I just wish we got the NA powertrain (1.6L + powershift) over here.

Please forgive me for asking this but could you please resend me those pics of your Fiesta from a few weeks ago? My email has been on the fritz recently but I’ve finally got it straightened out. By the way, the North American version of the new 2011 Fiesta has been getting rave reviews by all the media. It is truly a world class car! It’s already been declared the best in its segment by far. It officially hits dealers lots next month. If I decide to get one, I’m definitely getting the 5 door hatchback SE in blue flame with the Powershift 6 speed. Everyone seems to agree that the Fiesta drives like a larger car (one size up).

Gerald, thank you very much for your time and patience!

Patrick
email: patwick2006@yahoo.com

I just priced the cheapest US Fiesta S sedan w/ 6-speed powershift. It came out to 15,065 US, before taxes. And at this price, you don’t get CD, power windows, message center, foglights, nor keyless entry. On the otherhand, it does come with stability control, tire pressure monitoring, and a better warranty.

Stepping up to the SE sedan adds the missing features above, but that bumps the price up to 16,065 US, before taxes.

Things get even more expensive if you compare the equivalent hatchback (Fiesta SE hatch). This comes out to 16,865 US, before taxes.

I haven’t been able to figure out why Ford US is pricing the hatch so much more expensive vs. the sedan, but there you have it.

How did a day or two become a month or two?
Where’s the pics you promised, man?

I’m sure you’re a busy person and obviously getting pics of your car to me is not important when you’re busy. Anyway, email when you are able (inside and out if possible).

Thanks,

Patrick

I guess I never posted back regarding Autonavi. To be honest we don’t use it that often – I’ve found that as I’ve become more familiar with the roads here, the need for GPS has been reduced. But it’s nice to have in case you are already out and about and need to go to an unfamiliar place.

There have been several (free) updates to the software, however I have not bothered to update to the latest version as it is a 1.5GB download. One of these days…

One strange thing I’ve noticed is that on a few occassions it has “gone crazy” and thinks that you’re driving in the opposite direction. I think this has only happened when we’re actually holding the iPhone during navigation – presumably some extra body movement has confused the application.

So I think having some sort of car mount would be very handy, both for this reason and also for safety (have it mounted on the windshield so you don’t have to take your eyes far away from the road).

On a recent trip to North America, I used the free app CoPilot Live Directions. This app is nice in that it also stores maps on the iPhone. But unlike Autonavi, you have the option of only downloading maps for specific regions, thus saving flash space and time. The downside to this app is that it lacks audio/voice prompts (that’s why it’s free), so it helps to have a navigator who can pay attention to the visual prompts.

It’s been a long wait but I’m glad that the Fiesta is finally going on sale in the US. I can imagine how excited you must be.

Anyways, I’ll email you some pics, just give me a day or two.

Cheers!

How’s everything going with your Fiesta? Any problems or issues to report? Are you still loving it as much now as when you first bought it?

If you have the time I would greatly appreciate if you could email me some pics of the interior and exterior of your Fiesta. My email address is: patwick2006@yahoo.com.j

The new 2011 Fiesta apparently goes on sale here May 4th. I intend on getting a Fiesta 5 door hatchback with the Powershift 6 speed automatic in blue.

Thanks a lot!

I arrived in Shenzhen about 2 months ago. Am new here. Have my driving test on 26th and want to buy a car AS SOON AS i get my license.

This web page was a Godsend for me. I had cars like Chevrolet Lova, Kia Rio and Hyandai Accent on my list. I assumed fiesta would be very expansive. I remember once comparing and disliking a 1.3L car over a 0.8L car just because it felt under-power. From the comments on this page, New Fiesta is anything but it.

I have a 5 yr old son and a 1 yr old daughter so lesser space on backseat should not be a problem. SZ is not like Shanghai as far as numberplate is concerned. Someone advised me to use the *1.15 factor when assessing the insurance+registration overhead. Can you please guide me to the different prices of different versions available in china. I am interested in cheapest 1.5 MT. Like you said i assume it will be a HB and not a sedan.

Sorry for being lazy but can you also jot down the HP both engines can produce.

-Ceilu

What I was referring to was the category heading by the top of the page: “Home » Chang’an Motors, Headline” – this review should be placed in “Chang’an Ford” instead of “Chang’an Motors”.

You are right about the Focus being a big seller in China, even now several years after its introduction. I previously would’ve given a low probability on us seeing the EcoBoost engines here, but with the introduction of the new Golf and Excelle/Astra I think Ford China will have no choice but to bring them over in order to stay competitive.

The other advantage of mobile nav apps, which I just realized, is that you can easily take them with you when you go travelling.

That’s good to hear that you get the soft touch dash over there. But I really wish we got your powertrain here in China, as well as Sync.

Anyways, do let us know when you get your new Fiesta!

I’m also a bit surprised by the re-engineering they had to do to the center console (to account for those not wearing seat-belts). And it also looks like the gauges are not LED-backlit.

Oh yeah, what’s up with the lack of fog lights?? Those faux-foglight covers look a bit cheesy.

But little niggles aside, I’m glad that this car has finally made it to North America.

Apparently these guys provide the OEM in-car navigation systems for Audi, Benz, etc., and Google uses their maps of China. I got it while it was on sale for $9.99 – for that price I figured why not, especially since they offer free updates. The price has gone up a bit now, to $14.99, but it’s still cheaper than the regular price of $24.99.

I played around with it briefly on my iPhone (2G), but since that model lacks GPS I haven’t been able to fully use it. It does seem to have all the features you would find in an in-car GPS, and so far I cannot see what’s missing. In fact, I like the interface better than the in-car GPS I got for my Mondeo. The other nice thing is that full maps are provided, so you don’t need to have data access while navigating (there are some free navigation apps but they all require online access to map data). Of course, the downside is that this app is quite huge – 1.5GB!

There are some caveats with Autonavi. The first is that it’s Chinese only – there’s no English localization (at least I haven’t found it yet). But it does support pinyin input for searching so even those who are non-fluent in Chinese reading should be able to get by after using it for a while and “learning” what all the buttons do. The other issue is that on my 2G iPhone, scrolling around on the map is slightly laggy, at least compared to the built-in Maps app. However, this shouldn’t be an issue with the faster CPU and added RAM of the 3GS.

The Euro/Chinese model is way nicer, the US spec grill is not so nice…

I can’t wait for the 2011 U.S. Fiesta unveiling at the 2009 LA Auto Show on December 2nd. The countdown has begun. 21 more days.

There’s not a lot of traffic right now but things should pick up once we approach the official US release date.

Good points: Its fairly accurate, and covers the entire country

Bad points: sucks the battery down quick, need to keep it plugged into the cig lighter when in use. Cant change the navigation ladies voice, I would prefer something that sounds less like my wife when it starts accusing me of speeding.

4300rmb to buy, I think.

I’m really wondering how Gulatar is enjoying his new Fiesta.

Cellphone w/ GPS is an option, though you will also need to purchase software if you want turn-by-turn driving instructions (and maybe a data plan to get the maps, unless you can download them on your PC ahead time). Also, the signal reception for phones with built-in GPS won’t be as good as a stand-alone GPS. But it’s definitely a consideration if you already have a phone with GPS built-in.

That said, I’ve seen Garmin in-car units for under 2000 RMB here (the kind that suction-cups onto your windshield) and the domestic brands are even cheaper. I’m considering going this route for the Fiesta.

In car GPS systems are too expensive for the man who doesnt need to sedate kids with DVD’s

Actually we ended up taking the Mondeo on that trip, because of the GPS (we didn’t really know how to get where we were going). It’s too bad as the trip did come some mountain roads, which would’ve been very fun to tackle with the Fiesta. So I guess the answer to your first question is “not yet”. That said, my daily commute does consist of a 10 minute highway stint (each way) so I can offer some comments. Is it as comfortable as the Mondeo? No, it’s a bit noisier (road noise) and the ride is a bit harsher. However, it’s by no means uncomfortable. And comparing it with the Mondeo is unfair, not only because of the class difference but also because of the fact that the Mondeo is rated near tops in its class. In fact the Fiesta is very quiet for a small car, and even some cars one class up. Cruising at 100-120km/h there’s no intrusive engine noise, unlike what you would normally expect from a small-engined economy car.

To put things into perspective, I feel that the Fiesta rides better than the Jetta Mk V (Sagitar in China).

I still think the biggest issue relating to comfort would be the lack of interior space, in the rear that is – the front is quite roomy for a small car.

Anyways, I’ll be sure to keep you updated with my impressions once I get a chance to do a longer trip with my Fiesta. On that note, perhaps I should get a GPS installed?

Thanks!

Congrats on your Fiesta purchase! You must be so excited!

So far how do you like your brand new Fiesta hatchback? Is it everything you expected and more?

Thanks!