Chart Of The Day: 2011 Fiesta Versus 2011 Mazda2

The 4-speed automatic is definitely the culprit. Unlike other 4-speed ATs, which focus on cruising rpms to the detriment of performance, the Mazda2's 4-speed is geared to make the absolute most of its power. Meaning you can still get over 100 mph out of 100 hp, but you'll have the car literally screaming at those speeds. In daily use, it's not really any different in terms of real world consumption compared to a Honda Fit... which also gets a low EPA highway rating, but actually gets good economy when you drive it at modest revs on the highway. And, as I've noted before... the Mazda2 may not have much horsepower, but it never feels like it suffers for lack of it. Rorty, rorty, revvy and racy. It's about as quick as a 117 hp Honda Fit that weighs a hundred pounds more... it should match up well to a 120 hp Fiesta that weighs nearly three hundred pounds more...

Base Mazda2 is better equipped with power windows (Fiesta has CRANK windows), remote keyless entry, you have to go up to the next trim level (SE), to get these on the Fiesta.

Mazda for sure...if a gun was to my head and I had to make a choice. Neither is at all desirable...but the Fiesta is just less desirable than the Mazda. The biggest gripe with the Fiesta is how Ford cheapened it up for the US market. Glow sticks and tin foil replace the proper fog lights, the projector beam headlights have gone AWOL, the interior is a disaster...who ever signed off on that 1980's ATM machine screen should be fired, Ford sacrificed function for form...the Fit is the clear winner here, and the Fiesta is severely overpriced. There is no reason to get one over a Focused sized car. Hell, the Cruze will get the same mileage, has a nice, quality interior, and will not cost much more at all.

Having recently had the new Fiesta as a rental car in Europe, it would not be on my shopping list (the Fit and Mini would, depending on how much I was going to spend). My rental had 1900 miles on it, and the clutch pedal kept getting caught on the flooring - not the floor mat, the flooring. Not a good sign. In 5th gear, the engine was turning at over 3000 RPM going 85 kph (about 55 mph), raising concerns about how the car would work with the 5 speed at US expressway speeds. Subjectively, it felt a lot more labored and buzzy than the Mini but I haven't had a Fit to freeway speeds so I can't compare. Additionally, the gate for 4th gear was very sticky, and occasionally required some finesse to actually get the lever into position; he transmission wasn't nearly as nice as the one in the Fit or the Mini.