Take that all you FiSTers, USA Today hates your car.

"Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish" (mrfist)
08/27/2014 at 02:43 • Filed to: FiST

If you drive often on race tracks, you'll love Ford's pocket rocket, the Fiesta ST high-performance hatchback.

If your driving is more normal, you're likely to hate it. The ride is so hard you wonder if somebody forgot the springs or shock absorbers.

Judging from the stablemate Focus ST, a bit bigger car, it's clear Ford knows how to make an excellent-handling car that also rides comfortably.

Ford says the hard ride is the result of deliberately pushing Fiesta ST further toward the very sporty axis than is the case with Focus ST. That includes tires with significantly shorter — and thus stiffer — sidewalls that don't flex as much to help absorb bumps.

We understand the intent, but think Ford went too far for most people, including even those who like firm suspensions and tight handling.

Emphasizing its uncompromising personality, ST comes only as a hatchback and only with a manual transmission. You want an automatic or a four-door sedan, you settle for some other version of Fiesta.

ST is Ford's global designation for Sport Technology, meaning the excellent-handling, more-powerful performance versions of its cars.

The U.S. Fiesta ST is derived from the European version and is aimed at the malcontents who whine, "Why don't car companies bring those cool European cars to the U.S.? We never get the good stuff."

The Fiesta ST made its debut overseas in 2005, went through the requisite updates and re-dos, and only showed up in the U.S. a year ago as a 2014 model. The 2015s that are going on sale now are unchanged.

The ST's bragging points are what Ford calls the "sport-tuned" suspension, upgraded brakes and a more powerful engine. It also has the cool styling that Ford's been able to execute well on small cars, a challenge. Reasonable people disagree on matters of taste, so you might not like how it looks.

We had a chance to test the Fiesta ST extensively during the $30,000 Cheap Speed Challenge we did with Cars.com and MotorWeek and published in late July. It's online at !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

The Challenge included time on a race track at a private club in Joliet, Ill., and we love how the Fiesta ST behaved in that environment.

The little front-drive car had little front-drive imbalance — at least little that came through enough to spoil the party. The Ford didn't need as much braking as some other Challenge cars, allowing the driver to keep a high average speed on the course and sling through the tight corners in immensely satisfying fashion.

But the underpinnings that allow such exceptional track handling are a huge drawback on the street. Even on smooth roads the car is punishing.

We also find the clutch engagement pretty abrupt, making the Fiesta ST hard to drive smoothly in traffic.

And its infotainment/connectivity features are just OK — though even that ho-hum level isn't guaranteed on Ford products with their underlying Microsoft Sync voice-control system.

Seems silly to us that General Motors and Chrysler Group are so good at making those features easy to use, intuitive, quick-responding and reliable — usually — while other automakers, including Ford, deliver generally awkward setups.

On most other fronts, the Fiesta ST is good-to-great.

Interior seems of good quality, though the design and shapes on the instrument panel might not please everybody. And there's certainly no richness evident inside the car. Not a cheap-o feel, but not premium.

The hatchback configuration makes the small car useful for toting things too big for a trunk.

Dynamic abilities are excellent. Quick acceleration, reassuring brakes and good steering response make Fiesta ST a well-rounded high-performance car that delivers driving fun.

The $22,225 starting price is big for a little car, but a good value for the agility, responsiveness and sheer joy the car can provide in the right circumstances.

But, alas, the Fiesta ST never would grace our driveway without a big upgrade in ride quality.

WHAT STANDS OUT

— Handling: Superb.

— Ride: Who forgot the shock absorbers?

— Styling: Appealing.

ABOUT THE 2015 FORD FIESTA ST

— What? Hopped-up version of Ford's small, front-drive, four-door hatchback.

— When? On sale since August 2013 as a 2014 model; unchanged 2015s now going on sale.

— Where? Made at Cuautitlan Izcalli, Mexico

— How much? Starts at $22,225, including $825 shipping.

— What makes it go? 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine rated 197 horsepower at 6,350 rpm, 202 pounds-feet of torque at 4,200 rpm

— How big?Smaller than the Volkswagen Golf GTI, which sometimes is cited as a rival; bigger than Mini Cooper S or Fiat 500 Abarth, also rivals.

Weighs 2,742 lbs. Passenger space, 85.1 cubic feet, cargo 10.1 cu. ft., turning circle diameter, 35.5 ft.

— How thirsty? Rated 26 miles per gallon in the city, 35 mpg highway, 29 mpg combined.

Test car registered 31.2 mpg (3.21 gallons per 100 miles) in highway and some suburban and rural-road driving.

Premium recommended, regular acceptable. Tank holds 12.4 gallons.

— Overall: Tons of fun for those who can stand a harsh, jarring ride.

Original !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

DISCUSSION (16)

Squid > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
08/27/2014 at 03:12

They obviously missed the point of the car. I don't understand why people think a performance car needs to have luxury options. Not having a fancy interior is par for the course of a little econobox with power. . . Your money is spent on the motor and suspension not on alcantara everything and sound deadening. . .

Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish > Squid
08/27/2014 at 03:16

Fiesta ST never would grace our driveway without a big upgrade in ride quality.

Squid > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
08/27/2014 at 03:20

I have yet to drive one, but honestly the ride can't be that harsh. Some publications need to not ruin the car market for the rest of us.

Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish > Squid
08/27/2014 at 03:23

I own one and I love it, the ride can be harsh at times but it isn't bone-shattering by any means. And I didn't buy the car because I thought it'd ride like a S-Class, I bought it because it's fun and affordable.

Squid > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
08/27/2014 at 03:26

I bet they would say an M3 rides too rough as well. . .

I've driven a regular Fiesta and it wasn't bad, it was just your typical econobox ride and drive.

PS9 > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
08/27/2014 at 03:33

The next gen FiST needs to be as fast as a V8 Mustang, as roomy as an expedition, as luxurious as an S-Class, and as efficient as a 50cc Scooter. With no price increase. Then it will get our seal of approval.

C'mon ford. We're setting the bar pretty low for you here.

Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish > PS9
08/27/2014 at 03:48

Don't forget the all wheel drive either Ford!

asindhidude > Squid
08/27/2014 at 08:06

how does it compare to a 15 wrx?,CR complained that the Rex is horribly uncomfortable and whatnot also.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
08/27/2014 at 08:09

USAToday should stick to what they do best, fabricating (probably, the media in this country is hilariously terrible) 'news' stories to delude an already ignorant public. Leave the car reviews to people who actually know what a car is supposed to be.

Hint: not a road-appliance.

nafsucof > PS9
08/27/2014 at 08:35

infotainment should be on par with or better than apple products as well.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
08/27/2014 at 09:15

In not really defense of our media, they've been more hip deep in fomenting "news" and fabricating things through selective deletion of information than outright fabrication lately. So sneaky, and by sneaky I mean transparently awful.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish
08/27/2014 at 10:42

Or how about a big upgrade in road quality? Oh wait, that requires taxes or tolls, neither of which people like.

Because they want their free shit, or something.

MK6GTI-now with added Miata > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
08/27/2014 at 11:52

To be fair that actually is what most cars are designed to be. The Fiesta ST just isn't one of them.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > MK6GTI-now with added Miata
08/27/2014 at 13:08

Which is precisely why USAToday should stick to reviewing road appliances since they obviously do not understand the point of anything else.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
08/27/2014 at 13:15

Agreed. Unfortunately it is within their 1st Amendment rights to say whatever they wish, even when it is an outright lie. We can thank Faux News for that little bit of corporate freedom.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
08/27/2014 at 13:26

You misspelled "William Randolph Hearst", or possibly "Walter Duranty". "News organizations" operating under freedom of the press to lie or misconstrue is an entirely separate item under the 1st than freedom of corporations in general to do so.