The Ford Fiesta's Not Looking Very Dead At All

Rumors of the Ford Fiesta‘s American demise have swirled ever since the 2016 launch of the seventh-generation model in Europe. On sale for the 2017 model year, the current-gen Fiesta overseas is not the current-gen Fiesta we see here. No, the older model continues on in North America, as whispers of its impending execution come and go.

Most recently, a Wall Street Journal report claimed the Fiesta would end production this year, with the Taurus sedan following it to the grave not long after.

That’s not what VIN decoder document obtained by TTAC claims.

The document, submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, covers 2019 model year Ford vehicles. And there is it, topping the list. The document shows the Fiesta continuing on for 2019, available in S, SE, Titanium, and yes, even ST trims. Sedan and five-door hatch bodystyles continue for all but the hot hatch ST.

The 2019 Ford Taurus appears on the document as well, containing the same four engines as before.

Speaking of engines, there’s something odd going on with the 2019 Fiesta. Ford hasn’t replied to our query just yet, but the three engine options listed for the Fiesta include a 1.6-liter, 123 horsepower four-cylinder, a flex-fuel version of the same engine making 120 hp, and a 1.0-liter Fox three-cylinder making … 197 horsepower. Hmmm…

That last figure is the same power rating as the 1.6-liter turbo found in the current Fiesta ST. Without confirmation of some type of hyper-boosted wonder three, we have to assume there’s a mistake here, as the document shows the “123 hp” 1.6-liter being a GTDI engine — ie, turbocharged, with direct injection. The 1.0-liter EcoBoost formerly available in the Fiesta made 123 hp. Also, the 120 hp 1.6-liter listed in the document is the same naturally aspirated unit found in all but the ST for the 2018 model year.

We’ve heard of a 175 hp aftermarket tune available for current 1.0 EB owners, but 197 hp is nuts. Surely, there’s a little whoopsies going on here.

Still, the confusing power figures — and the strange reappearance of the 1.0 EB — do not take away from the fact the Fiesta appears ready to soldier on for a little while longer, at least. Fiesta sales in the U.S. fell 9.5 percent last month, year over year, with volume over the first three months of 2018 down 5.7 percent.

(Update: Jiyan K. Cadiz, communications manager for Ford’s North American car line, replied to TTAC regarding this story. It seems the door isn’t officially shut on the seventh-gen Fiesta just yet. “We have introduced the new Fiesta for Europe and the Middle East and Africa. We’ll have more to say about other markets at a later date,” Cadiz said via email.)

[Image: Ford]