Loving the 2011 Ford Fiesta, part two: The car

This is the second in a two-part series. Please click here to read "Part One: The Background"

Now that you know why I love it so much, what do you want to know about how the 2011 Ford Fiesta drives? I drove both the automatic and the manual version with the 1.6-liter/119-horsepower DOHC four-cylinder engine. I sampled both the stylish little five-door hatchback and the more elegant, 13-inch-longer four-door sedan. I drove it up and down curvy mountain roads of Santa Cruz, up the gorgeous Pacific Coast Highway, and then (bonus!) raced it on an autocross course in the parking lot of Candlestick Park. Regardless of the transmission, the car was perky and fun to drive on the variety of roadways.

Handling was firm and responsive, thanks to Ford's standard electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) system tuned to offer refined overall driving dynamics. It works with a software-based technology called Active Nibble Control - a Ford proprietary invention - which senses road imperfections that can disrupt a smooth ride, and compensates for it so the driver isn't even aware it's happening. "Nibble Control," sounds funny and we made a few jokes about the name, but in the end, the feature seemed to work just fine, seamlessly adjusting for roadway situations that might otherwise cause the car to pull.

The 1.6-liter/119-horsepower DOHC four cylinder engine was perky enough that we were able to chirp the tires (oops!) more than a few times in first gear. The automatic also had sufficient power off the line that launches from stop signs provided torquey thrills. A recent road test at MotorTrend.com  reports 0-60 times of 9.5 seconds for the SES hatchback; it may not be quite as fast as some of its competitors, but with numbers of 30 mpg city and 40 highway, it beats the fuel economy of all of them by 3 to 6 miles per gallon. I sometimes wished the manual had a sixth gear, and favored third gear when I needed more torque, but was otherwise pleased with the shifter's feel. Ford's six-speed PowerShift transmission is one of the few automatics on the market that can actually beat the fuel economy of a manual. The choice is yours, their performance is otherwise nearly equal.

As for technology, hands-free Bluetooth, cellular, and audio functions are now commonplace in most vehicles. However, Ford and SYNC are taking hands-free safety one step further in the Fiesta with voice and vehicle control of smart devices like Android(TM), BlackBerry(R), iPhone, or Palm Pre smartphones. If you've got one of these devices, you can be among the first to use Ford's new AppLink feature to stream Pandora internet radio, Stitcher "smart radio," and Orangatame's OpenBeak Twitter application in the SYNC-enabled Fiesta. Even without a smart phone, you can use your cellphone to connect for turn-by-turn navigation and even daily on-demand headline updates.

Ford prides itself on the high level of safety features in the new Fiesta. With seven airbags, the Fiesta features more standard airbags than any other 2010-model year compact cars in its class. That includes side curtain airbags and an airbag at the driver's knees. The passenger compartment is protected by a "safety cage" made of high-strength boron steel -- an element so strong it's used in the aerospace industry. Fiesta's AdvanceTrac(R) ESC system automatically applies the brakes and modulates engine torque whenever it detects wheelslip. The system helps modulate oversteer and understeer to reduce skidding, and fishtailing, and to maintain control under conditions such as ice, gravel or rain, for more confident stopping power. Finally, integrated blind-spot mirrors alert the driver to potential dangers while maneuvering in and around traffic.

I ordered my own Fiesta last week from Vista Ford in Woodland Hills: A five-speed manual Yellow Blaze SEL sedan with sunroof and heated, leather seats; multi-color ambient interior lighting; SYNC in-car connectivity system; and Intelligent Access with push-button start. Pricing for my car as ordered is right around $19,000. Because the sunroof is a late-availability feature, I'll have to wait to take delivery until August, but I don't mind: Good things are worth waiting for.

Where can you pre-order your Fiesta? See the chart below. Dealers will only be stocking pre-ordered Fiestas for the first few months, so if you want one soon, you need to special order it, or wait until they go into general delivery later this summer.

By Brandy Schaffels
Editor, AskPatty.com

Follow me at twitter.com/fiestagrrl or twitter.com/hondagrrl