Subcompact Fiesta offers plenty of car for the money.
The 2012 Ford Fiesta is a subcompact model available in four-door sedan and five-door hatchback body styles. Making its debut in 2010 to the U.S. market, this front-wheel-drive vehicle is currently the smallest car in Ford’s American line up. Among the many significant attributes this car possess are its contemporary and sporty exterior, excellent value and excellent fuel economy. The 2012 Ford Fiesta has added two new interior packages, a driver’s seat armrest and an integrated blind spot side view mirror. The base sedan is priced from $13,995 for 2012.
The Ford Fiesta offers tremendous value in a small package.
Engine and Transmissions
The 2012 Ford Fiesta is powered by a 16-valve, inline four cylinder engine displacing at 1.6-liters. This engine produces 120 horsepower at 6,350 rpm and 112 foot-pounds of torque at 5,000 rpm. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard and a 6-speed automatic is optional. This engine has a 11.0-to-1 compression ratio and runs on regular grade gasoline. Top fuel economy is 29 mpg city, 40 mpg highway when equipped with its SFE package. Its 12.4 gallon fuel tank gives the Fiesta a cruising range of just under 500 miles.
Dimensions
Both Ford Fiesta body styles sit on a 98-inch long wheelbase. The hatchback is 160.1 inches long; the sedan is 173.6 inches long. Both models are 67.8 inches wide and 58.0 inches tall. The Fiesta offers 85.1 cubic feet of passenger volume. Storage capacity is 12.8 cubic feet in the sedan and 15.4 cubic feet in the hatchback. The sedan weighs in from 2,578 to 2,628 pounds; the hatchback weighs in from 2,537 to 2,575 pounds.
Cabin Features
The 2012 Ford Fiesta comes surprisingly well-equipped and includes front cloth bucket seats, an auxiliary audio input jack, intermittent windshield wipers, a 4-inch multifunctional display with LCD screen, a capless fuel filler, and climate control.
Available options, depending on trim level, include Ford SYNC, ambient lighting, a premium audio system, integrated blind spot mirrors, push button start, leather-trimmed seats, heated seats and keyless entry. You can also order a sunroof, SiriusXM satellite radio, a rear deck lid spoiler, LED supplemental parking lamps with chrome bezels; a chrome beltline and decklid moldings; all-weather floor mats and a cargo management system.
Safety Features
This model features seven standard airbags including a driver’s knee airbag. Other safety features include a safety cage made of boron steel; electronic power assisted steering; a tire pressure monitoring system; electronic stability control and traction control; and four-wheel anti-lock brakes. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has recognized the Ford Fiesta with its “top safety pick” award for scoring the highest marks in frontal offset, side impact, roof strength and rear crash protection.
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Ford says that the updated Taurus will offer improved driving dynamics. That will be in evidence through it hard-mounted steering rack with a faster ratio, springs and dampers, which have been optimized to offer improved sedan handling, combined with improved ride quality. Torque vectoring control, is an important safety enhancement, a nearly seamless method of increasing braking force on the inside front wheel while cornering. On the exterior, the 2013 Ford Taurus was benchmarked against the Audi A6 for fit and finish. The look is similar except for larger wheels and tires and a more robust hood, but the new Taurus makes use of auto high beam technologies that utilizes a sensor to switch headlamps to high beam when no oncoming traffic is detected. Rain-sensing wipers also detect moisture penetration and pick up or reduce speed based on the amount of rain or snow that is falling.