The heat continues to dial itself up for 2011 as the compact car competition gets more intense with plenty of interesting and vibrant offerings. As seen in Europe, a lot of the most intriguing vehicles are starting to make their way into the entry-level classes.
Is the paradigm shift beginning to take hold in the United States?
It appears so, as the Mazda2 and Ford Fiesta have made their respective appearances and will be launching for the 2011 model year. Both are handsome cars with massive portfolios of accolades. The Mazda2 was awarded 2008 World Car of the Year, meanwhile, the Fiesta has been lauded by journalists in Europe AND America.
The key to both cars success is likely going to be held in how similar they remain to their European siblings. And, Ford knows this.
In a press released issued by Ford, Steve Pintar, chief engineer, said: "For North America, the global Fiesta was tweaked, not re-designed or re-developed," and "We built on the success of the European Fiesta and are really proud of how little has changed."
Clearly, Ford is aiming to bring a predominantly Euro-spec vehicle into the States for the first time. What do we think of this? We applaud it, loudly.
Mazda's WCOTY should have no trouble establishing itself as a heavy hitter, but it will be interesting to see how the sparks fly between the 2 and the Fiesta. This brings us to you.
Who would you be taking home? Mazda's king of the hill OR Ford's futuristic, European cousin?
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