In an interesting turn of events, I am – or better put, was – in the market for a new car. And by new I mean I wanted something different from my current daily driver. You see, there’s nothing wrong with my current car, I need something more gas pump and Washington, D.C. friendly. So as any other 20-year old college student who’s interested in cars, I was looking into the Ford Focus ST and Ford Fiesta ST – perhaps two of the best, affordable vehicles in the U.S. today.
Something that’s completely off topic, I hate car shopping, but then again who doesn’t? I visited six different dealerships and test-drove both vehicles extensively, almost to the point where I was getting the hang of the layout of the vehicles. I received stellar service, as well as miserable service, but that’s not the point of this article. We’re here to talk about two hot hatches.
Let’s begin with the smaller of the two – the Fiesta ST. The best part of the vehicle, and the most shocking is the engine, so let’s start there. To be honest, I’m not a fan of small, turbocharged engines. I’m a firm believer in there’s no better replacement for displacement, in other words the bigger the engine the better the car.
Something that’s completely off topic, I hate car shopping, but then again who doesn’t? I visited six different dealerships and test-drove both vehicles extensively, almost to the point where I was getting the hang of the layout of the vehicles. I received stellar service, as well as miserable service, but that’s not the point of this article. We’re here to talk about two hot hatches.
Let’s begin with the smaller of the two – the Fiesta ST. The best part of the vehicle, and the most shocking is the engine, so let’s start there. To be honest, I’m not a fan of small, turbocharged engines. I’m a firm believer in there’s no better replacement for displacement, in other words the bigger the engine the better the car.
The Fiesta ST sure did put me in my place. It’s quick, but surprisingly so. With a curb weight of 2720 lbs. the 1.6L inline-four cylinder EcoBoost provides copious amounts of power for the smaller hot hatch. Ahhh, here’s where some of you may be saying, well the Fiesta ST’s engine only makes 197 hp and 202 lb-ft of torque!
But the little Fiesta ST has a trick up its sleeve – a turbo. At wide-open throttle, the turbo doesn’t kick in until above 2,000 rpm, but when it does it’ll pin you back into the seats like any other naturally aspirated engine. There’s something really addicting about it too. Mashing the throttle on straights provides a feeling of joy as the turbo spools up and the torque carries you down the road.
But the little Fiesta ST has a trick up its sleeve – a turbo. At wide-open throttle, the turbo doesn’t kick in until above 2,000 rpm, but when it does it’ll pin you back into the seats like any other naturally aspirated engine. There’s something really addicting about it too. Mashing the throttle on straights provides a feeling of joy as the turbo spools up and the torque carries you down the road.
Oh and talking about the seats, the Recaro’s are simply amazing. They hug your body in ways a masseuse can’t, while remaining unobtrusive, for the skinnier folk that is. For a small car, I was utterly surprised to see heated seats as an option and they’re some of the fastest heated seats on the market. We’re talking instant heat here. Unfortunately, the heated seats only have two options: on and off, which is a pity since they’re so good. One thing I will say about the seats is that they’re a little hard to get out of. Some ventures to get out of the seats resulted in utter humiliation as I pretty much fell out of them, but they’re worth it.
While the seats appear to take up a lot of space, I was able to sit behind in my adjusted seat and I’m 5’10 and 190 lbs. Was there a lot of room? Well of course not, but I wouldn’t mind sitting back there for a road trip. The trunk is tiny. Really tiny. And for some strange reason Ford has decided to place a flimsy tie-down cover that blocks the light from going into the trunk. If anything, it makes the trunk look even smaller and gives the overall vehicle a sense tawdry. If you went to get some groceries, you’d have to buy less than a week’s amount of food, or plan to have a different car.
Other than the trunk, the space in the Fiesta ST is ample and easily enough for someone. But let’s face it, the Fiesta ST is a cheap car and there’s no way around that.
While the seats appear to take up a lot of space, I was able to sit behind in my adjusted seat and I’m 5’10 and 190 lbs. Was there a lot of room? Well of course not, but I wouldn’t mind sitting back there for a road trip. The trunk is tiny. Really tiny. And for some strange reason Ford has decided to place a flimsy tie-down cover that blocks the light from going into the trunk. If anything, it makes the trunk look even smaller and gives the overall vehicle a sense tawdry. If you went to get some groceries, you’d have to buy less than a week’s amount of food, or plan to have a different car.
Other than the trunk, the space in the Fiesta ST is ample and easily enough for someone. But let’s face it, the Fiesta ST is a cheap car and there’s no way around that.
Besides the amazing Recaro seats, the Fiesta ST has nothing but cheap plastics. I would be surprised if the plastics held up before someone finishes paying off their vehicle, since there were squeaks, rattles, and other types of chatter from all of the Fiesta ST’s I drove. In one instance, at a dealership that won’t be named (Sheehy Ford of Richmond), a piece of cheap plastic was already falling out. The car had less than 100 miles on it – and, as an aside, was priced quite high – and was already starting to fall apart. Not a good rating for reliability then.
Things like rattling plastics and an overall terrible interior can be overlooked as soon a corner is introduced. The car handles like a rabid squirrel, darting across the road, running away from anything that resembles law, authority, or preconceived notions of how a car/squirrel should handle. It corners flat and there’s no roll in the body whatsoever. The summer-only tires provide copious amounts of grip and instill the utmost of confidence during cornering. Simply amazing, that’s the only way to put it; I was amazed with the way it went around corners.
The steering is meaty and weighted nicely during low-speed turns, as well as high-speed straights. The feedback is impeccable, you can tell exactly where the front tires are at any moment, which is quite reassuring. Steering is direct, immediate and, in every sense of the world, lovely.
Things like rattling plastics and an overall terrible interior can be overlooked as soon a corner is introduced. The car handles like a rabid squirrel, darting across the road, running away from anything that resembles law, authority, or preconceived notions of how a car/squirrel should handle. It corners flat and there’s no roll in the body whatsoever. The summer-only tires provide copious amounts of grip and instill the utmost of confidence during cornering. Simply amazing, that’s the only way to put it; I was amazed with the way it went around corners.
The steering is meaty and weighted nicely during low-speed turns, as well as high-speed straights. The feedback is impeccable, you can tell exactly where the front tires are at any moment, which is quite reassuring. Steering is direct, immediate and, in every sense of the world, lovely.
There is a downside to its cornering capability – the rough ride. While it’s superb during corners or on absolutely smooth roads, the ride is jaw-chatteringly rough. It’s one of the worst rides I’ve ever experienced. I felt every single imperfection on the road, down to the cracks in the asphalt. I was looking for a car to handle D.C.’s rough roads, but I don’t think the Fiesta ST will fair well on anything but the finest, newest roads.
Yes the Fiesta ST comes with a starting price of $21,000, but you’ll want the Recaro seats, so add $2,000, then navigation another $800 and a sunroof is an additional $800. As you can see, the price quickly gets up there. Options like the Protection Package and Grey Painted Rims are things to stay away from, since they don’t really do anything memorable for the vehicle.
For under $25,000, or around there, the Fiesta ST is a bargain, but at the end of the day it feels like one. The ride is rough, the interior is grisly and the materials that the vehicle is built out of are utterly cheap. For the asking price, it’s the most amount of fun anyone can have. And trust me, you’ll be having a lot of fun. It’s the perfect vehicle for anyone looking for a hot hatch that handles like it’s on rails, goes like heck and provides smiles in any conditions, in any location.
Yes the Fiesta ST comes with a starting price of $21,000, but you’ll want the Recaro seats, so add $2,000, then navigation another $800 and a sunroof is an additional $800. As you can see, the price quickly gets up there. Options like the Protection Package and Grey Painted Rims are things to stay away from, since they don’t really do anything memorable for the vehicle.
For under $25,000, or around there, the Fiesta ST is a bargain, but at the end of the day it feels like one. The ride is rough, the interior is grisly and the materials that the vehicle is built out of are utterly cheap. For the asking price, it’s the most amount of fun anyone can have. And trust me, you’ll be having a lot of fun. It’s the perfect vehicle for anyone looking for a hot hatch that handles like it’s on rails, goes like heck and provides smiles in any conditions, in any location.