When the Ford Fiesta was launched in Malaysia in 2010, the local B-segment hatchback market was still relatively quiet. Back then, its only real rivals were the less well-equipped Mazda2 (the outgoing model) and previous-gen Suzuki Swift – the cheapest Honda Jazz and Volkswagen Polo were still north of RM100k and there were no tax-free hybrids to steal the little Ford's lunch money. Smitten by the reasonable price, attractive Euro styling and sharp handling, buyers flocked to the Fiesta in droves.
What a difference four years make. In the interim, the duty-exempt CBU B-segment hybrids have come and gone, the Honda Jazz and Volkswagen Polo are both now locally-assembled and priced squarely to compete with the Fiesta, and the Peugeot 208 and cheaper models such as the Mitsubishi Mirage have also joined the party.
Hoping to battle the influx of new rivals, Ford has introduced an EcoBoost variant for the facelifted Fiesta, fitted with a tiny 1.0 litre three-cylinder engine. Despite the considerably smaller motor, the price has gone up by over RM9.3k over the 1.5 Sport, now sitting at RM93,888. Has the company gone too far down the downsizing route, or will the newfangled mill make the Fiesta appealing again?
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