Friday 22nd April 2022

Ford retires three-door Fiesta ST

Class-leading tearaway has been shuffled off along with the rest of the entry-level Fiesta lineup

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The three-door Fiesta ST might very well have been the easiest car in the UK to like. It didn't cost very much, it didn't drink a huge amount of fuel, it looked good and, of course, it was extraordinarily amenable to being driven on its door handles. Ford famously made us wait a long time before introducing it with the seventh generation - but once it arrived, it was feted as brilliant by virtually everyone. And has remained so ever since.

But despite being recommended as the solution to 'small and fast and cheap' for a decade, time has moved on around the long-running Fiesta. Sales of Ford's perennially popular supermini are said to have plummeted in recent months as the model faces pressure not just from widespread component shortages, but also the market's fundamental switch to ever-smaller crossovers - not least the new Puma.

Factor in a mounting squeeze on resources at Ford's Cologne-based factory - itself going through a billion-dollar transition to EV production - and the manufacturer plainly decided something had to give. That something is the entire three-door variant, including the ST and the Fiesta van.

Fortunately, Ford has confirmed that it will continue to build the more recent five-door ST, but it is now part of a slimmed down Fiesta lineup - meaning that you'll only be able to have it in range-topping ST3 format. The net result of that is where the ST was once a £19k lightly-equipped scamp, it's now a kitchen-sink toting £26,595 flagship.

Will this diminish its reputation? Probably not. Hardly anyone bought the entry-level ST anyway, so it's never been quite as cheap as people imagined, and the things we love about the car are not hindered by the additional doors. Plus you can always avail yourself of a bountiful secondhand scene - there are 583 examples on PH alone.

Nevertheless, it will be a po-faced enthusiast that doesn't gently mourn the passing of the three-door model - not least because it has underpinned the Fiesta product line for nearly 50 years. Certainly it's black armbands on for anyone who kicked off their car history with an XR2 or XR2i or RS Turbo or RS1800 or ST.

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• Ford Fiesta ST (Mk8) | PH Used Buying Guide
• 2020 Ford Fiesta ST Edition (Mk8) | UK Review

[Itsallicanafford]

Sad to see the 3 door go, my first car was an old R Reg mk1 - so 1976. I believe it was one of the first in the country, great car…

[Nickbrapp]

Had and loved a black mk7 ST3 With orange seats, it cost me £15k after discounts in 2016, never liked the new one, just too blob like. £26k seems mad too.

[Chubbyross]

Sad news indeed. My first car was a Fiesta 950L. I went everywhere in that car, my friends would pile in the back as we set off for country pubs or festivals. It was fantastic. I would post a photo of it but it seems like so long ago that I’m not sure photography had been invented then.

[Baldchap]

Itsallicanafford said:

Sad to see the 3 door go, my first car was an old R Reg mk1 - so 1976. I believe it was one of the first in the country, great car…

I had a 1984 1.1L as my first car. I believe the upgrade beyond Popular and Popular Plus spec was a digital clock.

I suspect the trim levels are a bit better these days.

[Ouroboros]

Shame 3 doors always look cleaner.

[David87]

Just been facelifted too - should make a facelift 3-door an extremely rare car (if they even delivered any!). Can imagine the limited edition orange and blue ones will be sought-after as well.

[300bhp/ton]

I quite like these, as far as fwd hatches go. But it would baffle me, why anyone would spend £27k for a 3 door Fiesta instead of hardly any more for a GR86.

[rallycross]

Ouroboros said:

Shame 3 doors always look cleaner.

Agreed
Seems like a dumb move from Ford 3dr = sporty
ST = sporty
But what do I know ( I have a 3 dr ST180 and love it!)

[Truckosaurus]

Not many other 3drs available these days, surprised it was offered at all in this generation TBH.

(See also, manual gearboxes)

[rampageturke]

300bhp/ton said:

I quite like these, as far as fwd hatches go. But it would baffle me, why anyone would spend £27k for a 3 door Fiesta instead of hardly any more for a GR86.

You will actually be able to get a Fiesta ST

[Ouroboros]

Do they still rally these? How will it work for 5 doors.

[mooseracer]

Ouroboros said:

Do they still rally these? How will it work for 5 doors.

Isnt it the Puma now?

[Ouroboros]

mooseracer said:

Isnt it the Puma now?

Not sure. I do like puma looks.

[stavr0ss]

Seems a shame- more the trim than the door drop, I had quite an early ST-2 4/5 door from new. Did a car wow quote and got it for under 19k, that was with the performance pack and the carplay/ weird boot mounted subwoofer options and slightly nicer alloys.. only time I’ve ever ‘bought’ (PCP) a new car, and at that money, it was really good. I know inflation etc but 6k more in 5 years? I chopped it in because it didn’t suit my commute at all, but the pandemic turned that on its head and I would have done well to keep it.

[AndySheff]

Ouroboros said:

Not sure I do like puma looks.

FTFY

[Fetchez la vache]

I confess to knowing less than sod all about the current fiesta market, but TBH I only see 3 doors, so this does seem a little strange to me at least.
Still, I'm sure their stats don't lie.

My first real girlfriend had a 2-tone brown Mk1 who used to thrash it everywhere bare-foot and overtake using the force. Never felt so scared in a car...

[coded2112]

Had a Mk 2 1.1 Popular plus back in '87 with the addition of radio cassette!!

Then upgraded to a Mk2 XR2 in red with colour coded bodywork, loved that car more than life itself...

Still at hot hatch fan all these years later!!

[rampageturke]

Fetchez la vache said:

I confess to knowing less than sod all about the current fiesta market, but TBH I only see 3 doors, so this does seem a little strange to me at least.
Still, I'm sure their stats don't lie.

My first real girlfriend had a 2-tone brown Mk1 who used to thrash it everywhere bare-foot and overtake using the force. Never felt so scared in a car...

They will be selling loads more 5 door regular fiestas than 3 door regular fiestas, so those will probably get the chop too (if they haven't already). Cheaper to just have the 5 door even if the majority of ST sales were 3.

[ChrisCh86]

I've never understood why people would want a 3 door car.

A cleaner look? Maybe, but a lot less practical.

[aestivator]

ChrisCh86 said:

I've never understood why people would want a 3 door car.

A cleaner look? Maybe, but a lot less practical.

That logic works for 'why would anyone want anything other than a Honda MPV?' as well, but the car market ain't like that...