they are in fact based on the same platform, as back then, Ford was biggest shareholder of Mazda for years, and they co-developed these small car platforms together (with Mazda taking the lead and two companies saving hundreds of millions jointly). They had 33.4% of Mazda in 2008 and now it is down to less than 7%. Mazda is actually looking ahead to their freedom, according to media reports.

They are very very very similar cars, only difference is how they wanted to market their cars in the USA, and hence engines and transmissions they offered here.

 

"Move" rear seats? I don't follow you. Do you mean REmove the seats, and take them out? No subcompact sold in the American market, that I know of, has that feature....even the versatile Mini Clubman. And it you mean fore/aft movement of the rear-seat like in some luxury cars, subcompacts simply don't have the space for that.

Just because I'm not aware of that feature in any U.S.-market small cars, though, doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't exist. If you show me an example, I'll stand corrected.

 

Space considerations are a non-issue in this class of cars when it comes to accomodating a transmission with 1/2/3 more forward gears. It's easy to see that most of these cars have plenty of room.

Smoothness of multi-speed (additonal speeds totaling 6/7/8 speeds)transmission has nothing to do with the low-speed surging of particular cars (Fiesta or in some cases some of the many complaints logged with dual clutch trannys). Smoothness is actually enhanced with closer ratios, and less lurching and less loud 4 cylinder reving noise when down-shifting for passing, because the multispeed tranny can drop to a more ideal gear for optimal use of powerband.

Short answer, the 4 speed tranny is cheap.

 

There are a number of small, Fiesta size, cars that have this feature. The rear seats are mounted on rails and you can slide them back to give you extra legroom in the rear, or you can slide them forward to increase the cargo area in the rear. Two that come to mind are the Nissan Note and the Renault Modus (both based on the same platform). The feature is very useful in the Note (a very under-rated car IMO), where with five doors and the seats slid back it can comfortably accommodate 4 six-footers.

 

Thanks. The Note and Modus, of course, are not sold in the U.S., (nor displayed at auto shows), so I personally have not seen or tried that feature.