2011 Ford Fiesta Preview

After six years of test-driving cars, I have to say that most of them seem to blend together in my head as a swirling, gelatinous mess of uninspiring silver and gray sheet metal. But this clearly doesn’t apply to the 2011 Ford Fiesta. It has a strong sense of self, a huge personality and its own brand of humor. If only I could find a date as interesting.

How would you like a car that starts at just under $14,000, gets better fuel economy than some hybrids (close to 40 mpg), has tons of safety and convenience features and is fun to drive? Me too!

The Fiesta comes in a sedan or hatchback and has nine bold and unique exterior color choices, such as Lime Squeeze, Bright Magenta Metallic and Yellow Blaze Tri-Coat. There are three different wheel choices, seven options for interior upholstery (imagine plum leather inside an Oxford White car) and customizable interior ambient lighting. Add to that an optional graphics package that lets you choose from more than 100 removable exterior graphics, and you’ve got a car whose style can be modified to fit almost anyone.

The Fiesta’s available Sync communications and entertainment system kept my daughter and I plugged in, even while stuck in traffic trying to get to the “American Idol” finale. Although Sync was a little spotty up in the Hollywood hills, I could make phone calls, have text messages read aloud, get turn-by-turn directions, stay in touch with news, stock quotes — even my horoscope — all through voice commands. This is where the humor comes in: On the day of my test drive, Sync told me that as a Leo, it was not a good day for me to travel. Ha!