Thanks to Ford’s “Fiesta Movement” social-media marketing strategy, as well as plenty of buzz from American auto journalists who spent time behind the wheel of the car while traveling to Europe, the 2011 Ford Fiesta may have been one of the most-anticipated small cars to hit American soil in some time. Now, we’ve finally had the chance to drive it.

For those that have been living under a volcanic ash cloud for the past year, the 2011 Ford Fiesta is coming to America to fill in a gap in Ford’s lineup. Ford hasn’t had a B-class car for sale on American soil in a while, and its past efforts have been less than inspired.

Ford is aiming this car squarely at “urban millenials” along with empty-nesters. Don’t know what an urban millennial is? Think single or married without kids, living in the city, and you’ve got the idea.

Before we were giving a chance to drive the car, Ford told assembled journalists that the company expects the market for small cars in the U.S. to grow, no matter what happens to fuel prices. Simply put, Ford is betting big on small cars.
120-HP 4-CYLINDER LESS THAN EXCITING BUT GREAT ON FUEL

This particular small car is available in two flavors—five-door hatchback and four-door sedan. All models are front-wheel drive. A single engine choice is available—a 1.6-liter four-cylinder with Ford’s Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT). This powerplant makes 120 horsepower and 112 ft-lbs of torque.

Two transmissions are offered: A conventional five-speed manual and a six-speed automatic that Ford dubs PowerShift, due to its lack of a torque converter. The transmission instead uses a dual dry-clutch setup. Paddle shifters aren’t available at the moment.

Ford is claiming fuel-economy numbers of 29-mpg city and 38-mpg highway for the manual, and 30-mpg city and 40-mpg highway for the automatic. EPA numbers have not yet been released.