Thank you again to Harte VW and Harte Family Motors for giving me some time with this 2017 Ford Fiesta ST!
The Fiesta ST lived in the shadow of it's bigger, faster, more powerful brother, the Focus ST. But this Fiesta was poised to try and prove that bigger and faster isn't always better. Let's take a look.
From the front, the Fiesta ST still has a bit of the sad frog look of the regular Fiesta, but an ST-specific honeycomb grille adds a little more aggression, a sporty but tastefully done spoiler tops the hatch in the back, and while I'm not typically a fan of the black on black, I think this one looks pretty good with black rims with the flashes of red from the ST logos mixed in.
Climbing into the back, there's a lot of black and grey. It's all very neutral, and I'm completely fine with that. The synthetic leather is a bit stiff, but still comfortable enough for a daily. It has a very similar feel to the mk7 Volkswagen GTI, the Kia Forte GT, and the Volkswagen Jetta R-Line. The back seats are a bit tight with only a few inches of legroom, with the front seat set for me at 5'7". Adult-sized rear seat passengers might have trouble getting comfortable, and the same can be said for normal-sized rear-seat riders if the driver is on the taller side.
Up front, the first thing I notice is this car's sporty Recaro seats. I know that these are supposed to be an upgrade, but I'm not a big guy and my kidneys do not appreciate the tight squeeze of the heavy side-bolsters. If I were ordering new, I would definitely not option the Recaros in one of these. Well, being in the US, I can't option anything since the Fiesta ST – along with the rest of Ford's sedans and hatches – isn't available in the states anymore. Even so, I would still look for a used one with the standard seats in it.
Looking around the cabin, there's the large tach and large speedometer taking up most of the gauge cluster. Simple. Love it. There are a few buttons on the steering wheel for the infotainment, which sits high up in the center dash. There is a plastic overhang around the screen, which is likely there to help reduce glare, but it also makes it a bit tough to see the edges difficult to get to some of the buttons. Underneath the infotainment, there's the volume/radio control, and a nicely laid out temperature control area. Beyond that, there's the very easily recognizable Fiesta shift knob with the red letters that are unique to the ST and a manual hand brake.
Let's get moving here. Clutch in, brake pedal down, push to start. The clutch is moderately heavy, and has a good feel to it. Shifting into first is smooth, and there's not too much resistance in the gearbox.
Getting moving, the clutch has a high bite point, and this car has some pep to it. It may not be as powerful as the Focus ST, but it's got enough power to get moving in a hurry. It's also down about 500 lbs from it's chunkier big brother, which certainly helps it get up and go. Accompanying the acceleration is the loud "brrrrrrrRRR" of that little 1.6L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine being pumped into the cabin via the Sound Symposer. If you're into that, it's no big deal, but it can definitely get a bit loud when you put your foot into it. This one also has an aftermaket COBB exhaust, which may be adding a few decibels. Personally, I don't mind it when I'm driving alone, but I imagine my wife and kids wouldn't be too excited about the noise level. I also note just a bit of rev hang.
The ride around town feels comfortable enough. I keep my GTI in sport mode most of the time, and the suspension here feels pretty comparable. I'm definitely feeling the bumps, but they're not sending shockwaves through me.
After taking a few corners hard, I note that the ST handles well. There was minimal body roll, and it still found traction on this cold, wet New England day on Kuhmo Ecsta PA31 all-seasons. It has no problem with the twists and turns, and that puts a smile on my face. As far as steering goes, it's light at lower speeds then gets heavy as it's pushed. I like the heavy steering at higher speeds, but the feedback from the electric rack feels very artificial. I know that electric power steering is common these days, but this one is throwing me off since it feels disconnected from the rest of the car.
Another upgrade that this particular ST has is the nav system, and as I attempt to find my way back to the dealership, I'm reminded immediately why I don't option the nav system on anything I buy. The dealership doesn't show up in a POI search, so I find the dealership down the road from Harte and hope that I can find my way from there. If you plan on getting into a Fiesta ST, get the SYNC 3 software update and use Android Auto/Apple CarPlay if you need directions.
The nice lady in the head unit guides me back (sort of), with no issues or lag, and I pull up to a spot out front. I pull up on the collar on the gearshift, throw the car into reverse, and stare at the screen for a few seconds before realizing that it's not going to change. This one doesn't have a backup cam. I put my neck to the test, and wring my head over my left shoulder. Visibility is pretty good in this car, so no big deal there, and I park it just fine. The one exception to the good visibility is that the corners in the semi-circular back windshield are blocked out by the headrests of the back seats.
Compact and peppy, this is a fun car overall. I prefer handling over power, and it's got more than enough punch to make it feel spry. Given the choice, I'd probably take this over the Focus ST. It also gets slightly better fuel economy and comes with a smaller price tag. I'd certainly cross-shop the Focus ST if you need a bit more space, and I'd take a look at at the mk7 GTI if you want a bit more refinement and the limited-slip differential. In the end though, I could see myself living with one of these, minus the kidney squeeze and maybe the Sound Symposer.
