just spent a weekend in a hired new top of range ford fiesta, to say I am staggered would be to put it mildly
pedals that are SOOOOOOOO far from the floor, come on proper pedal spacing doesn't cost anything
speakers that are so tinny, come on decent pioneer speakers are so cheap, why bother putting this rubbish in
stereo straight from the Alan Sugar school of design
terrible gear change, like driving a bus
seats hurt
didn't feel secure on the road
truly a victory of marketing over car quality, I am appalled that they think these things are acceptable
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Come on now, don't beat around the bush, say what you really think ..........!
Fact is that the Fiesta compares well with all of it's peers, the Clio and Punto have a bit more character, the Polo more cachet though a lower reliability rating, the Yaris perhaps a slightly better reliability rating.
As for "didn't feel secure on the road" they are in fact great handling cars.
What do you normally drive, perhaps if you are used to an S-Class or similar any small car would be perceived as such, otherwise is there a question of anti Ford bias, perhaps due to a previous bad expereince with a Ford you didn't want to like it.
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What spec Fiesta was it?
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Adam
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drive yaris and micra regularly, at least the pedals are in generally the right sort of place on those, rather have either than 10 fiestas
spec, ill dig out receipt soon
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Didn't the Hyundai Getz beat the Ford Fiesta in an Autocar group test about 6 months ago.
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Criticisims seem a bit odd especially if you are talking about a Mk6.
The car has been designed to be as ergonomic as possible with only thing really missing being lack of reach to adjust on steering wheel. The pedals are no closer set, or higher than any other cars in its class. It is important to note that these cars are not designed for people who do not fit the generic norm, and so if someone has, say size 12 feet, or is hitting 7 foot you may well end up finding the spacing too small, and thus have to find the right car for you.
As for the stereo, most manufacturers get someone else to design the stereo and speakers for them i.e. Sony etc etc ( Ford used to be sony designed units) and it's considered safer and better ergonomics, to have big buttons with no distracting multicoloured displays. This means that the driver can just instinctivly feel for the right button without taking their eyes of the road, and also know what does what at a really basic level just from sitting in the car and not have to trawl through the manual. Both speakers and stereos tend to be designed for the masses, so if you like your music loud with masses of bass or immaculate treble then they do start to rattle ( i assume you did turn up the bass and treble on the stereo since they are set at 0 0 for both).
I am surprised that the ride felt unsafe. I have found it to be one of the most predictable and fun handling cars around. The fiesta also has an immensly strong body shell which is why it has a 4star N cap test.
Not meaning to antagonise, but i feel that you have the wrong end of the stick, the car is more quality over marketing. It is an immensly solid car, which feels as though a lot of thought has gone into making it drive and handle well, and also protect its occupants in a crash, but to keep to costs the plastics inside do feel cheap and the speakers arn't amazing. Marketing over quality would mean in my books a car that really felt the part inside and had the name, but when it came to driving didn't make me feel as though someone who actially enjoys driving made this ( e.g. some VW's).
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Smokie,
I agree with most of what you say about the Fiesta, but don't you find the footwell much too small. The clutch pedal is hard up against the sidewall meaning the only place for ones left peg on those looonng motorway trips is wedged uncomfortably under it, leading to a twisted driving position...leading to backache.
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I had one of these (a diesel) as a hire car to go to a Conference. I drove a 250 mile round trip. Found the inside was easily up to BMW standards (for about 10 years ago - which ain't bad by the way). It was almost like a small scale 3 of the mid nineties. Sound system was a tad tinny. I had plenty of room for my size tens. It felt quite capable on the M/way and quite fun on the rural bits. Wouldn't buy one myself (bit small for me) but not a bad motor really. Oooh I didn't like the road noise.
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Wrong one CF i am smoke ;-).
I tend to sit with my foot flat on the floor, so i don't tend to notice that, but yes i get your point. In the LHD Mk6 that i drove it was much better as the footwell is i think a little larger on the LHS than on the RHS, and also you dont have the transmission tunnel by the clutch foot ( Ford have designed the car for the LHD market). As for backache, i tend to spend ages getting car seats just right (or i get horrific back ache after even a couple of miles) and i haven't noticed any trouble even on 500 mile trips.
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I have no axe to grind about the Fiesta, as I haven't been in one. However, there is regularly an accusation of anti-Ford bias in this Forum, whenever someone criticises a Ford product.
I have known lots of people, over a long period of time, who have this attitude towards criticism of Fords, and they regularly expound the opinion that many other makes of car are not worthy of consideration, without realising, it seems, that they are doing exactly what the perceived Ford critics are accused of doing.
I have only owned a Ford once and it was a dog, but it was many years ago. I have driven a few since but not over a long period of time, so I am not qualified to make any real critical comment. I was quite impressed by a Ka I had for a short while, although not by the engine in it. I have test driven a Mondeo, or a least a much as one can be allowed to do so by dealers these days, and found it a nice car, but I didn't end up ecstatic about it, as some seem to tell me I should be.
However, I am now interested in the new Escort, as there is the option of the CVT transmission with the 1.6 TDCi engine (HDI or TDCi, which is it, is it just a different name?). I don't like the look of the car, however, but my wife has to have an automatic, so we could shortly end up owning a Ford. If the C4 came with the same transmission and engine combination, there wouldn't be a contest.
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