Ford has just facelifted their 7th generation Fiesta, and I have to say it does look pretty good. It looks far more swanky and aggressive than ever before, plus Ford has also updated the interior making it more modern and luxurious. North America does not get the Fiesta anymore due to poor sales, however, Europe and the rest of the world do.
In Britain and Europe, the Fiesta is one of the best-selling cars. However, over the past year or two many other competitors have been launching their new supermini Fiesta rivals. Vauxhall/Opel has launched the new Corsa, Renault has the new Clio, Peugeot has the new 208, and VW has just updated the Polo. The Fiesta then was starting to fall behind these cars.
The new Fiesta definitely gives these other competitors a run for their money, especially in the hot-hatch market. The seventh-generation Fiesta ST was always one of the best, and I have no clue on how Ford could perfect that car even more. However, they have and it remains top of the pack within its competitors.
So what has Ford done to the new facelift Fiesta? Well, let’s find out.
Picture via: autoexpress.co.uk
A More Aggressive Front End.
The new Fiesta has a much more aggressive front end. The grille has grown and it may not be of some people’s taste. However, I feel that the larger grille makes this car fitting to the new decade. The Ford badge is also now placed in the center of the grille too, rather than on top of the bumper. Plus the hood of the car has also been slightly resculpted.
Under the large grille, the lower part of the bumper is also so much aggressive and stylish. The ST-Line model comes with a black lower grille with chrome accents which definitely stand out. The front lights are also full LED with daytime running lights. they look very cool indeed and give the front end a more stand-out personality.
The Active model has a different grille and bumper design. The ST-Line features a honeycomb grille, whilst the Active model features a vertical bar grille. It does look a lot tougher and ground clearance is pretty good. again, this car shares the same full LED lights.
The ST model is the most aggressive. The launch color is an aggressive green, and it sure does make the front stand out. It looks more or less like the same front as the ST-Line, except the chrome accents are now black and everything looks a tad more expensive. In the lower right corner, the red ST badge stands out.
Overall, the front end of the new Fiesta is a massive improvement on the old car. In fact, it makes the old car look a lot older than it actually is. I love the new LED lights and the aggressive front grille. I must confess, I do prefer the honeycomb style front grille seen on the ST and ST-Line in comparison to the vertical lines grille on the Fiesta Active and I presume the more basic Fiesta models.
Subtle Changes on The Rear.
The rear of the new car is very similar to the previous non-facelift seventh generation Fiesta. The only real change is that the trunk lid looks slightly different, and the new lights which look very smart indeed. They’re slightly smoked which makes the rear end look a whole more sexy and aggressive. The ST has had a few more changes with a new gloss black diffuser, chrome black exhaust tips, and a few more creases.
Personally, I feel these small changes make a huge difference. The previous car had clear rear lights which nowadays look a tad out of fashion. This smoked look again helps with this new premium aggressive look that Ford is after.
The Side Profile Is Also Modernized.
The side profile of the Fiesta has also been modernized. The most noticeable changes are the new alloys. Again, subtle changes but they all make a difference. The alloys on the launch ST-Line look very similar to the alloys on the previous car, however, the alloys on the launch Active and launch ST model are completely different.
Ford has actually launched seven new alloy designs to choose from throughout the Fiesta model range. So there is sure one for your preference.
The three launch models all come with very sporty alloy designs, and I presume (apart from the Fiesta ST) are the highest spec alloys you can get for that Fiesta specification. The ST alloys come as standard to that car.
The model specifications are now Trend, Titanium, Active, ST-Line, and ST. The luxurious Vignale model has been scrapped, and it is instead a package that you can get on the Titanium, ST-Line, and Active models. This pack I presume has been fitted to both the Active and ST-Launch cars. That package gives you larger 17 0r 18-inch alloy wheels, upgraded Sensico leather, and upgraded interior panels.
New Technology.
The new Fiesta comes with an array of new technology. Most of these things are to do with safety. For example, the new “Wrong Way Alert” uses a camera mounted to the windscreen in conjunction with the onboard navigation system. This warns drivers if they are traveling in the opposite direction to oncoming traffic.
The beam pattern of the headlights can also adapt to specific driving scenarios. For example, the beam pattern can adjust to provide better vision during things like bad weather and low-speed maneuvers. The screen inside is also a tad larger being 12.3 inches now which makes the interior feel a lot more luxurious now.
The Fiesta also cares about other drives too, since its optional Matrix LED headlights can block individual ray lights to avoid blinding oncoming drivers. What a smart idea indeed.
To Conclude.
The new Fiesta is a great-looking car, that has definitely got the refresh it deserved. The car feels so much more aggressive and it definitely stands out amongst its competitors. This car is already a best-seller, and with this new facelift, I am 100% certain that it will continue to be so.
It looks far better in comparison to its rivals. This is a car that massively appeals to younger people and the ST-Line with its honeycomb grille is definitely the one to have. Performance-wise, there isn’t much change except some models get a 48v mild hybrid system.
The ST model is my favorite, and the new green color is amazing. In fact, Ford has launched a few new colors for the facelift Fiesta which all look very cool indeed.
Overall, good work Ford. This car will probably have a production run of maybe another 3 to 4 year before its replaced by something probably electric.