RE: Ford Fiesta Red Edition: PH Carpool

RE: Ford Fiesta Red Edition: PH Carpool

Monday 11th July 2016

Ford Fiesta Red Edition: PH Carpool

One PHer explains why he made the switch from Megane 265 to 1.0-litre Fiesta



Name: Ben Barnard
Car: Ford Fiesta Zetec S Red Edition
Owned since: November 2015
Previously owned: Citroen Saxo VTR, Citroen C2 VTS, Mazda RX8, Renault Sport Clio 200, Renault Megane RS 265


Why I bought it:
"A new job meant more driving and a lot of time spent in traffic. The Megane was wasted in such an environment so an executive decision was made and my first ever new car purchased. Having never test driven the Red Edition I was hoping the glowing reviews were accurate. It looks good, goes well and is cheap to run. What's not to like?"

What I wish I'd known:
"Nothing really. It's still very new, but surprisingly I've had no teething issues. Figures for fuel economy are slightly misleading but the Superchips remap helps to deliver closer to the mark with 50mpg in traffic and on the motorway. The sat-nav unit is a bit fiddly and the dash buttons are cluttered but I was aware of that already."

Things I love:
"Having gone from the Megane with 265hp to the Fiesta with 140hp it was a big shock in every department. Hence the need for more power. A new panel filter and a Superchips remap has transformed the car and now has around 170hp with an extra chunk of torque too. It's not far off an ST on paper but needs a rolling road to prove this.

"The car in base form was not overly exciting in terms of performance, although respectable for a 1.0-litre. The remap has created something quite special though, with plenty of turbo whistle and a reasonable soundtrack. Insurance was an extra £50 but worth every penny. My mum and sister now have the same car in standard form (it's a Ford showroom on the drive!) and are now converted Ford fans."


Things I hate:
"Nothing! The car new with discounts was £13,000 with sat-nav and auto wipers/headlights as extras. I couldn't find anything better for that price."

Costs:
"It will do around 300-350 miles to a tank and costs around £45-50. Tax is £20 and insurance with the remap was around £350 which isn't bad but, then again, I am 27."

Where I've been:
"Plenty of trips away with my partner, but nothing motorsport related as yet. Plans for the Evo triangle in Wales are on the cards along with the Nurburgring later this year. I wish I still had the Megane for those trips..."

What next?
"If the new job goes well, then a new Focus RS or Civic Type R is on the cards - I'm naturally leaning towards the Ford. The ST200 Fiesta was a contender but I don't believe it's worth the money.

"I have ordered the ST rear splitter from Ford as the one on the Red Edition looks very bland and I'm looking at a set of 35mm H&R lowering springs to help the handling, which is quite soft. The remap has made this car a keeper (for a while), so I have to thank Superchips for working their magic here!"


Want to share your car with PHers on Carpool? Email us at carpool@pistonheads.com!

Author
Discussion

HardtopManual

Original Poster:

2,403 posts

165 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
Don't understand how an ST isn't worth the money but this is.

Blanchimont

4,076 posts

121 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
HardtopManual said:
Don't understand how an ST isn't worth the money but this is.
He's referring to the ST200, which is the limited run one which is about 22k, and a decent premium of the regular model. So there's about a 10k difference.

Dion20vt

252 posts

161 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
My Mrs bought her Fiesta Zetec ecoboost 100bhp last November too. I remember the salesman trying to flog us a Red/Black edition. But the price hike was a bit much! Plus we needed 5 doors! Even with a "mere" 100bhp our Fiesta pulls very well in everyday traffic! Oh, and 43mpg is about as much as it can manage! Not sure where Ford get their 60+mpg figure from?! biggrin

My brother bought a new Zetec-S early this year, which has 125bhp iirc? TBH after driving both, I'd go for the standard Zetec! Although the S has 25bhp more, it never felt much quicker! Combined with the ultra low profile tyres (35 size side walls iirc), which made the S very unpleasant on bumpy roads compared to the standard Zetec.

s m

23,164 posts

202 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
I'd like to try one at this level of tune. Do you get a bit of the Charade GTti soundtrack with the remap? Can you get the 138bhp engine in a 5-door Fiesta now? I heard they are available in a bigger range than the red/Black.

RyCliff

56 posts

121 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
Is 300 miles per tank on a car used for longer journeys not a little irritating?

Also struggle to see how a £45 tank of fuel at that range is 50mpg in the real world, maybe I'm just used to a diesel for daily driving...

benboy123

14 posts

148 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
This engine and power is only available from the red/ black edition, 125bhp is the normal zetec s output.
Apparently the red/black edition has a better quality turbo and hence more power.

Couple of youtube video show what this car can sound like with a straight through exhaust but as standard for a little 3 cylinder is pretty impressive, especially as the turbo is so small and works so hard.

The remap was applied with the superchips bluefin which at the time was reduced to £329 and means I can remove the map at the drop of a hat, its also a diagnostic reader. Lovely bit of kit

ayman82

1,465 posts

180 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
RyCliff said:
Is 300 miles per tank on a car used for longer journeys not a little irritating?

Also struggle to see how a £45 tank of fuel at that range is 50mpg in the real world, maybe I'm just used to a diesel for daily driving...
Is that not more like 34mpg?

s m

23,164 posts

202 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
benboy123 said:
This engine and power is only available from the red/ black edition,
I think you can now also get the 138bhp version in a 5-door if you have the ST-Line model

SteveS Cup

1,996 posts

159 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
The reviews for these Ecoboost Fiesta's are so positive and going from a 1.6 TDI A1 the Fiesta was a hoot to begin with but after 3 months I couldn't wait to give it back.

I used to get a new car every 6 months through my work, started with the A1, was a lovely car in S Line spec but 5 door meant it felt cramped in the front. I went for the Fiesta as it was 3 door and looked nice in Zetec S trim.

I only had the 125bhp model and as stated, it was fun to begin with as you can basically use full throttle all of the time.

After a few months with it though the basic interior (being a Ford) was getting tiresome. It seemed to tire me out if I was in it for over an hour.

I guess not everyone likes the same cars and I realised Ford's just aren't for me (the only reason I'm not keen on the FRS is the dash).

What I couldn't deal with though was the 34mpg I was getting from it! Admittedly it probably wasn't the easiest of 6 months on it but I drove the A1 in a very similar way and I was getting nearly 50mpg.

I've ended up buying another supercharged Mini Cooper S as I really enjoy it. I probably drive it slower but it's nice to have the extra power when you want it. I'm now getting over 30mpg from the Mini so winner.


Tom1312

1,015 posts

145 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
I had one for 9 months and 16k miles.

50ish MPG was possible driving sensibly on a mix of main roads and A roads.

My 50 mile daily commute I'd average 48/49?

Great little car, I did find tyre pressure made a big difference to economy.

s m

23,164 posts

202 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
SteveS Cup said:
The reviews for these Ecoboost Fiesta's are so positive and going from a 1.6 TDI A1 the Fiesta was a hoot to begin with but after 3 months I couldn't wait to give it back.

I used to get a new car every 6 months through my work, started with the A1, was a lovely car in S Line spec but 5 door meant it felt cramped in the front. I went for the Fiesta as it was 3 door and looked nice in Zetec S trim.

I only had the 125bhp model and as stated, it was fun to begin with as you can basically use full throttle all of the time.

After a few months with it though the basic interior (being a Ford) was getting tiresome. It seemed to tire me out if I was in it for over an hour.

I guess not everyone likes the same cars and I realised Ford's just aren't for me (the only reason I'm not keen on the FRS is the dash).

What I couldn't deal with though was the 34mpg I was getting from it! Admittedly it probably wasn't the easiest of 6 months on it but I drove the A1 in a very similar way and I was getting nearly 50mpg.

I've ended up buying another supercharged Mini Cooper S as I really enjoy it. I probably drive it slower but it's nice to have the extra power when you want it. I'm now getting over 30mpg from the Mini so winner.

Interesting review as I'm interested in/have driven similar small cars to you ( R53 MCS/150 petrol A1 SB ). I'm interested in the 5-door ST-Line Fiesta with the 138bhp engine - would like to try it out first though

vtecyo

2,122 posts

128 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
170bhp from a fairly run of the mill 1.0 hatchback is impressive.

VeeFource

1,076 posts

176 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
Aren't you worried about voiding the warranty with the remap?

I looked into this car when I was weighing up whether to get the Swift Sport. In the end I couldn't see why anyone would unless they're ok with getting it remapped. The Swift is just as economical in the real world (I'm actually averaging low 40s despite driving very enthusiastically), is more willing to rev, has sharper response being N/A, has better brakes (rear discs vs drums on the Fiesta), sportier suspension, is a little lighter, has HIDs and is likely to be more reliable due to not being as stressed, complicated or having direct injection (no manifold clogging).

That said I can see the appeal of the fiesta if you prefer low and torque and 3 cylinders can sound great with a good induction setup. Don't get me wrong it's a fantastic car, just can't see much of a case over the Swift.

SteveS Cup

1,996 posts

159 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
s m said:
SteveS Cup said:
The reviews for these Ecoboost Fiesta's are so positive and going from a 1.6 TDI A1 the Fiesta was a hoot to begin with but after 3 months I couldn't wait to give it back.

I used to get a new car every 6 months through my work, started with the A1, was a lovely car in S Line spec but 5 door meant it felt cramped in the front. I went for the Fiesta as it was 3 door and looked nice in Zetec S trim.

I only had the 125bhp model and as stated, it was fun to begin with as you can basically use full throttle all of the time.

After a few months with it though the basic interior (being a Ford) was getting tiresome. It seemed to tire me out if I was in it for over an hour.

I guess not everyone likes the same cars and I realised Ford's just aren't for me (the only reason I'm not keen on the FRS is the dash).

What I couldn't deal with though was the 34mpg I was getting from it! Admittedly it probably wasn't the easiest of 6 months on it but I drove the A1 in a very similar way and I was getting nearly 50mpg.

I've ended up buying another supercharged Mini Cooper S as I really enjoy it. I probably drive it slower but it's nice to have the extra power when you want it. I'm now getting over 30mpg from the Mini so winner.

Interesting review as I'm interested in/have driven similar small cars to you ( R53 MCS/150 petrol A1 SB ). I'm interested in the 5-door ST-Line Fiesta with the 138bhp engine - would like to try it out first though
I read so much about the engine being "full of character" etc etc... As we do 6 month leases at work I didn't bother test driving one, and there's obviously no point in remapping it for 6 months!

The engine punches well above it's weight, but I thought it was boring as hell. Would take a TDI A1 over that engine any day. In fact, I probably would of preferred a diesel in the Fiesta!

It's probably not all the engines fault, it's also the outrageously long gears... Nearly 70mph in 2nd, that took probably 14 seconds to get to! It was crying out for a shorter ratio 6 speed box.

The engine is also extremely slow revving, it's like the flywheel weighs more than the car!

If you're used to the interior in a Mini / A1 then the Fiesta will leave you feeling pretty cold after a few months - the buttons / everything you touch (especially the steering wheel) feels extremely cheap / imitation crap trying to look expensive.

IMO the seating position always felt too high especially compared to the Audi / Mini where you can basically sit on the floor.

I've gone back to having my own cars and I've bought a 55 plate MCS with only 30k miles... I'm much happier now. Having you're own car rather than leasing is just nicer. You're proud of it and respect it.

HJMS123

988 posts

132 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
s m said:
I think you can now also get the 138bhp version in a 5-door if you have the ST-Line model
It's the engine they now use in the facelift zetec S' as well. I think the 125bhp is only available in zetec and titanium trim now.

s m

23,164 posts

202 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
HJMS123 said:
s m said:
I think you can now also get the 138bhp version in a 5-door if you have the ST-Line model
It's the engine they now use in the facelift zetec S' as well. I think the 125bhp is only available in zetec and titanium trim now.
I thought i'd heard that but only had a quick look at the configurator

benboy123

14 posts

148 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
My commute to work is often quick acceleration followed by idle traffic for best part of an hour each day.

It gets driven harder at the weekends and evenings and taking into account the remap still delivers bang on 50mpg or very close to it. Thats pretty impressive for this kind of car.

I rarely drive the car on full chat and the turbo on these is more robust than a normal zetec s, as its made from a different metal and therefore can take the extra heat is generates (is what ive read online).

If you check out the superchips website the stats are impressive.

AH33

2,066 posts

134 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
34mpg out of a 1l is wk surely?


Freakuk

3,103 posts

150 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
I've got a black edition on a lease to munch the motorway miles, and I'm getting around 48mpg.

Overall I think it's a great little car, it's nippy, comfortable, spacious for what it is and economical to boot, plus it saves me racking up the miles on the GTS.

I do have some intermittent issues with the radio and the steering wheel controls but I'll raise this at service time, which it's probably due for. How much is the servicing on one of these things BTW?

IanCress

4,409 posts

165 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
50mpg gives over 400 miles to a tank. We've got a 125bhp Zetec S and it's capable of close to 60mpg on the motorway. Best I've seen out of a full tank is 58mpg, but usually returns around 48-50mpg.

Performance is fine, if not quite what you would expect of a small hatch with 125bhp.