The brand new Ford Fiesta has received an impressive rating from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at 40mpg highway, 29mpg city.
The new Fiesta has benefited from Ford’s new six-speed Powershift automatic transmission and a number of additional fuel-saving technologies that are not normally seen at this price level.
Among them is a new 1.6litre Duratec engine with twin independent variable camshaft timing; an engine accessory drive system that improves efficiency by reducing the energy needed to power the alternator and air conditioner; and an aggressive deceleration fuel shut-off. The new Ford Fiesta also comes with electric power-assisted steering and several aerodynamic optimisations.
Its highway rating places it five mpg ahead of the Honda Fit and four mpg better than the Toyota Yaris. Meanwhile, the 2011 Fiesta with standard five-speed manual transmission is rated at 28mpg city and 37mpg highway.
The vehicle goes on sales in the US this summer.
