Here is the excerpt about Ward’s take on the 1.0L 3 cylinder engine that Ford uses in the Fiesta:
“Ford manages to be the first automaker ever to win a Ward’s 10 Best Engines trophy for a 3-cyl. engine, a tiny 1.0L powerplant with a cast-iron block small and light enough to fit in the overhead bin of a commercial jet.
The latest member of Ford’s EcoBoost turbocharged direct-injected gasoline engine family is found now in the Fiesta subcompact with a base price of $16,050 and a highway fuel-economy rating of 45 mpg (5.2 L/100 km) with a 5-speed manual transmission.
Some WardsAuto editors report real-world mileage better than 37 mpg (6.3 L/100 km) in mixed suburban driving.
The 1.0L EcoBoost represents a technological achievement as well: Clever engineering allows the engine to function without a balance shaft. Instead, the flywheel and crank pulley are offset to counteract the odd firing sequence, which creates certain vibration challenges in a 3-cyl. engine.
Bob Boland Ford 