Topic: Test Drive: 2014 Ford Fiesta SE

[PJ]

It's a nice car but I liked the Mazda2 better.  They are both on the same platform but the Mazda version felt quicker and more eager.  Ford tried to make theirs more upscale feeling but it only brings out it's short comings.  The Mazda2 is happy in it's role as a $14K basic car.

And advertising Imperial MPG numbers is false advertising.

Same platform? You sure? thought Wing said it was not the case.

Yep.  Had to double check to be sure but it is the same platform with a number of changes.

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/2011-ford-fiesta-vs-2010-honda-fit-2011-mazda-2-comparison-test
http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-reviews/car-comparison-tests/ford-fiesta-vs-mazda2

[Frontier1]

It's a nice car but I liked the Mazda2 better.  They are both on the same platform but the Mazda version felt quicker and more eager.  Ford tried to make theirs more upscale feeling but it only brings out it's short comings.  The Mazda2 is happy in it's role as a $14K basic car.

And advertising Imperial MPG numbers is false advertising.

Same platform? You sure? thought Wing said it was not the case.

Yep.  Had to double check to be sure but it is the same platform with a number of changes.

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/2011-ford-fiesta-vs-2010-honda-fit-2011-mazda-2-comparison-test
http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-reviews/car-comparison-tests/ford-fiesta-vs-mazda2

Ok thanks

[PJ]

For pete's sake...what does it take to get it across.

Miles per gallon (US, IMP, whatever)---------------KM per liter.

It's easy...forget the number of anything to do 100 km...it's an illogical thought process.
 You want to know how many length units you can travel on one measure of volume... liter, Gallon,....eggcup full if you like.

It has nothing to do with the METRIC system or old folks it is simply upside down.

And that is why MILAGE is still around...you can't have kilometerage as it stands because it is always 100. Making the necessary measure 'literage' which has nothing to do with distance travelled...only a volume statement.

So if km/liter is good for the EU, where the metric system was first used...WHY DO WE HAVE TO BE DIFFERENT.

Great, a third way to say the same thing.

Whether it's the amount of fuel to go a set distance or the amount of distance you can go on a set amount of fuel it doesn't matter.  Just stick with one system so people have a point of reference.

Litres/ 100 km is the standard in Canada and will someday be in the US whenever they get out of the dark ages.

[Rupert]

You think?

What we have now is the THIRD way.

EU km/liter
US miles/gallon
Different systems but the same principal. For no seeming reason, that I can see, we turned it upside down.

[JacobBlack]

CORRECTION: 7.4 l/100km is 38.2 MPG
                          5.2 l/100km is 54.3 MPG

The author probably took his MPG readings from the trip computer without realizing they were for U.U gallons. We aren't in the U.S.. All Canadian journalists should have a copy of Natural Resources Canada's Fuel Consumption Guide where both metric and imperial units are given. It also provides the simple equations for converting l/100km into MPG and vice-versa. Yes, the Canadian government officially recognizes both the metric and Imperial methods. Just have a look at the Energuide window sticker on a new car if you want further confirmation.

1. It says "rating", nothing to do with trip computers.
2. The journalist took his rating from the EPA website, that is our editorial decision, because the EPA is FAR  more accurate than Energuide.
3. Thanks for your input, and for being a reader, we appreciate it.

[PJ]

You think?

Sometimes but not normally on Mondays

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Units of fuel per fixed distance Generally expressed as liters per 100 kilometers (L/100 km), used in Europe, China, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Canadian law allows for use of either liters per 100 kilometres or miles per Imperial gallon.[2][3] Recently, the window sticker on new US cars has started displaying the vehicle's fuel consumption in US gallons per 100 miles.[4] Units of distance per fixed fuel unit Miles per gallon (mpg) is commonly used in the United States and the United Kingdom, or kilometres per litre (km/L) is more commonly used elsewhere in the Americas, Eurasia, parts of Africa and Oceania. When the mpg unit is used, it is necessary to identify the type of gallon used, as the Imperial gallon is 4.5 liters and the US gallon is 3.785 liters.
Conversions of units:
 


miles per US gallon → L/100 km: 235 / mpgUS = L/100 km
 


miles per Imp. gallon → L/100 km: 282 / mpgImp. = L/100 km
 


L/100 km → miles per US gallon: 235 / (L/100 km) = mpgUS
 


L/100 km → miles per Imp. gallon: 282 / (L/100 km) = mpgImp.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_economy_in_automobiles#Units_of_measure

[Rupert]

What a mess.
 So post #11 by NOTO is wrong then and km/L is not used in the EU.

[Northernridge]

I'm seeing quite a few Fiestas around Winnipeg, they seem to be popular. Pretty decent small car looks...

[blur911]

I find people use US MPG if they are trying to convey that something gets poor mileage and Imperial MPG if they are trying to convey the vehicle gets good mileage.  I always ask where they are  buying their gas in gallons and where they are finding anything in Canada measured in miles.

I have no problem with l/100km, I can easily figure out how far I can drive on a tank and how much it's going to cost.  It sounds like an odd unit of measure, but it works for it's purpose.

[Trainman]

...

I have no problem with l/100km, I can easily figure out how far I can drive on a tank and how much it's going to cost.  It sounds like an odd unit of measure, but it works for it's purpose.

 

My Forester measures distance in KM; the tank is listed as liters in the owners manual; the on-board fuel consumption reading is in l/100 kms.  This makes it real easy to calculate range: the tank is 60l, so if I am getting 10 on the read-out, then I can go 600 kms before needing to re-fill (I always re-set the Trip A reading as that is what the fuel consumption calculation is based on).  Real simple.

Now back to our regular scheduled program:

Looks like a nice little car, for the most part I have been pretty impressed with the first looks of Ford recently (Escape is the only real exception) although I have not had a need to drive any.  I hope they keep up the good work and that reliability stays decent.

[tpl]

As this is Canada would it be OK if we had LITRES   not liters   please.   


And if we are still to have gallons at all and I agree with Airbalancer that we should give up on them, how about we have proper Canadian Imperial gallons not those US things measured after someone on the Mayflower dented the gallon measure.   It would not be so bad if the US gallon was exactly 4 litres.

[tenpenny]

It's easy...forget the number of anything to do 100 km...it's an illogical thought process.
 You want to know how many length units you can travel on one measure of volume... liter, Gallon,....eggcup full if you like.

Actually, your thought process is backward.  You don't say " I've got 35 litres, how far can I go?" , you say, "I've got to go 325km, how much fuel will I need?"

The metric rating tells you how much fuel you use to go 100km.

Simple as could be.


Sent from my Vic20 using Java Moose

[Black Hatch]

It's easy...forget the number of anything to do 100 km...it's an illogical thought process.
 You want to know how many length units you can travel on one measure of volume... liter, Gallon,....eggcup full if you like.

Actually, your thought process is backward.  You don't say " I've got 35 litres, how far can I go?" , you say, "I've got to go 325km, how much fuel will I need?"

The metric rating tells you how much fuel you use to go 100km.

Simple as could be.

Sent from my Vic20 using Java Moose

I don't see why not.
How about you got 10L of fuel remaining (quarter tank) , how far can you go before you run out?

And can you get to the nearest gas station when you just passed the next gas station 100km sign.

[dkaz]

 

I'm in the L/100km crowd but this is very entertaining.

[PJ]

I don't see what the problem is really.   Either way it's very simple elementary school math to figure out how far you can go.  The current system is here to stay why worry about it?

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I don't see what the problem is really.   Either way it's very simple elementary school math to figure out how far you can go.  The current system is here to stay why worry about it?

Exactly. The car tells you the distance in kilometres. The pump tells you the volume in litres. Why complicate it?

[johngenx]

I prefer consumption numbers.  Then I can look at the distance I have to go, and quickly estimate my fuel use.  Then I can plan fuel stops.

Example.  We had a 1000km round trip road trip this last weekend.  I know the Corolla maxes at 6L/100km highway, so I'll consumer 60L.  The car has 42L until the fuel light comes on, which gives me 700km of range, at least.  I can go to the trailhead, and 200km back towards home before requiring fuel.

Also, from a mathematical standpoint, consumption makes more sense as it's a linear relationship.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_efficiency

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/label/learn-more-gasoline-label.shtml#fuel-consumption-rate

[hemusbull]

You think?

What we have now is the THIRD way.

EU km/liter
US miles/gallon
Different systems but the same principal. For no seeming reason, that I can see, we turned it upside down.

Yes Rupert, we turned it upside down. And I do think this is right as long as it is convenient for the us. Today gas mileage measurement is a cultural phenomenon. The difficult  thing is the transfer from one to other system, especially for ordinary consumers. But again there isn't any problem in our (like it or not) multicultural society...Even in UK in last few decades you'll experience the same issue coming from the transition from imperial to metric system according to new EU regulations. But the simple science fact is that SI, the international system of measurements is a metric system. So all of us are in a long transition journey to get there and became a unified metric world.

[dkaz]

...and goodbye Imperial MPG forever?

Hey it's 51 degrees Fahrenheit in Vancouver right now, better get ready for my 20 mile journey to work.