seftonm
09-20-2010, 11:58 PM
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/AmericanFlag.jpg Ego Shrinkers: Will Americans ever be able to accept a driving life in a confined but economical package? (http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparisons/10q3/2011_ford_fiesta_vs._2010_honda_fit_2011_mazda_2-comparison_tests)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2011_Ford_Fiesta_-_City.jpgMichael Austin - CARANDDRIVER (http://www.caranddriver.com) - September 2010
A surprising result IMO. --Ed.
Most drivers in Europe motor around in small, efficient hatchbacks without feeling like failures. But here, in America—the hell with the gas bill—size still matters. On the Continent, the social stigma that’s attached to driving a very small car isn’t as virulent and deprecating as it continues to be for many drivers in the U.S.
So Ford is trying, once again, to take the edge off that particular shame with its latest Fiesta—a snazzy-looking, Euro-transplant B-segment subcompact that emphasizes lots of features and high fuel economy. Mazda enters the fray with its 2, first released in Europe in 2007 and, ironically, riding on the same platform as the Fiesta (they share the same 98.0-inch wheelbase). These new releases make Honda’s product planners look like fortune tellers who were right to take a chance on bringing the first-generation Fit here in 2006, then following up in 2009 with the second-generation model.
Because these cars extol the European automotive virtues of snappy handling and fuel efficiency, we decided to test them in the most European-feeling city in North America: Montreal. The city is actually on an island in the vast St. Lawrence River, and the old quarter has cobblestone streets filled with ancient churches, beckoning cafés, and charcuteries. As in Europe, most of the population speaks a language you don’t, although some Montréalais defaulted into English after encountering a few seconds of our blank staring.
The 600-mile trip from Ann Arbor to Montreal is almost as far as a run from Paris to Berlin. Our hot day began with distinct Euro flair at lunch in southern Ontario, where our finicky managing editor was alarmed to see his root beer served without ice. Zut alors! Speaking of refreshment, all three cars come standard with air conditioning, even at their dollar-menu starting prices. The Fiesta begins at $13,995 in four-door trim. If you prefer, as we do, the style of the five-door, the minimum is $15,795. The Mazda and Honda come in one body style only and start at $14,730 and $15,650, respectively. In instant-ramen trim, all three of these cars have anti-lock brakes, power windows and locks, and plenty of airbags.... http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparisons/10q3/2011_ford_fiesta_vs._2010_honda_fit_2011_mazda_2-comparison_tests
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2011_Ford_Fiesta_-_City.jpgMichael Austin - CARANDDRIVER (http://www.caranddriver.com) - September 2010
A surprising result IMO. --Ed.
Most drivers in Europe motor around in small, efficient hatchbacks without feeling like failures. But here, in America—the hell with the gas bill—size still matters. On the Continent, the social stigma that’s attached to driving a very small car isn’t as virulent and deprecating as it continues to be for many drivers in the U.S.
So Ford is trying, once again, to take the edge off that particular shame with its latest Fiesta—a snazzy-looking, Euro-transplant B-segment subcompact that emphasizes lots of features and high fuel economy. Mazda enters the fray with its 2, first released in Europe in 2007 and, ironically, riding on the same platform as the Fiesta (they share the same 98.0-inch wheelbase). These new releases make Honda’s product planners look like fortune tellers who were right to take a chance on bringing the first-generation Fit here in 2006, then following up in 2009 with the second-generation model.
Because these cars extol the European automotive virtues of snappy handling and fuel efficiency, we decided to test them in the most European-feeling city in North America: Montreal. The city is actually on an island in the vast St. Lawrence River, and the old quarter has cobblestone streets filled with ancient churches, beckoning cafés, and charcuteries. As in Europe, most of the population speaks a language you don’t, although some Montréalais defaulted into English after encountering a few seconds of our blank staring.
The 600-mile trip from Ann Arbor to Montreal is almost as far as a run from Paris to Berlin. Our hot day began with distinct Euro flair at lunch in southern Ontario, where our finicky managing editor was alarmed to see his root beer served without ice. Zut alors! Speaking of refreshment, all three cars come standard with air conditioning, even at their dollar-menu starting prices. The Fiesta begins at $13,995 in four-door trim. If you prefer, as we do, the style of the five-door, the minimum is $15,795. The Mazda and Honda come in one body style only and start at $14,730 and $15,650, respectively. In instant-ramen trim, all three of these cars have anti-lock brakes, power windows and locks, and plenty of airbags.... http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparisons/10q3/2011_ford_fiesta_vs._2010_honda_fit_2011_mazda_2-comparison_tests