The Ford Fiesta is a compact car built from 2011 to 2026 over 4 generations. Most were assembled in Mexico — 100% of those on record. Engines offered: 4-cyl, 3-cyl. Worth buying? It holds up well, with the usual caveat about model years at 4.0/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Fiesta is
The Ford Fiesta is a compact car that Ford built from 2011 to 2026 — 16 model years. Our measurements put it at 4 generations, the current one starting in 2014. It has been offered with 4-cyl, 3-cyl power. Its closest siblings in the Ford range: Mustang, Festiva, Mustang GTD.
Where the Fiesta is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 2,834 Fiestas on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 3FA | 2011-2019 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Ford VIN decide which of these 4 lines your Fiesta belongs to. What every character in a Fiesta VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Ford Fiesta adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Fiesta generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the Fiesta's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the Fiesta that gives 4 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 376 cm | 239 cm | - | - | - |
| 1979-1980 | 376 cm | 229 cm | - | +0 cm | - |
| 2011-2013 | 424 cm | 249 cm | 1160 kg | +48 cm | - |
| 2014-2019 | 407 cm | 249 cm | 1215 kg | -17 cm | +55 kg |
Between 2011 and 2019 the Fiesta gained -17 cm in length (-4.0%) and 55 kg in weight (+4.7%). Cars did not so much grow as thicken — crash structures, airbags and equipment weigh more than the metal they replaced, and on the Fiesta that is 55 kg against -17 cm. Full dimensions by year →
Ford Fiesta tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Fiesta owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Ford Fiesta have? Power & range
The Ford Fiesta is offered with 2 powertrains — 1L 3-cyl, 1.6L 4-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 2 for the Ford Fiesta, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-cyl | 1.0L · 3-cyl | Manual 5-spd | FWD | Regular |
| 4-cyl | 1.6L · 4-cyl | Automatic (AM-S6) | FWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The Fiesta by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Ford Fiesta. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Fiesta | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 29 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 3,154 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.0 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Crash safety | ★★★★ NHTSA | Frontal, side, rollover |
| Insurance | $1,494/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 786 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Ford Fiesta?
The Fiesta is a compact car, built from 2011 to 2026 across 4 generations. Engines offered: 4-cyl, 3-cyl.
Where is the Ford Fiesta made?
Across 2,834 cars in our records the split is: Mexico (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
How many generations does the Fiesta have?
4 by our measurements, the latest starting in 2014. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car.
What is the Ford Fiesta warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the Fiesta reliable?
It scores 4.0/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific Fiesta?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Ford
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford F-150 | 1981–2026 | 462 | 72 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Ford Bronco | 1981–2026 | 146 | 27 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Ford Mustang | 1981–2026 | 240 | 26 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Ford Explorer | 1991–2026 | 212 | 39 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Ford Escape | 2001–2026 | 226 | 41 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Ford Ranger | 1982–2026 | 278 | 58 mpg | 3.5/5 |