- All-new Ford Fiesta – the most technologically advanced small car on sale in Europe – arrives in Britain next month
- Customers can choose from four different versions – upscale Vignale, sporty ST-Line, stylish Titanium and popular Zetec
- Fun-to-drive character enhanced with new suspension and Electronic Torque Vectoring Control. Cornering grip improved by 10 per cent, braking distances by eight per cent
- Fiesta is first Ford with Pedestrian Detection that can help prevent collisions at night; Active Park Assist with brake interventions to prevent low-speed bumps when parking hands-free
- Fiesta debuts premium B&O PLAY Sound System for Ford. SYNC 3 connectivity is supported by floating high-definition eight-inch touchscreen
- Elegant exterior and ergonomic interior offer new personalisation options. Premium features include openable panoramic glass roof and heated steering wheel
The all-new Ford Fiesta delivers the most sophisticated range of driver assistance technologies and connectivity features of any volume small car on sale in Europe, as part of the most comprehensive and versatile line-up of variants in more than 40 years of Fiesta.
Different versions of the all-new Fiesta available at launch include the stylish Titanium, the Ford Performance-inspired Fiesta ST-Line, the upscale Vignale, popular Zetec and value-for-money Style from £12,715.
The Fiesta Active crossover – the first in a new line-up of Active vehicles to be rolled out across the Ford range in years to come – and the all-new 200 PS Fiesta ST will also go on sale next year.
Three- and five-door Fiesta variants will deliver superior quality and refinement; feature a stylish new exterior and revolutionary interior design with more personalisation options than ever before. Ford has also further enhanced the Fiesta’s widely acclaimed fun to drive character.
“It's because we share our customers’ passion for Fiesta that we’ve been able to take this iconic small car’s lovable, fun and sporty-to-drive character to the next level, with a greater choice of models than ever and each with a distinctive personality,” said Steven Armstrong, Ford group vice president and president, Europe, Middle East & Africa. "We now have a Fiesta option for every driver, with advanced technologies and features that small-car customers could only have dreamed of just a few years ago."
Among an unprecedented range of Fiesta driver assistance features – supported by sensor technologies capable of monitoring up to 130 metres ahead – is an enhanced Pedestrian Detection system that for the first time can help prevent collisions at night; and the first Ford Active Park Assist system that can deliver brake interventions to prevent low-speed bumps when parking hands-free.
Fiesta is also the first Ford vehicle to feature a premium B&O PLAY Sound System, and for the first time offers an openable panoramic glass roof. The Fiesta’s sophisticated SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system is supported by floating high-definition touchscreens up to eight inches in size, and a spacious and ergonomic interior features almost 50 per cent fewer centre console buttons for a more intuitive environment.
Cutting-edge powertrains include Ford’s multi-award winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine offering up to 140PS, and a 1.5-litre TDCi diesel offering 120PS – the first high-power diesel Fiesta powertrain. An all-new six-speed transmission with innovative friction reduction technologies helps deliver CO2 emissions from 82g/km, and fuel efficiency of up to 88.3mpg.*
Expanded Fiesta line-up
The most comprehensive Fiesta range ever meets growing consumer demand for greater choice and improved quality within the small car segment.
The all-new Fiesta will for the first time be offered as a luxurious Ford Fiesta Vignale model – part of the Ford Vignale upscale product and ownership experience. The Fiesta Vignale offers unique 18-inch alloy wheel designs, exclusive exterior detailing and colours, and hexagonal-quilted, tuxedo-stitched leather seats.
Ford last year introduced for the first time a new range of ST-Line models that deliver exterior and interior styling inspired by Ford Performance models alongside powerful Ford EcoBoost petrol and TDCi diesel engines. The ST-Line range has been popular with customers who aspire to the sporty image of Ford’s ST models, but do not require the full performance delivered by optimised ST engines and chassis with sports technologies.
The Fiesta ST-Line features sporty exterior styling including unique alloy wheel, grille, front and rear bumper and side-skirt designs. The interior features sports seats, alloy pedals and a flat-bottomed steering wheel, while the driving experience is enhanced with sports suspension.
The stylish Fiesta Titanium is indicative of the high specification and quality that will be delivered to Fiesta customers across Europe. Higher specification Ford models accounted for 59 per cent of passenger car sales in 2016, growing to 65 per cent in the first four months of 2017.
“Small cars accounted for more than 20 per cent of all the cars sold in Europe last year, and in the first quarter of this year sales in the segment were up almost 10 per cent year-over-year,” said Roelant de Waard, Ford Marketing, Sales & Service vice president. "Ford now offers greater choice for customers in the small car segment, providing exceptional value with the new KA+, while delivering an all-new Fiesta family of highly engaging, personalised models."
The Fiesta Vignale, ST-Line, Titanium and Zetec models will next year be joined by:
- All-new Fiesta Active – the first Fiesta crossover model, combining rugged SUV-inspired styling that includes raised ride-height, roof bars and additional cladding; hatchback practicality; and true Fiesta driving dynamics
- All-new Fiesta ST – the first Ford Performance model ever powered by a three-cylinder engine, and the first Fiesta ST to feature selectable Drive Modes
Technologically advanced small car
An unprecedented range of technologies enhance Fiesta comfort, convenience and safety. Advanced driver assistance technologies are supported by two cameras, three radars and 12 ultrasonic sensors, which in combination are able to monitor 360 degrees around the vehicle, and scan the road ahead up to a distance of 130 metres – more than the length of a football pitch.
Fiesta is the first Ford to deliver an enhanced version of Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection that can detect people who are in or near the road ahead, or who may cross the vehicle’s path, using light from the Fiesta’s headlights at night.
The system is designed to reduce the severity of some frontal collisions involving vehicles and pedestrians, or help drivers avoid some impacts altogether. A wider camera angle helps to better track pedestrian movements.
Also offered for the first time on Fiesta is Ford’s Active Park Assist with Perpendicular Parking, which helps drivers find suitable spaces and park hands‑free nose-to-tail and side-by-side with other cars.
Further enhanced for Fiesta, the technology for the first time can now apply the brakes if drivers do not respond to system guidance and proximity warnings while performing forward and reverse manoeuvres, and a collision with a parked car or obstacle to the front or rear is imminent. Park-Out Assist – which helps drivers exit a parallel parking space by operating the steering while the driver operates the accelerator and brake – also is available.
“For some drivers our automated parking technologies deliver a ‘future shock’: they remain so advanced that customers using them for the very first time can be a little awe-struck,” said Jon Buttress, Ford Fiesta chief engineer. “Brake interventions for Active Park Assist can prevent distracted drivers from having low speed parking bumps, and make parking in tight spaces even less stressful.”
Further features available for the first time on Fiesta and offering enhanced functionality include:
- Traffic Sign Recognition, which is now able to monitor multiple speed limits that apply to individual motorway lanes displayed on overhead gantries, and update the display if the driver changes lane
- Auto High Beam, which now performs more effectively in situations where a central barrier divides opposing carriageways, and can detect oncoming trucks to avoid dazzling drivers positioned above the central divide. A new soft-ramping feature improves comfort for drivers at night with soft transitioning between high- and low-beam
Fiesta now offers 15 driver assistance technologies in total, including Adaptive Cruise Control, Adjustable Speed Limiter, Blind Spot Information System, Cross Traffic Alert, Distance Indication, Driver Alert, Lane Keeping Aid, Lane Keeping Alert and Forward Collision Warning.
SYNC 3 and B&O PLAY for premium entertainment
Ford’s SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system will enable Fiesta drivers to control audio, navigation and connected smartphones using simple, conversational voice commands.
Simply by pushing a button and saying “I need a coffee,” “I need petrol,” and “I need to park,” drivers can locate nearby cafés, petrol stations or car parks, and find train stations, airports, and hotels. The system is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto™. SYNC 3 also offers SYNC AppLink, enabling voice-activation of a range of smartphone apps including Glympse, Aupeo, Spotify, MyBoxMan, HearMeOut, AccuWeather, and Los 40 Principales.
The Fiesta’s floating, tablet-inspired eight-inch colour touchscreen can be operated with pinch and swipe gestures. Also offered with SYNC 3 is a floating 6.5-inch colour touchscreen, and a 4.2-inch colour screen is combined with the MyFord Dock that enables users to store, mount and charge mobile devices such as phones and navigation systems. All Fiesta screens offer class-leading resolution and are up to twice as bright as competitors, making it even easier for drivers to read and navigate on-screen information and functions.
Reflecting the consumer shift towards portable digital multimedia, Fiesta delivers Bluetooth connectivity and two USB ports as standard, with an integrated CD player offered as an optional extra. DAB radio is available across the range. However drivers choose to access their music, Fiesta’s sound systems will deliver high quality audio, including the first B&O PLAY Sound System to feature in a Ford model.
The new B&O PLAY systems – exclusive to Ford’s global vehicle line-up – offer an elevated audio experience with specifically tailored speaker placement and calibration for each vehicle in the Ford range. Fiesta boasts 10 speakers including a boot-mounted subwoofer and a central mid-range speaker on top of the instrument panel. Total amplifier power is 675 watts, governed by a Digital Signal Processing Amplifier that controls equalisation and audio mixing including selectable Surround Sound for even more rich and powerful sound, regardless of seating position.
Intrinsic quality
The all-new Fiesta delivers improved quality through enhanced specification, innovative engineering, and sophisticated design, including Fiesta’s first openable, full length, panoramic glass roof comprising two almost-full width panes of toughened, tinted glass.
Optimised exterior finishing delivers a more upscale appearance. Parking sensors are now fitted flush with the body panels; windscreen washer nozzles are hidden beneath the upper bonnet lip; there are no visible screws in the taillights or rear fascia; the shut line between the roof and the rear liftgate is reduced by more than 30 per cent – all examples of the Fiesta team’s obsession with quality that customers will instantly appreciate.
Flush, seamless surfaces continue through the interior. A one-piece centre console connects discreetly to the lower instrument panel for a more harmonious feel, and there are no visible fixings to the floor. The industry’s highest quality coatings feature, even for complex three-dimensional surfaces.
Seat materials and carpets across the Fiesta range were the first to be tested in Ford’s upgraded materials laboratory at Dunton Technical Centre, in Essex. Seat bolsters undergo 60,000 test cycles to ensure wear-resistance. The robustness of colours is tested using a weatherometer, and analysed with a spectrometer to make sure they do not fade after extensive exposure to ultraviolet light. Leather seats must resist ground-in coffee and the dye from denim jeans. Leather steering wheels are tested for resistance to sunscreen lotion.
Further new-to-Fiesta features inspired by Ford’s larger vehicles include a heated steering wheel for comfort on cold winter mornings, and a stylish new instrument cluster featuring a 4.2‑inch multi-function TFT display that delivers an attractive welcome sequence on start-up.
A stiffer body structure, reduced powertrain noise vibration and harshness, enhanced powertrain isolation, and an acoustic windshield contribute to a more comfortable and premium driver and passenger experience. Best-in-class levels of quietness include interior road noise at 62mph offering a seven per cent improvement over the outgoing model.
Drivers will find the Fiesta easier to operate day-to-day. Responding to feedback from customers, the Fiesta now features windscreen wipers that clear 13 per cent more of the windscreen; doors that require 20 per cent less effort to close; and a fuel filler neck optimised to reduce spillage when using the Ford Easy Fuel capless refuelling system that prevents misfuelling.
Ford’s Door Edge Protector features a protective flap concealed in the door that moves into position in a fraction of a second as the door opens, preventing damage to paint and bodywork and helping drivers when parking in tight spaces. The new roof design better channels rain water away from the roof edges, reducing the risk of being dripped on when getting in or out.
“We’ve paid a lot of attention to elements and features that customers notice without realising it, from panel gaps to pedal feel,” Buttress said. “Fiesta is one of the most universal sights on the road, and our goal was to deliver a car that would inspire an admiring glance every time.”
Evolutionary exterior design
The all-new Fiesta’s exterior builds on the bold styling of the outgoing model, with a more elegant design, and a more fluid and transitional appearance.
Simplified, straighter lines and de-cluttered surfaces deliver more visual strength. The bonnet offers a calmer design with no centre bulge, which allows the new, wider grille to dominate. Sleek headlamps offer a new wrap-around effect that is immediately recognisable day or night.
The side profile is more settled and less wedge-shaped, combining with 7cm additional body length and 1.3cm additional width to give a longer and more premium appearance. The belt line stretches to the headlamps, and the window line is also stretched, in-keeping with the flowing, uninterrupted design. Even the door mirrors feature a straight cut between the upper and lower sections that is no longer interrupted by the indicator lens.
The body side delivers an exceptional degree of sculpture for the Fiesta’s segment, designed to deliver captivating reflections under city lights. Unique wheel designs up to 18-inches include non-symmetrical designs that evoke movement even when standing still. At the rear, new horizontal rear lights further enhance the Fiesta’s widened stance with broad shoulders, and feature a C-shaped signature light pattern.
“Our customers’ ongoing overwhelmingly positive response to the dynamic design of today’s Fiesta is a significant factor in why Fiesta is still leading its segment,” said Joel Piaskowski, Ford European Design director. “We evolved the design to make it more contemporary, yet not lose the ‘Fiesta-ness’ that customers love. The all-new Fiesta is refined, yet much more sculpted with an equally emotional appeal. Fiesta’s exterior is visually simpler, allowing us to create stronger personalities within the expanded line-up, each with distinct fascias, grilles and details that will appeal to a much broader range of customers.”
The Fiesta Vignale’s bespoke satin Vignale grille pattern, grille surround, foglamp surrounds, side spear and rear diffuser deco element add a luxurious appeal. Fiesta Titanium features a chrome bar execution for simplistic but upscale style. Vertical foglamps are connected by a smiling bumper feature line, making the model appear more optimistic and welcoming.
Fiesta ST-Line’s simple mesh, Ford Performance-inspired grille is designed to be representative of the performance that sits behind it. The sports body styling is more angular and aggressive. A functional rear spoiler contributes to a surefooted stance.
Interior comfort and individual style
The user-centric Fiesta interior design is influenced by consumer interactions with smart devices and tablets. Designed to add bespoke character but retain the interior’s balanced and harmonious feel, individualisation options include decorative elements for the central instrument and passenger-side instrument panel, door pulls and rear-view mirror cap in Race Red, Bohai Bay Mint or Chrome Copper.
“Fiesta’s interior is revolutionary in its design and execution,” Piaskowski said. “Each interior visually strengthens and enhances Fiesta’s diverse personalities across the range. The new designs will reward customers with quality of materials, craftsmanship and technology, as well as the opportunity for individualised options that deliver more personal expressions.”
Rear seat passengers benefit from 16mm more knee room, supported by new slim-back seats that are softer, and offer greater side-to-side support. The front seat armrest is positioned to benefit 19 per cent more of Fiesta’s tallest and shortest drivers. A height adjustable driver’s seat features repositioned lumbar support for greater comfort, and headrest positioning also has been optimised to benefit all occupants.
The all-new Fiesta’s tailgate is wider for easier access to the boot, and improved storage for personal belongings is delivered with a 20 per cent larger glovebox and a one-litre media bin in the centre console.
Smarter, stronger, safer
Fiesta’s active and passive safety systems, combined with a comprehensive range of driver assistance technologies, are anticipated to deliver the highest Euro NCAP safety rating. The Fiesta is the first Ford in Europe to benefit from computer simulation crash tests of a complete vehicle using advanced new Finite Element Analysis technology, enabling more effective optimisation of safety features from airbags to body structure reinforcements.
The Fiesta body features 36 per cent more boron steel for greater strength in key areas, including the upper section of the new B-pillar design that uses a T-section configuration to more effectively transfer side impact energy into the roof. Redesigned door cross sections further protect occupants against side impact intrusion, and the doors also now contain pressure sensors that enable restraint systems to be activated several milliseconds sooner. Side airbags are designed to lift the occupant’s arm away from an impact zone.
Innovative restraint features include a locking seatbelt tongue 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 driver’s knee airbag. Rear outer seats also now feature load limiters and pre-tensioners – previously offered only for front seats occupants – to further restrain passengers and help prevent belt-related injuries.
Parents of young children will benefit from front passenger seat airbags that can be deactivated to allow for child seats. Pedestrian protection is enhanced with headlamps that are designed to travel rearwards on impact, and a collapsible cowl and wiper spindle assembly designed to give way in the event of head impacts.
Sophisticated powertrains
A simplified range of sophisticated Euro Stage 6 petrol and diesel engines offers performance and fuel-efficiency that support a class-leading driving experience and reduce costs for owners.
Ford’s multi-award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine is offered with 100PS, 125PS and 140PS, and a new six-speed manual gearbox with a reduced friction architecture that helps deliver from 97g/km CO2 emissions and 54.3mpg fuel efficiency, or an optional six-speed automatic gearbox for the 100PS variant with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
The turbocharged three-cylinder 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine features advanced technologies including high-pressure direct fuel injection, Twin-independent Variable Cam Timing, and an innovative offset crankshaft design for unparalleled three-cylinder refinement.
Ford’s 120PS 1.5-litre TDCi engine is the first high-power diesel powertrain ever offered for Fiesta – delivering a versatile combination of power, torque and fuel efficiency for a fun to drive experience, a six-speed manual gearbox. The 1.5-litre TDCi engine is also offered with 85PS – 10PS more than the most fuel-efficient outgoing Fiesta – and delivering from 82g/km CO2 and 88.3mpg fuel efficiency, supported by Ford’s new six-speed manual gearbox.
The 1.5-litre TDCi engine employs optimised combustion chamber design, turbocharging – including variable geometry technology for the 120PS version – and sophisticated fuel injection that enhances refinement. Smart Regenerative Charging enhances fuel efficiency by selectively engaging the alternator and charging the battery when the vehicle is coasting and braking.
Ford’s 1.1-litre petrol engine shares a three-cylinder architecture with the 1.0-litre EcoBoost, and is offered with a new five-speed manual gearbox in 70PS and 85PS versions, replacing the outgoing naturally aspirated 1.25-litre petrol engine and delivering more power alongside reduced CO2 emissions from 101g/km and 64.2mpg capability.
Fuel efficiency is further enhanced with Auto‑Start‑Stop technology offered for all engines, and Active Grille Shutter for 1.0-litre EcoBoost and 85PS 1.5-litre TDCi engines. A new Eco button for manual transmissions adjusts engine and throttle settings to help drivers save even more fuel when desired. Underbody aero shielding further reduces aero drag.
Even more fun to drive
The all-new Fiesta builds on class-leading driving dynamics to deliver more grip, better stopping performance and improved steering feel, with every component optimised to enhance the driving experience.
Increased use of boron steel, laser welding, stiffer front subframe attachment points and welded twistbeam attachment points deliver a 15 per cent increase in torsional stiffness. Front track is increased by 30mm, rear track by 10mm and wheelbase by 4mm, enabling suspension to be optimised for larger 18-inch wheels. A lighter, stiffer hollow front anti-roll bar contributes to better roll control and steering feel. Steering friction is reduced and gearboxes now deliver smoother gear changes.
The Fiesta’s chassis now offers 10 per cent more cornering grip, supported by Electronic Torque Vectoring Control, which enhances the driving experience by applying a small amount of braking to inside wheels to assist traction and stability when cornering. Braking distances at 62mph are reduced by more than eight per cent. Rear disc brakes feature on models with more than 100PS.
New double-bonded suspension bushes are twice as stiff as the outgoing Fiesta for sharper steering response. The bushes also bulge in a specific shape designed to better isolate road imperfections, combining with a larger rear twistbeam to reduce the impact of small bumps and road noise in the cabin.
“A fun driving experience is central to the Fiesta’s appeal, and our all-new Fiesta remains true to the character that has delighted generations of drivers, with the sharpest, sportiest and most balanced performance yet,” said Joe Bakaj, Ford Product Development vice president. “Offering more style, more refinement, more technology, and more fun, Europe’s favourite small car is more Fiesta than ever.”
FIVE FIESTA FACTS
- Special screening
The all-new Fiesta’s heated leather steering wheel has been tested by Ford engineers to ensure it is resistant to damage or staining from sunscreen on the driver’s hands. Sunscreen is just one of the everyday substances that were used to test the Fiesta interior. Leather seats are also designed to resist coffee spills, soil from dirty sports kit and even the dye from a new pair of denim jeans.
- Is this seat taken?
How does Ford know the Fiesta’s seats will remain comfortable for the lifetime of the car? Robot buttocks “sat” in the seats 25,000 times to prove their durability. The seat bolsters undergo 60,000 test cycles to ensure wear-resistance, and the seat material is checked for flexibility and comfort even after 24 hours at minus 30 degrees C.
- Pressing engagement
Some of the all-new Fiesta’s body panels are made using a new manufacturing technology that analyses the noise frequencies produced during the stamping process, and can identify a component that will not meet Ford’s quality standards before it leaves the stamping machine. The Fiesta factory in Cologne, Germany, produces a new Fiesta every 68 seconds, and can build about 20,000 different variations of Fiesta in total.
- Grand slam
The all-new Fiesta’s doors now require 20 per cent less effort to close, because of improvements to the air extractors inside the car. Innovative, concealed door edge protectors spring quickly in to place when the doors are opened to protect both the Fiesta’s doors, and those of cars parked alongside from dings and scrapes. Inside the doors are doors are pressure sensors that enable restraint systems to be activated several milliseconds sooner in the event of a side impact.
- Playlist perfection
To develop the all-new Fiesta’s B&O PLAY Sound System, engineers spent a year listening to more than 5,000 tracks to ensure the premium 675-watt audio system sounds great whether enjoying Adele, Foo Fighters or Jay-Z – or chilling out to classical music – no matter how quietly or loudly you play it. Tested in city centres, on motorways and in the countryside, the 10-speaker B&O PLAY system features a nine-channel amplifier for precise sound control, a dashboard speaker and a 200 mm subwoofer in the boot – while optional surround sound delivers a 360-degree sound stage experience.
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