Ford Fiesta: price cuts and extra airbags for Australian range

By Tim Beissmann
September 06th, 2012

FIND DEALS

Ford Australia has cut $1500 from the price of the entry-level Ford Fiesta and boosted its standard safety package.

The Fiesta CL five-speed manual is now $15,490 before on-road costs and is equipped with three extra airbags (side curtains and a driver’s knee bag) and a seatbelt reminder.

The additional safety features were previously available as the $600 Safety Pack option on the CL, making the updated model $2100 better value than before.

The added safety kit in the Fiesta CL means the entire Ford Fiesta range now achieves ANCAP’s maximum five-star safety rating.

Ford Australia has also cut $1200 from the price of the mid-spec Fiesta LX and $500 from the sporty Fiesta Zetec, while carrying over their existing specifications. The two model grades are now priced from $17,790 and $20,490 respectively.

The pricing adjustment brings the Fiesta closer to the top-selling city car, the Toyota Yaris, which costs from $14,990. The base model Fiesta now undercuts the Hyundai i20 ($15,590), Mazda2 ($15,790), Holden Barina and the Suzuki Swift (both $15,990).

Ford Australia will be hoping the price and specification changes give the Fiesta a showroom boost. Fiesta sales are down 14.2 per cent so far this year and the car’s market share has fallen from 9.4 per cent to 7.9 per cent, slipping to sixth in the segment behind the Yaris, Mazda2, Barina, i20 and Swift.

Ford Fiesta manufacturer’s list prices:

CL petrol manual – $15,490 (-$1500)
CL petrol auto – $17,490 (-$1500)
LX petrol manual – $17,790 (-$1200)
LX petrol auto – $19,790 (-$1200)
LX diesel manual – $20,290 (-$1200)
Zetec petrol manual – $20,490 (-$500)
Zetec petrol auto – $22,490 (-$500)
Zetec diesel manual – $22,990 (-$500)

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horsie

winner !
mark

ford finally waking up!
Zaccy16

Finally!
AMB

Yes Well Done Ford,
the Fiesta is a fantastic car the Yaris is outdated and Ugly, Mazda 2 just plain,,
filippo

And yet, hundreds of people each month will continue to ignore every motoring publication in the country and buy the Barina.
- Zaccy16
  
  Why poeple why! the barina is so rubbish! aussies are so gullible! People need to do research before they by cars! pick up a $9 wheels mag people or have a look at the free website on the internet ie CA! before buying a rubbish corolla sedan or barina!
  - John
    
    I am guessing that for a certain type of person, buying a Barina is the no-brainer choice that buying a Corolla is for some people, albeit at a lower price point. The Holden badge alone probably pulls in a fair whack of sales.
    
    But I don’t understand it either. I wouldn’t buy a Barina if you paid me.
- Basil Exposition
  
  The Barina is ugly, tinny, plasticky…, barf!!!! Sorry about that.
Able

Bye bye Fiesta Saloon!
- Zaccy16
  
  Thank god! the sedan was very ugly!
Dezkun

Aust’s FTA with Thailand should have really allowed for sharper pricing. These will also be in runout soon.
- Andrew M
  
  They already sharpened the pencil when production moved to Thailand 2 years ago
Basil Exposition

I really lIke this car… Issues for me are the cheap looking interiors, no ecoboost and a concern over the DSG type gearbox reliability. Still, a good move by Ford.
- Andrew M
  
  I doubt they sell many DSG’s in the fiesta.
  Not many small cars sell in Auto. All these small cars are flat as in Auto, I suppose DSG’s were meant to fix this.
  No Ecoboost?? If you want to pay more on purchase to save a couple of dollars a week just buy the econetic (thats if they havent canned it)
  
  Cheap Interiors, I reckon they went a bit cheap right around when production switched to Thailand. The Zetec model certainly picks it up in quality though.
  
  I havent seen any other car for 15K with an interior that screams quality. I think Ford lowered thamselves to the market on this one.
  
  Its definatly the best drive out there. I recently shopped around with my sister for a new car and I was surprised on how bad the rest of the competition is.
  Even the last Gen Fiesta is a far better steer than most new small cars
Galaxy

Consumers are not as dumb as are made out. People buy cars for tangible and intangible benefits. Unfortunately, Ford and long term reliability don’t equate very well to consumer perceptions. Fiesta may be a better drive, but after 5 years, people won’t care about that if they’ve had reliability and quality issues that may not be an issue with Japanese and Korean built cars these days.
- SamR
  
  I agree, Euro cars are a nightmare medium and long term. You would have to be MAD to buy a Focus, Fiesta, Astra even a Golf if you want a cheap runabout car around $20K.
  
  You will go broke with Brake Pads, Rotors, timing belts, electrics and things falling off.
  
  Buy a Mazda 2/3, Corolla, Swift, etc
  - Guest
    
    The WT Fiesta runs the same pads and discs as the Mazda 2 so will last a long time unlike the Euro sourced Focus and previous Fiestas. As for timing belt Ford say it should be changed every 8 years or 160,000ks so not a problem either. You need to be careful making broad sweeping statements. The Fiesta actually rates well in overseas reliability surveys.
  - Andrew M
    
    QUOTE…………….
    Buy a Mazda 2/3, Corolla, Swift, etc
    
    Well if you want something that is nice to drive, stay away from the last 2.
    
    And with your broad statement Re Focus and Fiesta, you might like to consider the current models are made in totally different places to the models they replaced.
    I wouldnt exactlly be marking previous concerns upon a new model just yet.
    
    But with that said, I would rather drive something that a door handle fell off of every now and then than something that is like driving a cardboard box.
    
    Also, off the top of my head, the Mazda 3 and Lancer are the only cars actually made in Japan still.
    
    Mazda 3 is best by a length, but I havent tried the new Focus to be fair
    - Zaccy16
      
      Yeah the Mazda 3 is a normal every day car that is actually fun to drive! specially in SP25 trim, my grandma has one and even that the 2.5 is alittle thirsty compared to todays 4cyl but it it still a great engine and makes a great noise!
    - SamR
      
      My point was that if having a CHEAP runabout for $20K is your goal then a cheap Euro sourced car is madness.
      
      Sure the Euro Focus and Fiesta drive well and if handling is more important than economy by all means buy the Euro car instead.
      
      But if handling and character are more important than economy and long term reliability WHY in the heck are you buy a $20K economy car?
    - SamR
      
      My point was that if having a CHEAP runabout for $20K is your goal then a cheap Euro sourced car is madness.
      
      Sure the Euro Focus and Fiesta drive well and if handling is more important than economy by all means buy the Euro car instead.
      
      But if handling and character are more important than economy and long term reliability WHY in the heck are you buy a $20K economy car?
Chriso

I own a current model WT and previously the WS (german made). The WS was twice the car for fit and finish. The WT has been built to a price point and rattles as such, has many less features than the WS and the brakes are like metal on metal. I previously bought the WS on build quality and was happy to pay a couple of grand for than the barina for it. Next choice will not be a Fiesta Unless the ST comes from Europe.
mspiggy

Does anyone know when the prices were effective from? And sorry if it states that somewhere, I just don’t have time to read it all!!!