Photography by Alan Cesar
[Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the December 2013 issue of Grassroots Motorsports, back when the Fiesta ST was a brand-new model.]
The hot hatch segment in Europe has always been more fiercely competitive and rife with more options for consumers than in the United States. Facing the market against the likes of the Peugeot 208 GTi, Renault Clio RS and VW Polo GTI makes Europe the best breeding and proving ground for anything in the segment. It’s also where Ford spawned the Fiesta ST, its newest fast compact, which hit the streets of Europe ready to punch hard.
The ST division–it’s not replacing SVT, but rather living alongside it–has now sent this new party to our shores. It takes a well-optioned B-segment car and adds more of everything. We visited Ann Arbor, Michigan, to drive one of these on the marvelous back roads outside the city–to the chagrin of the locals.
Power is the big news here. In the engine bay, its 1.6-liter, twin-cam engine wears a snail and some extra plumbing. That turbo, an intercooler and direct fuel injection give the little four-pot a meaty 202 ft.-lbs. of torque at 4200 rpm, but it’s not a laggy nightmare. This engine is entertaining in the midrange and has good parking lot manners–though it is more exciting if you keep the revs up.
This package is remarkably complete and thought out; it’s not a simple springs-and-dampers upgrade. The engineers behind this car are clearly enthusiasts, and they speak fondly of the track time put into this car. A new, stiffer rear twist beam complements its stiffer springs and lowered ride height. The front steering knuckles are also ST-specific pieces, redesigned with new geometry to add camber, raise the roll center, increase the steering ratio, and improve feel.
Steering feel, by the way, is a welcome addition. Our B-Spec Fiesta, built on a bare-bones hatch, has a wheel as communicative as a bowl of pudding. We’re glad the company addressed this with the ST, while also adding heft.
[That time we raced in the Pirelli World Challenge series]
Engineers put a premium on making this car very neutral in corners, and they calibrated the torque-vectoring control–essentially a brake-based limited-slip system–to put a premium on rear slip angle. Stability control features a Sport mode, but it can also be switched off completely. The latter makes for entertaining and dramatic clutch dumps.
The torque-vectoring system works well enough, but a mechanical limited-slip differential is still on our wish list. One engineer told us the car could have benefited from one, but it was cut due to cost.
Though firm, the ride is far from punishing. This is an entertaining car to toss, and it’s delightfully neutral. A bit of understeer creeps in only at the very limit of adhesion. Torque steer, surprisingly enough, was not an issue.
Brakes were never a weak point on the Fiesta. Our B-Spec project car drops speed faster than a thief drops a stolen iPad when the red-and-blues start flashing. Still, with some extra weight and lots more power, the ST got upgrades.
Ford went to their international parts bin and fitted front calipers from a European B-segment van to increase swept area. The rears may look familiar: They’re discs from the first-generation Focus, modified to mount to the Fiesta ST’s suspension. Base Fiestas get only rear drums.
In the engine bay–generating the energy that the brakes dissipate–is a 1.6-liter Ecoboost four-cylinder. It’s direct-injected and intercooled, which helps it contain its 10:1 compression ratio–down one point from the base car–paired with an astounding 21 pounds of boost.
The Fiesta’s refreshed look for 2014 is in line with the stunning Aston Martin-esque grille previously fitted to the Fusion and Focus. The ST car gets a more aggressive version, as well as side skirts, a rear spoiler, diffuser, and twin-tip exhaust. Two 17-inch wheel choices are available, and surprisingly, they don’t look abnormally large. The size suits the stance.
In the U.S., the speedy subcompact market has been lightly occupied for quite some time. The MINI Cooper S was just about the only car in the segment until the recent introduction of the Fiat 500 Abarth.
That’s part of what makes the Fiesta such a welcome addition: It’s the only entrant without an overwrought sense of style. No one will call it cute. It’s available in subdued white, black and gray, but you’d be crazy to get this in anything but Race Red. It absolutely looks the business.
The Fiat certainly excels at traffic-dicing on account of its incredible shortness, and it has a 250-pound advantage. However, it’s far less useful as a people and cargo hauler and simply isn’t as quick. The MINI’s steering is more precise and communicative than the Fiesta’s, but it’s more expensive from the start. Plus, options packages can quickly balloon the price to outrageous levels–not to mention the MINI is just 80 pounds lighter than the Ford. The awards for lowest price and best power-to-weight ratio go to the Fiesta.
As you’d expect in a budget-friendly hot hatch, some of the interior carries over directly from the previous model. We recognized the dash patterns and door panels, though they wore nicer accents and better materials in areas you actually touch. The Fiesta ST is well equipped and has more standard features than the Focus ST.
That means navigation with a touchscreen, SYNC voice activation, satellite radio, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, and aluminum pedals. There are also ST-branded accents here and there, including headrest embroidery and aluminum doorsill plates. The six-speed manual does everything properly–no automatic is available.
Its only major option is the fantastic part-leather Recaro seats, but it adds nearly $2000. That’s a tough box to tick when the car is only $21,400, but it’s one we’d likely gulp and mark anyway. They’re aggressively bolstered, but also road-trip comfortable–provided you’re narrow enough to fit in them. Stick with the gray cloth inserts rather than the garish bright orange.
The ST’s only demerits–reminders of its roots in the economy-car segment–are for wind and road noise. That could make the car tiresome for long trips on our interstate highways, but at least you’ll get 35 mpg while you bear it.
Ford’s Fiesta ST is well-bred indeed. It brings European flair to American streets, but it actually has much more substance than style. For a commuter vehicle, it’s hard to choose something that’s as quick, fun to drive, stylish and well equipped for this little cash outlay. We’re eager to see them on the road.
Even side by side, a new Focus ST and Fiesta ST can be hard to tell apart. One has slightly more stretched headlights, smaller wheels, and an offset exhaust tip. The other is slightly larger and more grown up in a lot of ways–many of which aren’t subtle once you get inside.
First, the Focus is more powerful. The engine’s 270 ft.-lb. output is enough to give more than just a suggestion of torque steer, but it’s managed well by that same brake-based torque vectoring used on the Fiesta. Just enough comes through to make you say, “Oh, hello. There you are.”
And it’s a pleasure. The engine note is throaty and deep–it’s intake sound, not a booming exhaust–so matting the throttle put smiles on our faces. It’s tempting to compare a base Focus ST–priced at $24,115–to a Recaro-equipped Fiesta ST, but with similar equipment, the Focus approaches $30,000.
The big brother ladles stronger punch, but that spiked beverage includes natural mellowing agents. This is definitely a step up in interior appointments and sound deadening, so a long cruise in the Focus is more comfortable. The Fiesta is always bright-eyed, full of Red Bull, and ready to fight; the Focus allows you to relax if you want to, or hoon if you don’t.
That doesn’t mean the Focus is sedate at all. It’ll gently oversteer when you pull throttle, corner flatly whenever you ask it, and pull confidently in every gear. There’s no compromise, it’s just a change in attitude.
Both are phenomenal cars that we wouldn’t hesitate to own. Which one you should choose is purely a matter of taste and expense. We implore you to test drive both before making a decision.
Everyone I know that's owned a FiST raves about them. The Focus ST seems to live in the shadow of its bigger brother
Man, I still wish I would have bought a FiST as they were being discontinued in the USA, and Ford was fire-selling them at about $16,000 locally (Austin, TX) and maybe even less once the negotiations began. What a fun little car.
I have a 19 FiST... it's ok. But it's too damn small for my husky self. Boost is ok, kicks in late. Intercooler is too small.
I just bought a '14 Fiesta ST and am liking it. It wasn't on my radar, but a curious test drive impressed me and I got it well under market rate.
I'm big at 6'2" 300lbs and it isn't large, but does feel roomy and solid for an admittedly little car. Already made a few trips to the hardware store with it while I work on maintenance stuff. Perfect 4th car for my wife to learn stick on.
My plan is to keep it mostly stock and add in a bunch of safety gear to go racing. Hillclimbs / solo IV / TT stuff mainly but I think it can do anything and be fun. It isn't terribly powerful but is enough and the steering / balance are very good.
This is an old thread, but I'll add my opinion. I owned a FoST with Ford tune. It was as fun as a hatch gets. Razor sharp steering, handles well. However it had enough shortcomings to make the car not a daily driver for me. Torque steer was nuts. Turbo was often "napping". Huge turning radius. Tiny fuel tank. Never seemed to "relax", even when cruising the highway.
In reply to SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) :
I feel a bunch of what you just said. The FiST also has a 10 gallon tank; I'm told it can be miserly but I don't drive that way. Who does? With less power the torque steer is acceptable and manageable but still present. It certainly doesn't cruise along invisibly at 80 like my other cars.
But ford parts are cheap, the stereo is actually decent and I will not lose sleep if I stuff it into the tires. If it was my only car I could happily live with it, but it certainly has shortcomings.
Do these come with a flex fuel sensor and the ability to run E 85 stock?
Do these come with a flex fuel sensor and the ability to run E 85 stock?
The gas mileage in my FiST varies from 25 mpg up to 40. The latter isn't typical, but was from Monument CO to the Denver Airport which is about 2000' of elevation loss and 70 mph.
Mine is a 2017 at 43k miles and has been fantastic. I've only changed fluids and just getting ready to do brakes. The only thing otherwise was recently replacing the fuel vapor purge valve. Easy and relatively cheap.
In reply to crankwalk (Forum Supporter) :
No the fuel system is limited to an E30 blend unless you upgrade the HPFP and injectors or add auxiliary port injection.
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