2015 Ford Fiesta Review, Ratings, Specs, Prices, and Photos (2024)

John Voelcker

June 23, 2015

Likes

• Crisp, nicely proportioned exterior
• Excellent steering
• Strong feature set
• ST model is big fun
• Interior design

Dislikes

• Not the most spacious
• Balky PowerShift transmission
• Base audio controls

Buying tip

Those looking to enjoy themselves in a Fiesta will want to check out the new three-cylinder EcoBoost model in addition to the hot-hatch ST.

features & specs

After five model years, the Ford Fiesta is now an accepted part of the small-car landscape. The 2015 model's expressive, sporty looks and enjoyable driving character set it apart from more prosaic subcompacts. However, buyers who regularly carry four adults may not find the Fiesta their roomiest alternative. But the Fiesta proves that small, relatively inexpensive cars are no longer the stereotypically grim, soulless, appliance-like boxes of the 1990s.

Changes for 2015 are limited after a far more comprehensive refresh for the 2014 model year. This time, there's a new eight-spoke wheel with all-season tires available for SE models. The seat fabric has been revised. And all Fiestas, including the ST model, get a new Magnetic Metallic paint option to replace Storm Gray Metallic. Last year's changes included upgraded looks, with a grille that not only brought the Fiesta's nose into line with Ford's latest styling idiom but cleaned it up and adds a dash of elegant Eurostyle to the small car.

The Fiesta lineup also added two new versions last year: a more frugal SFE version with Ford's first three-cylinder engine, a tiny turbocharged 1.0-liter unit paired with a manual gearbox, and the hot-hatch Fiesta ST, which is not only quite a looker but by far the fastest Fiesta version. Other updates included a less cluttered dashboard design, better interior materials, and the optional MyFordTouch infotainment system on top of its existing Sync.

The high-performance Fiesta ST's1.6-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder puts out 197 horsepower and 214 lb-ft in overboost mode. It's mated only to a six-speed manual gearbox and, with upgrades to braking, suspension, steering, and even tires (summer performance rubber is standard), it's a hoot to drive and hits all the right hot-hatch buttons.

More buyers, however, will choose the base 120-hp, 1.6-liter four, which continues unchanged. At 2,600 pounds, the base car is quick enough, especially if you get the manual transmission and keep the revs up. We're not big fans of the PowerShift automatic transmission, which is a dual-clutch gearbox doing a bad impression of a lazy torque converter-equipped automatic. Shift tuning could and should be much more crisp with this transmission.

Late last year the existing Fiesta models were joined by an EcoBoost 1.0-liter three-cylinder model that's aimed at saving fuel while giving the base four-cylinder a run for its money in enjoyment. Keep the revs up and drive it aggressively, and you'll find this may be the most enjoyable Fiesta of all--and on a 350-mile road test, we got more than 40 mpg, higher than the car's EPA rating of 36 mpg.

With impressive steering and handling and a nimble, maneuverable feel that's better than most softened, numbed appliances its size, the Fiesta is securely on the fun-to-drive side of the ledger in any form.

The new grille did a lot to freshen the look of all Fiestas, especially the hatchback versions. Five-door hatchbacks are the sportier and better-looking of the two body styles, but there's a four-door sedan in the lineup for those who prefer a conventional trunk. The five-door looks stylish and even a bit racy, especially in ST form. Those who want the ST's performance will have to go five-door, as there's no ST sedan offered.

With the latest interior upgrades, the Fiesta makes a great first impression. It has well-coordinated colors and textures, with a more-expensive-than-it-is look. Nothing's perfect, of course, and the base front seats tend to be a little flat and unsupportive, the back seats don't fold fully flat for hauling cargo, and the suspension can hop on rough surfaces. A coarse-sounding engine can detract from base models, yet the ST model's Sound Symposer (a tube that pipes intake noise into the cabin for a sportier tone) helps create the mood when you're really on it. The driving position is great no matter what the model, and with the available Recaros in the ST, there's enough support for demanding mountain roads or all-day cruising comfort.

The entry-level Fiesta S model is quite basic despite its spiced-up look; manual-winding windows and steel wheels with hubcaps betray some cost-cutting--although air conditioning is at least included. Fiesta SE models add a lot more popular equipment, like a perimeter alarm system, an upgraded cloth interior, and ambient lighting, while the Titanium model includes upgraded Sony audio and a rearview camera system.

Standard on the Titanium and available on the Fiesta SE and ST is MyFord Touch, Ford's advanced system for controlling audio, connectivity, and navigation functions via a touch screen system, as well as voice commands. Although not everyone will love the system, it cleans up the look and raises the ambiance while adding the features most smartphone users expect.

2015 Ford Fiesta

Styling

Inexpensive cars don't need to look bland, something Ford has demonstrated with the latest Fiesta. From the out-of-the-ordinary color options to the taut, spunky looks, the Fiesta is one of the more extroverted small cars available.

With the arched roofline, crisp profile, and wedge-like side view (and the way the rear pillar nips and tucks), there's a lot to like about the Fiesta's proportions. The headlights sweep well back into the fenders, and the wide-mouthed Ford grille, with lower bodywork, helps give it a somewhat more macho look from the front. High-mounted taillights rise into the rear pillars, in a position that's both functional and stylish.

The Fiesta four-door sedan is, to our eyes, a work in progress. The grille revision in 2014 seems to have given the sedan some much-needed gravitas, but the proportions just don't come together in the same way, and the longer body combined with the rather short passenger greenhouse make the car look tall and narrow from either end.

Fiesta ST hatchbacks really make the most of the look, adding a more aggressive air dam and black-honeycomb-mesh grille, along with a cross-patterned rear diffuser and twin chromed exhaust tips. Their lowered stance and chunky wheels add to the visual drama.

Inside, the Fiesta is one of the sharper entries in this class. For 2014, Ford added a soft-touch upper dash across the Fiesta lineup, along with improved dash and door trim, as well as improved seat fabrics and a new steering wheel design. But the most noteworthy 2014 update is front and center in the dash, where Titanium models get the MyFord Touch interface (it's also optional on SE and ST models).

The MyFord Touch system isn't universally appealing, but it declutters the look versus the much-maligned base setup, which uses slanted buttons that are difficult to decipher and use at a glance.

2015 Ford Fiesta

Performance

The 2015 Ford Fiesta offers three different engines, each with its own character and set of goals.

Most models are equipped with a 120-hp, 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. It comes standard with a five-speed manual, while a six-speed PowerShift automatic is available. The manual is fine, and good for keeping the engine in its powerband, but we haven't been as impressed with the PowerShift automatic, which contributes to excellent gas mileage but doesn't always downshift promptly--or even upshift as smoothly (in the lower gears, especially) as a typical automatic. The problem is that the PowerShift is actually a dual-clutch automatic doing a poor impression of a conventional torque-converter transmission, with clunky and poorly timed shifts as the result.

With the standard four-cylinder engine, if you're willing to keep the revs up, you'll be happy enough with the performance you can extract from the Fiesta. It's plenty to move the 2,600-pound car quite well. It's not quick by any gauge (we're talking about ten seconds to 60 mph), but there's a sense of responsiveness you might not expect considering it's a car that can hit 40 mpg.

The 2014 Fiesta refresh brought with it two new EcoBoost engines featuring the combination of turbocharging and direct injection. One is aimed at saving fuel, while the other is performance-oriented.

The 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder engine, available in manual-equipped Fiesta SFE models, makes 123 horsepower. That's more power than the base four, and it uses less fuel to boot. The little turbo three has a distinctive engine note that sets it apart from the indistinguishable sounds of all the four-cylinder subcompacts on the market.

The engine sounds slightly irregular, though not disturbingly so. As it spools up, a kind of thrumming sound arises as the engine speed rises. You have to drive it energetically, and shift a lot, to keep up with the fastest traffic. But if you demand maximum power while the engine is at low revs, a different kind of rumbling sound comes from under the hood--along with a noticeable lack of any increased forward motion. Keep the revs up and you'll be fine. In other words, drive the 1.0-liter Fiesta EcoBoost as a European would, and you'll not only keep up with traffic, you'll come to understand why small cars with small engines can be so much fun.

The other new turbo engine, in the Fiesta ST, provides a full-fledged hot hatch. The turbocharged 1.6-liter makes 197 hp--which goes a long way in something so small and light. With its 148 pound-feet of torque made at just 1,400 rpm, this little engine is bound to feel considerably stronger than the base 1.6-liter four. Like the three-cylinder, it is only offered with a manual transmission.

Much like the original Mazda Miata, the Fiesta does a great job convincing you it has more performance credentials than it really does, and good steering and suspension tuning is key to this. The electric power steering system has just the right amount of weighting and feedback, and the Fiesta feels responsive and nimble, but secure enough for highway trips. the Fiesta feels nimble around town, secure enough on the highway. This is a short car, and noticeable nosedive when stopping quickly is the only bothersome trait.

Opt for the Fiesta ST, and you won't be disappointed. This is a model with enough performance chops to excite serious enthusiasts on a budget. With the same basic layout at the other Fiesta models, plus a somewhat lowered, stiffer suspension, rear disc brakes, and a quicker steering ratio, as well as an eTVC (torque vectoring) system to help get all the engine's 214 lb-ft of torque (in overboost mode) to the road effectively (through grippy summer performance tires), the ST has the goods to challenge the likes of the MINI Cooper S and Hyundai Veloster Turbo--and possibly even win some buyers over from larger fast hatches like the VW GTI and Ford Focus ST.

2015 Ford Fiesta

Comfort & Quality

The 2015 Ford Fiesta gets only some minor changes to the cloth upholstery and otherwise carries over the updates made to the interior for the 2014 model year.

It lacks some of the practicality and versatility of its competitors (the Honda Fit is still tops there), but the interior is comfortable, nicely styled, and well-equipped. The dash now features soft-touch surfaces, while up-level models include the MyFord Touch interface, which further cleans up the look and simplifies some controls.

We appreciate Ford's effort to keep the Fiesta's interior from being at all drab; interior trims and materials have been a strong point. It's all very well-coordinated, and we appreciate the well-placed cupholders, plenty of small storage bins, and an excellent driving position.

The base front seats in the Fiesta look nicely contoured, yet they're short and flat, lacking some support--a bit like barstools--so give that some consideration if you're considering the Fiesta for a long highway commute. Headroom and legroom is tight for rear passengers, and adults over six feet tall will especially find the rear seats tight. Like many smaller cars, the Fiesta's body is quite narrow, meaning that you won't be able to fit three adults in back, and the driver and front-seat passenger will find elbows close.

There's nothing all that remarkable about the Fiesta's 60-40 split rear seatback, which doesn't fold fully flat--so it's usable in a pinch for cargo than either the segment leading (for utility) Fit or the larger Ford Focus. Five-door models offer a capacity of up to 26 cubic feet, and the sedans have an especially roomy trunk--up to 12.8 cubic feet.

If we have one complaint about, it's ride quality. The Fiesta tends to 'hop' over more jarring pavement bumps and potholes. But Ford has done a reasonably good job with sound deadening here, including a laminated windshield and a sound blanket under the hood.

High-performance Fiesta ST models get superior (although somewhat tight) Recaro seats that hug the sides yet provide taller drivers with more thigh support, and more lateral support in general for fast driving and tight corners. These optional seats may restrict rear-seat legroom somewhat. One other pretty significant difference in ST models is that you'll hear the engine a little more--in a good way--thanks to a so-called Sound Symposer that amplifies natural intake sounds and pipes them into the cabin. It's a good go-fast soundtrack, but not too fast-and-furious.

2015 Ford Fiesta

Safety

The 2015 Ford Fiesta isn't at the head of the class in terms of crash-test ratings, but it comes with plenty of safety features as well as excellent handling, which is an accident-avoidance asset in itself.

Front and side bags for driver and passenger, as well as rear side curtain bags, and a driver knee airbag are all included. And the electric power steering incorporates Pull-Drift Compensation, which keeps the Fiesta tracking properly on crowned roads or in heavy crosswinds.

In the NHTSA's testing, the Fiesta earned four out of five stars overall, including a four-star result for frontal impact. The NHTSA only gives the Fiesta sedan and hatchback two stars in the side-impact test, noting that intrusions, and the resultant dummy accelerations,it observed can lead to a higher risk of thoracic injury.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has given the Fiesta its top 'good' results in frontal, side, rear, and roof-strength tests. But in the frontal offset test it achieves just a 'marginal' rating, one step above 'poor'.