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Fit didn\u2019t get Apple CarPlay until the 2018 model year. Yaris until this year.<\/p>\n
But wait, there\u2019s\u2019 more. My must-have tech trifecta is smartphone app compatibility, adaptive cruise control … and blind-spot assist. We\u2019ve covered the Fiesta\u2019s smartphone app advantages, and you won\u2019t find any car in our competitive set with adaptive cruise (though all feature basic cruise control). But on blind-spot assist, Ford has another trick up its sleeve.<\/p>\n
The Fiesta SE came equipped with the original blind-spot assist \u2014 Ford\u2019s clever, mirror-within-the-side-mirror solution that allowed me to safely monitor my blind spots. Locate a 2018-and-newer model and it\u2019ll have a standard back-up camera, too.<\/p>\n
My Fiesta rental was a sedan, but I prefer the hatchback, which was priced $300 higher new. The used market doesn\u2019t seem to notice a difference \u2014 so get the hatch for its superior looks and utility.<\/p>\n
The interior of the Fiesta is as sporty as the exterior. A big, motorcycle-like instrument display lurked behind the steering wheel as I easily folded my 6-foot-5-inch\u00a0frame into the cloth seats. Pity the six-footer behind me, though \u2014 the Fiesta\u2019s rear seats are tight.<\/p>\n
The cockpit is carefully engineered with big control buttons and knobs within easy reach. Along with the big instrument gauges, it\u2019s driver-friendly.<\/p>\n
As I barreled along \u2014 the 120 gerbils (er, horses) under the hood screaming away \u2014 I could keep my eye on the road between the big gauges and infotainment screen high on the dash. Interior designers even shielded the screen from the bright Arizona sun with a shroud. Smart.<\/p>\n
Back in 2014, my favorite Fiesta engine was the 1.0-liter, turbocharged three-banger \u2014 Godzilla in a box \u2014 that got insane fuel economy while also producing three more horsepower than the standard, 1.6-liter 4-banger. Alas, it was discontinued for the 2018 model year as its $1,000 premium must have spooked segment buyers.<\/p>\n
Still, my 1.6-liter posted an impressive 434 miles of range with a full tank. That\u2019s more than a $40K Lincoln MKC.<\/p>\n
Despite my lead foot, the Fiesta got excellent fuel economy \u2014 an important attribute for penny-pinching consumers shopping for sub-$10,000 cars. EPA rates the Fiesta for 30 mpg, but Mrs. Payne and I managed 35 over a variety of highway, city, and country roads. On Interstate-10 South between Phoenix and Tucson I consistently got 40 mpg-plus when cruising at 80 mph. That\u2019s impressive\u00a0\u2014 especially for this Tesla electric-vehicle owner who is used to seeing range crater over 70 mph.<\/p>\n
One of my wife\u2019s favorite movie scenes comes from \u201cNational Lampoon\u2019s Vacation.\u201d Chevy Chase \u2014 aka, Clark Griswold \u2014 is pushing his Wagon Queen Family Truckster station wagon past 80 mph when his wife breaks his reverie:\u00a0\u201cSLOW DOWN!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nI have been similarly admonished. But Mrs. Payne also knows the joys that personal transportation brings to motorheads like me. So does Ford.<\/p>\n
In addition to its good looks, Fiesta will never bore. With its short wheelbase and taught chassis, the subcompact is a mini-party on wheels \u2014 tempting drivers to push the limits when beyond the city limits.<\/p>\n
For under $10,000, it\u2019s all there for the entry-level, COVID-economy buyer: high gas mileage, high-tech, good looks, good ergonomics, hatchback utility, fun handling.<\/p>\n
Lacking is power, but 120 horses will keep novice drivers out of trouble while they learn the joys of driving. The Fiesta SE will impress. And when you get a little more money in your wallet \u2014 and a thirst for better acceleration than Fiesta\u2019s glacial 9.1 seconds zero-60 crawl \u2014 you\u2019ll return to the used lot and check out what more Ford has to offer.<\/p>\n
Let me show you the sensational, used, 197-horsepower Fiesta ST hot hatch… .<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/04\/13\/PDTN\/62859ed5-58e8-44ed-8aee-40cb28d0ea4f-fiesta_side.JPG?width=540&height=&fit=bounds&auto=webp\")
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