2017 Ford Fiesta Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Re-introduced in the U.S. after a 30-year absence for 2011 and last refreshed in 2014, the Ford Fiesta is getting long in the tooth. Trims...

Re-introduced in the U.S. after a 30-year absence for 2011 and last refreshed in 2014, the Ford Fiesta is getting long in the tooth. Trims still include S, SE, Titanium, and ST, and both sedans and hatchbacks remain available. Ford’s smallest U.S. car will get a major redesign for 2018, but updates for 2017 consist solely of a few new exterior colors.

It’s possible to outfit a Fiesta with a lot of creature comforts—like leather seating and the Sync 3 infotainment system—but active safety features are lacking. Between this absence of safety features and a Marginal rating for the small front overlap crash test, the Fiesta did not receive the coveted Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Still, with the 2016 Fiesta’s MSRP starting at $14,090, the Fiesta remains one of the most affordable cars for sale in the U.S.

The Ford Fiesta’s trim levels provide a variety of options—from a fuel-sipping 3-cylinder sedan to the sport-tuned ST hatchback. Both the 4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback offer 85.1 cubic feet of space for 5 passengers. The sedan has a 12.8-cubic-foot trunk, the hatch’s is 14.9, and the ST’s hatch is 10.1. New exterior colors for the Fiesta include Bohai Bay Mint, Chrome Copper, and an Orange Spice tri-coat for the ST. It appears that the more vibrant Molten Orange exterior is no longer available on the ST—but the orange and black interior trim remains.

The base Fiesta S sedan ($14,090) and hatch ($14,390) come with a naturally aspirated 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine that makes 120 hp. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard and earns the Fiesta an EPA rating of 28 mpg city, 36 highway, and 31 combined. The PowerShift dual-clutch 6-speed automatic transmission is a $1,095 option and moves those numbers ever so slightly to 27, 37, and 31. Basic Sync voice recognition and app integration are also standard, along with a black cloth interior and 15-inch steel wheels with metallic-finish wheel covers. Buyers can choose from a handful of upgrades, including a cigarette lighter and ashtray, a door-mounted keypad, remote start, a subwoofer, and Fiesta decals.

Step up to the Fiesta SE sedan ($15,320) or hatch ($15,620) and you’ll get cruise control, upgraded cloth upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and aluminum wheels. If you stick with a manual, you can opt for a turbocharged 1.0-liter 3-cylinder EcoBoost engine. The smaller engine actually puts out 3 hp more than the naturally aspirated 4-cylinder and improves fuel economy to 31, 43, and 36—but it’ll add $995 to the purchase price. Both the sedan and hatch offer optional 16-inch wheels, heated front seats and mirrors, more paint color choices, a moonroof, automatic climate control, and Sync 3 with a touchscreen (with or without navigation). You can also select an appearance package or the Equipment Group combination that bundles together popular options for $995.

The Titanium is Fiesta’s top-of-the-line trim for both the sedan ($18,040) and hatch ($18,340). Both are available in manual or automatic and come standard with a rear-view camera, an 8-speaker Sony sound system, Sync 3 with touchscreen, heated front seats and side mirrors, automatic climate control, leather seats, and 16-inch aluminum wheels. Options include a moonroof and remote start.

The sporty Fiesta ST ($20,970) is available only as a hatchback and features a beefed-up suspension, unique exterior trim, a 6-speed manual transmission, and a turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine that produces 197 hp and 202 lb-ft of torque. You can choose add-ons like a sunroof, exterior striping, 17-inch blacked-out wheels, and—if you step up to the $1,995 Recaro sport seat package—one of two leather interiors. The ST is not as economical as the standard Fiesta, but it’s still rated at 26, 33, and 29—not bad for a fun-to-drive hot hatch.