RE: Farewell Ford Fiesta ST!
Discussion
WCZ said:
"Clio 220 Trophy has a fine chassis and a far nicer interior than the Fiesta."
the clio has a horrible interior imo
the new fiesta st won't be any better, if I was you i'd just stick a few mountune parts on yours. they are brilliant
I never got or understood that statement either.the clio has a horrible interior imo
the new fiesta st won't be any better, if I was you i'd just stick a few mountune parts on yours. they are brilliant
I've been in and driven both a Fiesta ST and a Clio 200T and the Fiesta had the much better interior. It actually felt very plush and upmarket and that's coming from someone who's used to VAG products. The Clio, on the other hand, felt and looked like something made by Fisher Price.
Edited by culpz on Friday 23 June 12:34
I can't for the life of me understand why reviewers say these cars sound "good". The horribly buzzy and limp sounding engine was the main thing put me off this car and it's what I'm really hoping this new 3 cylinder will address!
I also find it hard to imagine how the new Polo GTI and it's soon to follow relatives will be able to compete in terms of handling against the new ST seeing as their 2 litre engine will no doubt be far heavier than the ST's 1.5. Especially as VAG have consistently failed to come up with the goods in terms of making their small cars handle well over the years.
I also find it hard to imagine how the new Polo GTI and it's soon to follow relatives will be able to compete in terms of handling against the new ST seeing as their 2 litre engine will no doubt be far heavier than the ST's 1.5. Especially as VAG have consistently failed to come up with the goods in terms of making their small cars handle well over the years.
mr_fibuli said:
My gf has just swapped her Clio 200 for a Fiesta ST. I'm loving it so far - it is a lot less hardcore than the Clio 200 with Cup suspension, but still feels great to drive, and reminds me more of the Clio 182 - more old school hot hatch than the absolutely planted race car feel of the 200.
Obviously the turbo engine has a lot more mid range shove, but lacks the Clio's high end - again this makes the Fiesta a bit less hardcore when driving absolutely flat out, but a lot more enjoyable to drive every day.
I think it lacks a lot of the specialness of the Clio - I really miss the wide arches, big brembos, proper rear venturi, twin exhaust etc - you could never mistake it for the shopping version - where as the Fiesta (and the new Clio) are pretty tame in comparison, and look identical to some of the base models.
Interesting, thanks!Obviously the turbo engine has a lot more mid range shove, but lacks the Clio's high end - again this makes the Fiesta a bit less hardcore when driving absolutely flat out, but a lot more enjoyable to drive every day.
I think it lacks a lot of the specialness of the Clio - I really miss the wide arches, big brembos, proper rear venturi, twin exhaust etc - you could never mistake it for the shopping version - where as the Fiesta (and the new Clio) are pretty tame in comparison, and look identical to some of the base models.
For £15-16k brand new there wasn't anything close to the Fiesta ST for value. Really it was 200+ bhp car all along, the Mountune uprate was just a way to look after them for the long association, and make a few extra quid. And I think talk of them being £5k in the next 3 or 4 years is wishful thinking.
Edited by blade7 on Friday 23 June 12:54
Thorburn said:
Good riddance. We bought one of these last year for my wife, and I don't rate it at all. Much prefer my older Mk7 Fiesta Zetec-S, even if it only has half the power.
The ride of the ST is atrocious, and compounded by severe torque steer on less than perfect surfaces. Living in the countryside it always feels like you're fighting the road surface and there isn't really any useful feedback through the wheel - the Zetec-S by contrast feels much more communicative and whilst relatively stiff doesn't pummel you to the same extent. Overall it feels very hard to gauge corner entry, sometimes the nose feels artificially darty, other times it'll smack a bump and skitter off line, and you have to drive it in a high gear the whole time to reduce the torque at the wheels.
I absolutely hate the seats too, the seat back almost cripples me over any kind of distance. Did a 5 hour drive in it recently and after an hour I was seriously considering turning back and starting over in another car - by the time I'd got to my destination I was straight up plotting just torching the thing and getting the train home. Ended up sitting in the back whilst my wife drove it instead.
If you want the last of the 'old school' hatchbacks look at something from the early to mid 2000's (or maybe the Swift Sport, this was what I wanted to buy, but was deemed too small). Given that it was supposed to be one of the best small hot hatches of its generation I just found it a sad what the push to meet emission based tax bandings and ever increasing power levels has done to 'fun' hatchbacks.
I take it you must be a fair bit older than me or have a bad back, I had one new for 13 months, did 21K miles in it over Scottish A & B roads and never had an issue with comfort or handling. Were your tyre pressures correct? I think 33psi front and 26psi rear was ideal, if the rear was about the same as the front the handling was awful and you couldn't push it. I had a zetec S mk 6 years ago and that felt like a trolley in comparison. They ST isn't even a powerful hatch, I changed the intake and mapped it and it was much better. I haven't driven a better hatch if I am honest and will be buying another in a few years once they are cheap. Just my contrast to your experience with it The ride of the ST is atrocious, and compounded by severe torque steer on less than perfect surfaces. Living in the countryside it always feels like you're fighting the road surface and there isn't really any useful feedback through the wheel - the Zetec-S by contrast feels much more communicative and whilst relatively stiff doesn't pummel you to the same extent. Overall it feels very hard to gauge corner entry, sometimes the nose feels artificially darty, other times it'll smack a bump and skitter off line, and you have to drive it in a high gear the whole time to reduce the torque at the wheels.
I absolutely hate the seats too, the seat back almost cripples me over any kind of distance. Did a 5 hour drive in it recently and after an hour I was seriously considering turning back and starting over in another car - by the time I'd got to my destination I was straight up plotting just torching the thing and getting the train home. Ended up sitting in the back whilst my wife drove it instead.
If you want the last of the 'old school' hatchbacks look at something from the early to mid 2000's (or maybe the Swift Sport, this was what I wanted to buy, but was deemed too small). Given that it was supposed to be one of the best small hot hatches of its generation I just found it a sad what the push to meet emission based tax bandings and ever increasing power levels has done to 'fun' hatchbacks.
VeeFource said:
I can't for the life of me understand why reviewers say these cars sound "good". The horribly buzzy and limp sounding engine was the main thing put me off this car and it's what I'm really hoping this new 3 cylinder will address!
It's the sound pumped into the cabin from the intake, I think it genuinely sounds good. If you unplug it, it sound's almost silent and boring, from the outside it is very boring though!neil1jnr said:
I take it you must be a fair bit older than me or have a bad back, I had one new for 13 months, did 21K miles in it over Scottish A & B roads and never had an issue with comfort or handling. Were your tyre pressures correct? I think 33psi front and 26psi rear was ideal, if the rear was about the same as the front the handling was awful and you couldn't push it. I had a zetec S mk 6 years ago and that felt like a trolley in comparison. They ST isn't even a powerful hatch, I changed the intake and mapped it and it was much better. I haven't driven a better hatch if I am honest and will be buying another in a few years once they are cheap. Just my contrast to your experience with it
32 and no issues with my back - just find it has too much lumbar support so constantly pushes my back out in way that just feels wrong and means I'm constantly fidgeting after a few minutes in it. I'm 5'11 and 60kg (9 and a half stone) though, so I don't have much natural padding.If I stuff a coat down by below where the padding arches my back out so I can sit a bit forward, whilst still having my lower back in contact with something, it is tolerable, but I think it just comes down to the seat design and body type - for some people (and I do know others who say the same) it is a horrible, horrible, thing, empathised by the fact the foam inside the seat feels very firm.
Will check tyre pressures as I suspect the rears are matched to the front, the missus mentioned it threw a tyre pressure warning on the rears recently because they were below 30psi. But when something so fundamental about it doesn't work for me it makes it hard to muster any enthusiasm for it. It may well be if I could get past that I'd grow to like it and become more familiar with it, but it simply taints the whole experience and shines a spotlight on all the elements I may otherwise overlook.
All the kits which increase power seem to give you a load more low to mid-range torque, which frankly seems like the last thing it needs.
Klippie said:
crap build quality it won't last long enough to become a classic.
Here's a MK7 Fiesta with 750,000 miles on it: http://blog.caranddriver.com/really-long-haulin-wh...Arguably the German built Fiestas we get in this country will be even better built than that one (yes German). Perhaps 1000000 miles is possible?!
I ran a ST 13'plate from 10k to 40k and whilst it was a really good Hot Hatch it's not the holy grail that everyone makes it out to be IMO.
Also had the Mk5 Zetec-S and Mk6 ST which i very much enjoyed too!
I actually chopped it in for Corsa VXR Nurburgring Edition and I'am preferring it in everyway. There's so many other good Hot Hatches out there for 16k and under, and the way people talk it's like it's only the ST that's on for sale!
Also had the Mk5 Zetec-S and Mk6 ST which i very much enjoyed too!
I actually chopped it in for Corsa VXR Nurburgring Edition and I'am preferring it in everyway. There's so many other good Hot Hatches out there for 16k and under, and the way people talk it's like it's only the ST that's on for sale!
blade7 said:
Thorburn said:
All the kits which increase power seem to give you a load more low to mid-range torque, which frankly seems like the last thing it needs.
Mumsnet is on the phone for you...I get why its been done, its a fairly efficient engine for the power being produced, but its not an engine you run to the red-line because there's no real point.
Ultimately it just makes me sad that we're being legislated out of decent n/a engines.
I bought my 13 plate in December 15.
It had 12k on the clock.
One of the key features was that it had to have 3 rear seat belts.
I went to look at a Fiesta Zetec S with the 138PS 1.0 engine but after driving the ST, it was just such a better car plus it had 6 instead of 5 gears.
I had 6 months of wobbly steering issues which was eventually traced to the front discs being manufactured incorrectly, despite being Ford genuine parts - even the replacements wobbled. In that period, I pretty much hated it and tried to trade it in but would have lost a wedge.
Unsurprisingly, once the brakes were sorted, the wobble went and the car was far nicer and far more compelling.
It has never been more economical than my last 2.0ST (averaged 37), despite all the emissions turbo nonsense and it is currently showing a more or less constant 37mpg. As far as I can see, you can't reset the mpg so it may be a good indicator of past use.
I find the seats comfortable but am only 5'6 and 12 stone - I imagine they would be very snug for many people
I wasn't enamoured by the electric steering, initially, preferred the old ST's heavier helm but then I changed the stock Bridgestones for Uniroyal Rainsport 3s and immediately the steering had a bit more feel and grip.
The interior is nothing to write home about but it's perfectly good and way better than the last ST and ultimately, they were cheap so I would rather that option and pay less money.
I find the ride just fine but I am used to cars you can feel through your butt, I've never really coveted a luxury car.
It's most annoying feature is the gear ratios. I am constantly changing from 4th to 6th as you just don't need 5th
As for being a classic, I think the last ST was more of a "classic hatch", nice and simple, naturally aspirated.
Being 58, I am from the era of "classic Fords" which are massively over-rated for cart-sprung repmobiles and wwere really only desirable because most 70s cars were so banal (I'd still love a Droop Snoot Firenza though). Taking my 11 year old son round the shows, I have to explain that, back in the 70s, that was a "sporty interior" and we did covet their marketing-led desirabilty...but I look at what people are paying for them and seriously think they are f****** mental.
In terms of replacement, i would happily buy a new ST, at a discounted price, as they phase them out but as mine only has 25k on the clock, it's hardly worth it.
It had 12k on the clock.
One of the key features was that it had to have 3 rear seat belts.
I went to look at a Fiesta Zetec S with the 138PS 1.0 engine but after driving the ST, it was just such a better car plus it had 6 instead of 5 gears.
I had 6 months of wobbly steering issues which was eventually traced to the front discs being manufactured incorrectly, despite being Ford genuine parts - even the replacements wobbled. In that period, I pretty much hated it and tried to trade it in but would have lost a wedge.
Unsurprisingly, once the brakes were sorted, the wobble went and the car was far nicer and far more compelling.
It has never been more economical than my last 2.0ST (averaged 37), despite all the emissions turbo nonsense and it is currently showing a more or less constant 37mpg. As far as I can see, you can't reset the mpg so it may be a good indicator of past use.
I find the seats comfortable but am only 5'6 and 12 stone - I imagine they would be very snug for many people
I wasn't enamoured by the electric steering, initially, preferred the old ST's heavier helm but then I changed the stock Bridgestones for Uniroyal Rainsport 3s and immediately the steering had a bit more feel and grip.
The interior is nothing to write home about but it's perfectly good and way better than the last ST and ultimately, they were cheap so I would rather that option and pay less money.
I find the ride just fine but I am used to cars you can feel through your butt, I've never really coveted a luxury car.
It's most annoying feature is the gear ratios. I am constantly changing from 4th to 6th as you just don't need 5th
As for being a classic, I think the last ST was more of a "classic hatch", nice and simple, naturally aspirated.
Being 58, I am from the era of "classic Fords" which are massively over-rated for cart-sprung repmobiles and wwere really only desirable because most 70s cars were so banal (I'd still love a Droop Snoot Firenza though). Taking my 11 year old son round the shows, I have to explain that, back in the 70s, that was a "sporty interior" and we did covet their marketing-led desirabilty...but I look at what people are paying for them and seriously think they are f****** mental.
In terms of replacement, i would happily buy a new ST, at a discounted price, as they phase them out but as mine only has 25k on the clock, it's hardly worth it.
Dale487 said:
Sounds like a great car for the NC500 - I've really fancied doing the NC500, but I don't think I can convince my wife it's a holiday. How long did the NC500 take you?
I did it over four days - drove up from Malvern to Inverness (stayed at Culloden House), then cross country to Applecross Pass and up to Kinlochbervie (special place for us as our first daughter was conceived there!), Kinlochbervie back to Inverness via the north road and Wick (stayed at Rocpool, Inverness) and then final day was Inverness to Malvern. Pretty much followed the route used by Evo in their COTY feature.It was our 25th anniversary - the ST was my gift to her for that occasion so the trip was to get it settled into (a hard) life with us. I recommend it, but perhaps take an extra day or so. Mind you, we usually drive down to Italy in the summer so big daily miles are not an issue for us or the kids, although we left the brats behind for the NC500.
Edited by GibsonSG on Friday 23 June 19:06
LuS1fer said:
As for being a classic, I think the last ST was more of a "classic hatch", nice and simple, naturally aspirated.
The dodgy 5 speed gearbox kills them though. They're a great car for under £5k and I think they may have a bit more bottom end grunt than the ST180 but they're not worth more than 50% of the turbo model.We use our Fiesta ST3 as a daily driver including trips to France and Italy. Its a fantastic car for country road blasts, pedals perfectly placed for heel and toe, with a decent sound from the exhausts even if modified through the symposer or whatever it's called. If there was one item I would definately want changed it would be the rear suspension compliance. At the moment there is hardly any. Do not sit in the back for any journey after a decent sunday lunch.
I'm looking forward to trying out the new model later this year.
I'm looking forward to trying out the new model later this year.
GibsonSG said:
I did it over four days - drove up from Malvern to Inverness (stayed at Culloden House), then cross country to Applecross Pass and up to Kinlochbervie (special place for us as our first daughter was conceived there!), Kinlochbervie back to Inverness via the north road and Wick (stayed at Rocpool, Inverness) and then final day was Inverness to Malvern. Pretty much followed the route used by Evo in their COTY feature.
It was our 25th anniversary - the ST was my gift to her for that occasion so the trip was to get it settled into (a hard) life with us. I recommend it, but perhaps take an extra day or so. Mind you, we usually drive down to Italy in the summer so big daily miles are not an issue for us or the kids, although we left the brats behind for the NC500.
I haven't seen any 5-doors ( like the one in this article ) in real life. I too would use it for trips to S of France/Italy with my 2 boys but I'll be interested to see if they offer a sunroof on the new model and 3 rear belts. Prefer the size of this one to the FocusIt was our 25th anniversary - the ST was my gift to her for that occasion so the trip was to get it settled into (a hard) life with us. I recommend it, but perhaps take an extra day or so. Mind you, we usually drive down to Italy in the summer so big daily miles are not an issue for us or the kids, although we left the brats behind for the NC500.
Edited by GibsonSG on Friday 23 June 19:06
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff