Ford Fiesta vs Toyota Yaris

[cdavidhess]

Car and Driver has a road test of the Fiesta. It is a Euro-spec version, but Ford states that the suspension settings will not be changed for the U.S. version.

Here is an excerpt:

After we’d burned through just three or four tanks of fuel—the Fiesta’s 12.0-gallon tank is good for about 300 miles—it became apparent that this would be a much better choice for a coast-to-coast ride than we’d anticipated—quieter than expected, even cruising at 80 to 85 mph, which the Fiesta managed easily. The bucket seats—leather-clad in this car—were comfortable, with a nice range of adjustability. Pedal placement was sports-car correct, and the shift lever for the five-speed manual was close to the reach. Okay, scratch that last part; of course it was close to the reach, nothing in a subcompact car is very far away. Shift quality was precise, save for some resistance going into reverse, so there was little grousing about the gearbox save for a feeling that a six-speed would take better advantage of the Fiesta’s 118-hp powerband.

Zero to 60: 8.7 Seconds

On the other hand, 8.7 seconds to 60 mph is near the leading edge for cars in this class, and 38 mpg while cruising at 80 mph or so is ditto. For the whole trip—4098 miles in eight days, counting the run from Ann Arbor to Manhattan—we recorded 31 mpg.

Even though I have owned nothing but manual transmissions for years, I would be interested in trying out the new 6 speed automatic. I also like the lighting of the Fiesta's gauges.

I find the option list attractive even though it will make the car more expensive.