Auto Trader NZ
Published 3 September 2020
After proving itself in Europe, winning multiple global green awards including first place in the Global Green Challenge in Australia, the Ford Fiesta ECOnetic set a new benchmark for fuel efficiency in its first New Zealand road test.
In his review for New Zealand Company Vehicle magazine, motoring journalist Damien O’Carroll drove the Fiesta ECOnetic in a variety of conditions and in a variety of styles. On the motorway from Auckland to Hamilton he reportedly averaged 2.9 litres per 100 kilometres driving in economy style (air conditioning off, 90kmh) with a low for one stretch of just 2.5 litres per 100 kilometres. From Hamilton to Auckland, driving in a normal driving style, (air conditioning on, at 100kmh) he averaged 3.3 litres per 100 kilometres.
O’Carroll says the ECOnetic’s remarkable claimed fuel consumption – which is officially 3.2 L/100 km out on the open road – is achieved through “the use of special calibration for the 1.6-litre common- rail diesel engine (which produces 66kW of power at 4000 rpm and a big, fat 200Nm lump of torque at 1750rpm), low rolling resistance tyres, a unique manual transmission with revised final drive ratios, improved aerodynamics (achieved via lower ride height, air deflectors, and special wheel covers), weight reduction (mainly from replacing the spare wheel with a “tyre mobility kit”) and a green “shift indicator” light in the instrument cluster that signals the optimal point to change gear to maximise fuel economy.”
The results even beat Ford’s official combined fuel consumption rating of 3.7 litres per 100 kilometres, which already surpassed all other vehicles currently on sale in New Zealand, including petrol/electric hybrid models.
The Fiesta ECOnetic looks like it will beat the competition on price as well, with Ford New Zealand this week announcing a recommended retail price for the Fiesta ECOnetic of $30,990.
Read more about the Ford Fiesta ECOnetic.
