Fiesta to be axed after 46 years.

[csv8]

“Reports suggest Blue Oval light hatch will have no direct replacement but next Puma small SUV to soak up demand
Ford will reportedly discontinue the Ford Fiesta in 2023 after 46 years, eight generations and 4.8 million sales.

According to British newspaper, the Sun, the US car-maker will not replace the current Fiesta with another small hatchback despite the Fiesta previously being a best-seller in markets like the UK from 2009 until 2020.

It's thought the reason for killing it off is the high cost of developing the hybrid or EV version required by its all-new replacement, plus the continued consumer migration to higher-riding SUVs.
2022 ford fiesta st 02 1
Current Ford Fiesta ST
Instead, it's thought the next-generation Ford Puma due in 2024 will help fill the void left by the Fiesta.

Speaking to the Sun, a Ford insider said: “Fiesta has been a beloved icon and a faithful friend for millions of drivers but tastes are changing.

“People want high-riding crossovers – and we play to win.”
https://www.carsales.com.au/editoria...GkKo&fs=e&s=cl

[Franco Cozzo]

Oh well I guess I'll just have to shop with Kia and Hyundai.

[kevino]

How do you feel?
How do you feel?
I feel like a Picanto.
I feel like a Picanto.

I feel like a Picanto Gt.

[Big_Daz]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Oh well I guess I'll just have to shop with Kia and Hyundai.

If you look at sales (in Australia at least) people already are...

Still, a shame to see another long standing Ford nameplate disappear with Mondeo and Focus over the last year or 2. I'm not surprised about disappearing in Australia, but thought it was popular enough in Europe still...

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Big_Daz

If you look at sales (in Australia at least) people already are...

Still, a shame to see another long standing Ford nameplate disappear with Mondeo and Focus over the last year or 2. I'm not surprised about disappearing in Australia, but thought it was popular enough in Europe still...

All that leaving a segment entirely does is hand that market share to competitors who are sticking in it.

My first car was a new WS Fiesta, I then bought a new Focus, then my old man bought a new WZ Fiesta ST.

Now Mum is up for a new car, but now the only options in that segment are the Kia Picanto/Rio, Suzuki Swift and few others.

That's why the price of these few remaining options have gone through the roof because the competition hung up the boots.

Would love to buy Ford again but Ford doesn't want my custom it seems, they're trying to force my hand to buy what they want to build, not what our family wants to own and drive.

Puma is a Fiesta on stilts, so it uses more fuel, is slower and handles worse - why would a Fiesta ST owner want a Puma ST? They bought the Fiesta ST for a reason.

[Ratmick]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Oh well I guess I'll just have to shop with Kia and Hyundai.

I have a newish (current model MY21) Hyundai i30 N-Line 6sp manual hatch.

Same size engine (1.6litre turbo) and spec gearbox as my old 2016 ST it replaced.

Loved the Fiesta, albeit the ride was a bit harsh for my missus.

The i30 is ok, is a lot bigger inside and a shipload more compliant with crappy roads.

Reliability so far after nearly two years has been pretty good, no major issues.

...still miss the ST though.

[asagaai]

Originally Posted by Ratmick

I have a newish (current model MY21) Hyundai i30 N-Line 6sp manual hatch.

Same size engine (1.6litre turbo) and spec gearbox as my old 2016 ST it replaced.

Loved the Fiesta, albeit the ride was a bit harsh for my missus.

The i30 is ok, is a lot bigger inside and a shipload more compliant with crappy roads.

Reliability so far after nearly two years has been pretty good, no major issues.

...still miss the ST though.

The MK 8 Fiesta ST 1.5 suspension is apparently more compliant and "mature" than the previous 1.6 ST.

All I know is I still LOVE the Mk 8 ST, it has been (touch wood) the most reliable car I have ever owned (includes Honda Euro, Toyota Camry etc etc) and as an added benefit, my wife actually enjoys me giving it WOT squirts,

Now it is the end of the line ATMO Fiesta ST, going to hang onto it, with vice grip fingers....

[asagaai]

Actually, my partners Honda Civic is dead- battery discharged due to a faulty alternator - again (2 alternators gone in 9 years...wtf?)

So her car is at the dealer where I thought it was in for a replacement delco battery under warranty, but now having to replace the alternator.

Anyway- she says to me on drive home from work today happily after I pick her up from work in the ST, "I get this tomorrow - you can take the beast"

And she was quite happy about getting the Fiesta ST, says it reminds her of her beetle when she was 19 in sound and engine throb and feeling alive and spritely, but with power and air con comfort.

Just a great little car that appeals to so many people- so sad Ford is killing its soul terminating great cars like muscle Falcons, Fiesta ST and Focus St- really loosing interest in them as a car manufacturer.

[Ratmick]

Originally Posted by asagaai

The MK 8 Fiesta ST 1.5 suspension is apparently more compliant and "mature" than the previous 1.6 ST.

All I know is I still LOVE the Mk 8 ST, it has been (touch wood) the most reliable car I have ever owned (includes Honda Euro, Toyota Camry etc etc) and as an added benefit, my wife actually enjoys me giving it WOT squirts,

Now it is the end of the line ATMO Fiesta ST, going to hang onto it, with vice grip fingers....

We're both 58yo and my missus isn't as spry as she once was (and she was very spry when she was younger).

I took her and her older sister to lunch once and she sat in the back behind the front passenger (she's slightly shorter than her sister and leg room back there is a premium).

When we got to the other end she somehow slid off the seat and wedged herself between the rear seat and the front seat...and got stuck. At the time it was pretty funny but once we extricated her we both knew I would have struggled by myself and given her other health issues that might have be4en bad.

...plus the continual bouncing from a very short and very taut chassis with low-profile tyres used to give her the irrits.

...used to handle like a go-kart though

Originally Posted by asagaai

Just a great little car that appeals to so many people- so sad Ford is killing its soul terminating great cars like muscle Falcons, Fiesta ST and Focus St- really loosing interest in them as a car manufacturer.

Yes, exactly.

I would have bought a new Focus ST-Line instead of the i30 IF they had offered the car with a manual gearbox instead of the crappy dial-auto.

Yes it's easier to drive an auto...but it's my car and I didn't want one.

[Bossxr8]

Won't be the first small car killed off by SUV's and EV's. They are already dropping like dominoes.

Puma already makes up half of Ford of Europe's profit.

[b0son]

They should have just stuck a lift kit in it. Punters wouldnt know the difference.

[Rallye Sport]

Shame, they have become quite a successful rally car over the years.

[au2000]

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

Shame, they have become quite a successful rally car over the years.

Rally puma?

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

Shame, they have become quite a successful rally car over the years.

Really wished Ford put an RS badge on a Fiesta at some point.
Guess we'll know never know what might have been

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by DJM83

Really wished Ford put an RS badge on a Fiesta at some point.
Guess we'll know never know what might have been

Surely they would have done prototypes at some point in the past, imagine one with the 2.0L Ecoboost (or the 2.3L variation).

Who remembers the XR4 Fiesta? Focus engine in the Fiesta, that feels like my first introduction to the 'hot hatch' segment (yes I know they existed for yonks prior with other manufacturers)

[barra240t]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Surely they would have done prototypes at some point in the past, imagine one with the 2.0L Ecoboost (or the 2.3L variation).

Who remembers the XR4 Fiesta? Focus engine in the Fiesta, that feels like my first introduction to the 'hot hatch' segment (yes I know they existed for yonks prior with other manufacturers)

Yep, was around them new as well as that generation of XR5 Turbo, was fun times, the 2.0 was still underpowered for that gen of Fiesta's chassis, would have been able to cop a lot more power still, the 2.0 was very happy to rev right out to redline and did it without any harshness at all.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by b0son

They should have just stuck a lift kit in it. Punters wouldnt know the difference.

They did, it's called the Puma.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by csv8

“People want high-riding crossovers – and we play to win.”

"Crossovers" ROFL

I should start a business doing "SUV Conversions." Charge a few thousand dollars, and give them a cushion.

It's like 10~20 years back when everyone said "oh, people don't want Wagons anymore." Now look at what they're driving.

They're still going to sell frugal, lightweight, fwd hatchbacks, but by calling it an "SUV" they can charge another $5~10k. Back in the 90's I had a Mazda 121 (which later became the Festiva.) Nowadays they'd flog that as an SUV. LOL

[DTFRMONT]

A nicely done tribute, and a nod to the successor....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDGfwYM_wgM

[GTP534]

Originally Posted by DTFRMONT

A nicely done tribute, and a nod to the successor....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDGfwYM_wgM

That was nicely done, thanks for sharing!

[hackney]

Real tragedy that they are being discontinued,I can understand why though,Puma is doing very well in the sales department, & is a cracker of a car to drive.Let’s hope the least Ford can do is bring in a performance variant in eventually.I love my little Fiesta S Ecoboost, such a great car to drive, brilliant handling & chassis setup.Ford have always been masters @ chassis dynamics in small cars.RIP Fiesta!

[Dr Smith]

I think Fiesta sales dropped from a high of over 300,000 per year to 80,000 recently however what is the total small car sedan/hatch market and has global sales also taken a similar drop. If yes then Ford's argument that buyers want something else holds, however if the global market hasn't dropped as much, Ford lost buyers not buyers left the segment.

[Bossxr8]

I guess both the Fiesta and Focus were only borrowed time when Ford made the call to get out of passenger vehicles a few years ago. Excluding the Mustang.

[kevino]

Just on Puma the suv version of Fiesta.
Has anyone got feedback on how the 7 speed DCT auto is going now that some Puma s have kilometres on them.
You ll get over it Franco my wife and had five Focus and Fiesta new from 2007 to 2021.
Ford moved from my buying preference to more suv and dc Ute stuff.
We are currently driving vag products now- there is nothing in Ford s range that appeals any more.

But sadly anyone wanting a 3 or 4 cyl manual no what the brand is basically gradually by product withdrawal being forced to buy auto and in a lesser sense suv.

[Polyal]

Sad news indeed, we are not up for another car for a few years but I feel like snagging something now before we are left with only EV options. I like EV but I am not ready yet.

[Fordman]

It is sad that the Fiesta is coming to an end. Great video i watched on youtube about the summarised history of it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEnJruAKOyM

Whilst it does disappoint me, Ford need to win to survive, so these decisions have to be made and the sales figures don't lie.

[Franco Cozzo]

Probably depends on your tolerance, people whinge about how WZ Fiesta ST rides all the time yet I've done a 4000km road trip in one and driven between Melbourne and Adelaide 6 times and my only gripes with them is it starts heat soaking reallly badly once you do 500km+ without stopping and the AC is like someone with emphysema blowing at you with a straw.

I had a ball driving it in Sydney, it was like driving a gokart.

They also killed the Focus too, shame even though they were auto only the SA Focus was the best hatch on the market.

It made my boomer old man come alive, it's his daily and he flogs the *** out of it all the time - surprised he hasn't lost his licence yet either

Has 190,000km on it, has done driveshaft seals and engine mounts so far, those have been its only issue aside from sketchy fuel on the road trip that caused high fuel consumption and a misfire around 4000 RPM.

It's the family chariot, my cousin has one as well.

I guess we can hope maybe Kia/Hyundai will scab some Ford Europe engineers.

[barra240t]

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/best-c...popular-models

Was an article from October so things may have changed, but its pretty obvious Puma is Ford's "new" Fiesta, in the UK at least. Evolution of the car, people want better visibility and better usability of interior space. The Puma is exactly that, and to be fair, it does not compromise the handling or power of the Fiesta, I've driven many and they are an absolute cracker of a car. Ford need to pull their finger out here and really give Puma the attention it deserves, there is no need for Ford to just be selling Ranger, Everest and Mustang here, we need a numbers car!

[hackney]

Originally Posted by barra240t

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/best-c...popular-models

Was an article from October so things may have changed, but its pretty obvious Puma is Ford's "new" Fiesta, in the UK at least. Evolution of the car, people want better visibility and better usability of interior space. The Puma is exactly that, and to be fair, it does not compromise the handling or power of the Fiesta, I've driven many and they are an absolute cracker of a car. Ford need to pull their finger out here and really give Puma the attention it deserves, there is no need for Ford to just be selling Ranger, Everest and Mustang here, we need a numbers car!

Puma sells in very good numbers in the UK.Fiesta use to be(along with the Focus) around #1 or #2.Those days are now gone with Vauxhalls Corsa now #1.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by barra240t

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/best-c...popular-models

Was an article from October so things may have changed, but its pretty obvious Puma is Ford's "new" Fiesta, in the UK at least. Evolution of the car, people want better visibility and better usability of interior space. The Puma is exactly that, and to be fair, it does not compromise the handling or power of the Fiesta, I've driven many and they are an absolute cracker of a car. Ford need to pull their finger out here and really give Puma the attention it deserves, there is no need for Ford to just be selling Ranger, Everest and Mustang here, we need a numbers car!

Agreed! I had a Puma as a long car and was pleasantly surprised at how agile it was.

I hate SUV's in general and understand the compromises that are made in weight, chassis and fuel economy compared to an equivalent passenger car. However, the Puma's compromises are minimal, the chassis is great, the little engine has decent torque and a nice little note.