Ford Australia is currently running hot in new European based models. It recently announced the hot Focus RS would be coming to Australia in 2011. Now the 2010 Ford Fiesta range will soon be expanded to include a four-door sedan. As well as the sedan, there will be new turbo-diesels and clever automatic transmissions.

The styling of the sedan is interesting in that it could easily be mistaken for a long-tailed hatchback, rather than a booted four-door. At first glance the stubby rearmost part of the body doesn't seem to make enough room for a decent sized boot lid opening, but in fact it doesn't work too badly. The long tail hides a voluminous compartment that can take up to 430 litres of luggage.

That 430 litres of Fiesta boot isn't a long way short of the 535 litres offered by a Falcon sedan, thus showing an advantage of using front-wheel drive – there's no differential under that boot. And a temporary mobility kit is provided instead of a spare wheel/tyre.

Some may belittle the fact that the Ford Fiesta doesn't carry a spare, but let's face it few Fiestas will ever venture into the great Australian outback where a bulky spare wheel can be considered vital.

Ford Fiesta sedan will be sold with a 1.6-litre petrol engine producing 89 kW and 151 Nm. The small 1.4-litre petrol engine is no longer being imported in any Australian Fiestas.

Standard hatchback versions of the Fiesta are also being offered with the 1.6-litre turbo-diesel. Though this is the same diesel as is used in the Fiesta Ecotec (which is proudly touted by Ford Australia as the most economical car in Australia), it misses out on some of the extreme economy features used in the Ecotec. Specifically its transmission uses gearing that sits in the middle of the performance/economy scale, rather than leaning all the way to the economy side. This will make for better acceleration for everyday use. Also absent from the Ecotec fuel saving package are the lower ride height, aerodynamic body add-ons and low-rolling resistance tyres.

The result is that the standard Fiesta diesels have an official fuel consumption of 4.4 litres per hundred kilometres on the combined Australian cycle. This is still amazingly low, if not as stunning as the ultra-low 3.7 litres of the Ecotec. By way of comparison, the petrol engine is rated at 6.1 litres per hundred.

In some ways the biggest news of all in the uprated Fiesta range is the use of a six-speed double-clutch automatic transmission. This replaces an old-style four-speed torque convertor auto. The manual gearbox remains at a five-speed.

In the entertainment department, every new Fiesta will be equipped with Bluetooth connectivity with voice control, as well as MP3 and Aux for audio integration.

On the safety front all Australian Fiestas have at least five airbags, with the midlevel and topline grades having seven. Every Fiesta has ESP (Electronic Stability Program), ABS brakes with emergency brake assist, and traction control.

A mild facelift tops off the new Ford Fiesta range for 2010 and 2011. This sees a slightly altered frontal appearance, different designs of wheels and a revised colour range. The interior gets changes in the trim materials and some additional colours.

Most models in the new Fiesta range will go on sale in about two months time, though the company hasn't released exact dates at this stage. A further refinement of the sporty Fiesta Zetec is scheduled for the opening months of 2011.