Ken Garff Ford

The 2011 Ford Fiesta ranks 1 out of 30 Affordable Small Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 25 published reviews and test drives of the Ford Fiesta, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

Reviewers are nearly unanimous in saying that the 2011 Ford Fiesta sets new benchmarks for the affordable small car class.  Even reviewers who don't go that far say Honda and Toyota should be watching their backs.

Ask any car lover and they'll tell you: some of the world's best small cars never make it stateside. With the 2011 Ford Fiesta, that's changed.  On sale in Europe since 2008, the most recent iteration of the Fiesta has finally arrived at dealerships in the U.S. AutoWeek says, "The Fiesta is as good a small car as can be found, sourced from anywhere in the world. That it comes from the Blue Oval is remarkable and heartening; its brilliance is the first ray of sunshine on what has been a seemingly midnight horizon."

The Fiesta gets high marks from almost every reviewer who has driven it because it offers things many other small cars lack: a fun driving experience and a comfortable, upscale cabin.  With the Fiesta, many reviewers say, Ford may radically alter what American buyers expect from small cars.  The Fiesta has features rarely seen in the Small / Subcompact Car class, from available heated seats to Ford's SYNC system to an airbag for the driver's knees. But what will seal the deal for many buyers is the Fiesta's hybrid-like fuel economy.  Ford says it should get 30 miles per gallon in the city and 40 miles per gallon on the highway. Those numbers are close to what many hybrids offer, but the Fiesta will cost thousands less. (...read more)