2014 Ford Fiesta Titanium
Story and photos by Mark Elias
Punching above its weight class is a term that fits the 2014 Ford Fiesta Titanium perfectly. A new breed of subcompact, not to be confused with a previous model bearing the same name, it is one of the new “world cars” from Ford that is well suited for shrinking spaces and budgets.
It’s a little car that could, and is worthy of a serious look.
What is it?
Although formally a five-seater, the Ford Fiesta really seats four and is what the EPA terms a subcompact five-door hatchback. Our tester was propulsed by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder transverse-mounted engine that makes 120 horsepower at 6,300 rpm, and 112 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 rpm. Eschewing direct injection in favor of a tried and true sequential multiport setup, the four-pot engine is connected to a six-speed PowerShift automatic/manual transmission, that although balky when first introduced in 2011, has been continually refined. A dual-clutch unit, built by a joint effort between Ford and Getrag, it has one clutch responsible for shifts of first, third and fifth cogs, while the other clutch handles the second, fourth and sixth gears. In this fashion, each clutch is able to pre-load itself and stay at the ready for the next gear change.
As an aside, may we add here that although we are not fans of the big expanses of plastic cladding that tend to cover most engines these days, we sincerely think that the 1.6-liter Duratech engine should be at the head of the receiving line. It is sorely in need of some undercover tidying up.
The 1.6 is not the only flavor of the week for Fiesta buyers. Ford offers a new 1.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost three-cylinder engine for those on a fuel-econ kick, while others in search of more horsepower can opt for the limited edition Fiesta ST, which shows up for its respective gunfight boasting of a class-leading 197-horsepower four-banger, 202 lb-ft of torque and manual transmission. For those who like to row it themselves, the Fiesta 1.6 can also be mated to a five-speed manual transmission.
The Fiesta rides on a familiar setup of MacPherson struts in front with a stabilizer bar to tie it all together, while the rear follows up on a twist beam with coil springs. Definitely not high-tech like contemporary multilink setups, it still offers a compliant ride for all but the worst circumstances. The automatic-equipped Fiesta tips the scales at 2,575-pounds and the EPA says it’s good for 29 city/39 highway, with combined mileage of 32 mpg.
The Fiesta hits the market with trim levels to satisfy most buyers. Starting with two body styles, ours was the five-door hatchback. Others who are more classic in nature may opt for the four-door sedan model with a three-box design that although swoopy, features a traditional trunk. Trim levels for both vehicles range from the base S, mid-grade SE and like our tester, the top level Titanium edition. The hot-hatch ST model can only be had in hatchback form.
All Fiestas feature Ford’s Sync connectivity suite of iPod/USB and Bluetooth connections. The offerings improve as you climb the trim-level-ladder to include larger wheels and tires, leather seating, and audio and navigation options.
What’s it up against?
The Fiesta scales up nicely against the Fiat 500, the Mini Cooper, Chevrolet’s Sonic, Hyundai’s Veloster, Honda’s Fit, and Kia’s Rio. Overall, it’s a very engaging crowd, with many fun-to-drive players. Notice we did not mention the Smart or the Scion iQ.
How does it look?
Looking all the bit like a pod destined for personal space travel, the Fiesta features a wheelbase that nearly reaches the outside extremes of its body’s overall length. Refreshed last year, it now includes the updated version of the Ford family proboscis that brings it in line with the Focus, Fusion, Taurus and others of the Blue Oval brand.
A minimal amount of bling is included (this is the Titanium model, after all) and with the addition of select body creasing, it imparts a smart look that should be attractive to most customers. Within those attractive looks, lies a whole lot of functionality.
And on the inside?
With the various trim levels, there is literally something for everyone. Our Titanium tester is more suited to the audience that is downsizing but previously used to the features and accoutrements found in larger, more luxurious vehicles. Well-sorted and put together, the interior featured good fit and finish that seemingly belonged in more expensive cars. We found the Titanium’s leather-covered seats very comfortable, with mild bolstering. Not restrictive at all, they managed to keep back strain and fatigue at bay.
Our tester was also equipped with Sony’s stellar premium audio system. With just the right amount of thump-thump from the bass, we found ourselves listening to music that was not normally on our personal playlists. The system interfaces nicely with the Sync system, which we had no problem figuring out. Maybe that’s a result of our becoming so familiar with it after experiencing it in the various Ford models we have tried. Clearly it’s not for everyone, but it is a decent piece of kit. Not a total fan of voice control options, we did have a nit to pick with the added stretch required to reach over for certain Sync controls.
The Fiesta’s trunk capacity measures up to 14.9 cubic feet with the seats in the upright and locked position. Fold them down and you will gain approximately three times as much for a regular sized cargo hauler. All that’s needed now is a bumper sticker that reads “Warning: This vehicle stops for Garage Sales.”
But does it go?
Our weeklong test with the Fiesta Titanium hatch found a car that although small, aspired to greatness.
Power from the 1.6 liter I-4 came on smoothly and in impressive doses, save for the buzziness that tended to appear during hard acceleration. That same aggressiveness on the fun pedal showed an engine that was eager to get up and go that offered a satisfying amount of motivation for most cases of around-town driving. But still, it let you know the hamsters underhood were looking for a handout.
The drivetrain, which featured the PowerShift six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission offered confident and fast gear changes. The overall package is a good one that gets better once it was switched over to sport mode. Thankfully, it was not the dodgy offering we saw at the vehicle’s initial launch over two years ago. The rack and pinion electric power-assisted steering system had a surprising lack of play (which is good) that transmitted much in the way of road feel. It rather encouraged us to toss this little hatch into turns hoping to see a little tail wagging along the way.
Very stable at speed and with just a hint of wind noise, we found after our corner tossing exercises, that the Fiesta offered average firmness that resulted in a moderate amount of body sway from side to side. For the mainstream buyer, it’s just the ticket. For others of the enthusiast persuasion, the ST might be a better fit.
During our drives around town and along our test loop, we knocked on 35 miles per gallon’s door throughout our week with the car. After a peak of around 40 mpg, we settled down to 34.3 mpg, which is still better than the 32 mpg average that the EPA says to expect.
Leftlane’s bottom line:
The 2014 Ford Fiesta is a subcompact that does not feel as small as it actually is. Eager to please, it also manages to offer a satisfying ride that can be either engaging or unobtrusive, depending upon your mood. Now equipped with the new face of Ford, it reflects the new direction the brand is heading.
The resulting path is yielding just plain good cars.
2014 Ford Fiesta Titanium base price, $18,800. As tested, $21,880.
Equipment Group 300A, Ruby Red clearcoat, $395; PowerShift Six-speed automatic transmission, $1,095; Navigation, $795; Destination, $795.
Words and photos by Mark Elias.
The Blackboard
Aesthetics: ← B
Technology: ← B
Green: ← A
Drive: ← B
Value: ← B+
Overall Score: B+
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