22nd Feb 2011, 09:19

Let me start off by saying that I'm not this "Echo/Yaris" guy you keep talking about, but I have done some research of my own. The Toyota Echo was actually the replacement for the discontinued Toyota Tercel, which was produced from 1978 to 2000 (when it was replaced by the Echo.) Seems to me that the Tercel/Echo/Yaris line is the REAL Grandfather of economy cars, considering they've been in production for the last 33 years.

22nd Feb 2011, 15:25

The Civic has been around since 1972, so it has them all beat!

22nd Feb 2011, 17:42

I'm the Echo/Yaris guy, and I'm glad to see someone said this before me. It's exactly right. Toyota Vitz (Japan) has also been around for quite a while. It's what they call the Yaris in Japan. My exact point is that I would prefer a proven car in North America, which the Yaris is. The Fiesta is not yet. That was my whole point from the beginning.

I'm not into personal attacks, because that's not what this site is for, but it kind of throws me when someone says I must a own a or test drive a car before I can know about it, or comment on it. If people want to buy the Fiesta, go ahead. I think it is wise to wait a couple of years for any new model that's coming to your country. But it's a free country. That's the last post the Echo/Yaris guy will make on this subject.

22nd Feb 2011, 20:44

I'm picking up a 2011 Fiesta next week to take a friend out to lunch in. He is looking for something more reliable than his current two-year-old Corolla, and is interested in the Fiesta because Ford has now become a lot more reliable than Toyota and Honda. The local Ford dealer lets me take their cars out for as long as I want, so I plan to keep it all afternoon and give it a good test. They are certainly great looking cars, and our Fords have been more reliable than any of our imports.

23rd Feb 2011, 22:37

I have been considering the Fiesta as a car to buy in the future, and I have looked through all reviews by firsthand owners in U.S. I have also read on magazine articles and watched the 5th Gear review on the European model. The issue with the automatic transmission is what seems to be the biggest disappointment from American owners. When the new Fiesta was released in Europe during 2008, it was assembled with a four speed automatic transmission. But when it came to U.S., the Ford engineers decided to play scientists and replaced the 4 speed with a 6 speed auto transmission. They claimed it can save more gas mileage, but apparently it is giving owners and the dealerships headaches that hurt the image of the Fiesta. Hopefully, they can fix the bugs and nothing else goes wrong with the Fiesta in the next 3 years. Good luck to those who own one now.

24th Feb 2011, 14:14

"Hopefully, they can fix the bugs and nothing else goes wrong with the Fiesta in the next 3 years"

This is why I never recommend the first year model of ANY car, regardless of manufacturer. Just look at the disaster that the redesigned 2007 Camry was. It proved so bad that Consumer Reports pulled its "recommended" rating the next year and apologized to its readers. The Fiesta is NOT identical to the European model, so there will be the inevitable 1st-year bugs. Of course, unlike Japanese car makers, Ford immediately takes care of problems rather than being forced to by the U.S. government. The 2012 model will be as perfect as the Fusion.

25th Feb 2011, 14:38

"The Civic has been around since 1972, so it has them all beat!"

Honda has a very good track record for making small cars. Ford's record for small cars is lousy. They gave us the Pinto (exploding gas tank), the Aspire -- Aspire to buy a Honda or Toyota is more like it -- and the Focus that set a record for recalls for six years of production.

25th Feb 2011, 17:03

Ford is a corporation. They care about profit, just like Toyota. As if they've never done anything wrong, and fix everything right away. It took them almost thirty years to improve their lineup to where people might actually consider their products again. That doesn't sound immediate to me.

They set a record for recalls during SIX years of production with their Focus. That was before Toyota screwed up, so they set the bar high. They solved many of their problems by outsourcing the perfect Fusion, based on a Mazda platform, to Mexico.

They are leaders in outsourcing production. They were very close to begging the Government to bail them out, just like GM and Chrysler. The Fusion may be a decent car, but no car is perfect.

26th Feb 2011, 17:09

"Ford immediately takes care of problems"

Then how do you explain the thousands of issues involving front subframes rotting out and breaking while the vehicle is in motion on the Ford Windstar. This site alone is flooded with comments on this very problem, and Ford is denying every one of them.

28th Feb 2011, 00:10

Toyota just recalled ANOTHER 2.2 MILLION cars... it just keeps on boggling the mind that anyone will still buy one of these cars.

28th Feb 2011, 14:03

I guess they should be commended for taking care of this problem 'immediately' with no government intervention, just like perfect Ford. After all, Ford can do no wrong, and has never done anything wrong. That's why they lost market share, and billions to Toyota and Honda for 25 years, just like GM and Chrysler.

28th Feb 2011, 14:28

"it just keeps on boggling the mind that anyone will still buy one of these cars."

David Shepardson / Detroit News Washington Bureau

Washington— Toyota Motor Corp. led all automakers with three top picks from Consumer Reports, rebounding from last year's sudden acceleration woes that cost it recommendations.

The above headline or article may unboggle a few minds as to why many still may consider buying a Toyota.

1st Mar 2011, 08:48

Consumer Reports just released the top picks of 2011. Three Toyotas are on the list, RAV 4, Prius (of course) and the Sienna. The only domestics that made the list are the Ford Mustang, which is awesome, and the Chevy Avalanche pickup, which has very little competition in it's actual class. The rest, once again, were imports.

Toyota still seems to be ranking high despite the recalls they have endured. Can you imagine just how far ahead they'd be if they hadn't had these recalls? I am confident they'll move past them like all the other major manufacturers, who have also had major recalls over the years, and they will easily be on top once again, and a better company for it.

Oh, and my RAV 4 is supposedly on the floor mat recall, but it has at least 2 to 3 inches of clearance between the edges of the mat and the gas pedal. Maybe it was the earlier 2010's that had this problem? There is absolutely nothing in the way of the pedal though on mine, and since it is attached to the floor via hooks, I don't see it shifting anytime soon.

2nd Mar 2011, 05:38

Why are all of you talking about Toyota and other foreign cars, when this review is about a 2011 Ford Fiesta??? None of the foreign brands are any better than GM or Ford!!!