L.A. Auto Show: Fun Comes in Tiny Package With 2011 Ford Fiesta

Dec 03 2009 by Sherrice Gilsbach

Ford brought the party and a splash of lime squeeze — a popular exterior paint color — to the L.A. Auto Show this year with its introduction of the 2011 Ford Fiesta. While the Fiesta isn’t big enough to be a family-hauler, it’s still grooving its way into the hearts of two seemingly opposite demographics: millennials and Boomers — in short, folks who don’t tote child-safety seats and strollers on a daily basis.

For the youngsters, Ford is promising an affordable car, with a base MSRP of $13,320, that’s customizable (there are cool graphics you can choose to accent the exterior) and allows them to stay connected at all times via Sync, Ford’s voice-activated entertainment and communication system. I’m envisioning teenagers throughout the land searching the house for their car keys, only to find them in the hands of some very guilty-looking parents. Weeeeeeeee!

This is where the Boomers come in. Some effort has been made to include higher-end finishes and features in this otherwise economical car, so as to please drivers accustomed to the finer things in life. For them, great fuel economy and a solid ride will be bigger draws than the bright magenta color the Fiesta can come in — which appears to be based on a lipstick shade some of those Boomers may have worn a few too many years ago.