Ford Fiesta Econetic 2009 Review

It has already won a handful of awards, including the Carsguide green car of the year, but the biggest test for Ford's Fiesta Econetic remains.  Ford Australia chairman and CEO, Marin Burela, is confident the pre-arrival zeal for the country's most fuel efficient car will now be replaced by serious orders.

However, he's not putting a figure on sales and with only a five-speed manual in its arsenal, the Econetic excludes a huge slice of automatic-only buyers who dominate the light car segment.

Burela believes the buzz around Ford's newest bowser-buster will ensure its success.  "What really makes the Econetic special is that it is affordable," he says.

Pricing

The Econetic is the most expensive Fiesta on sale, with a $24,990 driveaway pricetag.  Even at that price it still undercuts the automatic Toyota Prius hybrid by about $15,000 and the Mini Cooper D by almost $9000.

The Mini D is available with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic.  When Ford first announced that it would bring in the frugal hatch, Burela says there were some who doubted the Econetic story and the ability of the company to bring it to Australia.

"But we proved them wrong," he says.  "Some dealers are already sold out of their Econetic allocation."

Burela says the Econetic is the first of a series of Fords that will help give the company fuel economy leadership in every segment in which it competes.  In Europe Ford's Econetic lineup also includes a Focus and Mondeo.  If the Fiesta version is a success locally the company may also add the others.

Drivetrain and economy measures

The Econetic's uses the latest-generation common rail 66kW/200Nm 1.6-litre turbo-diesel and a five-speed manual gearbox tuned for economy.

Other improvements include a "green" gearshift indicator, diesel particulate filter, low rolling-resistance tyres and a tyre repair kit in lieu of a spare tyre to help trim weight.

The car's ride height has also been lowered by 10mm and there are discrete air deflectors to reduce drag.  The Econetic achieves a combined fuel economy figure of 3.7 litres/100km and a highway figure of 3.2 litres/100km.

With just 98 grams of harmful C02 emissions produced from its exhaust for every kilometre, the Econetic also has few emissions than any other conventional internal combustion engine.

It is only the second vehicle to achieve a CO2 rating of under 100g/km and the only non-hybrid to get such an ultra-low figure.  The hybrid Prius is the other, with C02 emissions of 89g/km.

Styling and equipment

Visually the Econetic is very similar to the rest of the front-wheel drive Fiesta range and is also built in Cologne, Germany.  Equipment is on a par with expectations, with a full suite of airbags, including a driver's knee airbag, anti-skid brakes and stability and traction control.

Inside. the cabin is the same as the standard Fiesta CL.  What buyers are really paying for is the technology under the bonnet.

Driving

The remarkable thing about the Fiesta Econetic is that you can drive very economically without even trying.  Not only did we manage to win a mini-economy challenge with the air conditioning on, we even manage to dip below 3.5 litres/100km in 80km/h traffic outside Canberra last week, even seeing 3.0 litres/100km a one stage.

Economy aside, it's very hard to pick the Econetic from other petrol models. Fortunately, the huge ‘Econetic’ livery on the test cars was just for the launch.  Whereas the Toyota Prius is an overt green statement in itself, the Fiesta prefers a low-key approach.

There's an Econetic badge on the rump that tells part of the story and the discrete aero flaps and wheel trims let people know you're driving something a bit different.  Inside the ‘green’ shift change light lets you know the optimum gearchange, but most people will not know it's a frugal diesel.

The 1.6-litre diesel - like many modern common rail engines - is both quiet and punchy low down, ideal for punting through peak-hour traffic. The engine is also rated for 5 per cent biodiesel.

At highway speeds, engine noise is almost none-existent and the cabin, as we've experienced with the petrol Fiestas, is a very agreeable place to be with supportive seats, excellent visibility and the latest USB connectivity and Bluetooth expected by young buyers.

The ride too is absorbent and handling nimble.  Perhaps the biggest problem with the littlest Ford hatch is a lack of an automatic.  In a market where most younger buyers opt for an automatic, the Econetic makes do with a five-speed manual.

By not having an auto option, Ford has effectively halved the car's sales potential because buyers in this class overwhelmingly choose an auto over a manual.

The Econetic driving experience might also feel a bit more special if the cabin had a more upmarket feel, perhaps borrowing some of the gear from the European Fiesta Titanium?  Why should frugal motorists miss out on a bit of luxury?

Despite these minor quibbles, the Econetic is our new best friend.  Driving more than 1000km between refills is a powerful incentive.

Ford Fiesta Econetic

Price $24,990
Engine 1.6-litre four cylinder turbo-diesel Power 66kW at 4000 revs Torque 200Nm from 1750 revs
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel use:  3.7 litres/100km

Rivals

Mini Cooper D Mini: fun but at a price ($33,750)
Suzuki Alto: Surprisingly adept and an ideal city car ($12,990)
Toyota Prius: Technology-plus but dull drive ($39,990)