Until relatively recently, three has never been considered a crowd when it comes to automobile engines. In fact with rare exceptions such as the number of seats in a McLaren F1, three was generally considered deficient when talking cars. Recently however, Ford has sought to change that perception with the introduction of a 1.0-liter three-cylinder EcoBoost engine and I had the chance to spend a week with this powerplant under the hood of a new Fiesta.
Ford’s tiny 1.0-liter powerhouse generates 123-horsepower and 148 lb.-ft. of torque
Ford first showed the 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine in the Start mini-car concept at the 2010 Beijing Motor Show and it arrived on the market in Europe two years later. The smallest engine in the Ford global lineup finally made it to the U.S. market in late 2013 in the refreshed Fiesta and it will go on sale in the Focus in the next couple of months.
The first three-pot engine I ever drove was in the Geo Metro back in 1991. In that particular car, the 52-horsepower mill was paired with a three-speed automatic and frankly it was a terrible experience. At highway speeds, the tinny body shell amplified the vibrations of the unbalanced engine, turning the Metro into a little buzz bomb. More recently, Smart has used a similarly sized engine with a turbocharger, bringing output up to 83 horsepower and while the ForTwo is a much more solid car than the Metro ever was, the transmission and other problems ruin the driving experience.
Other than displacement and engine layout, the new Ford engine is a whole different animal. It features the latest in gasoline-fueled internal combustion technology, including variable valve timing, turbocharging, and direct injection. The compact cast iron block is lightweight but stiff enough to smother the vibrations generated by the odd number of cylinders. The aluminum cylinder head has an integrated exhaust manifold to help keep the turbo plumbing short and response lag to a minimum.
The strakes on the top of the mirror housing help to manage airflow and reduce wind noise
The bottom line is a powerplant that fights well above its weight class with 123-horsepower and 148 lb.-ft. of torque, easily beating the 120 horsepower and 112 lb.-ft. from the base 1.6-liter four cylinder. Like other turbocharged, DI engines, this one generates its torque from low revs making it extremely tractable in any driving conditions. In the U.S.-market Fiesta, Ford has passed on combining the 1.0-liter with its unloved PowerShift dual-clutch automatic transmission. Instead it is only offered with a five-speed manual that offers low shift efforts, but a linkage with less precision than segment leaders Honda.
The three-banger revs freely and pulls strongly from pretty much any speed so despite having only five ratios, you don’t actually have to shift all that much. Unlike the buzzy three-cylinders of days gone by, this one emits a pleasant growl that says it’s ready to work while being distinct from a four-cylinder. The EPA rates the 1.0-liter Fiesta at 31 mpg in the city and 43 mpg on the highway. During a week of mostly city driving in unusually cold pre-thanksgiving weather, I saw about 30 which is respectable for a non-hybrid.
At the same time that Ford added the new engine option, the Fiesta got its first major updated since being reintroduced to the U.S. market in 2010. The Fiesta now has the global “Face of Ford” which basically amounts to a prominent trapezoidal grille that has often and justifiably been described as looking like the front of an Aston Martin. If you’re going to emulate design features, that’s not a bad place to grab from and frankly, this Fiesta would have made a much better Aston Martin city car than the Toyota iQ-based Cygnet.
Excellent fit and finish and soft touch materials abound in the Fiesta
Inside, the Fiesta is reasonably well appointed for an entry-level car. Automakers have come to realize that even when customers buy a small car, they don’t want it to feel cheap and the Fiesta largely delivers. The surfaces you touch on a regular basis are generally soft, the steering wheel is wrapped in leather and the seats are covered in a high-quality fabric. The seats are comfortable although the lower cushions are a bit on the short side leaving those with longer legs lacking in thigh support. The test car I drove was equipped with optional heated front seats which came in handy on cold mornings. The Fiesta seat heaters only offer two levels of thermal control, off and really hot so I found myself switching them off after just a few minutes.
Back in 2010, the Fiesta was the first car to get Ford’s SYNC AppLink to control smartphone apps through the car with voice commands. AppLink is now available on almost all Ford vehicles with SYNC but not MyFord Touch. Unlike many other automaker’s solutions, AppLink doesn’t require the apps to be integrated into a dedicated app from the automaker like Chrysler’s UConnect or Toyota’s Entune.
There are now about 60 music, news and information apps on Android and iOS that are compatible with AppLink and the system is easy to use. Just press the voice button on the steering wheel, say “apps” and the name of the app to launch it on your connected phone. From there you can control most of the major functions in the apps with voice commands such as selecting stations in Pandora or sending a Glympse.
The only other complaint I have about the Fiesta is the back seat. It’s not uncomfortable, but compared to the class-leading Honda Fit, it is a tight space. If you rarely carry more than one passenger, you’ll be fine, but if you are carpooling, the Fit rocks. When you need to haul some stuff home from Ikea, the back seat folds down and the hatchback provides easy access. I’ll never understand why anyone would buy a small car like the Fiesta with a trunk since you sacrifice most of the utility that’s available. Speaking of utility, other automakers need to copy or license the Honda Magic Seat for their small cars, it’s just that useful.
The Fiesta back seat is definitely tighter than the Honda Fit
On the road, the Fiesta like other contemporary Ford cars offers excellent driving dynamics with good ride quality, precise steering and an overall nimble feeling. Unfortunately, the EcoBoost engine is only available with an SFE package that includes 15-inch low rolling resistance tires mounted on the alloy wheels. When pushed hard through a corner, the Fiesta SFE will exhibit significant understeer at the limit but up to eight-tenths, it feels fine.
If you want a quick, nimble Fiesta but don’t want to step up to the 197-horsepower ST, a set of upgraded aftermarket wheels and tires would probably be a great option. Otherwise, the $18,190 as-tested 1.0-liter EcoBoost Fiesta is an excellent option for a small car. If it had the back seat room of a Fit, I’d call it a homerun but as it is, it’s still a solid triple.
Click here for full specs of the 2015 Ford Fiesta
