Ford · 1989–1997

Ford Fiesta third generation

The Ford Fiesta Mk3 was the third generation of the Ford Fiesta supermini built by Ford Europe. Originally introduced in 1989, the Mk3 represented the biggest change to the Fiesta since the original car was introduced in 1976. In addition to the 3-door hatchback and panel van versions that had formed the Fiesta range, a 5-door hatchback was also added. The Fiesta Mk3 was replaced by the Fiesta Mk4 in 1995, but remained on sale until early 1997. The Mk4 was a major restyle of the Mk3, but had a substantially re-engineered chassis and new engines. The Fiesta Mk3 also spawned a high-cube panel van version in 1991, the Courier, and shared its platform with the Ka of 1996, which was derived from the Fiesta Mk4.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: Ford Fiesta Mk2 · Successor: Ford Fiesta (1995)

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History

The third generation Fiesta, codenamed BE-13 was unveiled at the end of 1988 and officially went on sale in February of the following year with UK sales commencing in April. The car was based on a new platform ditching the old car's rear beam axle for a semi-independent torsion beam arrangement and looked radically different, addressing the principal weakness of the previous generation – the lack of a 5-door derivative, something that was by then available in its major rivals such as the Fiat Uno, Peugeot 205 and Opel Corsa/Vauxhall Nova. The engine range remained broadly the same with the Valencia engine - now substantially revised and redesignated HCS (High Compression Swirl) - powering the 1.0L, 1.1L and 1.3L versions, and the CVH unit in larger capacities. The LT diesel engine was enlarged to a 1.8L capacity. This model had the longest production life of any Fiesta to date, achieved the highest yearly sales of any Fiesta in the early 1990s – achieving a sales volume of 1 million units inside the first two years of production. A Fiesta-derived van, the Courier, was launched in 1991. In the British market, Fuel injected engines only became available in 1991. They had been sold in countries with more stringent emissions controls since the introduction. The XR2i was initially the first and only fuel injected Fiesta sold on the UK market. In 1992 a number of prototype cars were produced by Ford fitted with direct injection two stroke engines produced by the Orbital Engine Corporation of Australia, with full-scale production anticipated by Ford in "two to three years time". The cars were tested extensively in the UK, but ultimately it was decided not to go ahead with production versions. Major changes were introduced to the range in 1993; major structural improvements wer

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name

Ford Fiesta (third generation)

aka

Ford Fiesta Classic (1995–1997)

Production

February 1989 – February 1997

Assembly

Spain: Almussafes (Ford Valencia), United Kingdom: Dagenham (Ford Dagenham), Germany: Cologne (CB&A), Germany: Saarlouis (SB&A)

Manufacturer

Ford Europe

Class

Supermini (B)

Body style

3/5-door hatchback, 3-door panel van, 3-door high cube panel van

Platform

Ford B platform

Engine

999 cc HCS I4, 1,118 cc HCS I4, 1,297 cc HCS I4, 1,392 cc CVH I4, 1,392 cc CVH-PTE I4, 1,596 cc CVH I4, 1,596 cc CVH Turbo I4, 1,598 cc Zetec I4, 1,796 cc Zetec I4, 1,753 cc LT Diesel I4

Transmission

4-speed IB4 manual, 5-speed IB5 manual, CVT automatic

Wheelbase

2446 mm

Length

3743 mm

Width

1606 mm

Height

1321 mm

Related

Ford Ka, Ford Courier

Predecessor

Ford Fiesta (second generation)

Successor

Ford Fiesta (fourth generation)

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

US EPA fuel-economy records

US EPA test figures (US MPG, US test cycle).

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5467775CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Fiesta_(third_generation)CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1373106966 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ford_Fiesta_MK3_front_20070926.jpgCC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo: Rudolf Stricker · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

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