2010 in Review: Best New-for-2011 Car I Drove

By John LeBlanc

When you think about it, it’s a bit amazing. The same automaker that sells the most gas-guzzling, ill-handling, Paleozoic Era-engineered pickup trucks in this country — Ford Canada — also happens to make the best subcompact you can buy: the new Fiesta.

Of the 100-odd new cars I drove in 2010, the Fiesta impressed me the most as the vehicle that’s near ideal for most Canadians. There’s a well-equipped four-door sedan Fiesta for a measly $12,999. But as a hatchback fan, I liked the better looking and more practical four-door hatch $16,799 Fiesta SES that I drove in September.

Whatever Fiesta you get, all deliver solid driving characteristics (comfy-yet-controlled ride), stylish good looks (the hatch, especially), a well-built cabin (everything the driver touches feels chunky and robust) and “big car” features (heated leather seats, hands-free Sync, nav) rarely seen in this bottom-feeder class.

That said, the Fiesta isn’t the most fun from behind the steering wheel in its segment. The Honda Fit and also-new-for-2011 Mazda2 share that honour. But for the majority of Canadian new car buyers, the Fiesta five-door was the best car I drove this year.

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