Test drive Ford Fiesta 5 doors 2002 - 2005 hatchback

And Ford - there

Evil languages \u200b\u200bclaim that new -fangled systems of automatic control of the clutch is just the speculation of insidious marketers on human greed. Say, this surrogate version becomes attractive only in the absence of funds for a real machine. Indeed, such transmissions are increasingly found on inexpensive cars: on Citroeon C3 it is Sensodrive, on Fiat Punto Speedgear, on Opel Corsa Easytronic, on Renault Clio Quickshift5. Now Ford Fiesta has acquired a similar clutch of Durashift Est.
 
But in high spheres, such systems are also given close attention. It is enough to recall that for the first time, automatic clutch appeared in 1996 at the prestigious Saab 900 (it was called Sensonic). Soon, Alfa Romeo announced her Selespeed, Ferrari switch F1, BMW SMG. Cambiocorsa and Duoshift are already installed on Maserati, and on Mercedes-Benz Sequentronic. The crown of evolution was the unique DSG box created by the engineers of the Volkswagen concern.

   

Skeptics are right in one thing: expensive aggregates on premium-brands cars work significantly better than budget ones. However, they are budgetary to save money. After all, an automatic transmission is obviously more expensive than a set of electric drives of clutch, and it is not easy to cope with it with a small motor. In addition, fuel consumption is much higher.
 
For example, Ford Fiesta is an unsuccessful example! Fords chose a strange policy. The Durashift EST (Electronic Shift Technology) system, offered only in the Trend configuration and only paired with a 1.4-liter engine, increases the price of the machine by as much as 930 euros! Sellers of Korean cars ask for so much for an automatic box. And here we study the differences between the automatic machine and the pseudo -automatic in the comparative test of the same wheels, so now we will only talk about what Durashift EST is better or worse than our analogues.

  

The advantage of the Ford System is the speed of its operation: transfers in both manual and automatic modes occurs quite quickly, which helps minimize the body of the body and thereby increases the comfort of driving. In addition, the KIK Dawn mode functions, and on the descents of Durashift EST, it independently switches to a reduced gear to retain constant speed. I definitely liked it.
The manual gear circuit was somewhat surprised. Usually how does everything happen? Pushing the lever from yourself the next step turns on, the previous one. And here, on the contrary,. Well, nothing, a matter of habit. But with the nature of the dispersal, it is more difficult to get used to it. The short first allows you to fly out with a bullet from traffic lights, but it is being replaced by a much longer second, cooling ardor. The acceleration intensity drops sharply, and the planned maneuver sometimes cannot be completed.

 

During the test of the same machine with mechanics (wheels, N 64), this pit, typical of VAZ nine and a dozen, was not so noticeable. Although, perhaps, the case is in a different selection of gear rates of the box. One thing is undoubted. The Driversal Fiesta with her, without exaggeration, outstanding handling and a brisk motor in any case requires forced gearboxes. In such conditions, the scheme offers Durashift EST looks preferable to a simple machine gun without a manual mode. With all the pros and cons of this is a very reasonable compromise.
 

The car is provided by Euro Motors.
During the test, the car is insured by LLC Nation Center.
 
Text: Leonid Klyuyev
Photo: Roman Ostanin
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Source: Wheel magazine [No. 78/2004]