Ever since Mitsubishi revealed its gas-sipping Mirage was capable of 40 mpg combined, we've awaited the figures for Ford's 1.0-liter EcoBoost Fiesta with interest.
That wait is now at an end, with Ford's customer website and the EPA's FuelEconomy.gov website both confirming the three-cylinder unit's true efficiency.
Spotted by Autoblog, those numbers are 32 mpg city, 45 mpg highway and 37 mpg combined. That puts it on favorable terms with its closest rivals, the Mirage, Smart's Fortwo and the Chevrolet Spark, while offering greater performance than any of them.
The Mitsubishi still wins out overall with its 40 mpg combined figure, aided by an impressive city rating of 37 mpg. The Ford's highway mileage is a little better than the Mitsubishi's 44 mpg, and the Japanese car's figures do drop a little if you select the manual transmission, rather than the CVT auto.
The tiny Smart, also auto-equipped, manages 36 mpg combined to the Ford's 37, while the Spark trails with 34 mpg combined.
Thanks to Ford's website, we also know how the 1.0 EcoBoost will be priced when it hits dealers. It's priced as a $995 "SE Manual EcoBoost" package, and added to the regular Fiesta SE you'll pay $17,240 in sedan form and $17,840 for the sportier hatchback.
Both prices include Ford's mandatory $795 destination fee, though neither is available with the six-speed dual-clutch auto--though those prices are still a few hundred dollars cheaper than the Fiesta SFE with its auto transmission and 34 mpg combined economy.
You also get a set of 15" steel wheels with trims, a regenerative braking system, EcoBoost badging, and on the sedan, a rear decklid spoiler.
Does the EcoBoost's economy justify its price premium over the slightly more efficient Mirage? Or would you spend even more for the 50 mpg Toyota Prius C? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
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