Ford Fiesta Mk8 ST3
Discussion
I was thinking about downsizing from my Octavia VRS estate and getting another pocket rocket (I had a Fabia VRS before the Octavia and I loved it) and the wife has just upgraded from a Gen3 Prius to a Lexus UX 250h
I test drove the Golf R before buying the Octavia but it just didn't do it for me but I drove one again and 5 years on felt the same about them
I really......really like the Civic Type R and wouldn't have needed much of a push to buy one, I'm sure a test drive would have done it but the local dealers seemed to do all they could to dissuade me and they managed it.
So as a fun daily driver I thought the Fiesta may well fit the bill, had a couple of test drives, first one on the worst most potholed road they could find with 30mph and 40mph limits and second and at a different dealer on a mix of decent roads including DC. The choppy ride of the MK7 had made me wary but the mk8 rides well. The little 1.5 engine is pretty amazing and for the roads I drive it will be a hoot , when I want more pace I also have a M235i
So the ST3 is a decent spec but I added the LED headlights, B&O upgrade, BLISS (Gives your blind spot mirrors/cross traffic warnings and power folding door mirrors), the essential performance pack for the quaife diff, and the funky door edge protectors
So the first new Ford I have ever bought and the first Fiesta I have ever owned , its my 51st year and this is my 51st car so lets hope its a good one , I have to say I have more concerns about it than I have on most of my purchases but I will update this thread and time will tell
I test drove the Golf R before buying the Octavia but it just didn't do it for me but I drove one again and 5 years on felt the same about them
I really......really like the Civic Type R and wouldn't have needed much of a push to buy one, I'm sure a test drive would have done it but the local dealers seemed to do all they could to dissuade me and they managed it.
So as a fun daily driver I thought the Fiesta may well fit the bill, had a couple of test drives, first one on the worst most potholed road they could find with 30mph and 40mph limits and second and at a different dealer on a mix of decent roads including DC. The choppy ride of the MK7 had made me wary but the mk8 rides well. The little 1.5 engine is pretty amazing and for the roads I drive it will be a hoot , when I want more pace I also have a M235i
So the ST3 is a decent spec but I added the LED headlights, B&O upgrade, BLISS (Gives your blind spot mirrors/cross traffic warnings and power folding door mirrors), the essential performance pack for the quaife diff, and the funky door edge protectors
So the first new Ford I have ever bought and the first Fiesta I have ever owned , its my 51st year and this is my 51st car so lets hope its a good one , I have to say I have more concerns about it than I have on most of my purchases but I will update this thread and time will tell
Trevor555 said:
I'll follow your thread with interest.
Great looking car, and all I've read about the new model is positive.
+1 from a Mk7 owner.Great looking car, and all I've read about the new model is positive.
First question though - Mk 7. 'The choppy ride'. Was that a test drive of the Mk7 or ownership? ( looking at your garage - some lovely previously owned cars). Is it really that better given such a sharp chassis?
Love these cars and no doubt will move on to a Mk8 in due course.
(Now off topic - you had an Evo 6, more fragile than many think? What was wrong? Rust?) Just curious.
Chuck328 said:
+1 from a Mk7 owner.
First question though - Mk 7. 'The choppy ride'. Was that a test drive of the Mk7 or ownership? ( looking at your garage - some lovely previously owned cars). Is it really that better given such a sharp chassis?
Love these cars and no doubt will move on to a Mk8 in due course.
(Now off topic - you had an Evo 6, more fragile than many think? What was wrong? Rust?) Just curious.
As I said in my first post this is my first Fiesta but i did drive the MK7 back in 2013 , I found the ride harsh enough that I didn't feel that I could live with it day to day , the roads around here aren't great , I think the Mk8 is generally a step up in most ways although I think the MK7 looks a little nicer. First question though - Mk 7. 'The choppy ride'. Was that a test drive of the Mk7 or ownership? ( looking at your garage - some lovely previously owned cars). Is it really that better given such a sharp chassis?
Love these cars and no doubt will move on to a Mk8 in due course.
(Now off topic - you had an Evo 6, more fragile than many think? What was wrong? Rust?) Just curious.
My Evo was just that fragile , it just kept breaking, rust wasn't an issue on mine but only because I bought a good one and then spent a fair time undersealing it but the engine, turbo, clutch (You cant launch an Evo) and gearbox all failed and considering I only did around 10k in three years it wasn't a great experience, probable spent £1 on repairs for every mile i did in it , but never driven anything that was as competent on a UK B road
Bluehawk said:
Without sounding too "Council", i definitely think the ride height looks high on the Mk8.
Does look fantastic in that colour, considering down sizing to a hot hatch myself this year so might have to give one a try.
Wheels and spacers do seem popular but i'm not interested in modifying it. Does look fantastic in that colour, considering down sizing to a hot hatch myself this year so might have to give one a try.
I too shall follow this with intrigue. Earlier in the year I bought a MK7 ST as the daily, and like you have 'better' cars, so intrigued to see how you get on.
The Mk7 really is a hoot on the typical B roads around where I live, but the driving position and seats are truly awful, I'd be tempted by a Mk8 but seats are similar apparently, must try one for myself.
As for the FK8, I too like them, but have so far avoided as having test driven two they're so good I rather fear it'd spoil the more special stuff!
Cheers
The Mk7 really is a hoot on the typical B roads around where I live, but the driving position and seats are truly awful, I'd be tempted by a Mk8 but seats are similar apparently, must try one for myself.
As for the FK8, I too like them, but have so far avoided as having test driven two they're so good I rather fear it'd spoil the more special stuff!
Cheers
acme said:
The Mk7 really is a hoot on the typical B roads around where I live, but the driving position and seats are truly awful, I'd be tempted by a Mk8 but seats are similar apparently, must try one for myself.
Poor seats/driving position?! Never heard that before, nor have I experienced it myself. Lovely car OP.
Thales said:
Poor seats/driving position?! Never heard that before, nor have I experienced it myself.
Lovely car OP.
Seats don’t adjust low enough & the bolsters in particular on the bases are far too tight. It’s that they’re angled at approximately 45 degrees as oppose to vertically hence in effect significantly narrowing the seat that’s the issue. Lovely car OP.
It was often a complaint too when Evo ran a long termer. How a fat person gets on I don’t know with them.
Anyway off topic. Great colour too OP.
Edited by acme on Wednesday 16th October 14:58
J4CKO said:
Why the M235i as well ?
Do you bother much with it over the ST ?
Only got the ST on Sat and the M235i is currently blocked in on the drive by my wife's car, so no but that's a weekend car but its a very different beast to the ST .Do you bother much with it over the ST ?
The ST is a fun and practical hot hatch, its strengths are also its weaknesses, at the end of the day its a Fiesta, and Ford have done a pretty good job with it. The Fiesta replaced my Octy VRS estate which was more powerful than the Fiesta and was also a well equipped, entertaining but practical daily driver, the M235i is a performance car at least imo, its much much quicker and hopefully will get quicker still and it's not the most practical thing and that's kinda the point and what makes it more special as a weekend/track day car.
Trevor555 said:
Me too
Shame they didn't carry it through to the newer model, but I think they had problems with that 180bhp engine in the MKII Fabia VRS
One of my all time favourite cars was the diesel VRS
Shame they have a bad rep as its an awesome package, I bought my VRS after my mum bought a 2011 one (I had a Octavia VRS) to replace her diesel VRS Fabia , she still has it , it's still mint and doesn't use oil and still goes like a train , she had a recall done on the DSG but apart from that its been awesome, as was mine, I've only ever had issues with diesel Skodas , all my petrols have been fine Shame they didn't carry it through to the newer model, but I think they had problems with that 180bhp engine in the MKII Fabia VRS
One of my all time favourite cars was the diesel VRS
I've done about 800 miles now, so some thoughts. Its proving to be a fun runaround
I've changed the plates and fitted OEM holders (Dealer hadnt drilled holes straight !)
Likes
The colour, I think Magnetic grey works really well with the wheels and trim
Exhaust sound - I like the stock sound, don’t see any point in changing that
Practicality – It’s a Fiesta so decent boot, easy to park and live with
Interior – Seats are comfy and heated seats and wheel are nice on a car at this level
Gearbox - a decent manual is hard to find nowadays and this is better than most with good ratios
Engine - its torquey and tractable, surprisingly so
ICE – Sync 3 works well and integration with Android is decent but Waze can be flaky
Diff – Love the way it pulls you out of corners.
Dislikes
It’s a Fiesta, doesn’t let you forget it’s a cheaply made Ford, lots of rattles, poor paint and finishing
Too many bongs and warnings, not as bad as Toyota but annoying nonetheless
Door mirrors are a little too small but BSM is a nice option
Lousy on fuel for its size/performance I’m getting 35.3 mpg, hopefully it will get better with more miles but I expected more.
B&O audio – As a factory system it would be passable but as a premium system its laughable, speaker placement is poor and not well thought out, on the plus side its loud so drowns out the rattles. SPL over SQ.
Needs mud flaps – Not an option on this model as yet
Steering - Over self-centres (Matt from Carwow pointed this out in his review), its quick but this can make it a little skittish when coming out of corners, actual lock isn’t great for a small car.
I've changed the plates and fitted OEM holders (Dealer hadnt drilled holes straight !)
Likes
The colour, I think Magnetic grey works really well with the wheels and trim
Exhaust sound - I like the stock sound, don’t see any point in changing that
Practicality – It’s a Fiesta so decent boot, easy to park and live with
Interior – Seats are comfy and heated seats and wheel are nice on a car at this level
Gearbox - a decent manual is hard to find nowadays and this is better than most with good ratios
Engine - its torquey and tractable, surprisingly so
ICE – Sync 3 works well and integration with Android is decent but Waze can be flaky
Diff – Love the way it pulls you out of corners.
Dislikes
It’s a Fiesta, doesn’t let you forget it’s a cheaply made Ford, lots of rattles, poor paint and finishing
Too many bongs and warnings, not as bad as Toyota but annoying nonetheless
Door mirrors are a little too small but BSM is a nice option
Lousy on fuel for its size/performance I’m getting 35.3 mpg, hopefully it will get better with more miles but I expected more.
B&O audio – As a factory system it would be passable but as a premium system its laughable, speaker placement is poor and not well thought out, on the plus side its loud so drowns out the rattles. SPL over SQ.
Needs mud flaps – Not an option on this model as yet
Steering - Over self-centres (Matt from Carwow pointed this out in his review), its quick but this can make it a little skittish when coming out of corners, actual lock isn’t great for a small car.
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