Ford has revealed the next generation Ford Fiesta at a special “Go Further” event in Cologne, Germany.

Ford unveiled four distinctive production variants of the Fiesta, including the Fiesta Titanium, the Ford Performance-inspired Fiesta ST-Line, the upscale Fiesta Vignale and the Fiesta Active crossover – the first in a new line-up of Active vehicles to be rolled out across the Ford range in years to come.

Three- and five-door Fiesta variants will be available featuring a new exterior and revolutionary interior design with more personalisation options than previously.

“It’s because we share our customers’ passion for Fiesta that we’ve been able to take this iconic small car’s lovable, fun and sporty-to-drive character to the next level, with a greater choice of models than ever and each with a distinctive personality,” said Jim Farley, executive vice president and president, Europe Middle East and Africa, Ford Motor Company. “We now have a Fiesta option for every driver, including the luxurious Fiesta Vignale and the Fiesta Active crossover, with advanced technologies and features that small-car customers could only have dreamed of just a few years ago.”

Among a range of Fiesta driver assistance features – supported by sensor technologies capable of monitoring up to 130 metres ahead – is an enhanced Pedestrian Detection system that for the first time can help prevent collisions at night; and the first Ford Active Park Assist system that can deliver brake interventions to prevent low-speed bumps when parking hands-free.

The Fiesta is also the first Ford vehicle to feature a premium B&O PLAY Sound System, and for the first time offers an openable panoramic glass roof. The Fiesta’s SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system is supported by floating high-definition touchscreens up to 8 inches in size, and a spacious and ergonomic interior features an almost 50 per cent reduction in centre console buttons for a more intuitive environment.

Powertrains include Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine offering up to 138 bhp, and a 1.5-litre TDCi diesel offering 118 bhp – which Ford says is the first high-power diesel Fiesta powertrain. Ford anticipates CO2 emissions from 82g/km, supported by an all-new six-speed transmission with innovative friction reduction technologies.

The next generation Fiesta will for the first time be offered as a luxurious Ford Fiesta Vignale model – part of the “Ford Vignale upscale product and ownership experience”. The Fiesta Vignale joins the existing Mondeo, S-MAX, Kuga and Edge Vignale models, and offers unique 18-inch alloys wheel designs, exclusive exterior detailing and colours, and hexagonal-quilted, tuxedo-stitched leather seats.

The Fiesta Active is the first Fiesta crossover model, combining rugged SUV-inspired styling that includes raised ride-height, roof bars and additional exterior bodystyling; hatchback practicality; and true Fiesta driving dynamics. The Active series will join the Fiesta line up later on in the launch period.

Ford earlier this year introduced for the first time a new range of ST-Line models that deliver exterior and interior styling inspired by Ford Performance models alongside powerful Ford EcoBoost petrol and TDCi diesel engines, for customers who aspire to the sporty image of Ford’s ST models – but do not require the full performance delivered by optimised ST engines and chassis with sports technologies.

The Fiesta ST-Line features sporty exterior styling including unique alloy wheel, grille, front and rear bumper and side-skirt designs. The interior features sports seats, alloy pedals and a flat-bottomed steering wheel, while the driving experience is enhanced with sports suspension.

Also revealed was the Fiesta Titanium. Higher specification Ford models accounted for nearly 60 per cent of sales in the first 10 months of 2016. Titanium models account for 48 per cent of Fiestas sold this year. Fiesta will also be available in Zetec and Style versions.

“Registrations of high-specification B-segment models have grown 24 per cent year-on-year, and at the same time, demand for entry level models has grown 11 per cent,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford of Europe. “Ford now offers greater choice for B-segment customers, providing exceptional value with the new KA+, while delivering a next generation Fiesta family of highly engaging, personalised models.”

The next generation Ford Fiesta features a wide range of technologies to enhance comfort, convenience and safety. Advanced driver assistance technologies are supported by two cameras, three radars and 12 ultrasonic sensors, which in combination are able to monitor 360 degrees around the vehicle, and scan the road ahead up to a distance of 130 metres.

The Fiesta is the first Ford to deliver an enhanced version of Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection that can detect people who are in or near the road ahead, or who may cross the vehicle’s path, using light from the Fiesta’s headlights at night.

The system is designed to reduce the severity of some frontal collisions involving vehicles and pedestrians, or help drivers avoid some impacts altogether. A wider camera angle helps to better track pedestrian movements.

Also offered for the first time on the Fiesta is Ford’s Active Park Assist with Perpendicular Parking, which helps drivers find suitable spaces and park hands‑free nose-to-tail and side-by-side with other cars. Further enhanced for Fiesta, the technology for the first time can now apply the brakes if drivers do not respond to system guidance and proximity warnings while performing forward and reverse manoeuvres, and a collision with a parked car or obstacle to the front or rear is imminent.

“For some drivers our automated parking technologies deliver a ‘future shock’: they remain so advanced that customers using them for the very first time can be a little awe-struck,” said Darren Palmer, small car vehicle line director, Ford of Europe. “Brake interventions for Active Park Assist can prevent distracted drivers from having low speed parking bumps, and make parking in tight spaces even less stressful.”

Further features available for the first time on the Fiesta and offering enhanced functionality include: Traffic Sign Recognition, Auto High Beam and a new soft-ramping feature with soft transitioning between high- and low-beam.

Ford says the Fiesta is the first car in its segment in Europe to offer Cross Traffic Alert, which warns drivers reversing out of a parking space of vehicles that may soon be crossing behind them. The feature is amongst 15 Fiesta driver assistance technologies in total, including Adaptive Cruise Control, Adjustable Speed Limiter, Blind Spot Information System, Distance Indication, Driver Alert, Lane Keeping Aid, Lane Keeping Alert and Forward Collision Warning.

Ford’s SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system will enable Fiesta drivers to control audio, navigation and connected smartphones using simple, conversational voice commands.

Simply by pushing a button and saying “I need a coffee,” “I need petrol,” and “I need to park,” drivers can locate nearby cafés, petrol stations or car parks, and find train stations, airports, and hotels. The system is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. SYNC 3 also offers SYNC AppLink, enabling voice-activation of a range of smartphone apps including Glympse, Audioteka, Cityskeeker, Eventseeker, miRoamer, Spotify, and HearMeOut.

The Fiesta’s floating, tablet-inspired 8-inch colour touchscreen can be operated with pinch and swipe gestures. Also offered with SYNC 3 is a floating 6.5-inch colour touchscreen, and a 4.2-inch colour screen is combined with the MyFord Dock that enables users to store, mount and charge mobile devices such as phones and navigation systems. All Fiesta screens offer high resolution and are said to be up to twice as bright as competitors.

The new B&O PLAY systems – exclusive to Ford’s global vehicle line-up – are designed to offer an elevated audio experience with specifically tailored speaker placement and calibration for each vehicle in the Ford range. For Fiesta, this means ten speakers including a boot-mounted subwoofer and a central mid-range speaker on top of the instrument panel, incorporating the B&O PLAY aluminium logo and a radiating hole pattern. Total amplifier power is 675 watts, governed by a Digital Signal Processing Amplifier.

Ford says the next-generation Fiesta delivers improved quality through enhanced specification, innovative engineering, and sophisticated design, including the model’s first openable, full length, panoramic glass roof comprising two almost-full width panes of toughened, tinted glass.

Seat materials and carpets across the Fiesta range were the first to be tested in Ford’s upgraded materials laboratory at Dunton Technical Centre, in Essex, U.K. Seat bolsters undergo 60,000 test cycles to ensure wear-resistance. The robustness of colours is tested using a weatherometer, and analysed with a spectrometer to make sure they don’t fade after extensive exposure to ultraviolet light. Leather seats must resist ground-in coffee and the dye from denim jeans. Leather steering wheels are tested for resistance to sunscreen lotion.

Further new-to-Fiesta features inspired by Ford’s larger vehicles include a heated steering wheel  and a stylish new instrument cluster featuring a 4.2‑inch multi-function TFT display.

A stiffer body structure, reduced powertrain noise vibration and harshness, enhanced powertrain isolation, and an acoustic windshield are all claimed to contribute to a more comfortable and “premium” driver and passenger experience. Claimed best-in-class levels of quietness include an interior road noise level of 29.3 sone – a metric for loudness – at 62mph, a seven per cent improvement over the outgoing Fiesta.

Responding to feedback from customers, the Fiesta now features windscreen wipers that clear 13 per cent more of the windscreen; doors that require 20 per cent less effort to close; and a fuel filler neck optimised to reduce spillage when using the EasyFuel capless refuelling system that prevents mis-fuelling.

Ford’s Door Edge Protector features a protective flap concealed in the door that moves into position in a fraction of a second as the door opens, preventing damage to paint and bodywork.

“We’ve paid a lot of attention to elements and features that customers notice without realising it, from panel gaps to pedal feel,” Palmer said. “Fiesta is one of the most universal sights on the road, and our goal was to deliver a car that would inspire an admiring glance every time.”

Ford says the new Fiesta has a more elegant design, and a more fluid and “transitional” appearance.

“Our customers’ ongoing overwhelmingly positive response to the dynamic design of today’s Fiesta is a significant factor in why Fiesta is still leading its segment even after seven years,” said Joel Piaskowski, director, Design, Ford of Europe. “We evolved the design to make it more contemporary, yet not lose the ‘Fiesta-ness’ that the customers love. The next generation Fiesta is refined, yet much more sculpted with an equally emotional appeal. Fiesta’s exterior is visually simpler, allowing us to create stronger personalities within the expanded line-up, each with distinct fascias, grilles and details that will appeal to a much broader range of customers.”

The Fiesta Vignale’s satin Vignale grille pattern, grille surround, foglamp surrounds, side spear and rear diffuser deco element are intended to add a luxurious appeal. Fiesta Titanium features a chrome bar execution for simplistic but upscale style. Vertical foglamps are connected by a smiling bumper feature line, making the model appear more optimistic and welcoming.

Fiesta ST-Line’s mesh Ford Performance-inspired grille is designed to be representative of the performance that sits behind it. The sports body styling is more angular and aggressive, and there’s a functional rear spoiler.

The Fiesta Active is further differentiated by a raised suspension profile, with dark cladding flowing from the front bumper lip, through the wheel arches and side profile to the rear. A hexagonal grille design features along with a dark element for the liftgate licence plate area, contrast painted roof, and roof bars, all of which contribute to a more rugged, versatile feel.

“Fiesta’s interior is revolutionary in its design and execution,” Piaskowski said. “Each interior visually strengthens and enhances Fiesta’s diverse personalities across the range. The new designs will reward customers with quality of materials, craftsmanship and technology, as well as the opportunity for individualised options that deliver more personal expressions.”

The number of buttons on the centre console is reduced by almost half, with many connectivity and entertainment controls relocated to the 8-inch touchscreen. The most natural and ergonomic positions for controls and screens were confirmed using eye-tracking software, and both the instrument cluster display and central screen are positioned to clearly deliver information at a glance.

Rear seat passengers benefit from 16mm more knee room, supported by new slim-back seats that are softer, and offer greater side-to-side support. The tailgate is wider for easier access to the boot, and improved storage for personal belongings is delivered with a 20 per cent larger glovebox and a 1-litre media bin in the centre console. Rear doors can store 0.6-litre water bottles for family road trips.

Ford expects the Fiesta to achieve the highest Euro NCAP safety rating. The Fiesta is the first Ford in Europe to benefit from computer simulation crash tests of a complete vehicle using advanced new Finite Element Analysis technology, enabling more effective optimisation of safety features from airbags to body structure reinforcements.

The Fiesta body features 36 per cent more boron steel for greater strength in key areas, including the upper section of the new B-pillar design that uses a T-section configuration to more effectively transfer side impact energy into the roof. Redesigned door cross sections further protect occupants against side impact intrusion, and the doors also now contain pressure sensors that enable restraint systems to be activated several milliseconds sooner. Side airbags are designed to lift the occupant’s arm away from an impact zone.

The Fiesta features a simplified range of Euro Stage 6 petrol and diesel engines. The 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine is offered with 99, 123 and 138 bhp, and a new six-speed manual gearbox with a reduced friction architecture that helps deliver from 97g/km CO2 emissions, or an optional six-speed automatic gearbox for the 99 bhp variant with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

Ford’s 118 bhp 1.5-litre TDCi engine is the first high-power diesel powertrain ever offered for Fiesta – delivering a versatile combination of power, torque and fuel efficiency for a fun to drive experience, a six-speed manual gearbox, and anticipated CO2 emissions of 89g/km. The 1.5-litre TDCi engine is also offered with 84 bhp – 10 bhp more than the most fuel-efficient outgoing Fiesta – and delivering from an anticipated 82g/km CO2 supported by Ford’s new six-speed manual gearbox.

The 1.5-litre TDCi engine employs optimised combustion chamber design, turbocharging – including variable geometry technology for the 118 bhp version. Smart Regenerative Charging enhances fuel efficiency by selectively engaging the alternator and charging the battery when the vehicle is coasting and braking.

Fuel efficiency is further enhanced with Auto‑Start‑Stop technology offered for all engines, and Active Grille Shutter for 1.0-litre EcoBoost and 84 bhp 1.5-litre TDCi engines. A new Eco button for manual transmissions adjusts engine and throttle settings to help drivers save fuel when desired. Underbody aero shielding further reduces aero drag.

Increased use of boron steel, laser welding, stiffer front subframe attachment points and welded twistbeam attachment points deliver a 15 per cent increase in torsional stiffness. Front track is increased by 30mm, rear track by 10mm and wheelbase by 4mm, enabling suspension to be optimised for larger 18-inch wheels. A lighter, stiffer hollow front anti-roll bar contributes to better roll control and steering feel. Steering friction is reduced by 20 per cent and gearboxes now deliver smoother gear changes.

The Fiesta’s chassis now offers 10 per cent more cornering grip, supported by Electronic Torque Vectoring Control, which enhances the driving experience by applying a small amount of braking to inside wheels to assist traction and stability when cornering. Braking distances at 62 mph are reduced by more than eight per cent. Rear disc brakes feature on models with more than 99 bhp.

New double-bonded suspension bushes are twice as stiff as the outgoing Fiesta for sharper steering response. The bushes also bulge in a specific shape designed to better isolate road imperfections, combining with a larger rear twistbeam to reduce the impact of small bumps and road noise in the cabin.

“A fun driving experience is central to the Fiesta’s appeal, and our next generation Fiesta remains true to the character that has delighted generations of drivers, with the sharpest, sportiest and most balanced performance yet,” said Joe Bakaj, vice president, Product Development, Ford of Europe. “Offering more style, more refinement, more technology, and more fun, Europe’s favourite small car is more Fiesta than ever.”