Please don't screw this one up!

I'm getting the chance over this holiday Wednesday (sounds weird to say that) to reacquaint myself with the Ford Fiesta, a car I liked a lot during the European preview last year.

Sharp-eyed viewers can see the Ontario dealers' plate on the back - this is a European Fiesta that Ford of Canada has brought in for evaluation purposes, and they loaned it to me for a few days.

Fiesta is not destined for Canadian Ford showrooms until the 2011 model year, but it cannot come too quickly as far as I'm concerned.

It is simply a terrific little car.

Ford has an excellent reputation for vehicle dynamics - in Europe, if not necessarily here.

This reputation was made by cars like this Fiesta.

It rides beautifully - smooth, supple, neither floaty nor harsh.

The steering is light yet ultra-precise, and it handles like a champ.

Even with a small-by-our-standards 1.6 litre four cylinder engine, performance is acceptably brisk, thanks in part to a crisp-shifting five-speed manual gearbox.

How can Ford miss with this little gem?

Well, those of us old enough to remember Ford's previous attempts to bring in their European product are worried. My brother had a 1948 British-built Ford Prefect, fer cryin' out loud. My cousin had an also-British 1955 Consul. When I was a summer student in Noranda Quebec my best bud drove us around in his Mom's cool-if-also-British Zephyr convertible.

Then there was the original Fiesta. It was replaced by the first Escort. The Concrete/Mistake (sorry: Contour/Mystique). The Merkur XR4Ti. The Scorpio. And the current Focus which, once they got around to building it properly, was a pretty good little car until they mushed it up for the most recent version.

All of these were terrific in Europe.

None of them was worth the powder to blow them to hell when they brought them over here.

So I just hope they don't screw up the Fiesta too.

The two most likely sources of screw-up are the suspension (PLEASE don't make it all fat-assed North American mushy on us) and interior trim quality (the whole theme of the European car is that it looks, feels and is equipped like several classes more expensive than it is; I just hope Ford can find American, Canadian and/or Mexican suppliers - our Fiestas will be assembled in Mexico - who can match the level of quality in this test car I have here.)

Not that I wouldn't welcome a few changes. The centre stack on the European car (shown here) is unnecessarily complicated and unintuitive to use. The right-side steering column stalk for wipers is also non-conventional - pulling the lever towards the wheel in most cars activates the windshield washers; in the Fiesta it switches on the rear wiper.

But these are minor issues.

Again Ford, please - DON'T SCREW THIS ONE UP.

Comments

[John Frewen-Lord]

Hi Jim:

Here in the UK, we have the previous model Fiesta, and test drove a new one. As you say, lovely car, although expensive, compared with some Korean rivals. Let's hope that all the things you say in its migration west are taken on board by Ford (and that includes keeping the amber rear turn signals...)

[Dave]

We had the pleasure of renting a Ford Focus in Great Britain a few years back. Wow! What a great car. ZX5 style, with tight suspension, a simple but very accommodating interior and a 1.6L turbo diesel engine. The car was fast, turned in something like +40 mpg and was good looking to boot. Something Europeans seem to demand as well is front seats that have a greater range of adjustment than we get here in North America. I could not put the seat to the furthest rearmost setting, it was too far for my 6'4" legs to reach the peddles. If they sold that car in Canada, now, I'd buy it!

[Robert]

"fat-assed North American mushy". I like that...not the mushy part, the description!

[Scott]

Ford is the one Detroit automaker who now gets it. They have heard people asking for the European versions of their cars for years now so like you I hope they don't screw it up. I have driven Fords for years but ended up buying a Civic last year because you couldn't get Ford's best cars (European models) here in Canada.

[Scott]

Check out Top Gear's review:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_KIqdS1SO0

It's good for a laugh.

[Brent Morton]

Agreed. I'm excited about this car, and I've never owned a domestic-branded vehicle. But to get my money it needs to not be turned into just another Americanized Ford.

Here's one way we'll know that Ford has decided to maintain the Fiesta's European flair: if they keep the orange rear turn signals and don't replace them with red ones for our market. Saturn made this mistake with the Astra. Don't do it, Ford! I'd want people to know I'm driving a flashy European model, not one that's been dumbed-down for people who get confused by orange flashing lights on the rear of a vehicle.

Jim, have you seen Jeremy Clarkson's review of the Fiesta from Top Gear, including the assault on the beach? Priceless.

[Jim Kenzie]

Hi Scott:

I just wonder how Top Gear gets away with it?

I mean, what shopping centre in Canada would let you do that? And who pays for the damage to the Corvette?

No wonder the British PR types quake when Jeremy comes a-calling.

But you're right - it IS hilarious.

Jim Kenzie

[Brian]

I've spent too much time watching TV with the kids, but is it just me or does that centre stack look like a Transformers logo? That or something from Lilo and Stitch (the air vents are the ears).

[Jim]

Hi Brian:

It might be too that the kids designing cars these days grew up with those same toys and TV programs. Somebody better remind them who are the only people with enough money to buy cars these days...

Jim

[Ryan Kershaw]

Jim,

My girlfriend fell in love with the Mazda 2, but was disappointed to find out that they are not bringing that here. Since the Fiesta, is basically the same car I figured she would go for it, but she has a thing against Fords (yes, I tried explaining that the Euro-Spec ones are completely different). Any words of advice that you can give me to swing the argument? I figure its the perfect car for her.

Thanks,

Ryan

[Jim]

Hello Ryan:

Almost all Fords smaller than the Crown Vic are either Volvos or Mazdas underneath.

The Freestyle/500/Taurus/Taurus X are all based on a Volvo platform. The Fusion has previous-generation Mazda6 underpinnings, and even our Focus is closely-related to the brilliant previous-generation Mazda3.

All of these are pretty decent cars to drive. OK, except the latest version of our Focus which as I noted has been mushed up. But the original was excellent once they figured out how to build it properly.

We will have to wait for the Mexican-built Fiesta next year to know for sure how it runs, but at least it has excellent DNA.

And knowing the top development people at Ford these days, I am reasonably confident they'll do a good job.

But this might all be a moot point. According to a report filed from last April's New York Auto Show in the little newspaper down the street, Mazda Canada is in fact considering bringing the Mazda2 into Canada some time next year.

Last I spoke to the folks at Mazda Canada about this, that decision had not been formally made and/or announced.

Either way, we'll have to wait and see. Hope she's not in a huge hurry for new wheels.

Jim Kenzie