Ford: But will it impress us Kiwis

Thai-made Fiestas get a much-needed six-speed auto; otherwise little has changed. Photo / Jacqui Madelin

Ford NZ hopes the switch from European-made to Thai-built Fiesta will overcome existing supply shortfalls and meet expected sale increases off the back of the 1.6 petrol now available with an auto transmission.

Other than this, these cars are almost identical to their predecessors, as we discovered in Thailand last week.

What's new?
The body's identical bar the bumpers, and the cabin seems unchanged until you touch it; when you'll find soft-touch surfaces now moulded from hard plastics.

The big news is the six-speed auto co-developed with Getrag in Germany and fitted to both the 89kW/151Nm 1.6 petrol and 66kW/200Nm 1.6 diesel, alongside the five-speed manual. It's a double-clutch set-up but without a manual function; instead, brake assist is intended to enhance engine braking on the downhills.

The springs, bushes, shocks and tyres have been tuned for a plusher ride in entry-level cars and firmer response for the Zetec, while all Fiestas now roll on Continental rubber instead of the outgoing pick 'n' mix.

Hill-launch-assist holds the car for three seconds as you swap from brake to accelerator. There's also extra attention to stuff like door and welding seam seals, twist beam attachment, flooring and tyres to cut cabin noise.

The company line
Stefan Muenzinger, vehicle integration manager for Ford Asia Pacific and Africa, says Ford learned what improvements the Euro Fiesta needed, then implemented them in Thailand. Those improvements will feed back to Europe, though it won't get the double-clutch transmission.

The the super-frugal Ecotec tops the price list at $30,990, with other prices announced in September prior to a late-October New Zealand launch.

What we say
It's not all good news. Yes, this auto is much better than its predecessor. Ride seemed more comfy, at least on the Thai roads we sampled, and the cabin is quieter - though we'd need to confirm that on NZ's coarse chip seal.

But those hard plastics feel cheap, there's now no reach adjust for the steering wheel and Kiwis might need educating before they'll be happy to drop the spare tyre in favour of a compressor-driven foam-and-air temporary replacement.

On the road
Our 220km drive was conducted entirely in Zetecs, traversing everything from steep hills to high-speed highways, all on smooth tarmac as far from NZ conditions as were the kamikaze drivers.

The Euro-built Fiesta is a sweet handler and this one seems the same, but the six-speed auto's frustrating for a keen driver. It couldn't decide on a gear when briskly attacking corners and hills.

Chinese and American markets won't care, but Kiwis are likely to.

Why no manual function? Because it costs more than it's worth for the few markets who want the added functionality. Also a pity, the plusher suspension wasn't controlled with the diesel's extra weight.

Why you'll buy one
Because it's the only small car with voice-controlled phone and radio. Because the Euro Fiesta's good and this one is better. The auto may not have manual mode but it's a great improvement on the four-speed, and it's now in the 1.6.

Why you won't
You can't use this auto like a manual to have the best of both worlds.