The best and worst Ford Fiesta years, by the numbers
Short answer: among Ford Fiestas old enough to judge (2010–2020), the 2010, 2017–2018 and 2020 have the fewest owner complaints per 10,000 sold. The 2011–2014 have the most.
We counted every owner complaint filed with the federal government (NHTSA) for each model year and divided by how many were sold that year, so a year that sold more doesn’t look worse just for being popular. Years newer than 2020 are shown but not ranked — they haven’t been on the road long enough. How this is calculated.
Years with the most complaints
2011 Ford Fiesta · 106.8 per 10,000 sold (2.9× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Harsh, delayed or erratic shifting, typically around 50,000 miles; then doors, windows, latches, seats and trim.
2012 Ford Fiesta · 98.9 per 10,000 sold (2.7× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Harsh, delayed or erratic shifting, typically around 31,200 miles; then doors, windows, latches, seats and trim.
2013 Ford Fiesta · 93.8 per 10,000 sold (2.6× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Harsh, delayed or erratic shifting, typically around 17,300 miles; then doors, windows, latches, seats and trim.
2014 Ford Fiesta · 79.4 per 10,000 sold (2.2× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Harsh, delayed or erratic shifting, typically around 19,000 miles; then doors, windows, latches, seats and trim.
Years with the fewest complaints
2010 Ford Fiesta · 0.0 per 10,000 sold (0.0× this model’s typical year)
2017 Ford Fiesta · 16.0 per 10,000 sold (0.4× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Harsh, delayed or erratic shifting, typically around 69,000 miles.
2018 Ford Fiesta · 6.8 per 10,000 sold (0.2× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Harsh, delayed or erratic shifting, typically around 10,000 miles.
2020 Ford Fiesta · 0.0 per 10,000 sold (0.0× this model’s typical year)
Every year: complaints per 10,000 sold
Typical Ford Fiesta year: 36.5 per 10,000 sold.
Complaints are counted once each, even when an owner lists several parts. Sales are US units sold in the calendar year, a close stand-in for the model year.
Common questions
What is the worst year for the Ford Fiesta?
Among Ford Fiestas old enough to judge (2010–2020), the 2011 has the most owner complaints per 10,000 sold: 106.8, about 2.9× a typical Ford Fiesta year. The 2012–2014 also stand out.
What is the best year for the Ford Fiesta?
The 2010 has the fewest owner complaints per 10,000 sold among Ford Fiestas from 2010–2020: 0.0, against 36.5 for a typical year. The 2017–2018 and 2020 are also well below typical.
What goes wrong on the 2011 Ford Fiesta?
The most-reported problem on the 2011 Ford Fiesta is harsh, delayed or erratic shifting, typically around 50,000 miles.
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Source: NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; US sales from public industry figures. Complaints are self-reported and not independently verified. This is not an inspection and not a recommendation to buy or avoid any vehicle.