How much is car insurance for a Ford Fiesta?

With a starting MSRP of $13,220, the 2011 Ford Fiesta is an attractive choice for budget-conscious consumers. In addition to its low entry-level price, drivers will also save at the pump. According to Ford, a Fiesta with an automatic transmission gets 29 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway.

Commuters who travel the highways to work can also benefit from upgrading to the available Super Fuel Economy package, which gives drivers up to 40 mpg on the highway.

In fact, the 2011 Ford Fiesta’s fuel economy rivals that offered by hybrids like the Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima, but at a much lower sticker price.

How much is auto insurance per month? 

You’ll also save on car insurance if you opt for a small, budget-priced vehicle like the 2011 Ford Fiesta. Although car insurance rates depend heavily on factors like your driving record and the area in which you live, the cost of insuring your vehicle against theft and accidental damage will be very reasonable since the Fiesta is much cheaper to replace than pricier models.

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Ford Fiesta Awards and Honors

The 2011 Ford Fiesta represents the sixth generation of the Fiesta family. It has been available abroad since 2008, but it only arrived on American shores for the 2011 model year.

U.S. News and World Report ranked the Ford Fiesta second in its “Affordable Small Car” category, just behind the Honda Fit.

U.S. News also honored the 2011 Ford Fiesta with its “Best Subcompact Car for the Money” designation. Consumer Guide recognized the Fiesta as a value pick as well, selecting it as a “Best Buy” for 2011.

Ford Fiesta Safety Ratings

In addition to value, another area in which the 2011 Ford Fiesta excels is safety. The Fiesta shattered the subcompact car category’s reputation for low safety ratings when it earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s “2011 Top Safety Pick” designation.

According to the IIHS, it is the first “minicar” to receive this honor.

The National Institute for Highway Safety also gave the Fiesta high marks, including a five-star grade for side-impact crashes and four stars for front-impact crashes and rollovers. The IIHS gave the Fiesta its highest rating of “Good” in all three of these categories.

Safety ratings are an important consideration in car insurance companies’ rate calculations, so these high ratings can only help to lower the cost of insuring a Ford Fiesta.

Ford Fiesta Performance

The Ford Fiesta’s 1.6 liter, 4-cylinder engine delivers plenty of power for such a small car, according to reviewers like Edmunds and Car and Driver. Consumers can opt for the base model Fiesta’s 5-speed manual transmission, or upgrade to the 6-speed automated manual transmission.

The latter operates just like a normal automatic transmission from the driver’s perspective, but this high-tech drivetrain uses two automated clutches to shift gears.

This setup delivers improved performance and fuel economy compared to normal automatic transmissions, and it is usually found only on high-end luxury sports sedans.

Edmunds applauded the manual transmission’s precision, and the reviewer also appreciated the Fiesta’s “butter-smooth” acceleration. Car and Driver’s reviewer preferred the Fiesta’s sporty handling to that of the Honda Fit, and Edmunds’ reviewer noted that the vehicle’s ride quality remained smooth over rough road.

Ford Fiesta Trim Packages

Budget-conscious drivers can stick with the stripped-down S Sedan trim, which features an AM/FM radio with an audio input jack, air conditioning, and a 4-inch LCD screen. The driver’s seat and steering wheel are also adjustable in the Ford Fiesta S Sedan.

For an additional $1,300, consumers can upgrade to the Fiesta SE Sedan, which features a CD player, MP3 connectivity, and a metallic-trimmed instrument panel.

An options package containing Ford’s SYNC connectivity system, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, and red ambient lighting is available at this trim level for an additional $595.

These features all come standard on the Ford Fiesta SEL Sedan, as do 16-inch premium wheels. Drivers looking for a taste of luxury can also outfit their SEL with an optional Upgrade Package for $795. This package includes heated seats, push-button start, a perimeter alarm, and chrome exterior detailing.

The features in the SE Sedan and the SEL Sedan are both available in hatchback models.

Reliability Rating for the Ford Fiesta

Although the sixth-generation Ford Fiesta is new to U.S. markets, it has proven its reliability in European markets since 2008. J.D. Power and Associates gave the Fiesta a reliability rating of 7.0 out of 10.0, based on data from its Initial Quality Study (IQS) and its Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS).

This does not put it in quite the same class as the Honda Fit, which J.D. Power rated the most dependable in its class, but U.S. News reports that the Fiesta has a solid track record as one of Europe’s best-selling small cars.

The Fiesta is slated to come with Ford’s standard 3-year or 36,000 mile basic warranty, and its powertrain will be guaranteed for five years or 60,000 miles.

How much is car insurance for the Ford Fiesta?

AOL Autos estimates that the total cost of owning a 2011 Ford Fiesta over five years is nearly $25,000, including about $8,300 in depreciation.

Maintenance costs, which are under $200 per year for years 1-4, are also included, as are estimated fuel costs for the vehicle. This cost-of-ownership estimate also includes about $1,150 per year in car insurance premiums, which breaks down to just under $100 per month.

Keep in mind, though, that your car insurance rates depend on a variety of factors.

To get the most accurate car insurance rate quotes however you need compare auto insurance quotes from multiple providers.

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