2017 Ford Fiesta Road Test and Review

2017 Ford Fiesta ・ Photo by Ford

The 2017 Ford Fiesta hatchback is a key member of the Blue Oval’s subcompact lineup, which also supplies a Fiesta sedan for customers who prefer a traditional four-door body style. And that’s just one example of how the Blue Oval brings a particularly wide range of benefits to the segment. Beyond its two body styles, the Fiesta offers three engine choices, four trim levels, nine cabin themes, and — for 2017 — two new wheel designs and two new exterior colors. The former includes 15- and 16-inch aluminum wheels painted with Sparkle Silver. Chrome Copper and Bohai Bay Mint are the latest hues for the Fiesta’s exterior. Also on the menu for owners are Ford’s most up-to-date infotainment system with the industry’s newest smartphone-integration technology. Unsurprisingly, that wealth of features has attracted an increasingly large number of customers, too, who no doubt also enjoy the Fiesta’s fun-to-drive nature and impressive EPA ratings.

Also on the menu for owners are Ford’s most up-to-date infotainment system with the industry’s newest smartphone-integration technology. Unsurprisingly, that wealth of features has attracted an increasingly large number of customers, too, who no doubt also enjoy the Fiesta’s fun-to-drive nature and impressive EPA ratings.

Pricing

The Blue Oval doesn’t boast about it, but the 2017 Ford Fiesta hatchback is the clear bargain of the class. While the MSRP of the entry-level Fiesta S hatch is $13,960, the next least-expensive entry, the 2017 Hyundai Accent, costs over $1,000 more at $14,995. The five-door subcompacts from Chevy, Toyota, and Honda start north of $16,000. Nor is the low-cost Fiesta lacking in amenities. True, it does come with manual windows. Its standard content, however, includes air conditioning, automatic door locks, and a SYNC infotainment system with voice recognition, the AppLink interface, and an 80-watt sound system with six speakers.

The Fiesta SE hatchback then checks in at $15,190 with highlights such as a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, and the Titanium trim marks out the boundaries of subcompact luxury at a still-affordable $18,950. The hi-po Fiesta ST starts at $21,140.

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Power, Performance, and Fuel Efficiency: Part 1

The 2017 Ford Fiesta hatchback strikes a competitive balance with its standard engine, which is offered with either a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. In either case, the car delivers 120 hp and 112 lb-ft.of torque from a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine,.That output represents more available power than you'll find in the Toyota Yaris or Nissan Versa, but less than in the Chevy Sonic or Honda Fit.

The Fiesta’s standard fuel-economy ratings are likewise middle-of-the-pack at 27 mpg city/35 mpg highway/30 mpg combined with the manual transmission and 27/38/31 with the automatic. Owners of the Fiesta SE also can opt for a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder engine that — paired only with the five-speed manual transmission — raises EPA grades to 31/41/35. Despite its three-cylinder configuration, it’s able to serve up 123 hp and 125 lb-ft of torque by leveraging Ford’s EcoBoost technology (Details about the Fiesta ST follow).

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Power, Performance, and Fuel Efficiency: Part 2

The 2017 Ford Fiesta hatchback also has a unique option for enthusiasts: The high-performance ST trim represents the only hot-hatch choice in the mainstream subcompact segment. Cars like the VW GTI, Honda Civic Type R, and Subaru WRX may offer more power than the ST, but they’re larger, more expensive cars—that have to worry about the 350-horsepower Ford Focus RS. As for the Fiesta ST, well, the FiST punches out 197 hp and 202 lb-ft of torque from a 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine, and that’s only offered with a six-speed manual transmission. The ST does offer other performance enhancers, though, including front Recaro sport seats, sport-tuned suspension and braking systems, torque vectoring control, and a three-mode electronic stability control. Yet at the same time, the Fiesta ST is nearly as efficient as the standard model, since its EPA grades are set at 26 mpg city/33 mpg highway/29 mpg combined.

The ST does offer other performance enhancers, though, including front Recaro sport seats, sport-tuned suspension and braking systems, torque vectoring control, and a three-mode electronic stability control. Yet at the same time, the Fiesta ST is nearly as efficient as the standard model, since its EPA grades are set at 26 mpg city/33 mpg highway/29 mpg combined.

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Exterior Design and Lighting

The 2017 Ford Fiesta hatchback takes a sporty, athletic stance and wears the Blue Oval’s signature hexagonal grille, complete with standard chrome accents. Complementing that look are strong side character lines, swept-back headlight treatments, and a variety of unexpected details, like small front and rear quarter-windows. Offered as standard equipment for improved functionality are quad-beam halogen headlamps, Ford’s Easy Fuel capless fuel-filler system, and exterior mirrors with integrated blind-spot mirrors.

The standard wheels are 15-inch steelies with silver-painted overs, and 15-, 16-, and 17-inch alloy wheels can be fitted to upper-trim models. Further Fiesta features of note here are heated exterior mirrors with integrated turn signal indicators, a power moonroof, and fog lights. The Fiesta ST, of course, gets its own distinctive style cues that extend to a revised front fascia, a full aero body kit, and dual bright-tipped exhaust outlets. Additionally, the ST’s 17-inch wheels are shod with exclusive summer compound performance tires as standard equipment

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Interior Design and Capacities

Now, as we mentioned earlier in our 2017 Ford Fiesta hatchback road test and review, the entry-level cabin in this car has old-school, manually operated windows. But as we also mentioned, the basic Fiesta is otherwise well-equipped, and upper trims quickly begin packing on the creature comforts. Among them: leather-trimmed seating, a heated front row, ambient lighting, a full front-row center console with armrest, and door-sill scuff plates.

The Fiesta’s attractive and stylized dashboard grabs your attention as well, thanks to a two-piece design, circular HVAC vents, and ridge-like sculpting around the infotainment screen. Turning to interior volume, well, the Fiesta’s rounded exterior does impact its cabin, which as the lower end of the subcompact spectrum for cargo space behind the rear seats (14.9 cubic feet) and with the rear seats folded (25.4. cubic feet). On the other hand, the Fiesta does lead its class with 43.6 inches of maximum front legroom.

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Infotainment and Audio Technologies

The Blue Oval takes an interesting approach to infotainment with the 2017 Ford Fiesta hatchback. Namely, the automaker makes its SYNC technology standard right off the bat, furnishing voice recognition, a 4.2-inch LCD screen, a subscription-free “911 Assist” feature, and Ford AppLink (for access to popular mobile apps via the owner’s compatible smartphone). There’s also a standard six-speaker audio system — and one minor catch: The most updated SYNC 3 technology requires moving up the trim levels, although once you do, the Fiesta’s premium infotainment setup has a 6.5-inch capacitive touchscreen, advanced smartphone-integration support for Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, navigation, and five-year complimentary subscriptions to SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link. Meanwhile, for a serious audio upgrade, the Titanium and ST trims showcase an eight-speaker sound system that was created for Ford by Sony; it also incorporates HD Radio

There’s also a standard six-speaker audio system — and one minor catch: The most updated SYNC 3 technology requires moving up the trim levels, although once you do, the Fiesta’s premium infotainment setup has a 6.5-inch capacitive touchscreen, advanced smartphone integration support for Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, navigation, and five-year complimentary subscriptions to SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link. Meanwhile, for a serious audio upgrade, the Titanium and ST trims showcase an eight-speaker sound system that was created for Ford by Sony; it also incorporates HD Radio capability and comes with a six-month complimentary SiriusXM Satellite Radio subscription.

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Safety Technology and Ratings

Important standard safety content for the 2017 Ford Fiesta hatchback are the car’s seven airbags, the automaker’s AdvanceTrac electronic stability control, a reverse parking sensor, and MyKey technology. Designed for households with younger, inexperienced drivers, MyKey allows you to encourage better habits by, for example, limiting audio volume until the seatbelts are buckled and limiting the vehicle’s top speed. All Fiesta models also are backed by Ford’s Side Protection and Cabin Enhancement (SPACE) architecture, to better manage crash forces during an impact. All that said, the Fiesta — like most of its subcompact rivals — doesn’t have much in the way of either high-tech driver-assistance measures or the highest third-party safety grades. Indeed, the Fiesta’s only one of the former is a rearview camera system, and it has a Four-Star Overall Safety Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with five stars for side-crash protection and four each in the frontal-crash and rollover-resistance tests.

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Graphics and Other Accessories

Especially given customer interest in personalization, it’s also worth pointing out that you can order from a robust inventory of accessories for the 2017 Ford Fiesta hatchback. In fact, there are 11 different exterior graphics kits alone, with checkered-flag and tattoo motifs, silver and matte black striping, and more. Made of all-weather, fade-resistant vinyl, all of the graphics are tailored specifically to accent the Fiesta. Then, if you have a dynamic lifestyle to match those dynamic appearance upgrades, you’ll be glad to know a selection of racks and carriers is available for the Fiesta hatch, all from the outdoor-gear experts at Thule. There is even a trio of aftermarket-style gear-shift knobs: carbon-fiber knobs for the five- and six-speed manual transmissions and a futuristic soft-touch knob by Gaslock with an integrated, light-up LCD gear indicator.

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Final Thoughts

Let’s get two things out of the way here: The 2017 Ford Fiesta hatchback doesn’t have the segment’s absolute highest third-party safety grades, and it’s not the biggest kid on the block in terms of cabin space. Yet you’ll be hard-pressed to find a rival that can appeal to as many kinds of customers as the Fiesta can. The starter trim is the most affordable hatchback in the class, providing a budget choice that still has a voice-activated infotainment system. If fuel economy is your goal, the Fiesta SFE, with its peppy but petite three-cylinder engine, can score EPA ratings of up to 41 mpg highway. Rather have the only hot-hatch subcompact on the road today? That’s the Fiesta ST with nearly 200 hp of turbocharged output. Throw in available SYNC 3 technology, the latest smartphone integration capability, and premium Sony audio, and you’ve got a Fiesta lineup that’s truly worth celebrating.

Photo by Ford