Ford is preparing to bring a new small car to the U.S. market for the 2010 model year, and the automotive press is just beginning to get its hands on the vehicle. The Ford Fiesta won accolades on the auto show circuit in the spring, but has just begun to appear on European roads and in U.S. publications. 

The U.K.'s Autocar reports, "The new Ford Fiesta has arrived in the UK -- and we can confirm that it looks great on British roads." The small car, intended to compete with the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris, is now on sale in Europe.  Some reports have stated that it may manage close to 40 mpg.

Edmunds Inside Line has actually driven the Euro-spec Fiesta. They comment, "The Fiesta has the taut, well-damped feel that has become characteristic of European Fords. …. In fact, this car feels more like a larger Focus than a traditional city car."  The 1.6-liter diesel that powered this version was "impressively smooth," but it isn't yet clear whether that engine will be available in the U.S.   

The U.S. version of the car is in testing. Autoblog has published spy photos of an American Fiesta in testing near Detroit, reporting that the "rather open Ford engineer who was driving it…claimed that his car was 98% production ready for the U.S." The photographer who snapped the car "reports that the interior fit and finish was top notch with soft-touch materials and some seriously impressive seats."

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