Finding a sedan that has both fuel economy and power is a pet project of mine, because my commute includes a 200-mile round trip along the Mass Pike several days a week, plus additional miles in and around Boston.
The 2014 Ford Fiesta is appealing as it pushes the balance between fuel economy and power with a three-cylinder, 123-horsepower gasoline engine. While not the smallest engine and not the only inline-three (I-3) on the market, the Fiesta's I-3 EcoBoost is still an engineering marvel. The turbocharged, 1-liter engine ran smooth on the highway and hustled the five-passenger sedan around town. The fuel-sipping subcompact sedan yielded 32/45/37 miles per gallon city/highway/combined fuel economy.
The downside to the Fiesta's three-banger is it's only available with a manual transmission. And since the engine choice is part of an EcoBoost efficiency package, it costs an additional $995. The $15,580 base model Fiesta SE comes with a 1.6-liter, inline-four cylinder engine that actually produces slightly less horsepower and fuel economy. Our tester with the efficiency package also had a $290 Comfort package that included automatic climate control, heated side mirrors and front seat- warmers. The total MSRP for our tester was $17,335, which included a $395 ruby red paint job.
I actually enjoyed the Fiesta's five-speed manual. It took a day or two to get used to the clutch, but by the end of the week I was downshifting as I entered corners, using the lower gears to slow down while maintaining engine speed for acceleration as it exited the turns. The sedan's diminutive engine size was apparent on highway inclines as I had to grab a lower gear to pass slower-moving trucks. I also had to downshift on residential hills with a carload of kids and the air conditioning cranking.
I was able to fit three children across the backseat, two with boosters, the one in the middle without. However, three adults would be a little tight in the back.
Overall, the Fiesta's interior was well built and comfortable. An elbow rest on the door and an arm rest atop a center storage compartment were well positioned, better than many high-end luxury cars. Controls on the center console were within easy reach. The Fiesta's trunk space was outstanding for a subcompact sedan — it swallowed up several beach chairs, kid's bags, coolers, toys and was still hungry for more on a day trip to the beach. Squeezing the sedan into tight city parking spots was a breeze, although a rear-view camera would have been helpful.
Overall, I was pleased with the Fiesta's fuel economy and adequate power. The manual transmission and I-3 engine combination provided just enough power for highway and around-town driving. I'm sure I could get away with the clutch and stick if I was only commuting on the highway, but stop-and-go city driving makes it a tough choice. The 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage is also worth a look as it has an inline-three and is available with an automatic transmission.
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