2005 Ford Fiesta Supercharger 1.0

Summary:

Great engine, looks and handling... brakes don't match its performance

Faults:

At 500 kilometers the brakes felt too long when pressing the pedal, I went to the dealer and they adjusted the rear drum brakes. It felt better for like 100 kilometers before it felt long again. Now I got used to long braking and not riding too close to the car in front. Features like ABS brakes are not available for this model in Colombia so I guess this is the reason for the poor breaking.

The remote stopped working at 8000 kilometers. I took it to the dealer and they adjusted a pin in the ECU (Electronic Control Unit), I would have preferred a new ECU, but the dealer assured that if the problem repeated, even out of warranty, they would replace it, so far no more problems with the remote.

At 10000 kilometers the battery died. I was on a road trip and everything seemed well, parked the car, and when I tried to start it the next day it would not. The dealer replaced the battery even though the battery warranty period had expired.

General Comments:

The engine is a Supercharged 1.0 liter which outputs 95 HP @ 6000 RPM. I live in Bogota which is about 2600 meters above sea level and there is no power loss at all. Versus similar cars in its category, like the Renault Clio, my car always kicks off a stop light first.

The gear box ratios are very short, excellent for our mountain like geography, but not too good on fuel economy. I can go as fast as a 2.0 liter car when going up hill, but the final speed is not too high. Anyhow I am not as crazy as to usually ride at 160 kilometers per hour. The car could go faster if it wasn't for the gear ratios.

Best cornering that I have experienced. The car is very obedient, and this is very important in our curly and narrow roads. The shift knob is somewhat hard, and shifting is not as exact and soft as my previous Mazda.

The seats are somewhat hard, but you get used to it. If you are driving for long, stop a least every two hours to stretch out.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 22nd December, 2006

28th Jun 2007, 11:56

Sadly, my experience with the car is not as happy as yours, I've lost a hose, and that caused that the thermostat base brokes. That part comes in metal in most cars, but in this car is plastic. That cost me lot of money and that makes me sad.