Diesel Ford Fiesta Gets 63 MPG

When the all-new Ford Fiesta comes to the United States in 2010, it most likely won’t come with a diesel engine at all. That’s too bad, because today Ford announced the UK version of the Fiesta with a 1.6-liter turbodiesel engine that will get a combined 63 mpg (converted from 76.3 imperial mpg) in both two- and four-door hatchback versions.

Ford is calling the diesel Fiesta the cleanest car in England, producing just 98 grams of CO2 per kilometer driven. One figure we’ve seen says the average in Europe is 160 grams of CO2 per kilometer driven, with a voluntary industry standard of 140 grams per kilometer set for 2008, which doesn’t seem to have been met. Obviously, the bigger the vehicle the more emissions it will have.

We wrote about the possible gasoline engine intended for the U.S. Fiesta getting 38.9 mpg. Today’s figures make that number seem paltry in comparison.

More Fiesta News (KickingTires)

Comments

[Mart]

Great mileage but those are some NASTY plastic wheel trims ruining the look of that poor Fiesta!

[DonB]

I guess my question is this: Why wouldn't they bring this car to the US? It's a new, high-quality small car that gets great mileage. This sounds like just what Ford (and GM, for that matter) need! So why keep the good small cars out of the US, as they have for many years??

[Happymantis]

Agreed, those plastic rims are atrocious!

[ziggy]

I wonder if not getting this in the U.S has anything to do with Ford's plan to make the Mercury brand into a small car/economy brand. Just read where they're plan is to produce 6 new small car/ high mpg vehicles and make them under the Merc name using current Ero models. I could see this as being one of them.

[Dave T.]

This will be a ford. We've covered it extensively. Ford will announce plans on Thursday as to future products for other brands. I wouldn't speculate too much on Mercury until then.

[Dave T.]

to clarify, the non-deisel will be a U.S. Ford.

[ziggy]

I could see them making U.S. versions of the Ka or the C-Max and possibly hybrid versions of the fiesta and focus and giving them the mercury nameplate.

[Dave T.]

They could also decide to kill it entirely now that the Lincoln/Mercury dealers are all consolidated...we'll have to wait and see.

[ziggy]

Rumor is that Mercury will be the "saturn" brand for Ford. Know more on Thursday.

[Dave T.]

Yeah, that rumor has been so far removed from the actual story that broke the news of ford bringing euro models to the U.S. it's not even funny. Hence, why we wait for facts ;)

[Red]

Great MPG. Probably real slow, and that's why they won't bring it here. What a shame.

[Ben]

Are you surprised Ford is not bringing the diesel Fiesta to the US? Not me! Whatever makes business sense will be available in other countries only. Meanwhile back in the USA, Ford, GM, and Chrysler are trying to dictate to us that we need gas guzzlers. That's why they are in trouble.

[Red]

Sorry I misunderstood. I didn't relize it was going to be a diesel. It would actually be a great car to have here in the states. I said it would be slow but I think I was wrong. Maybe i'm slow or just stupid.

[Red]

If you're going to use my name, at least learn to spell.

Hey Red, you should take your own advice. There are four spelling / grammar errors in your post. So there.

[Capeplates]

Diesel is dead in the UK. Twelve months ago petrol cost 80p (40 cents) a gallon. Diesel was cheaper. July 2008 petrol costs £5.22 ($10.45) a gallon - diesel costs £5.90 ($11.90) a gallon. People are getting rid of siesel vehicles not buying them. Bad timing Ford

[Mart]

Erm, Capeplates, I don't think you could have been more wrong, both in terms of historical gas prices in the UK and also the popularity of Diesel. There is a reason that most new car launches in the UK have more diesel options than gas, and there is also no deception in the fact that well over 50% of new vehicle sales there are Diesel vehicles.

Weirdly, i don't think the difference in price between gas and diesel is as big there as it is here, in terms of percentage.

[johnnyt]

agreed. as an american living in london, i observe that most people who can afford the moderately higher up-front cost of a diesel do so. i am told by the 'locals' that they last longer and get much better milage, which makes paying more for them a little easier to justify.
and for the record, petrol was never 80p a gallon here, it was around 85p a LITER (4.54 liters in a gallon, and roughly 2 to 1 currency exchange equals closer to 7 dollars per gallon).

[cody]

yeah, the diesel argument is actually easier to win in england than it is in the states. there it only cost 10% more than gas, but the owners will typically see 40ish% better fuel economy.

[Mark Pilbeam]

If you like me want to express your discontent with the CEO of Ford Motor Mr. Allan Mulally, you can email him at amulally@ford.com

Dear Mr. Mulally:

I recently found out about Ford’s announcement of the “new” Ford Fiesta Diesel and the fact that Ford is not going to be offering this product in the US.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/07/ford-econetic-fiesta-diesel-63mpg.php

My comments to you Mr. Mulally is you have got to be kidding that you are not offering this product in the US.

You are struggling to make Ford Motor Company into a profitable business as it once was.

You company is getting kicked around by the Japanese automakers.

The oil companies have killed your profitable SUV and Truck sales here in the US, which is mainly why Ford is in the shape that it’s in. This business is not coming back as long as fuel is near $.4.00 per gallon. Unless you can get the mileage in the high 20’s to 30 mpg we aren’t buying these vehicles again.

Other than the Focus, which is getting half of the mileage as this new car can you have nothing to offer us Americans that can cut our fuel bills.

Now you have a chance to offer the American public something that in my mind would be as huge as when Ford introduced the model T and for some unknown reason you don’t want to offer it in the US?

For a CEO that doesn’t want to take and introduce this to the US. Your company must be looking out for the oil companies if you don’t introduce this product. These are the same people that from what I can see can care less if Ford lives or dies. They haven’t looked out for your company as they been the major reason that we aren’t buying your profitable products any longer. Why protect them by not introducing this product, they are not looking out for you?

I am going to tell you one thing, we American’s will be very upset with The Ford Motor Company if you don’t introduce this car to the US. You have a chance to be #1 in the US and if you don’t take this opportunity, when I need a new car it will be Japanese and not Ford. I am loyal to the US car makers, but if you are not going to look out for us then my loyalty will stop and I and many other Americans will be changing our views and we won’t care if The Ford Motor Company is in business or not.

RETHINK YOUR DECISION. It may be the best or worst decision that you make as a CEO of The Ford Motor Company.

I and many Americans are waiting to see what you plan to do. I can assure you that we will tell all of our friends and family via email of your decision. When we look for a new car we can either look out for your company or decide that our loyalty is gone as your company obviously can care less about us. We need this product in the US, which is a much larger market than Europe is. I urge you to reconsider this decision.

Thank You,

Your name

[mph302]

Diesel faces several hurdles in the US. Purchase price of vehicles so equipped is higher, routine maintenance costs are higher (more oil, more expensive filters, more frequent oil and fuel filter changes, cold weather fuel additives, etc), fuel cost is higher, fuel is less readily available, fuel is messier. Add public perception of noise, odor, and poor acceleration, coupled with US emission standards few Euro-diesels can currently meet, and you have a vehicle that sounds great on paper that few people will actually buy. Keep in mind that "your mileage may vary" when you read that 63 mpg rating - it's the steady-state European test rating. US EPA test results are typically 30% lower (or more) IF the vehicle can even pass the US emissions test. If it were offered here I'd definitely give it a look, but I'm one of the few in the US buying demographic who prefers a subcompact car with little equipment. As far as the automakers forcing products upon us that we don't want (i.e. "we really want the small stuff but they don't offer it"), check out the hit you take on resale value if you have a manual trans or don't have A/C. They offer what sells to the masses, and the rest of us are kidding ourselves if we think a representative of the average buyer.

[Greg]

I think Honda has the worst record of getting rid of their high mpg cars here in the states although the civic can get 43 mpg if you know what to do to it. Honda stopped making the highest mpg cars made
" insite" the HX and the VX.