Ford was the best-selling auto brand in the country in 2011, and as a recent study by U.S. News & World Reports shows, there’s a good reason for that kind of performance: Ford also won the most categories in the publication’s recent rankings of the “Best Cars for the Money 2012.”

“The award-winning vehicles have the best combination of praise from car reviewers, lower upfront costs and lower long-term ownership costs than their competition,” according to U.S. News & World Reports. “The winners aren’t just good cars or good values. They’re both.”

And for Ford, those winners were:

Ford Fiesta—The top choice in the Subcompact segment, as well as the highest-rated Hatchback, the Fiesta combines clean good looks, available high-tech features like Ford’s SYNC AppLink, an MSRP that starts at just $13,200, and EPA ratings that finish at 40 mpg highway. The Fiesta is offered in a sedan body style, too.

Ford Fusion—The Fusion beat out 18 other entries to take honors in the Affordable Midsize Car category, which is likely no surprise to the record 248,067 customers who purchased one in 2011. Further, the car’s high value proposition is about to get even higher, with the stunning all-new 2013 Fusion set to debut later this year.

Ford Taurus—The No. 1 Affordable Large Car was the Taurus, recognized for “its good performance, stylish design and excellent cabin electronics”—including its available SYNC in-car connectivity and infotainment system. The Taurus also is a Top Safety Pick of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Ford Fusion Hybrid—The Best Hybrid Car for the Money was the Fusion Hybrid, which, like its traditionally powered sibling, will get a complete overhaul for the 2013 model year. Not only will this next-gen version boast significantly higher fuel efficiency than the hybrid versions of rivals like the Toyota Camry or Hyundai Sonata, but it also will debut with a second hybrid powertrain with plug-in capabilities—and a higher miles per gallon equivalency rating than the Toyota Prius Plug-in or the Chevy Volt.

Ford Edge—Now capable of an eye-opening 30 mpg highway, the Edge bested all competition to be named the best Affordable Midsize SUV with Two Rows. The difference-maker? The Ford’s new 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine, which also enables 21 mpg city and 24 mpg combined, while still mustering a robust 240 hp and 270 lb.-ft. of torque.

According to the motoring mavens at MSN Autos, “never before has the marketplace been so rife with competent, attractive and truly affordable new vehicles”—and that includes the 2012 Ford Fiesta, recently chosen by the website as one of its “10 Great Cars for Less than $20,000.”

The Fiesta, of course, starts well under that ceiling, with an MSRP that begins at just $13,200. Yet the car still delivers standard features that include Ford’s AdvanceTrac electronic stability control system, integrated blind-spot mirrors, air conditioning, a four-speaker AM/FM stereo, rear-seat heat ducts, the Easy Fuel capless fuel filler, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, a driver-friendly suspension setup and the segment’s only driver’s knee air bag.

Also in the mix, according to MSN: “a class-leading interior, a refined mechanical essence and lively driving dynamics,” along with EPA ratings that “maintain the frugality without infringing on the fun.” Specifically, the Fiesta is capable of attaining 29 mpg city/38 mpg highway/33 mpg combined right out of the box, while the Fiesta SFE can up that highway mark to 40 mpg, thanks to Ford’s innovative PowerShift six-speed automatic transmission.

Which brings up another point noted by the website: Ford’s new subcompact offers drivers a number of different configurations—all starting well under the $20K limit—to provide models for a wide range of different customer preferences. The Fiesta can be purchased in both five-door hatch and four-door sedan body styles, with manual or automatic transmissions, and can be kitted out with a significantly high level of comfort and convenience equipment, including Ford’s SYNC in-car connectivity system.

And while it hasn’t been approved for production—yet—Ford did preview the hi-po Fiesta ST at the recent Los Angeles Auto Show, showcasing a rally-inspired, Ecoboost powered hot hatch that packs 180 hp and 177 lb.-ft. of torque into a car that weighs only about 2,600 lbs.

“True, Ford isn’t the only maker to have recently revised its recipe for small-car goodness,” according to MSN Autos’ Andrew Wendler, “but the sum of the Fiesta’s parts yield a particularly well-rounded example for a bargain price.”

Ford will show off a performance version of its Fiesta at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month. The Fiesta ST Concept is based on the five-door model and will feature a turbocharged engine.

A Fiesta ST three-door was shown earlier this year at the Frankfurt auto show and the company says the ST Concept is designed to show where the company’s global performance vehicle strategy is headed.

Ford has built various performance versions of the Fiesta during the car’s 35-year history, including the European Fiesta XR2 and XR2i, RS1800, RS Turbo and a more recent Fiesta ST.

The Fiesta ST Concept is powered by the 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine, producing 180 horsepower and 177 lb.-ft. of torque and connected to a six-speed manual gearbox. This is the same engine that’s used in the Fiesta RS World Rally Championship.

Ford will also debut the Focus ST in Los Angeles. That car is also powered by an EcoBoost engine with 2.0 liters of displacement and developing 250 horsepower and 250 lb.-ft. of torque.

After co-starring with extreme motorsports king Ken Block in the hugely popular Gymkhana THREE—the most-watched automotive video of 2010—the Ford Fiesta is now back in action in the latest installment of Block’s hi-po hoonery: Gymkhana FOUR: The Hollywood Megamercial. This time around, Block tears up the back lots of Universal Studios in unforgettable fashion, leveraging his all-new Fiesta HFHV (High-Function Hoon Vehicle)—a uniquely designed hot hatch capable of being configured for stage rallies, rallycross or gymkhana competitions.

“Gymkhana is just one of those things that I really love doing, especially with my new Ford Fiesta HFHV racecar,” said Block. “This is my second year with Ford and my race cars have been working great. My newest Fiesta, the HFHV, is the highest spec car I have ever had and the fact that it’ll do what I need it to do for Gymkhana and then it can transform into either a rallycross car or a stage rally car is awesome. Plus, we weren’t easy on it at all during filming for Gymkhana FOUR and it just kept asking for more!”

The Fiesta HFHV was up to the challenge thanks to a full kit of performance components, including a 2.0-liter Ford I4 massaged by Pipo Moteurs into a 600-hp dynamo that also delivers a whopping 665 ft.-lbs. of torque. The engine is then mated to a six-speed sequential transmission with three separate mechanical differentials—one for each of the vehicle’s performance modes—with power routed to all four wheels courtesy of a custom Sadev AWD system. But deep beneath all these upgrades lies the same production Fiesta that’s on sale to retail customers now, since, as the automaker points out, the car’s “nimble ride and the ultra-high-strength boron steel body are ideal for the demands of the Gymkhana course.”

Just don’t forget that Fiesta is ideal as a daily driver, too – just ask the Ford Dealers In CT.

Ken Block and DC’s Gymkhana Three became the most-watched automotive video of 2010. But veteran rally driver didn’t want to rest on his laurels, which is why another installment of Block’s Gymkhana video series was just released.

Filmed on the back lots of Universal Studios Hollywood, Gymkhana Four stars a high-modified Ford Fiesta doing stunts that only Block can deliver.

“When Ford partnered with Ken Block for the Fiesta and WRC rally programs, Gymkhana was an attractive and unique part of the overall package,” said Jamie Allison, director, Ford Racing. “Ken’s Gymkhana series connects with enthusiasts around the world and communicates that spirit of fun-to-drive with Fiesta. With over 36 million views for Gymkhana THREE, Ken and his Monster World Rally Team Ford Fiesta were featured in one of the most watched online automotive videos of the last year.”

According to Ford Dealers Nashville, Block’s Fiesta is based on a 2011 Ford Fiesta RS WRC car, but its 1.6-liter engine was been replaced with a 2.0-liter inline four for engine more power. This aggressive subcompact produces a staggering 600 horsepower and 665 pound-feet of torque. All that power is routed through an AWD system designed by Sadev.

“Gymkhana is just one of those things that I really love doing, especially with my new Ford Fiesta H.F.H.V racecar,” said Block. “This is my second year with Ford and my race cars have been working great. My newest Fiesta, the H.F.H.V., is the highest spec car I have ever had and the fact that it’ll do what I need it to do for Gymkhana and then it can transform into either a rallycross car or a stage rally car is awesome. Plus, we weren’t easy on it at all during filming for Gymkhana FOUR and it just kept asking for more!”

Check out Block’s amazing driving skills below.

This year the Ford Fiesta subcompact is turning 35 years young. The Fiesta, originally launched in 1976, continues to be an iconic vehicle around the world. With its re-launch in the U.S., it’s showing no signs of a mid-life crisis — it’s quite simply looking better than ever.

Ford has produced more than 15 million Fiestas over the years and it continues to appeal to drivers with its attractive styling, practicality, efficiency and performance. The Fiesta was Europe’s best-selling small car in 2009, 2010 and on track to accomplish the same feat in 2011. And, it continues to be an overwhelming success in the U.S. following its launch here last year.

“The Fiesta is a special car that has a special place in the hearts of European customers and car lovers around the world,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe. “It’s a testament to the original Fiesta from 1976 and the engineers who have developed and improved the car through more than three decades that the Fiesta remains one of the world’s most popular cars.

To keep the Fiesta’s dynamic styling and customer appeal as fresh as ever, Ford is introducing a number of exterior and interior styling changes. Mars Red and Fashionista are the new colors available on the Fiata. The Fiesta Titanium adds a dash of chrome to the grille, new wheels, and a woven headliner. Partial leather seats will also become available.

“These upgrades ensure that the Fiesta continues to put its best foot forward in terms of style, equipment and comfort, just as it has done for the past 35 years,” said de Waard. “We hope the carefully selected upgrades to the current Fiesta will further improve its appeal to small car drivers across the globe.”

Thirty-five years, six generations and 15 million cars after its debut, the Fiesta is still going strong. See how far the Fiesta has come by visiting your nearest Ford dealer.

European car buyers will soon be able to purchase a very special edition of the new Ford Fiesta. As its name implies, the 2012 Fiesta Sport Special Edition will be a much edgier version of the popular subcompact, available only as a three-door model.

“The Fiesta boasts a rich sporting heritage and the combination of the free-revving 1.6-liter Duratec Ti-VCT petrol engine and dynamic, contemporary styling inside and out means the Fiesta Sport Special Edition is a worthy addition to Ford’s roll-call of performance models,” said Roelant de Waard, Vice President, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford of Europe.

Ford included plenty of exterior modifications on this special edition model to make it ultra eye-catching, such as:

• Full styling kit, complete with lowered side skirts and distinctive spoilers for the front bumper and rear hatch
• Silver-colored front grille surround, aerofoil, fog lamp bezels and polished twin exhausts.
• Panther Black 17-inch alloy wheels
• Up to seven unique paint options

The interior also receives black heated leather seats with silver contrast stitching, along with sport pedals and distinctive floor mats.

Here in the U.S., the Ford Fiesta is still a relatively new model. However, the current Fiesta has been available in Europe since late 2008, so this exciting new special edition is probably especially welcomed across the pond. Sadly, don’t expect this model to be available here in the near future.

Dealer Hickory Ford said that as Ford dominates the World Rally circuit, the Blue Oval is eager to get fans more involved, and has invited Fiesta RS WRC enthusiasts to choose exciting one-off roof liveries for Ford’s world rally championship challenger.

Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team fans have the unique opportunity to choose unique roof artwork for cars competing in next month’s Rally Finland. Fans simply need to visit the team’s Facebook page and vote for one of the three designs that will grace the Fiesta RS WRCs driven by Jari-Matti Latvala, Mikko Hirvonen and Khalid Al Qassimi.

“Up until now the Ford Abu Dhabi Team Fiesta RS WRCs have simply featured the Ford logo,” said Will May, Motorsport Marketing Manager for Ford of Europe. “So we’re inviting our Facebook followers to vote for one of several designs we’ve developed under one theme – which is ‘the food that fuels you’.

Whichever design receives the most “likes” is the winner, and it will be immediately applied to the Fiesta RS WRCs driven in Finland. Fans have until the end of June to select their favorite design.

“We have a great number of Facebook followers and we’re delighted to give them the chance to directly influence how the Fiesta RS WRCs will appear in Finland,” added May. “The roof designs will be highly visible from overhead and because they will only feature on the Finland cars, they will appeal to model collectors too.”

Today Ford is celebrating the production of its one millionth Fiesta at its Cologne, Germany plant. The facility produced its one millionth Fiesta just 33 months after the first car rolled off the line.

Since Ford first began production of the Fiesta, more than six million have been produced. The Fiestas built in Cologne are exported to 71 countries. Ford also produces the Fiesta in China, Thailand, and Mexico, where the Fiesta is manufactured for customers in the US and Canada.

“We are pleased with the Fiesta’s continued success, not only because it’s our highest volume model in Europe, but also because it’s now being produced and sold around the world to great acclaim,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe.

Ford’s Cologne facility is the production center for both the Ford Fiesta and the Ford Fusion, with an average output of 1,770 cars per day. The facility operates with three production shifts and it can produce 400,000 cars annually.

In addition to producing a record volume of Fiestas in record time, the plant is also celebrating the anniversary of the very first vehicle that rolled off the assembly line there back in 1931 — a Ford Model A.

According to the Blue Oval, the all-new Ford Fiesta is “A Pretty Big Deal,” and the folks at NADAguides couldn’t agree more. The vehicle pricing and information publisher has even named the 2011 Fiesta its Car of the Month for May.

NADAguides selected the new Fiesta for its Car of the Month based on numerous factors. The publisher specifically cited its quality of engineering inside and out, driving comfort, fuel efficiency, overall value, and wealth of features that are above and beyond what is expected in its class.

In addition to the subcompact’s breadth of impressive features and qualities, NADAguides also said that consumer interest for the Ford Fiesta on NADAguides.com played a big role in the vehicle’s selection as the Car of the Month. With gas prices rising, the Fiesta’s ability to reach 40 mpg on the highway is particularly attractive to car buyers.

“We believe the 2011 Fiesta sets a new standard in the small car segment so it is rewarding to see it researched to such a high level by car buyers,” said John Felice, General Manger Ford Lincoln Marketing. “This recognition is a further sign of the momentum we have built with our range of fuel efficient, technologically advanced new products that customers want to learn about and own. It is successful and popular new products like Fiesta that will continue to differentiate Ford Motor Company as a leader.”

NADAguides analysts wholeheartedly agree with the Fiesta’s tagline — “It’s a Pretty Big Deal.” The Fiesta boasts an enormous amount of standard and available features that belie its meager price tag. And, since it recently scored an IIHS “Top Safety Pick” rating, the Fiesta is also a safe choice for first-time buyers and families.

“The exterior of the Fiesta has an aggressive, sporty and edgy look with modern lines sure to give the foreign sub-compact makers a scare in the design department,” said Troy Snyder, Director of Product Development at NADAguides. “As for performance, sub-compact vehicles usually leave you feeling like you got what you paid for, but not the Fiesta – it is impressive and delivers a vehicle above expectations, setting a new bar for the competition.”