Ford Fiesta ST - Long Term Test
The boss was away from the office on the day that Ford called to enquire as to the engine and specification wed like on our long term Fiesta test vehicle. After exhaustive attempts to contact him failed, it became clear that an executive decision would have to be made. The office put its heads together and a few months later, a fully-loaded delivery mileage Fiesta ST appeared in the company car park, resplendent in its Diamond White paintwork with blue body stripes.
| Build |  |
| Comfort |  |
| Depreciation |  |
| Economy | |
| Equipment | |
| Handling |  |
| Insurance | |
| Performance |  |
| Styling |  |
| Value | |
Youd do the same, wouldnt you? The look of the ST divided opinion form the word go. There seems little doubt that white cars are coming back in a big way with trendsetting brands (notably Saab and Porsche) increasingly choosing to display their showpiece concept cars in this blank canvas colour. The problem, as far as our model was concerned, wasn't the snowy hue of the bodywork, it was more the blacked-out windows, the spoilers, the side skirts, the 17" wheels and, yes, those stripes. It was instantly apparent that the Fiesta ST was going to be a real attention grabber and that the attention it grabbed was going to be a mix of the appreciative and the scornful. Ultimately though, the target market for the ST is younger people looking for a vehicle thats fast, affordable and flamboyant. Our ST ticks those key boxes and the people who turn up their noses probably arent of the sort who are going to buy a Fiesta ST anyway.
ST buyers who prefer a more subdued look can choose to leave the gaudier styling features on the options list.
"The single best thing about the Fiesta ST is the way everything feels so solid"
Despite the strong hint of aftermarket about our models jazzed-up exterior, the Fiesta STs interior is fairly standard. The waist-hugging ST-branded seats stand out, as does the branded steering wheel but aside from that, you could almost be in a far more normal Fiesta. This is no bad thing, however, because the Fiestas interior has a simple, quality feel about it these days. Strong plastics are used and the controls are easy to get to grips with while the two-tone dash with its bulging air-vents is a nice touch.
Storage space isnt particularly generous and you soon find items cluttering-up the passenger seat and footwell but the pots below the dash are fine for your wallet, keys and mobile. The in-dash six-CD autochanger thats standard in the ST is a really nice piece of kit thats refreshingly easy to use. The chunky front seats dont compromise rear legroom too seriously and its quite possible to get a pair of adults in the back. The boot measures in at 268-litres and thats amongst the best in class.
I can also confirm that the bag of golf clubs (now apparently a standard unit for measuring vehicle carrying capacity) will fit just about. The single best thing about the Fiesta ST is the way everything feels so solid. In common with lesser models in Fords supermini range, you start to get this impression from the moment you set off. The fat handle and button on the handbrake, the short punching action of the gearbox, the weightiness of the steering, its all in keeping with the cars character.
The damping is first rate, the engineers having achieved a fine balance between ironing out the bumps and letting you know theyre there. The cabin is remarkably free from rattles and squeaks with the Fiesta thudding over speed humps and potholes with none of the shudder and shake you get from some rivals. The ST is a great car to hustle along a twisting B-road. The throttle response is sharp and the brakes have a reassuring, progressive feel.
The best of the performance is accessed above 4,000rpm which means that the ST doesnt come across as being all that quick under normal driving conditions. It certainly feels more sluggish than many turbocharged petrol and diesel rivals but hold each gear to the redline and the performance from the 2.0-litre engine should be enough for most. Theres a satisfyingly gruff engine note to accompany it all as well, but this and the engines desire to be revved dont help the STs cruising credentials.
Doing 70mph on the motorway in fifth, the car tops 3,000rpm and a speed of 80mph is achieved at 4,000rpm. The engine is working fairly hard and it sounds like it with a lot of noise finding its way into the cabin, you find yourself reaching down for a sixth gear but there isnt one. Another penalty for the engines rev-happy persona is the fuel economy. From our experience, you can expect to achieve something just over 35mpg on motorway trips and less than 28mpg in stop-start urban traffic.
The economy issue isnt helped by the fact that the ST is a car that rewards a little overuse of the right boot so generously. Its brilliantly composed in corners, has impressive levels of grip and always delivers that important fun factor. The fact that the refinement when cruising, the absence of a space to rest your clutch foot and a slightly high driving position are the only real criticisms says a lot for the ST driving experience. The white with blue stripes colour scheme might not be to everyones taste but hot hatches should be a little gregarious and our nuggety little Fiesta ST is a cracking drive.
If you want outright pace, there are quicker hot hatch offerings but our period at the wheel of Fords fastest Fiesta has revealed it to be a thoroughly enjoyable drivers car with a feeling of build integrity that you dont necessarily expect in this sector.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Ford Fiesta ST
PRICE: £13,795 on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 13E
CO2 EMISSIONS: 179g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 7.9s / Max speed 129mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 27.2mpg / (extra urban) 49.6mpg / (combined) 38.2mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's and passenger airbags, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height 3921/1683/1468mm
