different dowry: localized production and a sedan brother, which, albeit not very attractive, is what Ford is betting on. However, we are interested in just the hatch - the one that looks like a supermodel against the background of gray classmates.
Remember that viral ad about the bride that AvtoVAZ started in winter? Brands started joking with each other exactly the moment I was driving the bright red Fiesta hatch. Ford, who answered, by the way, very elegantly, got right to the point: "We have a Fiesta." Indeed, this hatchback is not at all like all other representatives of the B-class. Too European in places, he does not try to deceive us in advertising brochures with a favorable angle: Fiesta looks stylish, smart and very fresh from any angle.
All this gloss and frivolity Fiesta made it so that it had no competitors. While picking up my wife's first car, I found myself in a situation where the Fiesta is the only option. Flamboyant hatches like Peugeot 208, Opel Corsa and Mazda2, having not received adequate demand, quietly left the Russian market. In the meantime, Hyundai is phasing out the five-door Solaris, freeing up power for the Creta crossover. Small hatchbacks die as soon as they appear: the market is too skewed towards SUVs and inexpensive sedans that cannot boast of the correct shape, and now they have also lost their attractive price tags.
The Fiesta rides as fervently as it looks: 120 hp. the five-door is enough to go into a bold overtaking on the highway or to sharply change lanes across the entire Varshavskoe highway. While I enjoy the weightless steering wheel, the upstream neighbors now and then try to cut or wedge right in front of the scarlet Fiesta's nose - I have to respond in kind. Be prepared: the not yet very popular hatch exacerbates the sense of small dimensions among upstream neighbors and provokes inappropriate maneuvers.
We parted as friends: Fiesta regularly drove me to the office throughout the winter, I answered her with 98th gasoline and the best anti-freeze. Excellent sound insulation, sane dynamics, very comfortable interior and bright design - and why is Fiesta still not on the list of bestsellers on the Russian market?
Fiesta is built on a universal B2E platform - a global architecture for compact models (for example, Mazda2 is built on the same platform), which includes MacPherson struts in front and a semi-independent beam on the rear axle. After restyling in 2012, the sixth generation of the model has practically not changed in terms of design. New engines have appeared in the European market in the Fiesta engine range. The most popular of all is the 100 hp 1,0 liter EcoBoost, which we don't have. In Russia, you can order a Fiesta hatchback with a 1,6-liter aspirated engine, which, depending on the firmware, produces either 105 or 120 horsepower. The production of this power unit has been established in Yelabuga. The initial motor can be paired with both the "mechanics" and the "robot" Powershift. In the first case, acceleration from standstill to 100 km / h will be 11,4 seconds, and in the second - 11,9 seconds. The top unit offers exclusively with a "robot" - the tandem accelerates the Fiesta to "hundreds" in 10,7 seconds.
When I was studying at the institute, almost all fellow students to one degree or another were fond of racing and sports cars. For 98%, the interest did not go beyond the joint viewing of competitions and collecting statistics, but one of my acquaintances a year after graduation from the university nevertheless fulfilled the most cherished dream: he bought a car, refined it and began to participate in amateur races, and I had the opportunity for the first time in life, get behind the wheel of a car prepared for real competitions. It was a Ford Fiesta, and before we met, I never thought that something could brake so hard, go into corners and be so stable.
Later I got acquainted with the usual, stock Fiesta. It turned out that even without modifications, the model guarantees a frequent injection of adrenaline into the blood. Needless to say, for many years this hatchback (there were no Fiesta sedans in Russia then) was associated with fun on the road, sports and excitement. Alas, environmental standards, changed customer priorities, their dreams of a comfortable ride even in a small car, the need to have maximum ground clearance - all this took away from Fiesta its unique character piece by piece.
At least that's what I thought until I flew to test drive the last Fiesta and later drove this car in Moscow. She, of course, is no longer so athletic, but incredibly attractive. Such that even now, people no, no, but see her off. And here the pedal assembly is illuminated, there is a fashionable visor above the speedometer and tachometer and an automatic braking system (previously, such could only be found on the S-Class).
Time does not stand still, alas, I settled down, and Fiesta settled down. Surprisingly, now I like her no less than then, although her trump cards are radically different. And yes, by the way, that friend of mine, they say, has also matured: he went to live abroad and teaches there at the university. And I, despite the fact that I argue that the Fiesta has become much less athletic, received two penalties for the three-day test - an absolute personal record this year.
The Fiesta hatchback is available from dealerships starting at $ 9. If you use the recycling program or Trade-in, as well as the seasonal Ford discount, the minimum price tag for the model will drop to $ 384. The basic Fiesta in the Trend configuration is a 8 liter engine (383 hp, five-speed "mechanics"), two airbags, electric drives for front windows and mirrors, air conditioning, a standard audio system and a full-size spare wheel. The same Fiesta, but with the Powershift "robot", will cost $ 1,6 more. Price tags for the Trend Plus hatch start at $ 105. Here, in addition to the equipment of the Trend version, there are additionally fog lights, electric rear windows, heated windshield and front seats. The maximum version of Titanium with a robotic box (from $ 667) assumes the presence of climate control, a leather steering wheel, Bluetooth and rain and light sensors. The same Fiesta, but with a 10-horsepower engine, starts at $ 039 (excluding discounts).
It is here that Fiesta still cannot capture a solid market share, and in Europe the model has long been recognizable and in great demand. For example, in 2015, the hatchback became the most popular car in the UK. Ford ended the year with a market share of 12,7%, and Fiesta accounted for two-thirds of the total number of cars sold - 131 units. The Ford compact overtook the Opel Corsa there. And this despite the fact that prices for Fiesta in the UK start at 815 pounds ($ 10 at the Central Bank rate).
In Russia, B-class hatchbacks traditionally lose to sedans in popularity, one after another two-volume VW Polo, Citroen C3, Seat Ibiza, Skoda Fabia, Mazda2 left the market, and deliveries of the new generation Opel Corsa have not begun. Fiesta also left - in 2012, but three years later it returned on a trailer with a sedan, and the Russian assembly made the price quite attractive.
The stylish hatchback genre is still alive in the premium segment, but there are practically no urban subcompacts popular in Europe on the Russian market. Peugeot is still trying to sell the 208, but the $ 2015 million price tag does not affect its popularity in the best way: in 17, a little over a hundred cars were sold. So the Fiesta is the only way to embrace European values, albeit with banknotes. After all, the engine line, which included a turbo engine and a diesel engine, was reduced to the only atmospheric option. And the suspension was adapted to Russian conditions, in particular, the ground clearance was increased by XNUMX mm.
But it seems that the bet on the hatchback has played - according to Ford, last year the share of the five-door in total sales was 40%. The best result was shown only by Renault Sandero, and even then due to the off-road version of the Stepway: over the past year, five-doors sold 30 units, while Logan sedans sold 221 units. The Hyundai Solaris hatchback accounts for 41% of the total number of cars sold, while the Kia Rio accounts for 311%. Moreover, Hyundai even decided to discontinue the production of the five-door version, its place at the plant in St. Petersburg will be taken by the Creta B-class crossover.
The current Ford Fiesta is the sixth generation of the hatchback. The model debuted on the global market in 1976. Then Ford set itself the goal of creating a car, the production cost of which would be cheaper than that of the highly popular Escort at that time. In three years, the company managed to produce and sell about half a million Fiesta, which became a record for Ford. The second generation appeared on the market in 1983, but technically it was the same first Fiesta - the exterior was only slightly updated, and a couple of new units appeared in the engine line. The third generation was released in 1989, the fourth debuted in 1995, and the fifth in 2001. The current, sixth generation, was presented in 2007, and during its nine years on the assembly line it has gone through two restyling.
The red Fiesta was nestled in a parking space right in front of the office - another car would definitely not fit here. As many as 120 hp and a 1,6-liter aspirated - such a Fiesta was my dream when I myself was the owner of a yellow Huyndai Getz with a 1,4-liter engine. At that time, I would have definitely opted for a manual transmission, but the modern Fiesta with a six-speed “automatic” leaves these thoughts in the past - the car starts without annoying pauses and drives briskly, without strain, even recklessly due to its lightness.
Brisk and bright, compact and comfortable, with a new grille and playful headlights, the Fiesta feels like the quintessential feminine choice. But behind the external slenderness and grace is a firmly assembled and practical car that is fervently driven in the city, obediently responds even to small turns of the steering wheel, and even won five stars from Euro NCAP. And with those who consider the Fiesta a women's car, Ken Block can argue. Just a month ago, he introduced the world to Jimhana, in which she does complex stunts on the streets of Dubai while driving a Fiesta.
We have other tricks in Moscow - on a narrow street I meet a huge black Land Cruiser, if I were in an SUV I would have to back up to the intersection, but in the Fiesta I can dive to the side, cuddle up to the parked cars and just let it pass. In my congested apartment complex, driving a Fiesta is just a holiday.
