Five-Point Inspection: 2014 Ford Fiesta Five-Door SE

Ford’s offering in the subcompact segment is the style-focused Fiesta. This car has been on sale in North America for a few years now; if you remember it debuted with great fanfare from the company and their “Fiesta Movement” social-media campaign.

But that was then and rather redundantly today is now… make sense? The Blue Oval B-Segment vehicle has received a mild update for the 2014 model year to keep it competitive in the segment. But even with a refresh, is the Fiesta aging gracefully or is it best to buy something else?

As for updates, the Fiesta received a handful of really nice improvements this year. Most noticeably, the front end has been restyled to look more like the company’s hot new Fusion sedan. It’s more aggressive and considerably more handsome than before. Additionally, it benefits from a few new colors plus the company’s MyFord Touch infotainment system is now an option; it’s splashed across a bright 6.5-inch display screen.

Arguably the biggest news for 2014 is the availability of an ST version of the car. This performance-tuned Fiesta absolutely defines the term “pocket rocket.” It features a 197 HP EcoBoost engine, an addictively engaging chassis and the style to back up its swagger. Unfortunately our run-of-the-mill model did not wear ST badges, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

The Fiesta is powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. While lacking direct fuel injection it still features variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust camshafts, a feature that bolsters the bottom line. This smooth-running little engine puts out a respectable 120 hp with 112 lb-ft of torque, a little bit more than provided by the Honda Fit (117 hp, 106 lb-ft) though it does fall short of Chevy’s Sonic, which offers an optional 1.4-liter turbo (138 hp, 148 lb-ft).

The engine can be matched to a five-speed manual transmission or a six-speed dual-clutch automatic; our test car featured the former gearbox, which is light through the gears and easy to drive smoothly, something that can’t be said about the jerky-feeling self-shifter.

When it comes to fuel consumption the Fiesta doesn’t disappoint. Our test car stickered at 27 miles per gallon in city driving and 38 on the highway, numbers that made for a combined score of 31 mpg. In the real world we blew those scores away averaging a claimed 39.1. That’s a huge figure, especially since we drove it pretty hard in cold weather. Maybe the digital readout is optimistic.

Unfortunately, the Fiesta’s cargo hold is not as useful as it could be. With the rear seats dropped the load floor is lumpier than a dirt road after monsoon season. The backrests don’t fold anywhere near flat, which results in a steeply angled surface that looks like a ski jump.

Honda’s Fit is a far more versatile subcompact. Its cargo hold serves up 20.6 cubic feet with the seat up and more than 57 with the backrest folded. Plus it’s got “Magic Seat” technology, which allows the lower cushions to flip and tumble like a Romanian gymnast, making it even more versatile.

The Fiesta SE rides on inoffensive-looking 15-inch alloy wheels that are wrapped in buzz-killing all-season tires. Fortunately, the rubber provided excellent traction in snow, ice and cold weather; there was zero slipping and sliding to report.

The Fiesta’s ride is unexpectedly stiff for a base car. It lets you know there are bumps in the road, and in Michigan our thoroughfares are riddled with ruts and potholes so there’s a lot going on when you take it for a spin. Of course that rough ride pays dividends in the form of impressive handling.

While far from fast, this car’s pint-sized engine (technically 3.38 pints) provides more than adequate acceleration in almost every driving situation. She likes to rev but provides pretty decent torque even down low. Remember, the engine only displaces 1.6-liters.

There’s little to complain about inside the Fiesta. The cabin is well built and constructed of high-quality materials, it’s got a really nice sound system and the design of the windows provides good all-around outward visibility. It even comes with heated front seats and do they get HOT!

Even though the Honda Fit trumps it in versatility and the Chevy Sonic has more horsepower and torque, the Fiesta is still one of the most desirable subcompact cars on the market today.

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