[Myke]

I heard rumors that Ford might not be selling new Fiestas in America anymore, only in Europe. What are your thoughts and reasons for thinking the way that you do?

If true, it's not fair that the rest of the world gets a FiST with a panoramic sunroof and we don't.

 

[AlanBDahl]

I heard rumors that Ford might not be selling new Fiestas in America anymore, only in Europe. What are your thoughts and reasons for thinking the way that you do?

What is rumored is that Ford won’t offer the next-generation Fiesta in any of the Americas, North and South. The supposed reason is the cost of engineering the sedan which is not offered in other parts of the world. What hasn’t yet been stated is whether the current generation Fiesta will continue in production as-is. There is precedent for this, the US never got the second generation Focus in 2004 but instead got a lightly restyled first generation model until the third generation arrived in 2008. Frankly I am surprised we haven’t heard one way or the other given that the 2018 models likely have either started production or will start very soon. Have their been any official announcements anywhere?

 

[captainmorbid]

What is rumored is that Ford won’t offer the next-generation Fiesta in any of the Americas, North and South. The supposed reason is the cost of engineering the sedan which is not offered in other parts of the world. What hasn’t yet been stated is whether the current generation Fiesta will continue in production as-is. There is precedent for this, the US never got the second generation Focus in 2004 but instead got a lightly restyled first generation model until the third generation arrived in 2008. Frankly I am surprised we haven’t heard one way or the other given that the 2018 models likely have either started production or will start very soon. Have their been any official announcements anywhere?

I haven't seen anything official, but when I bought the ST the other day the dealer guy pretty much agreed with me when I guessed that they are gonzo from North America. I love the ST, but I was holding out for the 3 cylinder 1.5 ST.

The real problem is that they don't sell enough to justify the capital required to adapt the car to our stupid standards. Plus gas is cheap, the economy is up and people are buying the minivans... errr CUVs like mad. We will get the damn ecosport, maybe they'll ST it...


Sent from my iPhone using a cannon and dictionary

 

[jmrtsus]

No, we will see no Fiesta's in the US in the near future. Just no market here.

 

[Slurp812]

Guess I gotta switch back to foreign car next time.

 

[Myke]

Just got an email from a Ford sales rep. 2018 Fiesta ST will be available in the U.S., unless she misread something.

Time to get a panoramic sunroof, 2 extra hp, and a 3 cylinder engine.

 

[AlanBDahl]

R&T has brought up the apparently real possibility that the Fiesta will be discontinued in the US with the exception of the ST which would be imported from Germany. Apparently the ST sells pretty well even while sales of the garden-variety Fiesta lag in the USA.

 

[jmrtsus]

The ST and Fiesta are a dead issue in the USA for 2018 according to numerous sources. Seems it was never engineered for the US market from the start but Marketing wanted the announcement held until they had a better chance to deplete 2017 stock.

 

[Myke]

My sources are two Ford dealerships in Maryland. I don't know why the would lie about selling 2018 STs. Can someone call a dealership in another state and post what they say here?

 

[FiST_To_The_Clutch]

2018 Fiesta ST is a leftover 2017, there is NO new gen Fiesta ST for 2018-2019 model years...

 

[jmrtsus]

Can't be a leftover in total, Rear cameras will be required on all US cars in March 2018. Regular Fiesta's are ready, ST is not. So we may not even get the ST if it requires much changes like a new bumper and wiring harness. Plus engine production of our 1.6L engines ended months ago in the UK. Not holding my breath for the 2018 ST.

 

[AlanBDahl]

It appears as I suggested that Ford will keep building the Mk VI Fiesta in Mexico for the US market but we won’t get the Mk VII model the rest of the world gets. Changes for 2018 include dropping the 1.0 liter and a standard backup camera and the larger LCD display in all models. The ST will continue as-is with the addition of a backup camera.

So not the end of the world, at least the ST survives for now.

 

[FiST_To_The_Clutch]

Isn't our ST is actually Fiesta Mk7.5? And I'm pretty sure USA has regular Mk7 Fiestas, and had them for a while now...

 

[AlanBDahl]

Isn't our ST is actually Fiesta Mk7.5? And I'm pretty sure USA has regular Mk7 Fiestas, and had them for a while now...

No, the 2010-2017 Fiesta is the Mk6, check out the Wikipedia page. The confusion comes because there was a facelift of the Mk4 Fiesta (Mk4.5) that the UK considered the Mk5 but the rest of the world did not. Since the US went straight from the Mk1 to the Mk6 I think it's appropriate for us to use the worldwide numbering system, not the UK one.

 

[XR650R]

Yup. The 2018 Fiesta in the US will be leftover 2017s with a backup camera. I'm afraid the good people of Cuauatitlan will be looking for work in 2019, unless they convert the factory to build something else. Americans just don't understand the joy of a hot hatch.

 

[AlanBDahl]

Yup. The 2018 Fiesta in the US will be leftover 2017s with a backup camera. I'm afraid the good people of Cuauatitlan will be looking for work in 2019, unless they convert the factory to build something else. Americans just don't understand the joy of a hot hatch.

That's not totally accurate. The 2018 North/South American Fiesta will be the same as 2017 plus a backup camera but they won't be "leftover", the factory will still be building new Fiestas in 2018.

Agreed the America isn't as friendly to hatchbacks as it used to be (though in my opinion the lack of a 3-door is part of the problem) but I'm not as worried as you about the future as South American and Mexican demand should keep the factory going before the next gas or financial crisis when small cars suddenly become popular again.

 

[XR650R]

Awesome! Good to know. I remember during the last gas crunch, it got up to about $5.00/gal. Several people walked up to me and offered to buy my Geo Metro!

 

[Sir William]

I just bought a 2018 ST the first of July. Looks like 4/13/18 was the build date.
Basically it is the same as the '14 with a few updates as noted.
Ford said they will build the Fiesta through early 2019. We will not get the new European version.
Rising gas prices could change the whole thing