Ford’s new-look Fiesta introduces two significant innovations to South Africa, namely MyKey technology, as well as the US car maker’s 1 l EcoBoost engine. This powerful little three-cylinder engine with its 125 patents has received the Popular Mechanics 2012 Breakthrough Award and also the Engine Technology International magazine’s 2012 International Engine of the Year award.

The EcoBoost engine is housed behind the Fiesta’s new, large trapezoidal front grille. Ford rates the petrol engine as emitting carbon dioxide (CO₂) at 99 g/km, and sipping 4.3 l of petrol per 100 km on a combined cycle (city and highway) route.

While Engineering News could not reach this fuel consumption during a test drive, the powertrain did eagerly offer up all of the 170 Nm of torque on offer. In fact, the EcoBoost engine is such a willing little workhorse that you perhaps flog it a little bit harder than what your inner accountant would deem frugal.

Ford of Europe gasoline engine calibration manager Andrew Fraser says developing the EcoBoost engine was all about ensuring small engines, using less fuel and providing much improved performance.

With a top speed of 196 km/h, and the maximum torque available at 1 400 rpm to 4 500 rpm, he describes the Fiesta EcoBoost model as “a very, very rapid little car”. (At this top speed it outperforms the new Fiesta’s 1.6 l diesel engine peaking at 181 km/h.)

Fraser also sheds a bit of light on the test cycle the engine faced when calculating the fuel consumption numbers. He says all European manufacturers use the same test cycle, with the car running for 20 minutes, or 11 km, at an average speed of 33 km/h, using no air-conditioning.

Fraser says the fuel consumption figure is not a “real world number” but more a comparative number to be used by buyers when evaluating cars across brands.

Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) also then warns that actual fuel consumption and CO₂ emission numbers will depend on many factors, including driving habits, prevailing conditions and the vehicle’s equipment, condition and use.

Ford’s MyKey, another new feature on the Fiesta, enables parents to control their children’s behaviour at the wheel, by encouraging safer driving.

MyKey works by recognising different keys for the same car and then adjusting the vehicle settings according to the owner’s requirements for each key.

The system, for example, allows owners to configure maximum speed and audio volume limits for a specific key. It also mutes audio until seat belts are fastened and ensures driver aids and safety systems cannot be deactivated when used.

FMCSA brand manager Tracey Delate says the idea for MyKey originated from a Ford engineer in North America, who was teaching his daughter to drive.

The new Fiesta also sees the introduction of Ford’s SYNC system, recently introduced on the Focus range. This system, among other features, allows for the voice control of digital media players and Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones. It can, for example, play a certain song when the driver verbally requests it. The SYNC system can also read text messages on certain phones.

Delate says the new Fiesta is aimed at tech-savvy, fashion-conscious people in their twenties and thirties.

FMCSA marketing, sales and service VP Dean Stoneley says Ford hopes to sell around 500 Fiestas a month.

Pricing for the new Fiesta range starts at R164 400 for the 1.4 l Ambiente model, with the least expensive Fiesta offering the EcoBoost engine priced at R211 200.

Fraser says the cost difference is owing to the amount of technology involved in developing and manufacturing the EcoBoost engine.

The Fiesta is available with a 4-year/120 000 km warranty and 4-year/60 000 km service plan. Service intervals are staggered at 20 000 km intervals for the petrol models (EcoBoost included) and 15 000 km for the diesel models.