Ford Fiesta

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What is it?
Ford Fiesta

What's special about it?
If the name Ford Fiesta means little to you, that's probably a good thing. When it was sold in the U.S. from 1978-'80, the Fiesta's most memorable feature was a very international-looking badge made of flags. The rest of the car was an utterly forgettable economy hatchback. The nameplate lived on in Europe, though, mostly on tiny hatchbacks considered far too small for American tastes.

This all-new Ford Fiesta has been designed a little differently. It will go on sale later this year in Europe, but Ford says it has been engineered as a world car, so it can be sold in North American and Asian markets by 2010.

Unlike most new cars these days, the new Fiesta is no bigger than its predecessor. Ford officials said their design goals were to stay small while reducing weight. "That really pays off when it comes to fuel economy and emissions," claims Chief Engineer Joerg Beyer. To ensure adequate safety in such a small car, several types of high-strength steel were used for the structure, along with technical innovations like a driver-side knee airbag.

Not much changes under the skin, as the Fiesta continues with a MacPherson strut suspension in front and a twist-beam setup in back. An electric power steering pump has been added to further improve fuel-efficiency. In Europe, the Fiesta will get both gas and diesel engines.

So what will we get in the U.S.? The most likely scenario is the introduction of a four-door sedan similar to the Verve concept shown at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. A four-cylinder gas engine is assured, but don't expect any diesels. The addition of a three-door hatchback is still under consideration.

Although the Fiesta goes on sale later this year in Europe, the U.S. model is still a long way off. Ford officials say to expect it sometime in 2010.

What's Edmunds' take?
It's a sharp-looking hatchback. Hopefully we'll be able to say the same about the Fiesta sedan headed for the U.S. in 2010. — Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor