Ford Fiesta

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Just more pictures of the 5 door version that will be shown at the Chinese Auto Show next week.
Not sure we’ll get this version in the US.
From what I hear, the Saturn Astra Hatch is pretty much a flop in the US.
Again, telling manufacturers American customers don’t want hatchbacks… Sad…

Conversation 16 comments

  1. The Astra has been on sale for all of a couple of months. How can something be considered a flop if it hasn’t even been on sale for a year?

    You don’t see much advertisements for it on tv. Maybe if they had more ads, more Astras would sell.

  2. I agree that the Astra has been a flop thus far but have you actually even seen an Astra commercial? Has GM made any marketing effort on this car whatsoever?

    I’ve driven one and I believe it is a damn good car. If I were in the market I would love to have one. I think the Astra is one of the best cars that no one knows about (except perhaps car guys)…

    As for the Fiesta, I’m surprised how good the 5 door looks. I think my wife may end up buying this car in a few years when she is ready to unload her HHR.

  3. the astra hatch is a hit in Canada! i see them zipping around everywhere. and when they release the redline version, watch out! this fiesta is really good looking. kinda has a bit of the older euro focus in it with more points. cool.

  4. but i also hear that honda cannot meet the current demand for its fit model and its two years old! i would say ford would sell many of these if it imported it

  5. It is not the hatchback…It is the ugliness. This Fiesta would sell well but yeah, Ford will think Americans don’t want hatchbacks.

    The CR-V is selling fast and it is a tall hatchback…The new Honda Fit is going to sell well….

  6. 2006 fiesta got 52mpg (petrol) and 74mpg (diesel) in testing. Since US is run by Oil lobbyists, this car will make it here in 2010 when the gas will hit 6.50 per gallon-then they will be handing out those Fiestas for free to millions of screaming people. Nostraanus has spoken.

  7. Great looking car. Stupid name. Is the US getting the 5 door? As for the Astra, I saw pictures of the next one and it looks great. Better than the current one. The only ads I’ve seen for the Astra are in magazines. That’s it. It needs waaaayyy more advertising. It looks like Saturns marketing/advertising department still needs a lot of work.

  8. My thoughts exactly. Saturn needs a major advertising push.
    It seems that all their cars are really nice, yet few people know about them.

  9. The old Ion sold really well and the new Astra does not sell at all. People know about it, they just don’t want it.

    People just don’t want these cars from GM, Ford, Cry-slur. If this were a Honda, it would sell 100K per year.

  10. The Astra’s problem is that it is perceived as entry level and is expensive at that, not that it’s hatch. Add to that Saturn’s stupid no-haggle pricing and it drives buyers to alternatives.

    I like Saturns, but the no-haggle policy keeps me away. At sticker, Saturns offer only a decent value and not a good value. That makes it tough to move the metal.

  11. I agree with ricardo. That’s why I always felt that the Aura’s BIGGEST competition is the Malibu. Why would I spend $2000 – $3000 more for about the same car? Especially when I can probably take my Chevy to a Saturn dealership to get it repaired under warranty. Double check me on that last statement but I think it’s correct.

  12. i agree, pricing, not the car or the style, is making the astra slow so far. have yet to see one on the road or parking lots of Toronto…

  13. Eventually they will discover how functional hatchbacks really are, especially when combined with great looks like this one.

  14. Scion tC… around 18K msrp, (with sunroof, which the 3 door coupe Astra doesn’t get,iirc)….the Astra, with automatic(like the tC I mentioned above)… nearly 20,000 dollars..THIS is the problem… if it were 18K, sunroof(too), similarly priced, etc….then it might sell. And 138 HP vs 160HP(tC)..but tC gets same, or better, MPG…why spend nearly 2K more, to get less?
    I like the Astra’s looks. If you’re talking abtou the 5 door, unless it’s on sale, it is 18-20K…most people would just buy the Pontiac Vibe, (more dealerships nearby), or the Toyota Matrix.

    I hope that the 3 door comes here… didn’t Jim Press(ex-Toyota exec of 30+ years, Ford stole, iirc…)… want the 3 door shown at the autoshow this year, and is trying to get Ford to , at least, sell the sedan and a 3 door here?

    If THE PRICE IS Competitive(and not “over priced”, like the Astra’s prices are, and No Bargaining, either, on Saturn’s pricing..supposedly)…they could sell them(and 40 MPG-45MPG… if they had it now…they could nto keep them on the lots).

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