What is it?
This, Ford assures us, is the ‘all-new’ Fiesta. In truth, the interior and exterior are completely new, the body structure has been beefed up and the running gear overhauled.
The overall theme for the new car was to improve the visual quality of the car outside, completely re-invent the interior, improve the overall quality (by polishing the fine details) as well as improving the in-cabin refinement and further improving the ride and handling.
The 2017 Fiesta also has the option of more in the way of driver assistance technology than the previous model, such as Pedestrian Detection that works at night. Like a lot of new superminis, the Fiesta is looking to deliver big-car qualities in a supermini shell.
The new interior is something of a revelation after the old car. This specced-up ST-Line X get a sizeable 8-inch screen mounted high right in the driver’s eye-line. There’s a lot more - highly useful - storage space in the centre console, and the quality is notably better. Ford says it ‘worked hard’ to reduce the number of visible shut lines in the cabin. It also culled the number of buttons used in the previous model.
The Fiesta remains a compact car, even though Ford has stretched it slightly. It’s 71mm longer and 13mm wider but rear knee room - always at a premium - is up by a modest 16mm. Ford says there’s 35% more ultra-high strength Boron steel in the car’s body structure, and the B-pillar and doors have been re-designed for improved side-impact protection.
On top of that, more laser welding, stiffer attachment points for the front subframe and new welded attachment points for the rear axle add up to a 15% increase in torsional stiffness.
Ford’s suspension engineers have also been through the suspension system. The front track is 30mm wider, the rear wider by 10mm and the wheelbase has crept up just 4mm. There are new hollow front anti-roll bars and redesigned mounts for the rear axle and the lower front control arms. The bigger axle mounts are designed to filter out road imperfections and friction in the steering system is said to have been reduced.
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Ford have halted Ecoboost production to Feb 2018
I'd an order placed for one of these ST-LINE X 140's in September 2017, to be told at the end of November 2017 that Ford have found a problem within their assembly line on "all" Ecoboost engines apparently, thus affecting this new 140bhp 1.0 variant of the Fiesta.
I've been told that production won't re-start until at least Feb 2018, which means I'll not got a new Fiesta until at least May 2018 by the time it's built with the toys I wanted on top X-spec.
I'm seriously thinking of cancelling my order now in lieu of the new Suzuki Swift Sport coming out (actually in showrooms) in March 2018 all being well, as it's quicker, cheaper and just as well specc'd overall (minus the fab B&O stereo in the Fiesta).
Such a shame, as I'd my heart set on the Fiesta. Can't wait another 6 months. Poor show Ford! Sorry.
St line, R line, M sport, AMG everything.
Whilst also devaluing the ST/R/M/AMG brand. Good work.
Vauxhall insignia