48 replies to this topic

[zebra]

So my mom is thinking of upgrading from a 57 (not the old new fiesta the shape before) to the 'new' fiesta. She wanted to upgrade to the current fiesta on the end of line deals however she is being tempted by the titanium 1 litre ecoboost engine,as its less tax and more econimical on fuel etc (she currently has a 1.4 petrol). this atm is trumping the not so nice look.

So what i would like your opinions on are: is this as good as they are making it out to be in terms of power and fuel consumtion??
Is it the same engine thats in the focus and the cmax? If so it must be quite nippy in a fiesta
Somebody has also told her that if you do journeys of less than 8 miles the filters tend to block up which would be an issue as she mainly does shorter distances in traffic. Is this correct for the petrol engine or is this more specific to diesel engines??
Also any ideas of what kind of discounts i could expect for the new model??

I'm kinda wishing i hadnt upgraded eariler this year and waited for this engine, but having said that i love my fiesta.

Thanks in advance!

[oilburner79]

The Diesel engine has a particulate filter that can get blocked up on short journeys I know a few people at work with the 1 litre engine in their Focuses and although they say its great the MPG they achieve is nowhere near what Ford claim perhaps 40MPG max

[Marcr1]

Tbh no matter what car you buy you rarely achieve the mpg stated by the manufacturer. They test the cars in labs, the open road is never the same

[colin79666]

It seems many people are finding that the newer small and turbo'd engines in various cars are not delivering the advertised MPG. While the official MPG figures come for labs it does seem that the difference between that and real world is even more when talking about there new "eco" engines from the likes of Ford and Fiat (just my opinion from reading various things, I don't have conclusive proof).

So what I'm trying to say is that the new 1 litre will likely improve mpg but don't weigh it too much although it will likely be good in the Fiesta as its lighter than the focus. There is also the factor that the engine is newer and is yet to prove its reliability. I haven't seen loads of complaints but who knows, in 3 years they might start suffering turbo failures.

[fasty]

I tried the new 2013 Fiesta today in the 3-door Titanium trim with 1.0 litre Ecoboost 125 petrol engine (6 miles on the clock!).
I've got to say, it's hard to fault.
There are certainly a few improvements to the interior, and the tiny 3 cylinder engine is very usable.
It was certainly really nippy along both A-Roads as well as at 70mph on the motorway.
Not quite as quick as my existing Peugeot 207GTI, but I didn't expect it to be, and the Fiesta is a far smoother ride and handled beautifully.
The engine sounded a bit unusual, both listening outside the car on idle, and when driving. To me, it sounded a little bit harsh, almost diesel-like although others might just call the noise "slightly sporty"! I've heard rumours that these engines quieten down as they run in though, can't confirm if that is correct (any Ecoboost Focus owners care to comment?).
At first, it's uncanny when you stop at traffic lights and everything goes silent as the engine stops, then perks up immediately as you go to engage gear.
The electric power steering is surprisingly good, and the gearbox precise.
Only minor niggle I noticed was a bit of vibration feel on the steering wheel as I pulled away in first, but that's a minor issue.
I suspect that I shall be buying one if I can get a good deal.

[Early-1800]

Yea loads in the press about FIATs Twin Air eco engine returning @35mpg and not the promised 70-80mpg. As said you never get the lab test euro MPG but the gap between those Jackanory figs and real world is now a vast gulf.

VW are also introducing a new generation of small capacity engines that promise mega MPG with performance of traditional 1.4-1.6litre engines, it will interesting to see if these types of petrol engines really can give real world 60+mpg. I'm not holding my breath just yet.

[Magenta]

I tried the new 2013 Fiesta today in the 3-door Titanium trim with 1.0 litre Ecoboost 125 petrol engine (6 miles on the clock!).
I've got to say, it's hard to fault.

At first, it's uncanny when you stop at traffic lights and everything goes silent as the engine stops, then perks up immediately as you go to engage gear.

I have always had reservations about this 'stop-start' system that is becoming popular. Surely it must shorten the life of the starter motor ? Also it must give the battery charge level a hammering in the winter (with headlights heated screens on etc.) if you do lots of short journeys as I do. ?
I have just experienced this battery drain problem so I know !

[Stoney871]

Typically if the battery is below a certain charge level then stop/start will not activate.

[fasty]

I have always had reservations about this 'stop-start' system that is becoming popular. Surely it must shorten the life of the starter motor ? Also it must give the battery charge level a hammering in the winter (with headlights heated screens on etc.) if you do lots of short journeys as I do. ?
I have just experienced this battery drain problem so I know !

Well, naturally, the starter system would have to be designed to cope with repeated use without overheating or wearing out prematurely.. I suspect that they would not use a conventional starter motor, it wouldn't be suitable.
Considering the important battery drain issue however, keep in mind that the start-stop system is almost always combined with a regenerative breaking system. This not only assists breaking, but more importantly puts some power back into the battery. So, some of the power drained from the battery on each re-start is gained back when you brake to a halt.

[MartynS]

So with start-stop, how do things like air con and heating work with the engine off? Surely they don't fit electric heaters and run aircon from the battery?

[fasty]

So with start-stop, how do things like air con and heating work with the engine off? Surely they don't fit electric heaters and run aircon from the battery?

I believe that they probably run the air con from the battery.I know that some cars do it. In some ways, it's quite convenient as it avoids a separate compressor run from the accessory belt, they can make the AC unit more integrated. An, of course, the power steering runs from the battery too.

[jimrex]

Everything continues to work when start-stop is engaged, though if you're stopped a while the hot air blowing through isn't as strong, similar in the summer with the air con so I assume it comes off the battery. It's only designed to be used when stopped for a short while, such as at a level crossing or red traffic lights. If you are stopped for longer, and the lights/wipers/de-mist etc are all on then the car does re-start itself.

As said, if there isn't sufficient charge in the battery or the outside temperature is too low, it doesn't cut the engine. I don't think mine engaged last week at all with the temperatues around freezing.

I was really unsure about start-stop at first, and always pressed the off button as I was always worried the car wouldn't restart leaving me embarrassed at the front of a traffic jam! But I let it do it's thing now, whether it helps my economy or not is another matter!!

[Magenta]

I believe that they probably run the air con from the battery.I know that some cars do it. In some ways, it's quite convenient as it avoids a separate compressor run from the accessory belt, they can make the AC unit more integrated. An, of course, the power steering runs from the battery too.

Poor old battery - gets a whacking these days. I agree though, that an electrically-driven compressor is a much neater way than a solenoid clutch. Let's hope they are fitting bigger batteries now. Also electrically-assisted steering seems a better idea, especially as my son has just spent £500 getting his Mondeo steering put right due to a fluid leak !

[cuke]

Hi, lets get the start/stop into perspective, firstly the air con does have a compressor, thus it will not be operating when the start/stop is active. The technology uses sensor readings from not only the battery, but also the inside and outside temperatures, thus if it is cold outside the car, and the cabin is not up to temp then, it will not operate, again if the outside temp is high, and the cabin temp also high, it will not operate. I have the same system in my Focus and I have also had the engine restart, after being stopped automatically, when the cabin temp rose too high. Also if you have the air con whacked up too high, or too low, then it will also not operate at it will try to obtain the temps inside the car. It also has a engine temperature sensor and reacts to that. The start/stop system can be deactivated with a switch, but when you stop the engine yourself then restart it the system is reactivated. The system isn't operated by selecting a gear but off the clutch.

I like the look of the new Fiesta, especially in its Candy Bue colour, it will look good next to my Candy Red Focus. The local dealership has got them in so we will be going for a test drive soon to look at replacing our Mazda 2 in March.
Chris

[Preee]

Nearly all of my trips are short to work and back 2 miles , Stop Start has not worked for me for ages lol , not that i'm bothered by this , most traffic lights only keep you a few minutes at most. Winter months really take it out of short trips , and i have even had battery low warning .