Whether you just drive it around the city or beyond, the Fiesta one-litre is a sturdy road companion with impressive fuel economy.”

TORONTO.

It’s a lovely day on the backcountry roads of suburban Ontario, just west of Canada’s largest city, chosen to show off this ‘special’ version of the popular Ford Fiesta.

It’s an enjoyable drive through a pretty landscape, dotted with quaint farms, moving along at a decent speed. Easy to forget the Fiesta is powered by Ford’s smallest engine, the 1.0L EcoBoost.

With three-cylinders, an output of 123 horses and peak torque of 125 lb-ft. it’s not something to scoff at. Furthermore, there’s an overboost feature that will give you access to 148 lb-ft of torque for up to 15 seconds. Furthermore, Ford touts it as having the best highway fuel economy in its class. It uses an estimated 4.3L/100km on the highway and 6.2L/100km in the city.

Along with this new engine, there are also a few tweaks for the 2014 model year.

(See: 2014 Ford Fiesta Sedan and Hatchback from Ford.ca)

You’ll find new headlamps with chrome accents, a new decklid and tail lamps. Inside, there are new steering wheel controls, a new door design, a new cluster design and additional chrome accents on the door handles and throughout. Not to mention the additional cupholder in the rear!

Complete with a new interior and exterior look, the Fiesta certainly adds life to the party.

It exudes pep and still has a lively personality. That can be attributed to a 5-speed manual transmission. With the 5-speed manual, the gear throws felt a little long, but then again, we’re not talking about the ST; its performance-oriented sibling.

Noteworthy: the cabin stays serene even at highway speeds; when you’re cruising in fifth.

Keeping unwanted noise out of the car’s interior is always high on the priority list for subcompacts.

It has a roomy trunk, accommodating up to 422L behind the second row in the hatchback.

Of the two body styles offered – there’s a sedan or 5-door – I fancy the hatchback. I also think its styling has a little more flare.

As for handling, we had the chance to put it through an autocross-style track to demonstrate its abilities in tighter, higher speed turns. While many people probably won’t drive the Fiesta like this – even though it’s quite fun – it can handle its share of bends without faltering. Matched with its electric power-assisted steering, you have a good amount of steering feel whether driving at high or low speeds.

The engine is its strongpoint but it’s not just a one-trick pony. I like the interior a lot.

The steering wheel is soft to the touch and I like that you can control various functions like the audio, Bluetooth, or cruise control from it. The centre stack has charm, too. Atop sits a colour display, followed by Ford’s infotainment system, followed by the climate controls. It’s hard to get lost in its setup, and the buttons are clearly marked with large writing.

Equipping the Fiesta with the 1.0L engine has a $1,295 premium. What that gives you is the extra bit of power and the fuel economy savings. This engine can only be outfitted on the SE trim, which has a starting MSRP of $14,866. However, it’s available on both the sedan and hatchback models.

Overall, the Ford Fiesta 1.0L has its benefits. A snappy engine, a great look and a comfortable ride quality. Whether you just drive it around the city or beyond, the Fiesta one-litre is a sturdy road companion with impressive fuel economy.

Visit www.ford.ca for more information.

Contact: Alexandra [dot] straub [at] drivewaybc [dot] ca