Review: 2011 Ford Fiesta SES hatchback

The 2011 Ford Fiesta hatchback drives well for what it is and feels high-quality for what it is, but in the subcompact class, that's not quite as huge of an achievement as some might suggest. See more photos of the Fiesta hatchback in today's slideshow. (photos by Brady Holt)

There are two types of disappointments: a car that's supposed to be good that turns out to be bad, and a car that's supposed to be outstanding that turns out to be merely very good. 

The Ford Fiesta, which went on sale this summer as a 2011 model, was supposed to be a new type of subcompact car for the American market, bringing an unprecedented level of style, refinement, and driving enjoyment to a market segment where discount pricing tends to reign supreme. Extensive pre-launch marketing gave birth to this idea, and some reviewers have perpetuated it.

When Honda brought out the Fit subcompact hatchback, some called it a delightful little marvel of a car, comparing its handling abilities to sports cars'. Both the Fit and the Fiesta are better than average for what they are, but they are still subcompact economy cars.

These arch-rivals also emphasize different things. The Fit's strength is in its interior packaging; its seats fold in handy ways to open up a cargo hold that rivals some SUVs', and it holds four adults more comfortably than many midsize cars. But the Honda is cheap-feeling, with a buzzy engine, busy ride, and budget-grade interior. 

The Fiesta is a very good subcompact car. Its gas mileage is class-leading. It does have flashier looks inside and out than the competition, and solid build quality. (A base-model Fiesta sedan reviewed last month had a few lapses in its interior assembly; the high-end hatchback driven for this review did not.) It does drive better than most, with a firm but comfortable ride, strong pep off the line with the manual transmission, and agile handling.

On the Fiesta, the steering wheel should be smaller, and the steering should have quicker response and more feel. The manual transmission's tall gearshift and the shifter's somewhat long, vague throws are what you'd expect to find on a car where the stickshift is bought to save a few bucks rather than to make more of a driver's car. Again, the Fiesta is certainly no Accent or Yaris, but the potential was there for more. And while the arch-rival Fit doesn't do any better on the steering feel front, Honda did get the wheel and shifter right.But it's not super-sporty. You don't get the sense – as you do with some bargain-basement cars, like the Hyundai Accent or Toyota Yaris – that costs were cut by eliminating suspension engineering, but you also don't get the sense that Ford went the extra mile to make its littlest car zippy. The Fiesta doesn't stand out for its cargo space or flexibility, but it still comes closer to matching the feel – if not the interior room – of a bigger car. It feels substantial on the road, tracking well on the highway, avoiding excess noise and vibration from its little 1.6-liter engine, and feeling planted.

Elsewhere in the interior, the Fiesta has firm, flat and narrow front seats that are acceptably spacious and comfortable, but the recline lever is hard to reach when the door is closed. The steering wheel adjusts easily for height and reach. There's good forward visibility and good-sized exterior mirrors with a built-in convex section for a better glance at the blind spot, but a poor view out over the shoulder. 

Two adults will have to squeeze to make their way in and out of the rear seat, but they'll by acceptably comfortable once they're in there. There isn't an excess of leg or head space, but it's not quite a shortage either. The seat cushion is mounted high and there's enough space for feet to sit under the front seats. Front and rear outboard armrests have padded elbow spots; most interior trim is otherwise hard but attractive and solid-feeling, though the doors slam junkily.

The stylish dash doesn't compromise the function of most controls, but two interior design issues need to be addressed. The cupholders, not uncommonly for cars designed in Europe, seem to shallow to safely accommodate a Supersize beverage. Less commonly, Ford eschewed lock buttons on the doors next to the handle; blank gray plastic occupies that real estate instead. The locks are instead operated by a button on the center stack next to the audio controls, with a small light (that washes out in bright sunlight) indicating whether the doors are open or locked. The button offers no conceivable advantage over a conventional setup and makes it unnecessarily difficult to tell whether doors are already locked. Putting a lock button on the blank spot next to each interior door handle would cost the interior none of its flair.

Moving rearward, the 15.4 cubic feet of cargo space the Fiesta offers behind the rear seat is usefully shaped for a subcompact hatchback, with decent floor space. The shape and dimensions of the room behind the rigid removable cargo cover is not that far off what's offered in the much longer Fiesta sedan, negating what should have been a major advantage to that car. (see sidebar) However, the cargo hold looks half-baked, as the sides of the cargo area don't line up with the rear seatbacks. 

Cargo design shortfalls extend to the folding of the rear seats. The folded seatbacks are several inches north of leaving a flush cargo floor and far from level. The front seats must be slid far forward or the rear head restraints removed to drop the rear seat down. Removing and reinstalling the rear head restraints must be done mid-fold, as the roof is too low for them to be be taken in and out with the seat in place. Total cargo volume is also unimpressive in an era of space-efficient subcompacts, and the back hatch opens to reveal a rather high, narrow opening. 

See more photos of the Fiesta in today's slideshow

The Fiesta hatchback isn't inexpensive for a subcompact car, starting at a $15,120 sticker price that dealers are unlikely to budge much from in the immediate future. As tested, this SES model adds standard power mirrors, cruise control, Ford's SYNC audio and cell-phone interface, and alloy wheels, plus a $410 collection of extra interior lighting, bringing the total MSRP to $18,205. An available sunroof, heated leather seats, and keyless starting system would push the asking price past $20,000 before someone's even sprung for the $1,070 automatic transmission. (Sedans are less expensive when comparably equipped, and there's a discount-level S model priced from around $13,000 – see sidebar for details.)

Is the Fiesta worth it? 

It offers the best driving dynamics of the subcompact car class, avoiding the stereotypes of blandness and of buzzy cheapness alike. The Honda Fit has successfully dodged the former and the Nissan Versa (which is arguably a size smaller) has eliminated the latter, but neither combines the two as well as the littlest Ford – or approaches its gas mileage.

It is still a very good subcompact car. It's not a pure sporty car that happens to be a little hatchback, like the much-pricier Mini Cooper; it doesn't have light-on-its-feet driving zip to win over someone who's prepared to spend more for something bigger. And it's not the best choice for someone who prioritizes practicality. 

But if you like a solid-feeling subcompact that drives well and offers top-notch gas mileage, you should definitely be looking at the Fiesta. 

And if you kept your expectations realistic, you won't be disappointed.

Vehicle tested: 2011 Ford Fiesta
Vehicle base price (MSRP): $13,320
Version tested: SES hatchback
Version base price (MSRP): $17,120
Vehicle price as tested (MSRP): $18,205
Estimated transaction price as tested: $17,417
Test vehicle provided by: Koons Ford of Annapolis, Md.

Key specifications:  
Length: 160.1 inches 
Width: 66.8 inches 
Height: 58.0 inches
Wheelbase: 98.0 inches
Weight: 2,537 pounds 
Cargo volume behind rear seat: 15.4 
Turning radius: 17.2 feet 
Engine: 1.6-liter I4 with 119 horsepower 
Transmission (as tested): 5-speed manual
EPA city mileage: 28 miles per gallon 
EPA highway mileage: 37 miles per gallon 
For more information: Ford website