I was originally going to do a video on this for my YouTube channel but it doesn?t really apply to my typical channel content so I figured I?d post it on here for anyone interested. This time last year I purchased my 2015 Ford Fiesta SFE after about a year of searching for the perfect color, engine, and body style combo. I found it for sale in another state and paid to have it shipped to my house. It had 11,000 miles when I got it and it was decently priced however the dealership in Ohio tried screwing me over several times. I?d prefer not to mention the dealership name. It showed up on a flat bed two weeks later and I fell in love.
POSITIVES
The first thing I noticed was how quiet and comfortable the interior was on the highway. I work 70 miles from home so I drive roughly 140 miles per day which is the reason I wanted this car to begin with. During my initial research, I was concerned about some negative reviews I read about the 1.0 but continue ready this post to quell any concerns. I was impressed with the performance however this car is certainly not quick. I will say that it seems to be geared for highway performance. Even in 5th gear, it?ll shoot from 60 to 85 faster than you realize. The seats are supportive and very comfortable even on long trips and the driving position feels very natural. One of my first cars was a 2002 Focus and after searching for the stats (length, height, and width, weight, power, etc.), I realized how they are basically 100% comparable. So if you?re a fan of the original Focus, which most people are, you?ll really enjoy this car.
Trunk space is adequate however the back seats don?t fold completely down but experience proved I could easily fit all four of the original 15? wheels inside the car when I took them to have snow tires installed. Being in the Chicagoland area, I was concerned about winter driving especially with the 5? wide low resistance tires. Last year wasn?t a bad winter but it did snow quite a bit. Disabling the traction control and responsible driving showed that this car is highly capable in severe road conditions. With its size and weight, cutting through traffic is a breeze and actually enjoyable. It feels like a go kart. The styling is GREAT. I lived in Germany in 2010 and I was very jealous of their cars.
NEGATIVES
I?ll start with the least important and move to my main concerns. The front seats eat EVERYTHING and deposit all of your belongings into the highly engineered seat stomachs. It almost seems like Ford designed the seats for that specific reason. You can honestly lose your cell phone in the seat and reach your entire hand into only to come up empty. You?ll find yourself having to disassemble the back of the seat quite a bit. Fuel economy, although close, is not what ford advertises. With my cruise set at 75 for the majority of my daily commute, I?ve only reached 39.5mgp?s max with premium gas. The car REALLY needs a 6th gear and in 2015, that wasn?t much to ask for. The engine, although impressive for its size, really could use an extra 15hp but the torque is sufficient.
People complained about the Sync system but trust me, the only radio offered in the Fiesta SFE has the worst interface ever created. Connecting and keeping connected my iPhone is not simple and every time you shut the car off, be prepared to have to go through the whole process again. The radio buttons are also difficult to reach, especially the up button and the voice control is completely worthless. The sound system is very good though. Although the drivers seat is comfortable, you?ll find yourself directly at eye level of the factory headlight angle of most oncoming cars.
Interior storage is extremely lacking. You have your standard glove box and small door compartments but the cup holders get in the way of your right arm most of the time, the cubby hole in front of the shifter can only hold a wallet, and the cubby hole behind the shifter can?t really hold anything due to anything you put in there blocking the USB and Aux ports and the emergency brake. There is no storage in the rear besides one cup holder. The arm rest compartment is extremely narrow but really deep so be prepared to not get anything back out of it. The small aluminum motor also takes an eternity to get up to operating temperature. Finally, although my car came with every option available (more options than offered before or after), the seat heater is no good. It?s only on or off and when it?s on, it shoots up to a temp that you could cook an egg with then it shuts itself off for a while.
UPGRADES
The first things I do to all of my cars include full Weathertech floor mats and Weathertech window covers and a K&N Air filter. I also installed a Turbosmart blow off valve for two reason. 1) I prefer exterior venting to lengthen the life of the turbo and 2) the sound. With the turbo being as small as it is, the BOV doesn?t sound a single bit different than stock. The Weathertechs have already collected several coffee spills and salty, muddy snow from my boots.
OVERALL
I love this car and wouldn?t trade it for anything. I maintain it as the manual suggests and haven?t had any repairs since day one. I also have not been notified of any recalls. This car is a great alternative to the hideous cars the Japanese are making these days and to the overpriced European cars.
POSITIVES
The first thing I noticed was how quiet and comfortable the interior was on the highway. I work 70 miles from home so I drive roughly 140 miles per day which is the reason I wanted this car to begin with. During my initial research, I was concerned about some negative reviews I read about the 1.0 but continue ready this post to quell any concerns. I was impressed with the performance however this car is certainly not quick. I will say that it seems to be geared for highway performance. Even in 5th gear, it?ll shoot from 60 to 85 faster than you realize. The seats are supportive and very comfortable even on long trips and the driving position feels very natural. One of my first cars was a 2002 Focus and after searching for the stats (length, height, and width, weight, power, etc.), I realized how they are basically 100% comparable. So if you?re a fan of the original Focus, which most people are, you?ll really enjoy this car.
Trunk space is adequate however the back seats don?t fold completely down but experience proved I could easily fit all four of the original 15? wheels inside the car when I took them to have snow tires installed. Being in the Chicagoland area, I was concerned about winter driving especially with the 5? wide low resistance tires. Last year wasn?t a bad winter but it did snow quite a bit. Disabling the traction control and responsible driving showed that this car is highly capable in severe road conditions. With its size and weight, cutting through traffic is a breeze and actually enjoyable. It feels like a go kart. The styling is GREAT. I lived in Germany in 2010 and I was very jealous of their cars.
NEGATIVES
I?ll start with the least important and move to my main concerns. The front seats eat EVERYTHING and deposit all of your belongings into the highly engineered seat stomachs. It almost seems like Ford designed the seats for that specific reason. You can honestly lose your cell phone in the seat and reach your entire hand into only to come up empty. You?ll find yourself having to disassemble the back of the seat quite a bit. Fuel economy, although close, is not what ford advertises. With my cruise set at 75 for the majority of my daily commute, I?ve only reached 39.5mgp?s max with premium gas. The car REALLY needs a 6th gear and in 2015, that wasn?t much to ask for. The engine, although impressive for its size, really could use an extra 15hp but the torque is sufficient.
People complained about the Sync system but trust me, the only radio offered in the Fiesta SFE has the worst interface ever created. Connecting and keeping connected my iPhone is not simple and every time you shut the car off, be prepared to have to go through the whole process again. The radio buttons are also difficult to reach, especially the up button and the voice control is completely worthless. The sound system is very good though. Although the drivers seat is comfortable, you?ll find yourself directly at eye level of the factory headlight angle of most oncoming cars.
Interior storage is extremely lacking. You have your standard glove box and small door compartments but the cup holders get in the way of your right arm most of the time, the cubby hole in front of the shifter can only hold a wallet, and the cubby hole behind the shifter can?t really hold anything due to anything you put in there blocking the USB and Aux ports and the emergency brake. There is no storage in the rear besides one cup holder. The arm rest compartment is extremely narrow but really deep so be prepared to not get anything back out of it. The small aluminum motor also takes an eternity to get up to operating temperature. Finally, although my car came with every option available (more options than offered before or after), the seat heater is no good. It?s only on or off and when it?s on, it shoots up to a temp that you could cook an egg with then it shuts itself off for a while.
UPGRADES
The first things I do to all of my cars include full Weathertech floor mats and Weathertech window covers and a K&N Air filter. I also installed a Turbosmart blow off valve for two reason. 1) I prefer exterior venting to lengthen the life of the turbo and 2) the sound. With the turbo being as small as it is, the BOV doesn?t sound a single bit different than stock. The Weathertechs have already collected several coffee spills and salty, muddy snow from my boots.
OVERALL
I love this car and wouldn?t trade it for anything. I maintain it as the manual suggests and haven?t had any repairs since day one. I also have not been notified of any recalls. This car is a great alternative to the hideous cars the Japanese are making these days and to the overpriced European cars.
