2012 Ford Fiesta

It may carry an old nameplate—the name was last seen on these shores in 1980—but the launch of the Ford Fiesta in 2011 helped to herald in a new era for small cars on American soil. No longer can U.S. buyers dismiss the segment out of hand as cheap transportation or “econoboxes,” not when cars like the Fiesta offer top-notch safety features like AdvancTrac stability control and electronic options like Ford’s signature Sync hands-free communications system. Even the crashworthiness of the Fiesta raises the bar, with copious amounts of high-strength steel used throughout the body.

Updates for the 2012 Fiesta are minor, mainly focusing on trim and appearance packages. SEL and SES trim levels get an optional Race Red or Oxford White interior combination, while SES hatch models can get a sport appearance package. Also new is the addition of integrated blind-spot mirrors to help visibility.

While much of the rest of the world finds the hatchback form among the most functional of car body styles, Americans have a difficult time warming up to it, so Ford made sure to make both sedan and five-door versions of the sixth-generation Fiesta available for North American buyers. In either case, the Fiesta packs a lot of style into its tiny footprint—too much style, some would argue, what with all the surface movement crammed into such a small amount of sheetmetal. Still, Ford keeps things fun with a wild color palette and fresh and funky interior styling.