1987 Ford Festiva LX: An Econobox with an Interesting Lineage
From the May 1987 issue of Car and Driver.
Don't be fooled by the current resurgence of big cars with powerful engines. Although many Americans are only too happy to guzzle today's cheap and plentiful fuel as they return to yesterday's automotive values, it's clear that others have developed a lasting affection for small, economical cars. It used to be that all such cars were outfitted sparely and priced inexpensively, but most of them have evolved upmarket over the years to suit the tastes of their growing customer base. In the meantime, the demand for truly entry-level machines has remained strong, so a fresh brood of econoboxes is rolling into the void left by the upward mobility of the last generation.
The thriftmobiles from Hyundai and Yugo have attracted much of the attention in the sub-$6000 class, but they are hardly alone. The Toyota Tercel and the Chevrolet Sprint predated them, and, this year, the Subaru Justy and the Volkswagen Fox have also joined the lowball ranks. And this is only the beginning. The marketing seers at Ford predict that the penny-pinching class will grow to fourteen entries by 1988, with combined sales of half a million units.
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Although many of the buyers of these cars belong to the lower strata of the nation's demographic profile, Ford's marketers believe that an increasing number of them will be young people with above-average incomes and educations. Such customers are worth a lot to a carmaker, for their automotive tastes are likely to escalate as they age and prosper. Every car company in the world wants to bring such customers into its fold as early as possible.
Ford's latest means for accomplishing this end is the 1988 Festiva (pronounced with the accent on the second syllable), which is being introduced this spring. To keep its price low, the Festiva is manufactured by Kia Motors in South Korea, where the workers are as diligent as carpenter ants and make about as much money. Kia, in which Ford has a ten-percent stake, is one of Korea's top three automakers. However, like most Korean cars, the Festiva was designed elsewhere, in this case by Ford's other Asian partner, Mazda.
Given its parents, it's no surprise that the Festiva is a thoroughly modern small car. A transversely mounted engine drives the front wheels, and a rack-and-pinion mechanism points them in the desired direction. Power-assisted front discs and rear drums handle the braking chores. The Festiva's unitized body and chassis are supported by MacPherson struts in front and a trailing twist axle in the rear.
The Festiva's engine is manufactured by Mazda, and its four cylinders together displace 1324 cc. Like most contemporary powerplants, it has an iron block, an aluminum head, and a belt-driven single overhead camshaft. An electronically controlled carburetor keeps the fuel-air mixture in the right proportions to satisfy the three-way catalyst; it also shuts off the fuel flow during deceleration. The engine is no high winder, developing 58 hp at 5000 rpm and 73 pound-feet of torque at 3500.
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If those figures fail to impress you, consider that the Festiva weighs only 1820 pounds—and we're referring to the feature-laden LX model, equipped with optional air conditioning. The LX can reach 60 mph from rest in 13.2 seconds and cover the standing quarter-mile in 18.9 seconds at 72 mph, which is certainly quick enough to keep pace with the traffic flow. Admittedly, one must take full advantage of the Festiva's lower gears and the engine's 6000-rpm redline to achieve this kind of performance, for the transmission's upper ratios are unusually tall. The problem is that the LX's five-speed gearbox shares its four bottom ratios with the base L model's four-speed; fifth is simply tacked on top. As a result, the 1.3-liter prime mover has a hard time working against the upper ratios at low rpm. In fifth, the Festiva LX requires 18.1 seconds to accelerate from 30 to 50 mph and 27.3 seconds to go from 50 to 70 mph. In contrast, a four-speed VW Fox needs but 12.0 and 14.5 seconds to traverse the same speed ranges in top gear.
Fortunately, shifting the Festiva's transmission is an unmitigated joy. Its gearbox has a precise, easy action, and its clutch is delightfully light and progressive. The engine is also pleasant. It idles quietly and emits few raucous noises at most speeds, though it does send a pronounced throb through the shifter at high revs. Ford's prospective buyers, whether entry-level or nouveau upscale, will find little in this driveline to complain about.
They will probably also be satisfied with the Festiva's suspension. It transmits little bump-thump over minor pavement pockmarks, and it handles large undulations with controlled, fluid motions. Only on California's notoriously choppy freeways does the suspension disappoint: in combination with the Festiva's short wheelbase, it produces a jerky, rhythmic pitching. Of course, if you want the ride of a Lincoln Town Car, you should shop elsewhere.
In the corners, the Festiva's spirit is willing but its rubber is weak. The car's basic handling is good, with enough understeer to ensure stability without unduly grinding the front tires, and the unassisted steering is light and communicative. But the skinny (165/70SR-12) Yokohama tires, even though assisted by the car's good balance, limit cornering grip to a mere 0.69 g. The base L model has narrower tires yet.
Such poor adhesion would be fatal if the Festiva were targeted at the sports-sedan market, but the entry-level and upwardly mobile customers that Ford is aiming at are likely to have different priorities. Two aspects of the Festiva should especially appeal to them.
The first is the car's styling. Although the Festiva was designed by Mazda (with some assistance from Dearborn), it looks as if it might have been penned by Ford of Europe. It has notably clean lines and a crisp, purposeful appearance. Its flanks are characterized by expensive-looking rub strips and by full-length creases that bulge into the fender blisters. The bumpers are no-nonsense gray plastic moldings and are rated for 5-mph collisions. Add in flush rear side windows, nearly flush door windows, sparse blackout trim, aerodynamic headlights, and Ford's characteristic aero-vane grille, and the Festiva looks for all the world like a sleek, new-generation Fiesta.
The Festiva is equally attractive inside, though some interior details clearly reveal its Asian origins. The look and texture of the dashboard moldings are characteristically Japanese, and the instruments have the finely graduated yellow markings common to Mazdas. Both the L and the LX have cloth upholstery, and the general level of finish is surprisingly high.
The Festiva's second powerful selling point is its generous allotment of features and creature comforts. The L's standard equipment includes swing-out rear windows, a front-passenger seat that tilts and slides forward for easy access to the rear, a coin bin, a day/night rear-view mirror, and an AM radio. Some of these items may seem hardly worth mentioning, but they are not always standard on cars at the bottom end of the price range.
Moving up to the LX, the standard-features list expands to include intermittent wipers, a rear defroster, tilt steering, an electronic AM/FM-stereo radio, dual electric mirrors, tinted glass, a soft-rimmed steering wheel, cloth door-panel inserts that match the other upholstery, a center console, and adjustable headrests. The LX is by no means a low-budget penalty box.
The creature comforts are fitted into a soundly designed ergonomic package. The Festiva's driving position is excellent: the steering wheel, the shifter, and the pedals are well located, and the driver gets a commanding view over the short hood and reassuring visibility all around. The front seats are reasonably comfortable, too, though they could use a little more lumbar support.
The rear seat is less accommodating, but it offers adequate room for a pair of adults. Although the rear seat cushion is short, it's high enough to offer more thigh support than it appears to. Rear comfort is enhanced by the generous footroom available under the front seats and by the armrests molded into the side panels. Rear headroom isn't bad, but a six-footer will hit his head on the hatch frame if he leans back.
Behind the rear seat is an ample twelve cubic feet of luggage space, and the seatback can be folded down by halves to increase capacity when necessary. The cargo area is well finished, with side panels of molded plastic and color-coordinated carpeting on the floor.
Considering its many features, its high-quality finish, and its attractive styling, we rate the Festiva, particularly the LX, a cut above its entry-level competitors. However, there is no free lunch here, for the Festiva is also a cut above in price. The L's $5800 estimated base price puts it exactly in the middle of our 1987 Buyers Guide's economy-car ranks. And the LX, with an estimated base price of $6900, is more expensive than any of its direct competitors. It costs more, in fact, than several larger models, such as the Honda Civic, the Toyota Tercel, the Nissan Sentra, Chrysler's Omni/Horizon America twins, and even Ford's own Escort.
Choosing between a loaded Festiva and, say, a base Honda Civic would be difficult, at least for us. Even in bare-bones trim, the Civic is bigger, roomier, faster, better handling, and generally more sophisticated than the Festiva. Ford's marketing people don't dispute this, but they suggest that the people who buy the Festiva will find more gratification in a feature-laden small car than in a stripped larger one at the same price level. If Ford is right in believing that many such buyers exist, the Festiva should be a great success. Yuppies-in-training, your car has arrived.
Specifications
Specifications
Year Make Model Trim
Vehicle Type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 3-door hatchback
PRICE
As Tested: $8,000 (est)
ENGINE
SOHC inline-4, iron block and aluminum head
Displacement: 81 in3, 1324 cm3
Power: 58 bhp @ 5000 rpm
Torque: 73 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm
TRANSMISSION
5-speed manual
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/trailing arms
Brakes, F/R: 8.6-in disc/6.7-in drum
Tires: Yokohama Radial 361
165/70SR-12
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 90.2 in
Length: 140.5 in
Width: 63.2 in
Height: 55.3 in
Passenger Volume, F/R: 47/40 ft3
Cargo Volume: 12 ft3
Curb Weight: 1820 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 13.2 sec
1/4-Mile: 18.9 sec @ 72 mph
80 mph: 30.4 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 18.1sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 27.3 sec
Top Speed: 91 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 204 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.69 g
Interior Sound
Idle: 43 dBA
Full Throttle: 83 dBA
70-mph Cruising: 74 dBA
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 35 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 39/43 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED
Csaba Csere joined Car and Driver in 1980 and never really left. After serving as Technical Editor and Director, he was Editor-in-Chief from 1993 until his retirement from active duty in 2008. He continues to dabble in automotive journalism and WRL racing, as well as ministering to his 1965 Jaguar E-type, 2017 Porsche 911, 2009 Mercedes SL550, 2013 Porsche Cayenne S, and four motorcycles—when not skiing or hiking near his home in Colorado.