Vehicle overview
The 2016 Ford Fiesta is a reminder of how far Ford has come over the past decade. It wasn’t too long ago that the company reserved its best small cars for European and other overseas buyers, leaving Americans to pick through the leftovers. In fact, the subcompact Fiesta wasn’t even sold on our shores until 2011, when we finally got to experience the refined, fun-to-drive economy car that the rest of the world was talking about. Today, that same Fiesta remains a perennial favorite, joining forces with the similarly sophisticated Focus to strengthen Ford’s appeal among small-car shoppers.
Driving
If you’re looking for an entertaining driving experience, the 2016 Fiesta will happy oblige. Although the base four-cylinder engine delivers only modest acceleration, we like its refinement at high rpm, and the Fiesta’s quick steering and well-controlled body motions keep the fun factor high. Meanwhile, the EcoBoost three-cylinder engine provides a palpable turbocharged punch while also topping the fuel economy charts. As for the ST, its turbocharged four-cylinder is strong enough to put a smile on anyone’s face, and its sport-tuned suspension is a blast on the right kind of road.
