Fiesta in a Kraxel dress

About sense and nonsense of the unabated persistent SUV fashion is often discussed and much. Really reasonable, it does not seem to invest a lot of money in a four-wheel-drive high-seater, which drives the consumption of fuel in city traffic unnecessarily in the air. Models such as the new, at least around 18.0000 Euro expensive Ford Fiesta Active offer as an interesting alternative.

As already quite a few angekrosste models in front of him wearing the Fiesta Active high heels for bumpy roads and a chic Kraxel dress: The striking features of the always five-door Active include in addition to the chassis height adjustment by well two centimeters Robustbeplankung, side skirts, chrome inserts and 17 inch wheels. That looks neat, but real benefits when driving it does not bring. But: unlike an SUV, this variant carries little unnecessary ballast around with it.

For this, the equipment package includes a number of niceties such as sports seats front, leather steering wheel, air conditioning or the multimedia system Sync 3. The latter also enables the integration of smartphone apps and the control of some functions via voice command via an 6,5 inch touchscreen.

Although only 4,07 meters short, the Fiesta Active looks almost outgrown the small car segment. But instead of the dream of space, the interior offers only down-to-earth space. Four adults can be accommodated, but you sit in the front much kommoder than behind. With about 290 liters, the luggage compartment is rather scarce, thanks to the split fold-back seat can grow by 800 liters.

The Fiesta really impresses with the quality leap that the interior made in comparison to its predecessor. Everything is clearer, the workmanship and the materials also have a higher value than before. At least, this impression is conveyed by the top equipment we tested, Active Plus, which impresses with, among other things, the fancy-staged 8 inch touchscreen, which sits in the center of the dashboard in tablet style.

Great is also the range of engines that incidentally all meet the emission standard Euro 6d temp. The dieself in the small car segment, the Fiesta continues to give a rejection, because at least two performance levels of the 1,5-liter four-cylinder with 63 kW / 85 PS and 88 KW / 120 PS are available for the Active to choose from. Alternatively, there is a wider range of gasoline engines, all of which are of the same one-liter three-cylinder hardware base, but differ in turbocharging power output: 63 kW / 85 PS, 74 kW / 100 PS, 92 kW / 125 PS or 103 kW / 140 PS are available to customers.

The strongest version ensures a pleasantly spirited propulsion. Who wants to exploit the potential in a brisk ride on curvy country road, will change the gears more often, because only above 2.500 tours there is enough draft. Still pleasantly quiet at medium speeds, the engine develops a robust sound with a slightly unfinished three-cylinder note at the top. After all: In 9,7 seconds creates the 1,2-Tonner the 100-km / h sprint - maximum 200 km / h are possible. By comparison, the normal Fiesta achieves the 100 km / h in the same drive variant after 9,2 seconds and a maximum of 202 km / h. In addition, the Active consumes a few tenths of a liter more. As usual with small turbo engines, consumption values ​​can be reduced by five liters with reluctance; in practical terms, as in our case, they can become 6,8 liters.

An increased fuel consumption provoked you like, because like the normal Fiesta prepares the Active much joy in fast left-right combinations. The steering gives a pleasantly precise feedback, the curve wobbles remains restrained and despite the good mood tuning the comfort is by no means too short. Like for generations, the new Fiesta sets with its suspension a highlight.

The Active's additional adjustments to the suspension help bumpy trails digest a trail more relaxed than a standard Fiesta. On four-wheel drive or other technical arsenal for bad-road tours waived the other variant, however. However, there are three selectable driving modes. In addition to normal and economical, the driver is still a special vote of the control systems for driving on slippery surfaces available. The off-roader will not be the new Fiesta variant.

With a base price of almost 18.000 Euro makes Ford in the case of the Fiesta Active a self-confident announcement. For the customer, however, only gets the base engine with 63 kW / 85 PS and a still upgradeable equipment. On more than 23.000 Euro the price of the top gasoline engine in the highest equipment Active Plus increases. Compared to the basic version of the Fiesta this is an extra charge of more than 10.000 Euro. With other manufacturers there are already genuine SUV models for 23.000 Euro. (Mario Hommen / SP-X)

Ford Fiesta Active - Specifications:

Five-door, five-seat compact car; Length: 4,07 meters, Width: 1,746 meters (with exterior mirrors: 1,94), Height: 1,50 meters, Wheelbase: 2,49 meters, Boot volume: 292 - 1.093 liters (with tire repair kit).

1.0 l (85 PS)
1,0-liter three-cylinder petrol engine, 6-speed manual transmission, 63 kW / 85 hp, maximum torque: 170 Nm at 1.500 - 3.500 rpm, 0-100 km / h: 12,7 s, Vmax: 170 km / h, average consumption: 4,6 liters / 100 kilometers, CO2 emissions: 105 g / km, emissions standard: Euro 6d Temp, efficiency class: B, price: from 17.950 euros

1.0 l (100 PS)
1,0-liter three-cylinder turbo gasoline engine, 6-speed manual transmission, 6 kW / 74 PS, maximum torque: 100 Nm at 170-1.500 rpm, 4.000-0 km / h: 100 (11,2) s, Vmax: 12,9 (181) km / h, Average consumption: 177 (4,6) liters / 5,7 kilometers, CO100 emissions: 2 (105) g / km, Emission standard: Euro 129d Temp, Efficiency class: B (D) , Price: from 6 (19.150) Euro

1.0 l (125 PS)
1,0-liter three-cylinder turbo gasoline engine, 6-speed manual, 92 kW / 125 PS, maximum torque: 170 Nm at 1.400-4.500 rpm, 0-100 km / h: 10,4 s, Vmax: 190 km / h, average consumption: 4,8 liters / 100 kilometers, CO2 emissions: 108 g / km, emissions standard: Euro 6d Temp, efficiency class: B, price: from 20.400 Euro

1.0 l (140 PS)
1,0-liter three-cylinder turbo gasoline engine, 6-speed manual, 103 kW / 140 PS, maximum torque: 180 Nm at 1.500-5.000 rpm, 0-100 km / h: 9,7 s, Vmax: 200 km / h, average consumption: 4,8 liters / 100 kilometers, CO2 emissions: 110 g / km, emissions standard: Euro 6d Temp, efficiency class: B, price: from 21.150 Euro

1.5 TDCi (85 PS)
1,5-liter four-cylinder diesel engine, 6-speed manual transmission, 63 kW / 85 PS, maximum torque: 215 Nm at 1.750-2.500 rpm, 0-100 km / h: 12,7 s, Vmax: 170 km / h, Average consumption: 3,6 liters / 100 kilometers, CO2 emissions: 94 g / km, emissions standard: Euro 6d Temp, efficiency class: A, Price: from 20.050 Euro

1.5 TDCi (120 PS)
1,5-liter four-cylinder diesel engine, 6-speed manual transmission, 88 kW / 120 PS, maximum torque: 270 Nm at 1.750-2.500 rpm, 0-100 km / h: 9,5 s, Vmax: 190 km / h, Average consumption: 3,6 liters / 100 kilometers, CO2 emissions: 96 g / km, emissions standard: Euro 6d Temp, efficiency class: B, Price: from 21.800 Euro

Ford Fiesta Active - short description:
Why: Because even a small car should offer some SUV flair
Why not: Because a standard Fiesta drives faster, costs less and consumes less
What else: Seat Arona, Renault Captur, Hyundai i20 Active