2014 Ford Fiesta 1.0L EcoBoost, Test Drive, Specs, Rating, Price

It’s got a small engine, but with a big heart.

Squeezing out mileage by compacting engine displacement and reducing cylinders is an obvious feat. The real problem creeps in when trying to make a car drive well with an engine that underwent liposuction. And that is exactly where the Ford Fiesta 1L EcoBoost shines. Despite its miniature single liter 3 cylinder engine, the Ford Fiesta 1L still manages to hit the spots where it means most. The 2014 Ford Fiesta 1.0L EcoBoost is a well executed fun and forgiving 5 door hatchback that offers sports-like handling, good fuel economy, and a generally easy and practical car for everyday use.

Simply put, there are motorcycles that wear bigger engines than this Fiesta. But with a little bit of ingenuity, Ford engineers were able to fine tune the engine to best accommodate what matters. Our test drive surprised us with the acceleration and mid-range torque available throughout its power band. For the more environmentally conscious audience, the later 2015 Fiesta can also be purchased with an engine configured with a standard naturally aspirated 1.6 L engine. And of course, there is the more performance oriented ST model sporting the same 1.6 Liter engine with turbo boost and direct fuel injection topped off with flashier cosmetics.

0 to 60 takes a mere 8.3 seconds. It’s not an astonishing number, but the Ford Fiesta 1L has a certain element that brings joy during the process. The Ford Fiesta 1L is generally rev happy with its sweet engine exhaust tone, a well dimensioned shift box, and a forgiving clutch. Acceleration begins to saturate when you hit around 40 MPH, but under stand still or slow speed acceleration, the Fista 1L can pack a punch off the line.

Fuel economy is rated at 38/51 mpg on city and highway and averaging out to an enticing 44 mpg. Throughout our test drive over a week long with a mixture of city and highway driving, we achieved only 33 mpg. But to be fair, it was hard to resist the thrill of what the Fiesta offers in return from a floored gas pedal. With a more obedient driving behavior, I think the Fiesta 1L is capable of hitting the rated city mileage.

The Drive

The Ford Fiesta 1L surprisingly handles very well. The combination of a short wheel base, and a FWD drive configuration is part of the formula that inspires confidence. Ultimately, it’s the minimal body roll, and well balanced suspension setup that makes the Fiesta so fun to drive, and even a very viable candidate for auto-cross racing. Speaking of suspension setup, the Ford Fiesta offers a decently comfortable ride. Rebound is setup nicely to maintain wheel contact when encountering longer bumps, but under higher frequency bumps on the road, the Fiesta begins to dance on its toes.

Steering precision receives high marks as well. The electronic steering is light and precise, but we can’t put it on par with the more sharper steering like the infamous FR-S.

The Ford Fiesta 1L only comes with a 5 speed manual transmission. The gear box is well spaced to provide the best torque output given its limited capability of the 1L 3 cylinder engine. As a result, down shift is a frequent practice when driving the Fiesta 1L when bleeding speed. A pet peeve that is often noticed is the vibration and low grumbling noise when driving under the 2K engine RPM range.

Final Thoughts

Our impression of the Fiesta 1L has generally been good. But because the Fiesta was designed to be compact, the rear seating room was compromised. Average sized adults will have trouble fitting into the rear seats with limited leg room even with the front seats pulled forward unfortunately.

The base Ford Fiesta is priced in at $16,675 with the SE EcoBoost engine configuration costing an additional $1,295. Our final tested model costs $20,535. This isn’t exactly bargain basement material, but then again, there isn’t any other 5 door hatchback that can match the fun factor of the Ford Fiesta and the fuel economy (if driven conservatively).