Test drive Ford Fiesta 5 doors since 2008 hatchback

All photos of Ford Fiesta 5 doors since 2008

Races in the sandbox

On the playground in the courtyard of Farm. It seems to be far from summer, but someone in the sandbox plays cars. Moreover, these cars are like a book about Gulliver in the country of Liliputs are large, real, and do not fit in the sandbox. And the children playing in them are no longer the children at all completely serious uncles.

The selection of precisely these machines for a comparative test is due to two good causes. Firstly, all models are new, and Seat and Ford were generally only debuted in the Russian market. Secondly, each of this trinity is capable of, despite its modest size and a small motor, to deliver a lot of pleasant minutes while driving. In our opinion, these are the most drivership cars of their class at the moment from, let's say, available. Both Mini and Mito bite in car dealerships.
On Moscow streets, the Gullivers reincarnated in Liliputov. From all sides, the older brothers, then evil trucks, then clumsy trolleybuses oppress. But mini-mobiles are not afraid of them. They take a street battle and often come out of it winners. Real wires! Vzhik-Wzhik, right and right and we are again the first at a traffic light! It is easy to maneuver, not least due to good visibility. But Seat is better than all. He does not have such a clear rise of the window sill line as on the MAZ and Ford and the rear window is not so clamped by the racks and edge of the trunk door. Yes, and mirrors on ibits are more familiar. By the way, the rise mentioned above, perhaps the only thing that relates the deuce and fiesta in appearance, despite the fact that both cars are built on a common platform.
Well, on whom of our three bird birds are more old by passers-by? I remember that more recently, only the lazy did not bother to let go of a couple of compliments to the kopeckal, funny, cheerful. But the clock is ticking, people get used to everything. So the playful face, and the sports hips of Mazda2 are not caused by the former enthusiasm. The machine became embarrassed. But the same ticking clock also mean another quite natural thing that the appearance of more and more fighters in the arena. Ford Fiesta and Seat Ibiza appeared recently and almost simultaneously.
Therefore, it is not surprising that the heads are folded precisely on them. And most of all in Fiesta, the design turned out so successful and attractive. They also look at Seat, but less. The car of the smallest class for the Spanish company turned out, unlike other, very avant -garde brand models, quite traditional. It attracts primarily its rarity, original tint and 17-inch discs. Having watched the car in profile, you will see these three magnificent faces from the SEAT SEAT chief designer to Donkerolke. But still, Fiesta likes the people stronger, and look, the eyes will break.
The Mazda salon is familiar for a long time and in detail. He never made impressions of particularly high -quality, but took another pleasant simplicity and excellent ergonomics. The dashboard looks a little childish, but quite informative. The chair and landing are convenient even for tall drivers, the range of adjusting the steering column is beyond praise. It would seem an ideal? In general, yes, but only until you sit behind the wheel of a stroke. There seems to be no revelations, everything is quite strict and familiar. Little things such as the hub of the steering wheel of an interesting shape, a pair of deep wells, which have recently become a common place, and the piano finish of a wonderful radio does not count.
But the feeling does not leave that this is the interior of the car by the class above, so high -quality and thoughtfully performed everything inside. There is no fun here at Mastery. But still some kind of liveliness is present, there is no familiar Volkswagen insensibility. To the ergonomics of Ibitsa, none of us had any complaints. And can they be for a car produced under the wing of the aforementioned concern? What happens? Ideal ideal? Found and even more perfect. In Ford, the interiors put their soul into the salon. And it turned out that the fiesta salon is not as ridiculous as that of Mazda, but not as correct as that of Ceata. Functionality is at a height, the devices are easily read.
And most importantly: Fiesta, as they say, clings. He clings to the original combination of colors and textures (the buyer is free to choose from a huge number of design options), a winged-symmetric central console, the front panel of a bizarre shape and, importantly, the highest quality of execution. I liked even more inside the fiesta than in Mondeo. We found out that a person can get a job in any of the three cars, unless, of course, he is a clear accelerate or fat man. What is the situation with the rear places?
We deliberately chose five -door modifications of cars as more practical. More precisely, I had to choose them in the case of Fiesta and Ibiza, because there are no three -door kopecks in our country. Of course, the third on the second row of seats is superfluous. And it presses in the shoulders, and you won’t stick your legs anywhere. But together there is quite comfortable even with a height of 180 cm. The seats are located amphitheater, but the head does not rest on the ceiling. Mazda and Ford are very similar in the back of the space, again we recall a single platform and, as a result, the same base. In the seal, it is a little closer, but in it it is more convenient to place the feet.
Now, having discarded all these design and ergonomic things, let's get back behind the wheel and go to the start of the very race that we talked about at the beginning. Who will win? Who quickly? Who is hot? In the discipline of the city drag-reassing, Ford leaves competitors. The second is Mazda, disappointing bronze takes Seat. Frankly, it was difficult to expect other results. Fiesta is the only one who, according to passport data, fits in 10 seconds when accelerating to 100 km/h. With a 1.6 liter engine, it is the most powerful among subjects, as many as 120 hp. Yes, and on the handle. Managing overclocking is convenient. A sensitive gas drive allows, even in the absence of an optional stabilization system, it is easy to control the slip. The clear work of the gearbox also helps. But Mazda, which goes the second, deserves special praise. The only possible engine of 1.5 liters develops 17 forces less than Fordovsky. In addition, the Japanese car was equipped with an automatic transmission. Let Mazda2 and are unable to accelerate as furiously as Ford, but the mutual understanding of the machine and engine is complete. And in sports mode, when the gas pedal becomes even more sensitive, and the gearbox loses the last, fourth gear, Mazda so easily responds to the request of the right leg to accelerate that you are amusing. I drove in due time on the same car with a manual checkpoint. I am sure, even despite the solid loss in power compared to 120 hp. At the fiesta, they would have accelerated the nostril into the nostril. Fiasco Seat was predicted for the test a version with a weak 1.4-liter engine. This proven 85-horsepower MPI veteran is also installed on other models of the concern. It seems that 85 forces are not so few, but losing the other two contestants is great. Ibiza is also heavier than competitors for more than 50 kilos. I would recommend the future buyer to spend on a 1.6-liter 105-horsepower engine. This is also a veteran of the Volkswagen Front, but the extra 20 hp. They must revive the car. In addition, only with it it is possible to install DSG.

Well, our Ibiza 1.4 lives only in the first three gears, under the constant howl of the motor, which is unable to spin even up to 6000 rpm. Outside the city, she hardly gains 160 km/h, while Fiesta quite easily runs 180, and Mazda with an automatic machine up to 170 along the speedometer gets without problems. But having gained cruising speed of 130140 km/h, Seat behaves very confident. There are no exchange fluctuations, the suspension swallows unevenness, and noise insulation is the best in the trio. It is felt that the chassis has a stock and everything will be in order for 200 km/h. Well, let's wait for more energy -warmed versions of FR and Cupra.
For the fiesta, a suburban highway, of course, is not a native house, but in a straight line it rushes no worse than Ibiza. Only the speed is not 130, but all 180! I remember during the premiere tests on the roads of Tuscany (motor, November 2008) I accelerated in Italian autobahns and up to 200 km/h along the speedometer. Most of our roads do not allow this, but 150160 km/h Ford rides without stress. Maybe not as confident as Seat, and there are more noise, but there is always a stock that can be realized by pressing the gas pedal even more.
Mazda is still on the road of Eleza, to match her playful appearance. And then there are still soft winter tires. Enjoyments are forced to steal, the rut is stronger to hold the steering wheel, but to adjust the kopecks is easy and pleasant. Nevertheless, the styers' distances are not for her, and it is too noisy in the cabin. When the road begins to loop, Mazda shows its hot burrows 100%. In the skid, it even goes under the discharge of gas in a canopy turn. Again, I complain about the studded tires, I remember that the car was more stable for the summer, and the rotation was closer to neutral. But the correction of the drift is intuitive, and there is plenty of time for it.
Seat and on a winding road academic as a senior car. Everything is done by the correctly small demolition at the entrance with the subsequent transition to sliding with all four wheels. Safe, right, for sure, but without much temperament. Nevertheless, we expected more acuteness from the Spanish car. Although, on the other hand, for everyday city operation this is only a plus. Ibiza completely allows a calm, solid ride, does not bother constantly, like Madza, does not provoke. To everyone, as they say, his own apples, and to whom the wife of the gardener. We also note that Seat has the best brakes, which Volkswagen has been accustomed to us for a long time.
Fiesta a golden middle, a very balanced car. Driving in marginal regimes can occur both according to Mazdovsky and Seatov scenarios. Great chassis! Wanted to grasp from the heart? Ford with laid -back ease will support this impulse. Tenality and stability amaze and give birth to a feeling of permissiveness so easily the car dives into turns of different steepness and radius. Absolutely everything is under the control of the driver. Sensitive gas and steering wheel with dense feedback allow you to do anything with the machine.
If you need to sharply reset speed before the entrance, good brakes will help (not as ideal as that of Seata, but it is difficult to make claims to them). Rolled? Have you dispersed blood? Now you can settle down. If you do not constantly trample the gas to the floor and do not pull the gearbox lever back and forth, then Fiesta is not there, of course, but also a completely solid and comfortable car. As if there were no hot turns. We calmly go home, and on the way we consider the results of our test drive. Today, the case when, looking for different trifles, you do not need to think hard about who became the winner of the test. Ford Fiesta won our races in the sandbox. Agree, this is logical when a new and perfect car wins. The balance of consumer qualities and drive in FIEST is close to the ideal at the moment. Good and Seat, which especially struck with its solidity and correctness. The main reason for his second place is a weak motor, which caused a lack of accelerated dynamics. If there, if the engine is more powerful, maybe Seat would squeeze the winner. Mazda2 The most elderly of the cars presented. But, despite this fact, and now he is able to wink with his slanting eyes and make him smile. The operation of the engine paired with a machine gun is still one of the best in the classroom.