The 2014 Ford Fiesta update will get a new 1.0-liter 3-cylinder EcoBoost engine.
In the wake of the twin oil shocks of the 1970s, automakers flooded the market with a variety of high-mileage powertrains that were, well, less than impressive. That included smoke-belching and rough-riding diesels as well as pint-sized engines, including some 3-cylinder alternatives that could shake the fillings out of your teeth.
The latest European import diesels have begun to reshape the way Americans think about that technology, sales for products like the Volkswagen Passat TDI surging fast. Now, Ford is ready to rewrite the rules on micro-sized engines, with a diminutive 1.0-liter, 3-cylinder EcoBoost scheduled to debut in the subcompact Fiesta line next year.
The package is the latest of four EcoBoost engines Ford has introduced in recent years, a line-up that the company bills as a serious alternative not only to conventional gasoline power but even battery-based hybrids. Motorists have so far taken to the technology, EcoBoost sales soaring in products ranging from the midsize Fusion sedan to the big F-150 pickup. But will the new 3-cylinder offering deliver in the 2014 Ford Fiesta?
To find out, TheDetroitBureau.com took an early flight out to Los Angeles, in advance of the upcoming LA Auto Show, to get a day’s driving behind the wheel of a 2014 Fiesta equipped with the new 1.0-liter engine. Our initial experience was, in a word, “impressive.”
The 2014 Ford Fiesta gets an updated Sync and MyFordTouch infotainment system.
We’d have to say the same thing about the 2014 Ford Fiesta, in general, which gets a significant update just two years after making its much-awaited return to the U.S. market. The smallest model in the maker’s U.S. line-up, Fiesta has scored well in key urban markets, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, no small deal considering the generally poor performance of domestic brands on the West Coast.
Fiesta has been offered in two different body styles, the base sedan targeting largely traditional, value-oriented motorists and the 5-door hatchback appealing to younger, hipper, sportier-minded buyers.
The 2014 update will retain the two packages – though we focused our attention on the hot hatch which will be the body style to get the 1.0-liter EcoBoost. The subcompact will now share key styling cues seen on other recent Ford models, notably the distinctive trapezoidal grille from the all-new 2013 Fusion. The overall look of the 2014 Ford Fiesta is, to borrow a current buzzword, more sculpted, particularly the hood, which now reveals subtle creases that give the car more character.
(For more on the European unveiling of the 2014 Ford Fiesta hatchback, Click Here.)
A front-and-back view of the 2014 Fiesta hatchback.
Developed by Ford’s European product development team, the Continental model will get some new technologies including the latest version of the voice-activated Sync infotainment system, th Ford’s MyKey technology – which allows parents to put some controls over the teenagers’ driving — and Stop/Start.
(For more on the updated Fiesta Sync and MyFordTouch technology, Click Here.)
Fuel-saving Stop/Start won’t be offered in the States, and the European Fiesta we drove had a few other minor differences from the American version – including summer performance tires which will be optional here – but essentially everything else about the car was in line with American spec.
Under the hood, that meant a 1.0-liter engine making a solid 123 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. That’s definitely not the numbers of a stone pony. To give a little perspective, the 3-cylinder package has a specific output of 123 horsepower per liter compared to 108 hp/liter for the Lamborghini Aventador.
No. it’s not quite as fast. But the 2587-pound hatchback will turn in more-than-acceptable 0 to 60 times of under 9 seconds.
The face of the 2014 Fiesta shares a familial resemblance with other new models, such as the Fusion, with the trapezoidal grille.
To get the most out of the engine you’ll work the 5-speed manual gearbox (for now, no automatic is planned), but not to the point of frustration. During some extremely aggressive driving through the Malibu canyons north of Los Angeles we found that 2nd gear was the perfect choice for running the proverbial “tight-and-twisties.” On less aggressive roads with less elevation changes you’ll be in fourth or fifth most of the time.
What’s particularly appealing is the way power comes on when you nudge the throttle. The latest of the four EcoBoost engines uses a number of creative solutions to maximize both performance and mileage – as well as improving creature comfort. Along with variable valve timing there’s a close-coupled exhaust manifold that quickly delivers the air pressure needed to “spool up” the compact and lightweight turbo to a maximum 248,000 RPMs.
What you do not experience is the sort of turbo lag – or torque steer – familiar with many other small-displacement turbocharged engines. Power is all but instantaneously available.
Meanwhile, Ford has overcome one of the other big complaints about odd-cylinder engine designs – namely roughness – by integrating several other innovations. That includes an off-balance flywheel and pulley set-up that replace traditional balance shafts. Meanwhile, a new chain-in-oil system minimizes engine noise.
(For more on the 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine, Click Here.)
Ford will add a second EcoBoost model in the form of the high-performance 2014 Fiesta ST.
Bottom line: compared to the stock 1.6-liter naturally aspirated I-4 — 4 which makes 120 hp and 112 lb-ft. — in the base Fiesta, the new EcoBoost package is a relative screamer, both faster and more responsive.
Oh, and while we didn’t get a chance to get a reasonable measure of mileage, Ford has promised that the 2014 Fiesta with the 3-cylinder EcoBoost will be “the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid vehicle on the market. Considering the 40 mpg Highway rating for the 1.6-liter engine, we’re expecting at least 5% to 10% better numbers.
Of course, as much as we appreciate straight-line acceleration, we clearly want more – as the Malibu Canyon roads also demand. And there the 2014 Ford Fiesta was equally adept.
We had the opportunity to do some brief comparisons to several key import competitors, notably the Toyota Yaris and the Honda Fit. The soft and sloppy suspension and numb steering of the Toyota subcompact take it quickly out of the battle. The Fit is a more adept car and many buyers like the way you can toss it around turns.
But while the new Fiesta is toss-able when you need, it is decidedly more well-planted than the Honda — and surprisingly adept at weaving and bobbing on some of the more aggressive roads we experience anywhere in the country. There’s surprisingly little body roll. And the steering, while not quite sports car-responsive, isn’t over-boosted. You get a good feel for the road – which you need on the tight switchbacks of the Mulholland Highway.
To be honest, we didn’t spend much time focused on the updated Sync system, though our brief encounter says Ford has resolved at least some of the more common complaints about MyFordTouch, in particular.
The interior package, meanwhile, is decidedly more refined than the outgoing Fiesta’s, in keeping with promises to deliver an update that feels both substantial and up-market.
We’ll have to wait for some final specs – including pricing for the 2014 Ford Fiesta with the 1.0-liter EcoBoost. The current base model comes in around $13,000, with a mid-range hatchback touching the mid to high $16,000 range. We’re expecting a premium of perhaps $1,000 or so for the EcoBoost compared to the stock 1.6-liter engine. According to Ford global marketing chief Jim Farley, the goal will be to come up with a premium that can be offset on fuel savings “within a couple years.”
Barring a misstep on pricing we anxiously await the formal debut of the new Fiesta with the 1.0-liter package. It should be a real game-changer in the fast-growing subcompact segment.
(Ford announces new high-performance Fiesta ST with 1.6-liter EcoBoost. Click Here for more.)