Ford's Festiva Embodies America As a "Melting Pot"
Carlos Kirby
· 4 min read
In the late 80s, carmakers were competing on price, fuel efficiency, and low emissions. Unfortunately, most Japanese carmakers were able to meet the requirements, but their American counterparts struggled. This was when
Ford
decided to take up the challenge by joining hands with another carmaker, which resulted in the production of the Ford Festiva.However, since the car had input from other non-American engineers, the car was not all American. The cheap, little
hatchback
went on to sell millions of cars in America and beyond. Here is the incredible story of the Ford Festiva that catapulted America as a melting pot for Japanese car brands.
Ford Festiva was fuel-efficient and cheap
Motorbiscuit
states that the Ford Festiva debuted in 1986 and was sold for the next seven years. It was a bareback little car, lacking many modern features.However, this stripped-down design made it one of the cheapest cars on the market. A brand new Ford Festiva sold between $3500 and $4,000.
With the lack of incredible features came unimaginable fuel efficiency that stood at 40 mpg. Customers had a choice of three trims, the LX, L Plus, and L. The L was the base trim and came fitted with a 1.3-liter engine that delivered 58-hp.
The engine was mated with a four-gear manual transmission, with both the L Plus and LX having five gears. Ford improved the fuel system by introducing an injection system two years later, which resulted in a five-horsepower power increase to 63 hp.
As the econobox approached the 1990s, three-speed automatic variants were also offered in the market. Interestingly, over three decades since the car ceased production, it still has a cult following in the U.S. thanks to its practicability, cheap maintenance, and fuel efficiency.
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The Ford Festiva was not an interesting buy
As
HotCars
explains, Ford fronted the Festiva as an inexpensive fuel-efficient vehicle. However, it was devoid of personality and it lacked options. Interestingly, Japanese buyers got more options than their U.S. counterparts did.For example, the Japanese could buy a Festiva GT-X that produced 87 horsepower. There was also a Canvas Top variety with a sunroof like the earlier Jeep Liberty models. However, none of these models ever made it to the United States.
The car weighed about 1,700 pounds, less than half the weight of compact cars on the market today. This lightweight feature meant it was not the safest when driving at high speeds. Besides, its interior had nothing much other than soft seats and a cassette player.
This model also lacked important safety and comfort features except for seat belts and a good braking system. So, a buyer looking for a car with the latest technological features in this production period should look elsewhere.
How did Ford join hands with Mazda and KIA?
According to
Old Motors
, Ford had been increasing its stake in the Japanese carmaker, Mazda throughout the 70s. It also entered into a partnership with KIA in the same period. These partnerships started with the formation of the Japanese Automatic Transmission Company (JATCO), which helped in research and development.By bringing major Japanese automakers together, Ford hoped to benefit from their expertise and create better cars. By 1980, Ford had a 24.4% stake in Mazda. On the other hand, KIA was a Mazda partner, especially in the production of trucks.
The Ford Festiva was designed by Mazda but built by KIA. However, it carried Ford's brand name in Japan rather than any of its Asian manufacturers.
HotCars claims that the leading dealer, Autorama Dealership, even sold Mazda cars as Ford models. For example, the Mazda 626 was sold as the Ford Telstar in Asia. The American automaker had effectively melted these two brands into one with Ford Festiva.
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