If good looks could kill than everyone is going to die

Sohaib Zahid

Nowadays, car designers don’t talk in terms of other cars and car technologies when they’re contextualizing their work. They talk about sexy looking gadgets like mobile phones, mp3-players and portable game consoles. The idea is to garner attention with good looks rather than specifications and performance numbers. I guess the word ‘sexy’ is finding its way into every industry, and now cars are in the spotlight. Long gone are the days when the only sexy cars were convertibles. From music to health, everything is revolving around looking good. The new Ford Fiesta isn’t a car at all, more of a big sexy gadget, and I’d like to see the handbag in which this accessory could fit.
So far, the best-in-class looks like, and has a centre console modeled on, yes, a mobile phone. I wanted to approach the new Fiesta with a Wow face rather like the aging Chuck Norris would bring to a ‘Take That’ concert. Is this a small car or a copy of Flare magazine on four wheels? I think this is the sort of car people buy for their daughter, but then steal back when she’s out. Simply Wow!
This enthusiasm for fun is apparently what Ford has set to exude with the new Fiesta. The overall appearance now sits comfortably with that of its futuristic stable mates. I think Ford has managed to get the blue oval back on top; this is a fantastic little car.
Of course, stiff competition is easy to come by in the Fiesta’s market - the new Honda Fit weighs in with 117hp, and the upcoming Mazda 2 is a lot of fun. Despite this, the Fiesta is hot, good-looking, sexy, keen to please, and a general joy to own, which should keep Ford customers happy.
This is a terrific little car, and the sort of thing the world could use, being terrific right now. For now, the engine pick is the 1.6L Twin Independent Variable Cam Timing (Ti-VCT) I4 engine. This sporty power plant delivers an estimated 119 hp and 109 ft-lbs, mated to a 5-speed manual or an optional 6-speed automatic which is a dry clutch technology using an electro-mechanical system to optimize efficiency while eliminating the need for cooler lines, thus reducing the potential for oil leaks. Very clever!
Visually, it’s close to the Verve concept shown at Detroit auto show last year. Crucially, it’s also a small car that still looks like a small car, rather than poking out and migrating into the class above. Yes, it softens Ford’s ‘Kinetic’ design language a little, but there are plenty of clever visual hooks: the extra edge on the head-light, the sharp tailoring of the rear lights, and the competing surfaces around the nose and front wings are all smart.
As the first new car in Ford’s global ‘One Vision’ strategy, the Fiesta has to accommodate the smallest 2.5 percentile female up to the lardiest 97.5 percentile male, everywhere from Beijing to Baton Rouge and all points in between. The seats are mounted lower than before though, and the gear lever and instrument panel higher. Despite this ‘one-size fits all’ strategy, it’s actually surprisingly purposeful.
The hatch looks genuinely brilliant, especially in some of the new, bold sexy colors. The sedan doesn’t look half bad either. Just one problem - the Fiesta name just hasn’t got the bar-side pizzazz you might want.
The new central dash arrangement is a bit silver, but not many will complain about the quality at this price point. It starts at $12,999 for the Sedan version, while the hatch is priced from $16,799. Supermini-deniers may once have pointed out that you could get a proper car for that sort of money. Luckily, that’s exactly what the new Fiesta is.
I think all the basics are neatly done; it sure is a Fiesta for Ford. It’s a sweet little car, but not sweet in a cute way, sweet in a crisp and sexy way. It’s in a fight with Honda Fit, Mazda 2, and Toyota Yaris, and it looks really competitive. It’s a tough decision, and your heart will probably say Honda, Mazda or Toyota, but if your wallet overrules your emotions, and you take three major car buying tips into consideration—good looks, good looks, and good looks—then this new Fiesta will do you proud.