Ace of Base: 2019 Ford Fiesta S

One of the advantages when getting rid of (or leaving) something is the propensity to use up supplies on your way out the door. Moving out tomorrow? Better drink all that beer in the fridge. Trading the car in this afternoon? Let’s drive around to burn off the remaining fuel we put in the tank last week.

It would seem the Blue Oval subscribes to this theory as well. With all of its cars headed to the glue factory, some base models have actually gained features while keeping their sticker price steady.

Case in point? The Fiesta S, now with air conditioning.

Stickering at just $14,260, the entry-level Fiesta sedan has picked up a few toys on its way out the door. Gotta use up all that inventory, I guess. Conditioned air is now standard, along with a backup camera and stereo system with six speakers. The unit still looks like Worf’s forehead but at least it includes Bluetooth.

A 1.6-liter inline-four lives under the hood, making 120 horsepower and good for 30 mpg on the combined cycle when hooked to the five-speed manual. Note that the 1.0L has gone away for 2019, not that it would make the Ace of Base grade, anyway. New drivers in places like San Francisco will appreciate the hill-holder function, at least when they’re not dodging homeless people on rechargeable scooters.

The driver’s seat now adjusts six different ways. Paired with a tilt/telescope wheel, all but NBA stars should be able to make themselves comfortable in the driver’s chair of the Fiesta. Not mentioned in the literature but illustrated in pictures (so check for yourself at the dealer) are height-adjustable seatbelts, a comfort feature not found at any price in some expensive new pickups. Windows here are of the crank-‘em variety.

This sedanlet does have a 60/40 folding rear seat, worth noting since base models would sometimes cheap out and deploy a unit that folded as a single piece (100/0, perhaps?) or not at all. Rear seat riders will also find their own climate ducting.

Styling is always subjective, but the Fiesta is kind of, just, there. At least a couple of dramatic character lines break up the side view and it does not have a tragic rear overhang like the woeful Versa sedan, a machine which makes a Beirut taxi look attractive. Sadly, only three colors are on offer in the base model, though you can have any interior shade you want so long as it’s black.

Generally unstated in this series but worth mentioning this time around is the likely presence of rebates as dealers try to shuffle the last of these sedan off their lots. Right now, some markets have a $1,000 incentive on 2019 models. Pair that with its newfound content, and the base Fiesta sings a pretty good farewell song.

[Images: Ford]

Not every base model has aced it. The ones that have? They help make the automotive landscape a lot better. Any others you can think of, B&B? Let us know in the comments. Naturally, feel free to eviscerate our selections.

The model above is shown with American options and is priced in Freedom Dollars. As always, your dealer may sell for less.