With the all-new Fiesta
for the driver’s seat belt – a mechanically activated device that helps prevent slippage of the belt during an accident and eliminates the need for a knee airbag.
Rear outer seats also now feature load limiters and pretensioners – previously offered only for front seats – to further restrain passengers and help prevent belt-related injuries.
All models boast an extensive list of driving aids, including ABS brakes with electronic brake assist (EBA) and electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), as well as hill-launch assist (HLA) and electronic stability and traction control (ESC).
And as alluded to, there has been some serious model rationalising happening. You can get a 74kW / 170Nm 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine in Trend spec with a new six-speed manual gearbox, as well as the Trend and Titanium spec models with a conventional six-speed torque converter automatic transmission.
We drove the Titanium spec automatic model, and it made for easy driving, but you can’t help but think that its six-speed manual version, that kicks out 92kW, would be more fun to drive on the open road, but less so in traffic because of not being automatic.
Offering the ultimate in frugal fuel consumption, I heard numbers of under 5.0-litres per 100km being mentioned on the launch drive. The 1.5-litre TDCi turbodiesel is exclusively available with a six-speed manual gearbox, producing 63kW of power and a torque peak of 175Nm.
Fuel efficiency is further enhanced with Auto Start-Stop technology on all engines, and a new Eco button for manual transmissions adjusts engine and throttle settings to help drivers save even more fuel.
The hatch is said to be even more fun to drive and offers the sharpest, sportiest and most balanced performance yet from a Fiesta. It is stiffer, wider and the chassis now offers 10% more cornering grip, while braking distances at 100 km/h are reduced by more than 8%. All claims I did not get to test on the launch drive, but I am sure I will.
Reflecting the consumer shift towards portable digital multimedia, Fiesta delivers Bluetooth connectivity and two USB ports as standard. A high-end seven-speaker sound system is featured on the Fiesta Titanium models, with a six-speaker set-up on the Trend models.
And before you knock the pricing, just do yourself a favour and compare what you get in a Fiesta as standard fitment versus all the competition that offers most of their luxury as an optional cost. The bottom line is that the all-new Ford Fiesta has grown up a bit, offers more, and has become a whole lot more sophisticated in the process.