Forum member
Cletus (who wrote that
refreshingly level-headed article about hypermiling for Postmedia/Driving) has let me know he's going to be writing about the Ford Fiesta 1.0 turbo ecoboost.
The
Fiesta 1.0T currently has the highest EPA highway rating (45 mpg US) for non-diesels & non-hybrids, and the second highest combined rating (37 mpg US, tied with several vehicles) after the Mirage.
He'll be getting some seat time in one later this month, plus the chance to talk to the engineers.
Anybody have any questions about the car?
I know I do!
1) Aerodynamics: is the drag coefficient for this version the same as the garden variety Fiestas? If not, what did they change?
2) Gearing: Several media reviews of the car have mentioned its unusually "tall" gearing, which would be a fuel economy benefit, if true (and an annoyance to the hotshoe journos who don't want to downshift). Yet an EcoModder member posted an excerpt from a service manual that suggests
the gearing isn't at all unusual for a 3-cyl -- meaning, actually pretty revvy at highway speeds in top gear. Who's right?
3) Engine-off ability: shutting off an engine is one of the biggest fuel-saving driving techniques. Is it OK to shut down this turbo engine at will at lights and off ramps, etc? (Implications for turbo health?) Does the UK turbo 1.0 version have stop/start?