Which is more fun and involving to drive

[dieseluser07]

The new fiesta st.
The new swift sport.
Abarth 500.
Mazda mx5 2010 shape.


These are all on my shortlist for my next daily driver, im looking for a fun car that wont do too bad on mpg and is reliable.

Im thinking the abarth might not meet the reliability criteria?

[zeDuffMan]

Difficult to go wrong with the Fiesta ST.

[HustleRussell]

What if your idea of fun is different from mine?

[dieseluser07]

zeDuffMan said:

Difficult to go wrong with the Fiesta ST.

Im not too fussy, fun on the road surely cant differ a lot between people.

Good handling, nice noise, good acceleration etc

[CABC]

all really good fun.
too open a question.

[dieseluser07]

CABC said:

all really good fun.
too open a question.

Which would score the highest should you take fun/mpg/reliability all into account.

[Ahbefive]

I could only have the ST out of that list. The rest are either just warm or girly.

[steve-5snwi]

I couldn't live with the fiestas suspension and if you spend time on the motorway the swift would be too buzzy.

[CABC]

dieseluser07 said:

CABC said:

all really good fun.
too open a question.

Which would score the highest should you take fun/mpg/reliability all into account.

i still think it's too open and just invites the usual preferences/biases.
how many miles per day? traffic or flowing, type of roads etc.

My bias is the MX5 as i prefer rwd. usual reasons, proper driver's car etc.
for a daily though, the FiST or SSS would be in with a shout, fun but easier and practical.
Abarth would probably fall off first. Hideously good fun but a bit jiggly, less of a 'pure' drive and less practical. only good for very limited daily duties against the others.
FiST vs MX5.

[dieseluser07]

CABC said:

dieseluser07 said:

CABC said:

all really good fun.
too open a question.

Which would score the highest should you take fun/mpg/reliability all into account.

i still think it's too open and just invites the usual preferences/biases.
how many miles per day? traffic or flowing, type of roads etc.

My bias is the MX5 as i prefer rwd. usual reasons, proper driver's car etc.
for a daily though, the FiST or SSS would be in with a shout, fun but easier and practical.
Abarth would probably fall off first. Hideously good fun but a bit jiggly, less of a 'pure' drive and less practical. only good for very limited daily duties against the others.
FiST vs MX5.

50 miles return journey is my commute on dual carriageway and b roads.

Id like a good engine note, fizzy response, good handling and good mpg even after a good hoon.

[havoc]

Fiesta ST chassis is great and there's a decent amount of feedback for a modern car, but the engine's torque curve means it's not a car to rev-out, more one to use the torque and shift early. Worth bearing in mind if you prefer high-revving engines.

MX5 engine isn't the most free-revving but is definitely peakier, and the Mk3.5 (not sure when that was released) is supposed to have an improved chassis vs the slightly lacklustre Mk3 (not driven a 3.5, only an early 2.0 car).

Swift engine supposed to be also free-revving, but it'll probably be the slowest of the bunch, although it has a good rep.

[dieseluser07]

havoc said:

Fiesta ST chassis is great and there's a decent amount of feedback for a modern car, but the engine's torque curve means it's not a car to rev-out, more one to use the torque and shift early. Worth bearing in mind if you prefer high-revving engines.

MX5 engine isn't the most free-revving but is definitely peakier, and the Mk3.5 (not sure when that was released) is supposed to have an improved chassis vs the slightly lacklustre Mk3 (not driven a 3.5, only an early 2.0 car).

Swift engine supposed to be also free-revving, but it'll probably be the slowest of the bunch, although it has a good rep.

Do you think the mx5 feels quick due to how low it is to the road?

[havoc]

Been a long time since I drove it (and it was an early car, not a 3.5) - it's not a rocket-ship by modern standards and the very-linear engine disguises the performance it has got. ST will feel quicker, despite the MX5 being lower and a soft-top.


I'd say it depends on your driving style - if you like chucking a car around and leaning on the nose, the ST will definitely be more fun. If you like the way a car feels underneath you, the balance/low-inertia response, etc. then an MX5 3.5 will probably be more satisfying.


Simple answer - go test-drive them both!

[dieseluser07]

A rear wheeled convertible, in this example a mazda mx5.

Or a front wheeled hot hatchback, in this example, a fiesta st new shape.

Which feels more involving generally, ive never drivin a roadster, is it a completely different experience to a hot hatch??

[Iva Barchetta]

You've asked almost the same question earlier in "Car buying " forum....

[s m]

How do you measure fun?

[Iva Barchetta]

My convertible is fwd but IMO way more fun than many hatches but you also can't carry anything big in it.

A hatch is a compromise that many need.

[CampDavid]

Entirely personal preference.

[Jimmy Recard]

The key for me is a car that I don't mind thrashing a bit. I feel a bit precious about brand new cars but an old MX5 or Fiesta or Jaguar or Corsa or whatever is great fun. For me a cheap, shabby car is much more fun than something new and shiny.


And not only because I'm poor

[dieseluser07]

s m said:

How do you measure fun?

I think a connection to the road, the more the better