Ford Says Conquest Buyers Flocking to Fiesta

ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ– Ford expects a Fiesta sales surge as a next generation of the subcompact rolls into dealer showrooms this month.

Deliveries are growing at a rate three times better than the overall segment, and the Fiesta has grown market share for four consecutive years, claims Liz Elser, marketing manager for the brand.

“It is the No.1 non-hybrid conquest vehicle for Ford, with 62% new-to-Ford buyers,” Elser says during a media event here, adding 30% of Fiesta customers are first-time car buyers.

Nearly 200,000 Fiesta units have been sold in the U.S. since its introduction in 2010, including 45,831 in the first seven months of this year, according to WardsAuto data. Its principal competitors are the Honda Fit (30,234 through July 31) and Chevrolet Sonic (50,960).

The ’13 Fiesta currently is in sell-down, and Ford is offering a variety of incentives on the car depending on the region. Elser says no incentives are available for the ’14 model.

The ’14 Fiesta is available in three trim levels: S, which Elser says will account for 15%-18% of sales; SE, the volume leader expected to capture 70% of sales; and the top-of-the-line Titanium accounting for the rest.

Prices range from $14,795 for the S, $16,245 for the SE and $18,995 for the Titanium, all with manual transmission. A 6-speed automatic adds $1,095 to the cost.

A Titanium model with a 1.6L engine available at the press event is priced at $21,280, including destination and delivery charges.

Ford is introducing a 1.0L engine this year on lower trim models, and a sporty ST model priced at $22,195 arrives later this month.

The 1.6L engine with the automatic transmission manages to get slightly better fuel economy than the manual: 32 mpg (7.4 L/100 km) combined city/highway driving vs. 31 mpg (7.6 L/100 km).

A Ford spokesman explains the PowerShift dual-clutch 6-speed automatic has an electronic control unit to match speed and produce efficient upshifting, along with two dry clutches, to achieve the better fuel economy.

The difference doesn’t appear significant to the 20%-22% of customers opting for the manual transmission, making the Fiesta one of the best-selling stickshift-equipped cars in Ford's portfolio.

The Fiesta is built around the world, including in Ford's Cuautitlan, Mexico, plant, which ships cars to Canada and the home market as well as the U.S. The biggest sales markets here are Los Angeles and Washington, Elser says.