The Fiesta ST might be my "answer to everything"

"themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles" (themanwithsauce) 10/26/2013 at 21:24 • Filed to: None

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I gave this some thought recently as I have been shopping for the car to buy when I turn 25 and get to enjoy the reduced insurance rates in America. I live in michigan so as a no-fault state I get the pleasures of ridiculously jacked up insurance rates. Getting back on topic, my new car search has basically boiled down to Fiesta ST. In fact, I think the fiesta ST will become my personal answer to everything. This includes beating out the miata. I know it's a bit of a joke that "The miata is the answer to everything" but I think this car might flip that on its head. Here's why.

I literally can't come up with a daily or regular situation that the Fiesta ST can;t handle (besides larger family duties). Seriously, that is HUGE. It cities and econoboxes well with a nice MPG rating for a performance car as well as a small footprint for parking and precise steering to make it easy to maneuver into spaces. The hatch body style gives it a nice amount of storage space unless you ave lots of kids. 180hp isn't that much but in a vehicle this small, that is easily enough to go around safely and a good baseline for autoX or track days. The suspension is soft and high enough for everyday duty but tuned to handle great when pushed. The cherry on all of this is that there WILL be aftermarket support in spades so if you choose to make it faster in some way, you can do that.

I'm pretty sure my next car will be a Fiesta ST. Yes it isn't a RWD drift machine but really that isn't the point. Unless you are a professional drifter or racer, your daily routine probably does not involve going sideways. I personally have a 1.8 mile commute to work and it's a straight line. So let's be reasonable for a second - if you have a limited budget for a daily vehicle and you don;t have a large family yet.....why not pick the Fiesta ST that tops out at 25 grand? This frees you to have whatever you want as a fun vehicle knowing that you have a reliable, fun, and functional hatch for your day to day activities. Or even if you don't/can't have a second fun vehicle, the fiesta can be enjoyed year round with nothing more than a tire (or wheel and tire) swap. You can go and autoX or track the fiesta on the weekend, then drop off the kid on weekdays and pick up groceries in the evenings. Plenty of space to move boxes and small bits of furniture when that time comes around too.

I am looking at the hyundai genesis coupe 2.0 R-spec as well as a Mk6/7 GTI, Mustang Track Pack, an older C300 6-speed manual, S2000 CR, and an RX-8 R3.....Given my choices, I'd rather buy the Fiesta ST now and then buy the S2000, Genesis Coupe, or RX-8 down the line. The GTI costs more for not that much more car but is a valid buy. The C300 is a compromise between everything but I don't think I want another used german car in my stable. Clearly the only answer is Fiesta ST.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 21:27

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Why can't we have the three-door, Ford? WHY?

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 10/26/2013 at 21:32

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Because you touch yourself at night

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 21:35

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No, that's mostly done in the afternoon...

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 10/26/2013 at 21:36

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Oh, well then there is no excuse. Maybe Ford just hates us because it loves us?

Ferrero1911 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 21:37

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I haven't driven one yet. But given how my 160hp Abarth drives, I bet the 180hp in the Fiesta ST is more than enough to have some fun.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Ferrero1911 10/26/2013 at 21:40

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If the 500 Abarth was a bit bigger in the back and was either cheaper or more powerful, it could be an alternative. But as it stands, the Fiesta beats it in every category besides "Pure, unadulterated Italian passion with a side of soul"

Thunder > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 21:41

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Interesting.

You could add a 335i to that list, but that's another older German car. That's high on my list at present, and I'm looking at everything from... well, Fiesta ST through... I guess I'd go to around 35K. That covers Focus ST, Mazdaspeed3 (obviously not 2014 'cause there isn't one), BRZ, and WRX as new options, maybe G37 6MT if a good negotiator.

Used, there are all sorts of options, but I keep coming back to 335i (in my case, hardtop convertible with 6MT) for a lot of reasons. High among those reasons is that I spend roughly a good month out of the year in Florida, vacationing with my in-laws, and drive there most of the time. Why not enjoy the snot out of that, right? It can be really nice to be able to drop the top at least 50% of the year where I live in Raleigh, NC, too. I may sunburn in the time it takes to go from jetway to terminal in Florida... at night... but as I'm full-time WFH, I'm not normally in a car long enough for that to matter, so why not?

I'm kicking myself now for not jumping on a 2008 M3 convertible I test-drove, about 60K miles, equipped with Navi, asking something like $34K from the local Porsche dealership. The prospect of another 20 MPH highway car was daunting, but now I'm seeing that 335i's of the same year and mileage are about at that price, so I think I should have done it.

Also, I'm just a couple years away from turning 40 (celebrating (!) my 38th birthday on Halloween), so it's about time to get such a toy, right?

George McNally > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 21:41

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Getting a new car in the next 6 months.....this car is on my short list.

Klaus Schmoll > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 21:43

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Watch FithGear episode 23x05 (or maybe 23x04? google that yourself), they have a hot hatch shootout with the ST, Pug and Renault! While both might look better on paper, they have the ST as the winner. It seems like the especially the handling is so much better that the others couldn't win with their more powerful engines.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > George McNally 10/26/2013 at 21:44

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Even non-car people I know have trouble finding faults with this car that aren't very situation specific like "having more than two kids and no other vehicle". That is one of the very few I've heard that is legit. You can;t go wrong. Cheap to buy, cheap to own, a fair bit of fun, and it's a ford so they'll make a million of them and parts and service will never be an issue.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Thunder 10/26/2013 at 21:46

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Well when you're in your 30s and want to spend a bit more than 20-25k, I can see why a nice 3-series or G37 would be a car you want more. But I'm speaking as a 24-going -on-25 year old who is trying to be somewhat fiscally responsible while also a total hoon deep down. I *could* afford a 3-series or possibly a one or two year old G37 but in reality the fiesta ST does what I want out of my personal DD for much less and lets me save money instead of selling my soul for car payments, gas, maintenance, and insurance.

feather-throttle-not-hair > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 21:47

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I agree that the Fiesta ST is a damn imprssive car. However I take issue with your point about RWD.

Unless you are a professional drifter or racer, your daily routine probably does not involve going sideways. I personally have a 1.8 mile commute to work and it's a straight line.

By your logic, why bother with a car like the ST with excellent FWD handling? Why not just go with a Hyundai Elantra or something?

The fact is, great handling RWD or otherwise isn't something that can be exploited all the time. We get cars that handle well to maximize the size of our grins, when the time comes for grinning. A Fiesta ST or other great FWD car can get my grin to about 90 percent, but that extra ten percent or so of fun only comes coupled to RWD.

But that's just me. And it also doesn't stop me from basically agreeing that the ST is a fantastic car in its own right. It just isn't the answer to everything I might ask.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > feather-throttle-not-hair 10/26/2013 at 21:52

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You didn;t read my whole post....Or at least, you missed my point. The Fiesta ST is definitely capable of some hoonage. It will AutoX and storm back roads with glee. If you are 100% adamant that RWD is the only way to enjoy a car then you are ignorant and history can prove you wrong easily. Plus, because the fiesta ST is cheap (prices are 21-25k) you can, and I will quote from my article directly here, "This frees you to have whatever you want as a fun vehicle knowing that you have a reliable, fun, and functional hatch for your day to day activities". So if you want a RWD drift/race/rally/fun toy, you can get that for yourself. In fact, that is my plan. I'd love an RX-8 R3 or S2000CR or a G8 GXP or a 911 S or any number of RWD cars. But I NEED to have a reliable, simple piece of transport right now as I live alone and live in michigan which has salted roads in the snow and ice. I'd much rather live with a new and fast fiesta alone for a while than subject a car I love to those road conditions because I want to live by some "RWD OR NOTHING" bullshit mantra.

POD > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 21:54

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I'm just going to leave these here....

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > POD 10/26/2013 at 21:58

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More expensive to buy, more expensive to insure, somewhat likely to go boom after 75k according to the owner reports I've read. Fiesta wins by about 5k$ according to my calculations.

POD > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 22:01

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Huh, the opposite rings true for me.

The problem is, most MZR motors run well past 75K. The ST motor (both in Focus and Fiesta) has not has a long North American life yet. It is a hard choice.

In Canada I can get a Fiesta ST or a MazdaSpeed3 for a similar price. Wanna guess which is more appealing?

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > POD 10/26/2013 at 22:05

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Bullshit unless you're not in the USA. MS3 in america starts at a base MSRP of 24.2k. I'm on the site right now. Base of the fiesta ST is 21.4k. Including MI's BS insurance laws and rules, my insurance difference is about 500-1000$ a year depending on level of coverage. Get the tech pack on the MS3 and a few options on the fiesta and there;s a 4-5k difference in first year price. I erroneously wrote in my previous post that it was "per year" I meant to write 500-1000 per year to reflect insurance rates. But unless you compare a base MS3 to a fully loaded and optioned out fiesta, the fiesta is thousands cheaper.

POD > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 22:09

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Not in the USA. And didn't (why would you??) get the Tech on the MS3.

Thunder > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 22:13

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Good point - different situation.

That said, I'm a kid at heart. I loved the snot out of my Si. I tried to take it out of the deal for the QX56 for my wife, but was an hour late. Therefore, we threw away a good $20+K on car payments for less than 20 months with that beast. That's more than what I paid for the Si.

No, I'm not bitter. Why do you ask?

Anyway, we just dropped a four-figure monthly payment. A $500 payment for a used 335i is a massive positive step for me - perhaps a little more than what I was paying for my Si, but about half that of the QX. I'm probably too sensitive to those payments, and probably should just go for it.

George McNally > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 22:15

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Exactly.....I'm 54 and this car (hopefully) will last until I retire in 12 years. Then I buy my dream car:-)

Jayhawk Jake > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 22:16

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I still hope Chevy puts out a Sonic SS to go head to head with the Fiesta ST.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > POD 10/26/2013 at 22:18

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That might explain things. Because the MS3 in America is GTI priced. Which is to say "a lot more than the fiesta". The fiesta is a size down than the MS3, Focus ST, and GTI so it is a couple grand cheaper here. I don;t know why the MS3 is so cheap in canada but even if the engine has issues here, the 1.6L ecoboost is shared with the fusion now so parts and servicing will be easy to find.

Your country's excess cold must do something to help MZRs then because my car club's forum is full of MS3 and MS6es with need of engine rebuilds between 75 and 100k. A few needed major servicing (or replacement) at 50-60k but I think those are the oddballs with the combination of power upgrades + being beaten without being serviced.

POD > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 22:20

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Sigh... You say this with such certainty.

It's about how you treat the motor. MZR's can be robust if you don't flog them, and you use the oil intended.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > POD 10/26/2013 at 22:25

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Use the USA websites to determine price if you're curious. Ignore rebates/special offers on the speed3. No opinions are involved in raw numbers there. 3k in base price before any options or taxes is there.

I could be wrong on my estimate that the 1.6 ecoboost is stout but I have seen that the MZR is a 75k-100k motor when pushed as I know people who have it. If I was recommending one vehicle as the answer for everything, the fiesta ST wins over the MS3 for now unless some catastrophic engine fault exists on the ST.

feather-throttle-not-hair > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 22:25

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I did read the whole post and I think you're misinterpreting what i'm saying. I'm saying the Fiesta ST isn't an answer to everything because NO car is an answer to everything. Every car has flaws, though the ST actually has fewer than most.

I'm not saying it's a bad choice, the Toyobaru, it's obvious RWD competitor is deeply flawed as well, in plenty of other ways.

I am also saying that ultimately, when it comes to corners, I prefer a nicely set up RWD car to a FWD one. This is a matter of preference, I have no issue with you feeling differently, if you do. But that aspect of a car is simply that, one aspect of it. Hence why I repeatedly said in my original response that the Fiesta ST is a great car.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > feather-throttle-not-hair 10/26/2013 at 22:30

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I agree that I did miss what you said. I've heard too many people gawk on here that if a car isn't RWD then they won't buy it despite their current car being some beige POS because if you're realistic then you take what you can get if that's your situation and are semi-responsible. I jumped to the conclusion after the second paragraph that you could be summed up as "if it isn;t RWD then it can;t be the answer" not "it can't be the answer to everything despite being the answer to most".

POD > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 22:32

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No, I shan't use the USA pricing, it's not applicable to me.

I'm not sure what the people you know are doing to that MZR motor, but I'd guess they would do the same to the ST motors. And they would likely see a 75-100K motor too.

You can be an idiot on a turbo motor and ruin it. You can also be savvy and let the motor run for many miles past expected life.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > POD 10/26/2013 at 22:35

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Alright, then I will use canadian. According to the websites, MSRP of MS3 is just a tick under 30k Canadian ( here ). Fiesta ST is a tick under 25k canadian ( here ). By that metric alone, I'd recommend a new fiesta ST over a new MS3. So I refer to my original response to your pricing comment - Bullshit. You might be able to wheel and deal on a MS3 for now, but once stock of the fiesta goes around and the new MS3 comes out (if it does), that gap will remain.

POD > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 22:42

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Add seats, PDI, and all the bull shit, it's 28K before tax. Look, I've already done this. The ST is OK, It's a nice car, and in my market, it's an up-sale.

MS3 after tax on a base is 30+K. It's a bigger better car and a better value in my market.

Ferrero1911 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 22:43

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I think the Abarth also wins the stock exhaust sound category ;)

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themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > POD 10/26/2013 at 22:47

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And I'm doing the same thing and even using canadian numbers and there is still a price difference that favors the fiesta ST. If you just want the bigger, more powerful hatch you can do that. But on price alone, the fiesta is just cheaper by well over a grand. A fully loaded fiesta is about the price of a base MS3. Unless you're a speedfreak (or a fan of torque steer) I maintain the fiesta would be the better buy.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Ferrero1911 10/26/2013 at 22:48

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Ugh, don't try to sway me with that. I iwll be on the side of the road in one of thee in two years in a cloud of steam while a fiesta ST passes me and I'll go "But at least I sound better when I am running"

POD > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 22:52

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28K plus tax gets you 200 bph.

30-31K tax included gets you 260+ bph (and more torque).

As for torque steer, do you own/drive a speed3? Or a ST of any type?

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > POD 10/26/2013 at 22:59

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Own? No. Have friends who own both? Yes. Not a fan of the Focus ST actually. at least, I'm not a fan of the driver. Drives like an ass and abuses his car in all the wrong ways. The speed 3? Not sure that it's really that fast. I've driven an automatic mazda 3 and been surprisingly close to Speed3s on an AutoX course. Granted, the 3 I was in had performance springs and a rear swaybar but still, it had less power and one less gear than the manual fiesta ST will have while also being heavier and bigger. Personally, having seen MS3 drivers drive, I think the MS3 has more power but is worse in the corners due to some degree of randomness. It lacks a certain degree of refinement (or loses it after a couple thousand miles of driving).

Desu-San-Desu > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 23:08

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My answer-to-everything car is pretty consistently the WRX/Saabaru hatchback. Great power, great handling, hugely reliable, awesome cargo capacity, an aftermarket to die for, and, in the case of the Saab version, quite fetching to behold.

9kalday > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 23:10

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im in a similar situation. one point i would like to pass on is resale. havnt heard anyone bring this up. buying a mint s2k could be your cheapest option when considering this. 25k for a car that probably wont be worth more then 10-15k after 4 years and mileage, compared to 15-20k that should be worth 10-15k after 4 years and mileage. s2ks are extremely reliable and cheap to maintain. my 2 cents

POD > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 23:12

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I will absolutely agree with you that the MS3 is unrefined. It is. That car is a turbocharged terror. By hell, I love it for it. I'm not an idiot, I run a full synthetic and let the turbo cool down before turning the car is shut off. My MZR will run at least 100K before I off load it.

If autocross (AutoX) is your goal the ST's will be better (both the Focus and the Fiesta). Any tight track the ST's do better. The Speed3 is a more a FWD muscle car. It's how it was designed.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > 9kalday 10/26/2013 at 23:14

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S2K only seats 2, is a RWD roadster, and will rake me over the coals on insurance because of the high resale and 2-seater status. Yes it will be a great fun car, but as a reliable daily driver I won't feel bad about subjecting to snow, I am 100% behind the fiesta ST. I will likely buy an S2K or RX-8 or something RWD though in a few years when I have the storage space for a summer car and my audi AND my fiesta ST.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Desu-San-Desu 10/26/2013 at 23:19

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I will probably never own a used one of those for a similar reason why I won't own a mazdaspeed 3 or 6 - too many engine rebuilds are needed. Either that or everyone who has one drives it into the ground. In which case, I still will not own one unless it is new and I dump it before 50k.

Ferrero1911 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 23:23

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I don't anticipate being on the side of the road any time soon. Unless I have a flat tire...there's no room for a spare. Modern Fiat's are nothing like the Fiat's of the past. Nothing wrong with their reliability at all.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Ferrero1911 10/26/2013 at 23:30

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No italian car driver anticipates it, it just happens in a cloud of sensual steam or smoke. Occasionally prefaced by some intimately soulful sound of imminent and sexy failure.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/26/2013 at 23:42

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This is the answer:

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > TheD0k_2many toys 2little time 10/27/2013 at 00:03

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As someone who lives in a place with snow and salt, this is why the Fiesta ST is the new answer

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/27/2013 at 00:08

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I live in Michigan.... So i think i get a pretty good amount of that. That is why they make winter beaters. Escort zx2.

ddavidn > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/27/2013 at 00:23

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I really want this car. Yes, over the MS3, Miata, GTI or what have you. I have a RWD machine now, and would not miss it. If I could have both, that would be ideal...

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > TheD0k_2many toys 2little time 10/27/2013 at 00:52

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Fiesta ST > ZX2. Besides, I am not necessarily a fan of the miata #ohnohedidnt. But seriously if your choice is newer RWD and beater FWD that's your own. But if I had to recommend just a single car for anyone to have, it would be a fiesta ST over a miata.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/27/2013 at 02:04

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Well have fun with your under-steer. I'll be in the corners smiling, occasionally letting the rear slide out. :)

Im not comparing the zx2 to a fiesta, just saying they make $400 beater for a reason. Winter in MI

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > TheD0k_2many toys 2little time 10/27/2013 at 02:18

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Actually the Fiesta ST does not appear to have traditional FWD understeer. With only 180 hp, it does not overwhelm the front and appears to be neutrally balanced. So yes, I will enjoy a well balanced hatchback, thank you very much. Enjoy your limited storage space and lack of a back seat. I'll be keeping up with you on the track and then stop by the junkyard on my way home to pick up parts for my Audi rallycross project and still have space to do shopping on my incredibly fun drive home :)

Not trying to do this in a mean way, I don;t think a miata is a bad car, but you have to respect the fiesta ST's capabilities. 35 mpg on the highway + 180hp + sub 3000lb curb weight + seating for 4 adults + 6 speed manual + hatchback body for storage + sub 25k price = perfect all rounder. Then you can even have a hideously unreliable old alfa for a fun car and it doesn't matter if it catches fire since you have your ford fiesta for the drive to work in the morning.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/27/2013 at 02:29

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1 other seat-less people i have to haul around with my gas

Small trunk-actually can fit quite a lot. (Except my golf clubs, but i go once a year). I can actually fit more in my miata's trunk that my zx2, but that is b/c of the subs.

160hp+vvt+7200rpm+2,350lbs+almost 50/50 weight distribution.

Limited slip differential-RWD-5 spd-26mpg average.

Sub 10k price.

I dont even use the backseat when i have one in the winter.

And i can fix mine without hooking it up to a computer to diagnose all my electronic crap.

Also so much aftermarket support its crazy.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > TheD0k_2many toys 2little time 10/27/2013 at 02:43

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But 10k won;t get you a brand new, warrantied miata. A new one has a base price about that of the ST. This is a new car recommendation so used are out of the picture for simplicity's sake. Also the notion that you need fancy computers to diagnose issues in all modern engines is false. Most modern 4-cylinders are not difficult to work on unless they're the highly tuned EVO/STI motors.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/27/2013 at 13:17

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Yea i dont know how much you work on cars but i took two years of Auto technology and you definitely need computers with them. Everything is controlled by a computer one way or another.

Also why would you buy a car that as soon as you drive it depreciates so quickly? It makes no sense to me. If i had 25k for a car i would buy a 10k one and put the rest of the money into the car. Then i would have a badass miata. Unfortunately there is this thing called college that sucks all your money away. :D

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > TheD0k_2many toys 2little time 10/27/2013 at 13:45

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It's not like you need to check with a computer to turn a wrench. For engine management and programming a new fuel map or something like that? Yes, you need a computer. Replacing the brakes? The suspension components? The seats? The exhaust? The lights? The wheels? You don't. Hell even replacing components on an engine isn't difficult unless you're upgrading. Last I checked, when we replaced the coil packs and injectors on my friend's BMW we didn't need to do any reprogramming since we replaced them with OEM equipment. We did do a complete computer reset to get it to "re-learn" the flow properties of the new injectors instead of the 100k mile ones. But again, unless you're doing an upgrade, you don't need to touch too much involving the computer or engine electronics. Can it be useful in diagnostics? Yes, considerably so. But that can also apply to your miata.

And my original post was meant as a reference to everyone. Not just those of us here on jalopnik. If you walk around telling everyone they should get a used miata then you will never be taken seriously. But I can tell people to consider the fiesta ST and they will take that into consideration. Non-car people I know already have test driven one or gotten one themselves and love it. Plus with a car like this that might have had a previous owner who ragged it hard and didn't maintain it, yes it is worth having to take the depreciation hit for the knowledge that it hasn't been molested by a moron.

AndTheyCalledHimGearhead > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/27/2013 at 21:02

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(Circles post with finger) this... all of this, is spot on. I was able to get behind the wheel of a NA-spec ST prior to its launch in the states on a track in Nashville. I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt, this little hatch is really good. Hell, it may be even better than you think. Price? Extremely competitive (note: get the damn Recaros. They're worth it). Power? For a car that weighs this much, it's very good (I can tell you from in-person dyno results, Ford's quoted power figures are conservative). Fuel Economy? Believe it or not, getting 35mpg on the highway is easily attainable. All of your other possible candidates are great cars as well, but I agree with you. In the interest of making the least compromise, this thing is the ticket.

Bottom line, just go drive one. I'm pretty certain you'll fall for it. And I'm not some babbling, blue-oval fan boy writing these words. I DD a MK6 GTI (which I love) and in my opinion, the Fiesta ST is one of the most composed, well rounded hot hatches on the market and one of the best cars I've ever driven.

parkingking > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 10/30/2013 at 17:05

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I got to sit in and rev a friend's Abarth. Much giggling ensued. Hands-down my favorite factory exhaust! It competes on cost with the Fiesta ST but is slower and less grippy, although still fun. I would lower it and keep the all-seasons.

The car is good-looking:

And has cool gauges: (seriously, these are awesome! And Boost!)

But I agree, cargo area is too small. I can't believe I'm saying this, but even the FR-S is more versatile.

Benzed92 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 11/05/2013 at 22:48

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You clearly have never owned an MZR engined Mazda for a long period of time, I have had a '06 Speed 6 since October '06. Currently with 47,xxx miles and not a single engine problem. Prompt oil changes, with either Amsoil or Royal Purple and other general maintenance will keep them in running order. I have a friend who bought a gen1 3 that has 76k on it now, currently in the process of an engine rebuild, however he was running a GT3071 at over 25psi. Ended up getting blow by that ate through the piston rings. However, I would like to see a stock engine put up with that kind of demand for almost 80k miles. Proper tunes, regular maintenance and overall care will get you great life out of an MZR. Not sure what all the fuss is about.


Now the drivetrain on my 6 can go die in a hole, but that is a different story for a different day.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Benzed92 11/05/2013 at 23:54

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You're right. I have never, and will never, own one of those things because of the problems I've seen everyone else have with them.

HollywoodF1 > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 08/08/2014 at 12:56

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We can't have the 3-door because the factory that we get our cars from is in Mexico City, and they are only tooled for 5-doors. The retooling cost would be too high. And there would be too much expense in importing a low-volume car from a different location than the rest of the Fiesta fleet comes from. Ford has said these things themselves.

But take heart— even though the 5-door weighs 130 lbs more than the the 3-door, the wheelbase is unchanged between the two versions. And with their great big front doors, we have an easier time in parking spaces.