Ford Fiesta Econetic – Australia’s most fuel efficient car

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by irsa76

I tried to convince the wife to get one of these to replace her, 6 month old, Colt. I did some sums and it's not actually worth it! Ford claims 3.5L/100km, great numbers but I was able to get that out of a '97 121 Metro 1.3 10 years ago during a fuel economy challenge, our Colt gets 5-6L/100km so the price difference, nearly $8k in our case, is too great to justify the purchase.
Shame because I like the Fiesta.

That's the wrong way to look at it. People who buy this car will not be crunching numbers in the manner you described. If they did, they will find that they can buy an Alto or Charade and have very low running costs at half the price of the Fiesta.

This is a niche vehicle. If people are happy to pay double the price of a Corolla for a Prius to 'save' 2-3L/100km then people will be happy to pay a premium for this car, and the environmental label that goes with it.

[Romulus]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

I'll go on record as saying this car will sell like a dog!! Who is going to pay 25K for what looks like a base model when you can get the top of the line petrol model that looks 100% better & already has good ecomony!!

Who's going to pay $25k for one of these you ask.......the same kind of person who would pay $40k for a Toyota Prius. That's who!

Economy is the new performance benchmark.

[Joe5619]

I had no idea a Prius costs 40 big ones. I'm impressed Toyota has sold more than 1 of them.. Who in there right mind would by this car for 40K.. What a complete rip off!!

[kircher]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

I had no idea a Prius costs 40 big ones. I'm impressed Toyota has sold more than 1 of them.. Who in there right mind would by this car for 40K.. What a complete rip off!!

Especially considering a Golf diesel is a 10 times better car with only marginally worse economy. It doesn't have the green street cred that a prius has though, which is the reason most buy Prius according to one survey I saw.

I hope this Ford Fiesta sells well. I'd consider it if it was $20 000. It deserves it a lot more than Prius. Hybrids are very wasteful and expensive in construction and when that battery dies it has to be replaced, so just more waste.

[cheek]

Originally Posted by kocho

Ford would you PLEASE advertise the **** out of this car...

What he said^^!!!!!

[vztrt]

http://www.caradvice.com.au/50650/fo...onetic-review/

Ford Fiesta Econetic Review

December 12, 2009 by Alborz Fallah


It’s not often a company like Ford can come out guns blazing and declare they sell the most fuel efficient car in Australia. But they have, and they’re right.



The new Ford Fiesta Econetic is similar in concept to the Mini Cooper D, which until the Fiesta’s arrival was tied with the Toyota Prius as the most fuel efficient car in Australia.



The idea is simple, as in literally, keep it simple. Build a fuel efficient engine and couple it to a car which is both light and also capable of producing the results wanted.

To celebrate the launch of the new Ford Fiesta Econetic in Australia, Ford invited a group of journalists to Canberra to undertake a fuel economy challenge in both city and rural environments.



We drove from Canberra airport out to a rural winery, completed a series of challenges and then headed back to the airport.

In total the drive route was roughly 250km and evenly spread through Canberra CBD and highways.



To make the challenge more interesting, Ford had decided to give out prizes for the most fuel efficient team and given the competitive nature of motoring journalists, the stakes were high.

Despite the motivation to drive economically to win the challenge and prizes, there is something to be said about economy drives where competitors are going 90km/h in 110km/h zones and without air conditioning and trying their very best to not get caught by red lights or traffic. There is very little real world implications for a test like this.

In order to bring you a real world fuel economy figure, my team mate and I decided to simply drive as we would if it was our car. Air conditioning on, going the speed limit and no funny business of trying to catch the best traffic flow or trying to slipstream behind a large car.



It’s unusual to find a car which can actually match its official fuel economy figures but the Fiesta is one such car.

To cut the story short, at the end of the journey the best team managed a fuel economy of around 3.1L/100km and we were expecting low 4s, not so.



3.7L/100km was our figure, dead on the official fuel rating for the Fiesta Econetic. Subsequently it should not come as a surprise then that the Econetic won the 3000km+ Global Green Challenge from Darwin to Adelaide by using the least amount of fuel of any car in the event (averaged 2.9L/100km).

For $24,990 drive away, Ford likes to point out that it will take over 100 years to repay the extra cost of the Toyota Prius for its fuel saving in city traffic driving (mainly thanks to its electric engine).



I do have to point out that whilst the Fiesta Econetic is brilliant for what it is, it would be futile to compare it against the Prius, particularly on price given the level of sophistication and advancements showcased in Toyota’s hybrid.

Ford Australia boss Marin Burela says the Fiesta Econetic will give cars such as the Toyota Corolla a “hard time” by providing similar features with significantly better fuel economy (and arguably better looks).



The highlights read: 3.7L/100km, 98 grams per km of CO2 emissions and 5-star ANCAP safety rating, the second car in Australia that puts out less than 100 grams per km of CO2 emissions (the other being the Prius of course).

The Fiesta Econetic is only available as a five-speed manual which may limit its uptake, however given the level of enthusiasm expressed so far it may not be an issue.



During our three hour drive it became obvious that the Econetic hasn’t sacrificed the fun factor to save fuel, sure it has manual wind-up windows for the rear and small steel rims to get around in, but afterall it’s a Fiesta, which is one of the best light cars on the market today.

Under the bonnet you’ll find a 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi engine which puts out only 66kW at 4000 rpm but an impressive 200Nm of torque all the way from 1750 rpm. Weighing just 1088kg (kerb weight) the engine figures result in impressive pulling power for a car its size.



In order to achieve the impressive fuel economy the Fiesta makes use of low resistance tyres (tyre size: 175/65 R14), uniquely tuned transmission, lowered suspension for better aerodynamics, low friction oils and weight reduction everywhere possible.



Although somewhat unknown currently, the Econetic brand will no doubt become more popular as Ford looks into Focus and Mondeo Econetic variants for our market.

Similar to the BMW 120d efficient dynamics and the Mini Cooper D, the Fiesta Econetic makes use of upshift lights in the dashboard to inform the driver of the best time to change gears to save fuel.



Using the upshift light might seem a little peculiar as most of us just change gears when it ‘feels’ right, but when used it does make that extra bit of difference and considering the excellent pulling power of the little diesel engine, you can comfortably cruise along in fourth gear at 60km/h.

The Fiesta Econetic will ultimately appeal to a whole range of buyers, from those looking at a first car with economy in mind to the more mature folks that need nothing more than a light car but have fuel efficiency and emissions in mind.



Regardless of what you may think of the growing list of green cars hitting the market, the Fiesta is currently the king of fuel efficiency and it seems like a title Ford may hold for some time.

If you are after a light car, you can argue whether or not the extra cost of the Fiesta Econetic is worth it over the base model Fiesta (which starts under $20,000) but remember the base model uses 6.1L/100km (or 6.9L/100k for the automatic coupled to the 1.4L engine) and emits 143 and 164 CO2 emissions (g/km) respectively.



It’s all well and good for all of us to sit here and say that the politicians are not doing their best to combat climate change or minimise the impact of pollution but a car like the Fiesta Econetic can be your contribution in reducing your carbon footprint.

Whilst the Prius may be out of your price league, the Fiesta Econetic is a car that should be considered for anyone looking in the light car market, not just for its fuel economy and low emissions but also because it’s arguably the best light car on the market today.

CarAdvice will soon spend a whole week with the Econetic and bring you a complete road test.

[chevypower]

interesting pin-stripe seats

[Falc'man]

Holden, take note!

In order to bring you a real world fuel economy figure, my team mate and I decided to simply drive as we would if it was our car. Air conditioning on, going the speed limit and no funny business of trying to catch the best traffic flow or trying to slipstream behind a large car.

It’s unusual to find a car which can actually match its official fuel economy figures but the Fiesta is one such car.

To cut the story short, at the end of the journey the best team managed a fuel economy of around 3.1L/100km and we were expecting low 4s, not so.

3.7L/100km was our figure, dead on the official fuel rating for the Fiesta Econetic. Subsequently it should not come as a surprise then that the Econetic won the 3000km+ Global Green Challenge from Darwin to Adelaide by using the least amount of fuel of any car in the event (averaged 2.9L/100km).

Originally Posted by chevypower

interesting pin-stripe seats

I'd say "worrying" is more appropriate.

[The Monty]

I still think its Cool. When it come to buy a car in the new year, Im going to have a hard choice between this, the XR5t 2nd hand or a BF MKII XR6t.

[Franco Cozzo]

Same interior as my CL, IMO they should chuck in all the Zetec goodies for the price you pay for this thing.

Except mine is Morello

[snappy]

Originally Posted by chevypower

interesting pin-stripe seats

Its to match the customers poncho's

[vztrt]

http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-new...1214-kqx2.html

We drive a hybrid beater
MATT CAMPBELL.
December 14, 2009 - 9:56AM

Drive gets behind the wheel of the most fuel efficient car in Australia. By MATT CAMPBELL.

The hype surrounding the Fiesta Econetic has been unsurprising.

Any car that claims to have better consumption - not to mention, a much smaller price tag - than a hybrid deserves some attention. And the 1.6-litre turbo-diesel Fiesta has succeeded in its mission.

The Fiesta Econetic's goal is to be frugal and affordable. At $24990 driveaway, it is a lot cheaper than its low-consumption competitors - the Toyota Prius ($39,900 plus on-road costs) and the Mini Cooper D ($33,750 plus on-roads).

It's also officially better on fuel than both of those cars. How does it do it?

Low-rolling resistance tyres help the car move along the road smoothly, as do aerodynamic aids including air-deflecting hubcaps and smoother lines on the bumper-bars.

These features, combined with a lower ride height and an incredibly economical common-rail diesel mill matched to a five-speed manual gearbox with taller ratios, have allowed the Fiesta Econetic to claim an average fuel consumption of just 3.7L/100km - less than the much-applauded Toyota Prius (3.9L/100km).

The good news? On Drive's first time behind the wheel of the Econetic, it proved to be even better on fuel than its claim.

Though we weren't able to replicate the sub-3.0L figure achieved on the recent Green Car Challenge, the figure we achieved on our 200km (approx) drive was still very impressive.

The numbers? 3.1L/100km. It has to be said, though, that this figure wouldn't be possible unless you drove the car with low fuel consumption as your key intention.

So don't expect to sit in air-conditioned comfort. Nor should you hope to drive the car above 100km/h (unless you're in neutral on a decent hill).

Our drive of the Fiesta Econetic saw us take in the scenery surrounding Canberra, with no shortage of hills, small towns with 50km/h zones, and even a few roadworks stops along the way.

Turning the engine on in the Econetic is just like any other Fiesta, and the quietness of the engine is surprising, both at idle and at speed. With the windows up, and the stereo off, you can only hear a faint hum coming from the motor, and happily, there is little of the notorious diesel rattle from the Econetic.

Inside, the car feels the same as the other Fiestas. It drives well, has good presence on the road, and could even comfortably carry five - preferably small - passengers. Our drive took in a wide mix of bumpy tracks and windy roads and the Fiesta felt composed on all of them.

The turbo-diesel engine also offers plenty of poke for its size. Despite offering a rather slight 66kW of power, it boasts a healthy 200Nm of torque. This pulling power allows you to let the engine do the work, particularly when driving up hills, and means you have to change gears less often.

On the subject of changing gears, the Fiesta Econetic offers a helping hand to those attempting to beat the official fuel use figures. A shift-light illuminates on the instrument cluster to indicate the ideal time for the driver to shift up to the next gear.

Though this could be confusing at first - the shift indicator is an up arrow, the same green arrow as the left and right turn-signals - it did turn out to be a handy reference point.

That said, it could be a little annoying if you just want to drive the Fiesta without the car telling you how to. Thank goodness Ford didn't make it beep. Ambling up hills at 80km/h in fifth gear with no air-con might to get a good fuel figure may not be your idea of fun, but even if you drive the Econetic normally, it still surprises.

One other driver on the route had been doing just that, including having the air-conditioning on. He recorded a still-lower-than-a-Prius figure of just 3.6L/100km on the mix of rural, urban and freeway driving. That's one of the great things about the Fiesta Econetic.

Having driven both the 1.6-litre and 1.4-litre petrol versions of the Fiesta, I can safely say that most people could hop in the Econetic, drive it like any other Fiesta, and probably not even notice the difference - apart from feeling a little bit quicker. So yes, there has been hype surrounding the Ford Fiesta Econetic. But deservedly so.

[divine_afg]

Which Manufacturer has the most fuel efficient car in Australia ...... Ford Ofcourse !

[1TUFFUTE]

what ive noticed is they claim 3.7 but for a change allready there is plenty of proof in the real world that this brilliant car can not only match but smash those figures. In that eco drive thing hey did to darwin the ecoconetic ford did 3.01. Thats amazing. Obviously they were really trying tho...

[vztrt]

I'd be careful with the drive articles claim as Ford has said to the reviewers that the group who can get the lowest fuel usage gets a prize.

[trippytaka]

Great little cars. Tight as a... insert your own jokes here, I'm tired

[vztrt]

First drive: Blue Oval goes green with Fiesta Econetic

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...25768C00073D12

Ford's fuel-sipping Fiesta Econetic sets a new fuel consumption record for Oz

14 December 2009

By PHILIP LORD

WITH an official fuel consumption average of just 3.7 litres per 100 kilometres - the lowest of any car on the market - Ford proves with its Fiesta Econetic that refinement of existing diesel technology can yield even better efficiency than hybrid power.

The new Fiesta uses a conventional five-door Fiesta body and is powered by a 1.6-litre common-rail, intercooled turbo-diesel but yields economy gains through rats and mice measures to beat the Toyota Prius’ combined 3.9L/100km figure.

Fuel consumption reduction measures include better aerodynamics in the form of 93mm of ground clearance (10mm lower than other Fiestas), additional air deflectors and specially designed wheel caps for the slim 14-inch steel wheels.

Other fuel-saving methods include Michelin Energy Saver 175/65R14 82H low-rolling-resistance tyres, low-viscosity engine and transmission oils, a taller final drive ratio, the replacement of a spare wheel/tyre with a puncture repair kit and a green ‘shift indicator’ light in the instrument panel to encourage the driver to make the optimum fuel-saving gearshifts.

The Econetic’s economy story only gets better on the highway. It achieves 3.2L/100km on the extra urban cycle - half a litre less than the Toyota Prius and 0.3L/100km better than the Mini Cooper D.

Yet the Fiesta Econetic, like all diesels, doesn’t do so well in terms of carbon dioxide emissions, an area in which the Toyota Prius is still king withy 89 grams per kilometre against the Econetic’s 98g/km.

Although the Fiesta Econetic beats fellow green cohorts in the Prius, Mini D and Honda Civic Hybrid on fuel consumption, given the different packaging and lower pricing of the Econetic, the Fiesta is not really a direct competitor for any of these cars.

The eco-Fiesta, at $24,990 on the road, is around $10,000 cheaper than the Mini D, around $12,000 less expensive than the Civic Hybrid and around $20,000 more affordable than the Prius.

The car that resembles the Fiesta the closest in packaging and price is the Fiat Punto 1.3 JTD. It has the same price, identical engine outputs from its 1.3-litre turbo-diesel engine and is a similar weight and size. The Punto’s combined fuel consumption figure of 4.6L/100km is not too far off the Fiesta’s fuel figure either.

Yet Ford president and CEO Marin Burela does not consider the Punto - now in run-out mode and due to be replaced by its facelifted replacement, the Punto Evo, late in 2010 - to be an Econetic competitor. Perhaps given the Punto’s small sales numbers it’s not surprising.

“I don’t think Econetic has a key competitor. I think we’ve carved out a niche here,” said Mr Burela, would not talk about sales numbers for the Econetic at its launch on Friday.

“We not declaring any numbers yet,” he said. “Let’s face it, we’ve only just started selling it.”

Mr Burela did concede that the Econetic’s lack of an automatic transmission would affect sales.

“Because it is a manual, it will naturally constrain the number of people that will want to go down that path,” he said.

At 1088kg, the Fiesta Econetic is at least 7kg lighter than the conventional five-door CL model upon which it is based, but the three-door CL weighs slightly less at 1085kg.

The Econetic has a full suitcase of safety gear, with a five-star ANCAP crash-test rating, seven airbags including one for the driver’s knee, electronic stability control and an anti-lock braking system (ABS).

The Econetic’s equipment level takes features from both the CL and Zetec model grades.

Standard equipment includes air-conditioning, front power windows, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, electric mirrors, remote central locking, cruise control and foglights.

The diesel fuel filler does not have a cap but self-seals and features an anti-splashback facility so that diesel fuel won’t spill back out onto hands or clothes.

The Fiesta Econetic is available in six of the nine exterior colours offered on all other Fiesta models. The palette includes Frozen White, Colorado Red, Moondust Silver, Squeeze (green), Panther Black and Vision (blue).

Like any such fuel-saving vehicles, it pays to look at the fine print if your intention is to save money. The Fiesta CL five-door petrol costs about $18,500 on the road and uses an average of 6.1L/100km of unleaded. At the time of writing, you’re saving about 3.5 cents per kilometre driving the Econetic, and so the Econetic would have to be driven for around 185,000km to pay for its $6500-odd premium.

The Econetic does have a better standard features list though, including important safety features like stability control and side airbags, which are missing on the CL (but are offered in a safety pack), so the cost comparison is not a completely fair one.

Yet even if you compare the top-of-the-range Zetec, which comes with the Econetic’s features and more, dealers are advertising those for up to $2000 less than the Econetic. On that figure, that’s still 57,000km of Econetic driving to break even.

But if you’re considering such a car, it’s not really just about saving money. It is about image, and if you want to look and feel environmentally responsible, the Econetic ensures the extra dollars make sense.



2009 Ford Fiesta pricing:
Fiesta CL 1.6 3-dr $16,450
Fiesta CL 1.4 3-dr (a) $17,950
Fiesta CL 1.6 5-dr $17,190
Fiesta CL 1.4 5-dr (a) $18,690
Fiesta LX 1.6 5-dr $18,990
Fiesta LX 1.4 5-dr (a) $20,490
Fiesta Zetec 1.6 3-dr $20,750
Fiesta Zetec 1.6 5-dr $21,490
Fiesta Zetec 1.4 5-dr (a) $22,990
Fiesta Econetic 1.6D 5-dr $24,990

[merlin]

Originally Posted by vztrt

First drive: Blue Oval goes green with Fiesta Econetic

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...25768C00073D12

I really like this car but is the Econetic really worth $8500 over the base petrol? Dunno, guess you'd have to do your sums.

[Chopped]

I Call BS Ford.

The ONLY REAL WORLD test for fuel economy is to drive 24 hours at 60kph around the Bathurst track. :

[imugli]

Sounds like a fantastic little car and good to see Ford getting on the front foot with the publicity this this is getting.


One concern though will be the traffic light test. I'm sooooo not looking forward to getting stuck behind some tree hugging hippy in one of these things at the lights and waiting forever for them to pull away, forgetting entirely that not everyone has all day to get nowhere in the pursuit of .2l/km economy savings...

[outback_ute]

Originally Posted by merlin

I really like this car but is the Econetic really worth $8500 over the base petrol? Dunno, guess you'd have to do your sums.

I'd expect this premium to come down as the volume goes up & more models are available with the diesel - even after the 'novelty' wears off...

imugli - we did 5000km in a 1.6TD Focus (same engine as this) and they have plenty of grunt, I'd rather have the diesel over a 2L petrol.

[naddis01]

Originally Posted by imugli

One concern though will be the traffic light test. I'm sooooo not looking forward to getting stuck behind some tree hugging hippy in one of these things at the lights and waiting forever for them to pull away, forgetting entirely that not everyone has all day to get nowhere in the pursuit of .2l/km economy savings...

You do realise it is only 5kw down on the petrol auto Fiesta yet has almost twice the torque (125Nm vs 200Nm) and is basically on par for weight? I think you would want to keep a look out more for the auto not the diesel.

[Bossxr8]

DSG may be available next year for the Econetic which will add to its appeal greatly, and may even slightly improve the economy even further.

[XR Martin]

Originally Posted by merlin

I really like this car but is the Econetic really worth $8500 over the base petrol? Dunno, guess you'd have to do your sums.

You have to think of the better resale also.

[Paxton]

New TVC - I just saw it on the Cricket.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb6lprgKIC4

I think it's excellent.

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by Paxton

New TVC - I just saw it on the Cricket.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb6lprgKIC4

I think it's excellent.

That's the Tez?

This is it vv.. I agree, it's very good.
http://www.youtube.com/user/fordofcourse

[ebxr8240]

Originally Posted by imugli

Sounds like a fantastic little car and good to see Ford getting on the front foot with the publicity this this is getting.


One concern though will be the traffic light test. I'm sooooo not looking forward to getting stuck behind some tree hugging hippy in one of these things at the lights and waiting forever for them to pull away, forgetting entirely that not everyone has all day to get nowhere in the pursuit of .2l/km economy savings...

Go for a drive in any modern turbo diesel ...
You will be way surprised !!!

[Paxton]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

That's the Tez?

This is it vv.. I agree, it's very good.
http://www.youtube.com/user/fordofcourse

Bugger. I was looking at the Territory too.

Everybody look at Falc'man's post.

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

Go for a drive in any modern turbo diesel ...
You will be way surprised !!!

Yep, the torque rating speaks volumes.

[phillyc]

Love the Fiesta Econetic advert! That's right, kick Toyota in the balls!

I love these series of ads. Simple, friendly, straight to the point with a single message highlighting your true strength over the perceived advantage of rivals.