Any mk7 Fiesta ST owners?
Discussion
Hi all,
I am starting a new job in a couple of weeks and want a new car, as its a bit of a trek and I'm bored with the one I have!
From what I can see the mk7 ST seems to tick all the boxes, not massively expensive to buy, not ridiculously low mpg yet still seems to be good fun!
Can any owners give me any real world information on them? Such as is the fuel economy really as good as they claim (or at least somewhere near close)?
How comfortable is it? My commute will be 60 miles each way, motorway on the way there and most likely the back way home
Also are there any particular things to look put for when buying? I imagine the Mountune ones are the ones to go for, or is it worth buying a standard one and getting bits done myself?
Thanks in advance, and apologies if theres a thread on this already, the search function is useless on a phone!
I am starting a new job in a couple of weeks and want a new car, as its a bit of a trek and I'm bored with the one I have!
From what I can see the mk7 ST seems to tick all the boxes, not massively expensive to buy, not ridiculously low mpg yet still seems to be good fun!
Can any owners give me any real world information on them? Such as is the fuel economy really as good as they claim (or at least somewhere near close)?
How comfortable is it? My commute will be 60 miles each way, motorway on the way there and most likely the back way home
Also are there any particular things to look put for when buying? I imagine the Mountune ones are the ones to go for, or is it worth buying a standard one and getting bits done myself?
Thanks in advance, and apologies if theres a thread on this already, the search function is useless on a phone!
J4CKO said:
They are ace but they are hard work for longer journeys, the ride is rather uncompromising, not bad on fuel though.
Yes agree have had 3 and the ride is horrible just far to stiff at the rear and the seats have a very badly designed headrest which leans your head too far forward and will not adjust.I moved to 45 series tyres on one of them and it made a big improvement to the crashy ride and no difference to the handling.
I’ve got one for track use as it’s great fun but would make a horrible commuter car.
Edited by rallycross on Tuesday 15th December 18:37
Drezza said:
For a 60 mile each way motorway commuter? No chance I'd be looking for a Fiesta ST, wafty diesel is what you want.
I already have one of those, and have done for a couple of years hence wanting something a bit more fun! Another thing I need to consider is I will have to go into the ULEZ zone fairly regularly which is another reason I need to get something else as mine is nowhere close to compliant!
rallycross said:
J4CKO said:
They are ace but they are hard work for longer journeys, the ride is rather uncompromising, not bad on fuel though.
Yes agree have had 3 and the ride is horrible just far to stiff at the rear and the seats have a very badly designed headrest which leans your head too far forward and will not adjust.I’ve got one for track use as it’s great fun but would make a horrible commuter car.
Will be using it as a fun car too as I work shifts and get 4 days off every 4 days and intend to get some fun driving in and potentially some track days. I can realistically only afford to have one car so on paper the ST seemed to be the answer to all my wants, seems I may have to have a rethink!
I've got one and the ride isn't that bad, I do / did a 40 mile commute in mine each day and it was fine, make sure you get one with heated seats so if you do get a twinge in your back you can switch that on! I have also done long motorway and A road drives while I have had it and with the 6 speed box its not a chore to waft along.
They are great little cars, they will do 45 MPG if you are careful and I have seen 52MPG out of a tank but it was a long boring tank and not something I have tried again since. I have also never seen below 25mpg average over a tank.
Also when the mood takes you they are great fun and pretty quick point to point through the twisties.
Mine is an ST2 only thing missing is cruise control for me, ST3 also has sat nav but with sync I use google maps from my phone which plays through the speaker.
Tyres are an annoyingly low profile and I went through a period of having several damaged sidewalls on potholes and stuff but having since changed make of tyre that hasn't happened again.
Back brake callipers have a bad habit of sticking but can be avoided if you grease the slider pins now and again.
Parts are cheap and to be fair they seem to be reliable. Mine has done 80K, 60 000 hard miles in my ownership and the only issue I had was a faulty throttle body sensor.
They are great little cars, they will do 45 MPG if you are careful and I have seen 52MPG out of a tank but it was a long boring tank and not something I have tried again since. I have also never seen below 25mpg average over a tank.
Also when the mood takes you they are great fun and pretty quick point to point through the twisties.
Mine is an ST2 only thing missing is cruise control for me, ST3 also has sat nav but with sync I use google maps from my phone which plays through the speaker.
Tyres are an annoyingly low profile and I went through a period of having several damaged sidewalls on potholes and stuff but having since changed make of tyre that hasn't happened again.
Back brake callipers have a bad habit of sticking but can be avoided if you grease the slider pins now and again.
Parts are cheap and to be fair they seem to be reliable. Mine has done 80K, 60 000 hard miles in my ownership and the only issue I had was a faulty throttle body sensor.
I had one then a MK7 Golf R. I never noticed the ride/comfort issues owners have complained about the MK7 ST whilst I had the car. However when I carried out the same journey from London to Milton Keynes after swapping to the Golf it was night and day.
What I’m trying to say is if you’re not sensitive to bumps, or have no back issues I’m sure you’ll be fine and it’ll be a halfway house so you can enjoy it at other times. My partner preferred the ST seats, but ride of the Golf and always said those seats should have been in our Golf.
I never achieved less than 29 mpg I think. Monutune isn’t required. I honestly think it has the right amount of power for you to have fun. Sure other cars are quicker off the line and if you’re off with your launch you’ll ‘bog’ down a bit due to torque limiting in first gear. Honestly thinking about getting another. That should tell you enough. The golf might be the superior car technically, but a combination of being a bit clinical and not having the skill/road to use it’s power meant the ST was more fun more of the time.
What I’m trying to say is if you’re not sensitive to bumps, or have no back issues I’m sure you’ll be fine and it’ll be a halfway house so you can enjoy it at other times. My partner preferred the ST seats, but ride of the Golf and always said those seats should have been in our Golf.
I never achieved less than 29 mpg I think. Monutune isn’t required. I honestly think it has the right amount of power for you to have fun. Sure other cars are quicker off the line and if you’re off with your launch you’ll ‘bog’ down a bit due to torque limiting in first gear. Honestly thinking about getting another. That should tell you enough. The golf might be the superior car technically, but a combination of being a bit clinical and not having the skill/road to use it’s power meant the ST was more fun more of the time.
Edited by Birdster on Tuesday 15th December 17:33
Edited by Birdster on Tuesday 15th December 17:34
hucumber said:
rallycross said:
J4CKO said:
They are ace but they are hard work for longer journeys, the ride is rather uncompromising, not bad on fuel though.
Yes agree have had 3 and the ride is horrible just far to stiff at the rear and the seats have a very badly designed headrest which leans your head too far forward and will not adjust.I’ve got one for track use as it’s great fun but would make a horrible commuter car.
Will be using it as a fun car too as I work shifts and get 4 days off every 4 days and intend to get some fun driving in and potentially some track days. I can realistically only afford to have one car so on paper the ST seemed to be the answer to all my wants, seems I may have to have a rethink!
I’ve had one for 5 months. Previously had an S3, but no longer wanted to shell out that much for the number of miles I now do.
I think it’s a great wee thing. I get 30-35mpg pretty easily. The ride is busy around town, but not unbearable - certainly not compared to some 80’s, 90’s & 00’s hot hatches I owned.
One thing I’d recommend more than with most cars is that I bought privately, and I’m really glad I did. There may be no warranty but you can assess the owner & gauge how the thing has been treated. Mine was a one mature owner car & it really put my mind at rest dealing with the guy who’d actually driven it. A lot of them are modded, ragged & returned to standard before being traded in.
Taking into account running costs, etc. I think it’s a pretty good bet as a daily.
One other thing - if you live in an area where thefts aren’t out of the ordinary, you will definitely have to upgrade its security.
I think it’s a great wee thing. I get 30-35mpg pretty easily. The ride is busy around town, but not unbearable - certainly not compared to some 80’s, 90’s & 00’s hot hatches I owned.
One thing I’d recommend more than with most cars is that I bought privately, and I’m really glad I did. There may be no warranty but you can assess the owner & gauge how the thing has been treated. Mine was a one mature owner car & it really put my mind at rest dealing with the guy who’d actually driven it. A lot of them are modded, ragged & returned to standard before being traded in.
Taking into account running costs, etc. I think it’s a pretty good bet as a daily.
One other thing - if you live in an area where thefts aren’t out of the ordinary, you will definitely have to upgrade its security.
Edited by Nelka on Tuesday 15th December 17:57
Edited by Nelka on Tuesday 15th December 18:04
I'll echo what others have said,
I ordered my St3 in feb 2016 and sold it in may 2017 after owning it for just a year,
couldn't get on with the harsh ride, found the seats uncomfortable on anything more than a short journey ( used to make my shoulders ache) also found the performance felt strangled till the car had properly warmed up, other than that I really liked it,
fun to drive, great handling and averaged nearly 40 mpg, it actually worked pretty good on the motorway, but anything with pot holes or a less than smooth surface became very tiring and soon spoiled the experience,
perhaps you could consider a Vw polo or Peugeot 208 gti as an alternative, I know the 208 was regarded as a worthy opponent, I also had a test drive in a mini cooper s works which I preferred to the fiesta but the price difference was a bit too much at the time.
I ordered my St3 in feb 2016 and sold it in may 2017 after owning it for just a year,
couldn't get on with the harsh ride, found the seats uncomfortable on anything more than a short journey ( used to make my shoulders ache) also found the performance felt strangled till the car had properly warmed up, other than that I really liked it,
fun to drive, great handling and averaged nearly 40 mpg, it actually worked pretty good on the motorway, but anything with pot holes or a less than smooth surface became very tiring and soon spoiled the experience,
perhaps you could consider a Vw polo or Peugeot 208 gti as an alternative, I know the 208 was regarded as a worthy opponent, I also had a test drive in a mini cooper s works which I preferred to the fiesta but the price difference was a bit too much at the time.
I just sold my Fiesta ST-3, that's the spec you want if you can get it (heated seats, auto lights and wipers, cruise control, climate control, heated front windscreen)
I had it for 5 years bought as an alternative to a company car.
Ride is harsh (dependant of what you came from), I fitted lighter OZ wheels and GoodYear Eagle F1s to take the edge of it. I never went down the route of progressive springs but heard they would also further take the edge off.
I recorded every single fill up I ever did (true MPG brim to brim)
I found mine very good at motorway cruising in 6th gear. Economical and plenty of torque.
Like I and others have said the ride is tough but controlled, but most likely like other similar hot hatches (excluding the VAG group)
I only sold due to a company requirement to have a car 7 years or younger. Bought a GR Yaris to replace it.
For me it was a good car, Good MPG for the weekday and excellent fun at the weekend
EDIT, easy to work on, cheap parts and for myself extremely reliable. Cheap to insure (£600 @ 23 years old, £280 @ 28 years old)
On the Mountune / Remap side of things I bought a 2nd hand mountune airbox and was considering getting a Collins CP-2 remap (225bhp) this is a cheap and reliable modification circa £200. Rather than spend a lot with the Mountune MP215 (car likely out of warranty anyway) circa £600. I never did re-map it though just fitted the airbox
My thoughts on other similar cars I tried
Polo Blue GT / GTi . More comfortable but I found dull and too remote
Clio 200 don’t like auto in a hot hatch
Corsa VXR, although the fiesta ST interior isn’t great the VXR felt worse, I didn’t trust the front end as much.
Audi S1 fast but again remote
I would say the Honda Civic Type R is in a similar vain to the Fiesta ST (or vice versa) hard ride but playful and can be rotated by lifting off throttle. Obviously the type R is ahead in terms of performance but in playfulness similar
If I didn't have to sell I wouldn't have done, I was looking for a replacement for over a year and nothing excited me, until the Yaris GR.
I had it for 5 years bought as an alternative to a company car.
Ride is harsh (dependant of what you came from), I fitted lighter OZ wheels and GoodYear Eagle F1s to take the edge of it. I never went down the route of progressive springs but heard they would also further take the edge off.
I recorded every single fill up I ever did (true MPG brim to brim)
I found mine very good at motorway cruising in 6th gear. Economical and plenty of torque.
Like I and others have said the ride is tough but controlled, but most likely like other similar hot hatches (excluding the VAG group)
I only sold due to a company requirement to have a car 7 years or younger. Bought a GR Yaris to replace it.
For me it was a good car, Good MPG for the weekday and excellent fun at the weekend
EDIT, easy to work on, cheap parts and for myself extremely reliable. Cheap to insure (£600 @ 23 years old, £280 @ 28 years old)
On the Mountune / Remap side of things I bought a 2nd hand mountune airbox and was considering getting a Collins CP-2 remap (225bhp) this is a cheap and reliable modification circa £200. Rather than spend a lot with the Mountune MP215 (car likely out of warranty anyway) circa £600. I never did re-map it though just fitted the airbox
My thoughts on other similar cars I tried
Polo Blue GT / GTi . More comfortable but I found dull and too remote
Clio 200 don’t like auto in a hot hatch
Corsa VXR, although the fiesta ST interior isn’t great the VXR felt worse, I didn’t trust the front end as much.
Audi S1 fast but again remote
I would say the Honda Civic Type R is in a similar vain to the Fiesta ST (or vice versa) hard ride but playful and can be rotated by lifting off throttle. Obviously the type R is ahead in terms of performance but in playfulness similar
If I didn't have to sell I wouldn't have done, I was looking for a replacement for over a year and nothing excited me, until the Yaris GR.
Edited by mintmansam on Tuesday 15th December 18:35
Edited by mintmansam on Tuesday 15th December 19:16
I am swapping with my son for a bit, he has a 2015 ST2 with Mountune Exhaust and Springs, I may treat it to a remap and some other goodies as it feels brisk ish but a bit lacking after my M135i.
But, I reckon I can drive the Ford faster, it gets better as you go faster where the BMW turns to mush, I didnt think I could still drive like that, just had the wrong cars.
Not much would leave a well fettled ST down typical country roads.
But 120 miles in it regularly, nope. My lad uses a Skoda Fabia Diesel Estate for his commute to Sconny Botland.
But, I reckon I can drive the Ford faster, it gets better as you go faster where the BMW turns to mush, I didnt think I could still drive like that, just had the wrong cars.
Not much would leave a well fettled ST down typical country roads.
But 120 miles in it regularly, nope. My lad uses a Skoda Fabia Diesel Estate for his commute to Sconny Botland.
I can't add much to what's been said already.
Had my ST3 for almost 6 months and I really like it. Very entertaining to drive and always makes me smile. The trip computer is showing 38mpg average and I like to use the performance on mostly fast A and B roads with very little motorway/dual carriageway.
The ride....well what can you say? It's a small hot hatch after all and is not really designed for comfort on long journeys. I knew that when I bought it and compared to my SE spec 3 series I had previously it is very harsh. But then it's a lot more fun on the right roads.
My mileage is low,Vive only done about 2k since I got it. The longest journey I do is a 60 mile round trip once a week but even that is cross country. If I had a long daily commute I'd pick something else. However, my car had 67k on it when I bought it and was only just over 3 years old so clearly the first owner was okay with doing long runs in it. He may have suffered spinal injury though!
Had my ST3 for almost 6 months and I really like it. Very entertaining to drive and always makes me smile. The trip computer is showing 38mpg average and I like to use the performance on mostly fast A and B roads with very little motorway/dual carriageway.
The ride....well what can you say? It's a small hot hatch after all and is not really designed for comfort on long journeys. I knew that when I bought it and compared to my SE spec 3 series I had previously it is very harsh. But then it's a lot more fun on the right roads.
My mileage is low,Vive only done about 2k since I got it. The longest journey I do is a 60 mile round trip once a week but even that is cross country. If I had a long daily commute I'd pick something else. However, my car had 67k on it when I bought it and was only just over 3 years old so clearly the first owner was okay with doing long runs in it. He may have suffered spinal injury though!
To add, before I bought the fiesta I had a test drive in a 208 GTi prestige. Ultimately it didn't feel as engaging as the Ford and I wanted more excitement but I reckon the Pug would make a very Good daily, especially if you have a long commute. I got the impression it would be very easy to live with and would soak up miles nicely whilst being just as quick as the ST, in a straight line anyway. Could be worth a look.
Yes, spinal injury was just a joke really! I had a 1.8 civic and the ride in that was actually worse, extremely crashy.
For a small hot hatch the ride is spot on. If you do a long commute I can just think of more suitable cars but if you don't mind the ride then that's fine. I would be happy to do a long trip in mine as a one off certainly. Best give one a go before deciding.
For a small hot hatch the ride is spot on. If you do a long commute I can just think of more suitable cars but if you don't mind the ride then that's fine. I would be happy to do a long trip in mine as a one off certainly. Best give one a go before deciding.
Thankyou for all the replies, plenty to think about!
I have considered some of the alternatives, the 208 does nothing for me, I can't put my finger on why but modern Peugeots just don't tickle my pickle. Had a couple of 205 GTIs and I think they were the last Peugeots that have interested me. The Clio interior puts me right off and I found my ex's Civic Type R a bit, well, dull.
I think if the ride is the only negative that seems to pop up then I can probably live with that, I can always move closer to work
I have considered some of the alternatives, the 208 does nothing for me, I can't put my finger on why but modern Peugeots just don't tickle my pickle. Had a couple of 205 GTIs and I think they were the last Peugeots that have interested me. The Clio interior puts me right off and I found my ex's Civic Type R a bit, well, dull.
I think if the ride is the only negative that seems to pop up then I can probably live with that, I can always move closer to work
hucumber said:
I think if the ride is the only negative that seems to pop up then I can probably live with that, I can always move closer to work
Had my 2017 ST3 (so ST200 wound off suspension) since February '19 and the first thing to say is it's fantastic fun. However there are issues and compromises. As has been mentioned it rides stiffly, it's less that for me more that it never settles, it's not crashy as such but feels constantly on edge, this is perhaps a reflection of the car overall (I'm sure the short wheelbase doesn't help). And I also have an E92 M3 which feels like a limo in comparison. In answer to your specific point above the other issue, one that doesn't affect all, and indeed when Evo ran one as a long termer there were conflicting views from memory are the seats/seating position. It's far too high, and the seats are far too narrow - and I'm slim! The base bolsters aren't vertical as say for a FK8 CTR but at 45 degrees therefore reducing the effective seat width. As another poster mentioned above the seat backs angle you forward, you end up feeling like you've crouched over a laptop all day!
Oddly at speed and on motorways I find it less of an issue, in particular the suspension which is at its worst in town, so you may be OK on your commute.
This all sounds very negative, but I have no regrets in buying the car, it's superb fun, but when commuting etc it can be a bit of a pain.
Oh and MPG, the OBC over reads to +5MPG (!), I'm getting a true brim to brim 38 when commuting in normal times.
Re power, I test drove a standard one and a MP215 back to back, no doubt the MT was faster but I just don't think you need anymore, it's perfect as is. The issue is finding a standard unabused one, took me several months and they're hardly a rare car.
Edited by acme on Wednesday 16th December 11:38
Edited by acme on Wednesday 16th December 11:41
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