Premium small: Ford Fiesta Ecoboost test drive

FORD Fiesta carries the Aston Martin look quite well. photos by Jason K. Ang

FORD Fiesta Ecoboost has features normally reserved for bigger, more expensive cars, including traction control and rain-sensing wipers.

Choosing small no longer means having to tolerate a dismal drive. Ford was not content to plant just any wheezy engine and lazy four-speed in the Fiesta hatchback. It’s instead equipped with Ford’s most advanced technology, lending new meaning to a premium feel within a tiny footprint. Here’s how it stands out from the hatchback crowd:

Engine. Fiesta Ecoboost packs a wallop under its longish hood: The three-cylinder gasoline engine features turbocharging to squeeze out 125 horsepower from just 999 cc, the kind of output per liter we’d expect from an Italian thoroughbred. We need not have worried that the engine would be gutless until the turbo spooled up. There’s adequate torque even from low rpm. The peak 170 Newton-meters comes on at just 1,400 revolutions per minute. This translates to lively acceleration even from idle, and when the turbo does spool up at 3,500 rpm, be ready for a swift kick in the hatch as the Fiesta rockets forward.

Transmission. Keeping the Fiesta engine on the boil is the six-speed dual-clutch transmission. The design of the gearbox allows it to preselect a gear and engage it just as it deselects the previous gear. The result is seamless acceleration, as it keeps the turbo engaged. The tranny can sometimes kick in stop-and-go traffic but we didn’t find it bothersome.

FIESTA Ecoboost cabin is a mix of soft-touch plastics, fabrics and metal, giving it a premium feel.

Interior. Soft-touch plastics and well-trimmed cloth lend the Fiesta a sporty feel. The driver’s seat feels supportive and snug, with the only missing feature being a telescopic steering wheel. The rear seats have decent legroom and can split-fold for greater cargo capacity.

Safety features. Fiesta comes with a full set of active safety features, including hill hold, ABS and EBD brakes, and electronic stability program. The ESP helps control understeer and oversteer to keep the Fiesta on the driver’s intended course.

Creature comforts. The Fiesta has no less than 52 buttons spread out among the instrument panel, steering wheel and door panels. No crank-up windows here. All the toys are thrown in, from Bluetooth connectivity to voice command. The good thing is they all work, being well-integrated into the switchgear.

Handling and steering. The Fiesta has quick and responsive steering. The handling feels much like its highly reactive bigger sister, the Focus. That means a pleasurable drive in the city as it slices effectively through slower traffic, and a stable feel on the highway.

If the cabin and cargo size are adequate for your needs, the Fiesta Ecoboost is a great, technologically advanced drive, no matter the price level.