I've now owned the Fiesta ST for a week and am beginning to appreciate its finer qualities. No, it's not as fast as the Sentra, but it's plenty quick enough. My descriptor for it has been the Go-kart; it has the instant responses and quick handling of a shifter kart. The steering is the tightest I've ever felt, the brakes take about an ounce of pedal pressure, and boost lag is virtually non-existent. Crack the throttle and it starts pulling immediately.
A few other observations:
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It doesn't much like being under 2000 rpm, unlike the torquey Sentra, which preferred it. Takes a bit more shifting.
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But the shifting is incredible. A light, forgiving clutch and a fantastic shift linkage with light, precise throws make it super easy to shift. I could easily teach the wife and daughter how to drive a manual with this one.
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Even after blasting a few corners, I have not yet approached the limits of the Michelin Sport Cups. Next Saturday's autocross should be fun.
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The dealer filled the tank for me when I bought it, and I'm still on the same tank, even after two highway trips.
It may just be a placeholder for me, but it's a helluva fun one.
A friend of mine has one. The time I drove it, it was as you described but I swear I could feel the engine shifting fore-and-aft so much I'd want something done about the motor mounts.
When you autoX it, get ready for tricycle action. They hike a rear tire like an overactive puppy.
I've heard so many good things about them that I don't want to drive one for fear that I might decide I need one even though I really can't afford a new car 
I guess I'm in the minority. I test drove a FiST and came away completely underwhelmed. Reminded me a lot of the SVT Focus I had test driven back in 2002 except with turbo lag added. Shifter felt rather vague. Too bad really as I had my heart set on one in the obnoxious greeen color they offered.
My last new car was a black 2002 SE-R Spec V. I loved that car even thought it had its faults.
Glad you are enjoying your new car though! How is David Maus to deal with? They always seem high on their asking prices when compared to other dealers in this area. Specifically I was looking at FR-S's and they seem consistently a bit higher....
I need to find some seat time in one of these.
mblommel wrote:
Glad you are enjoying your new car though! How is David Maus to deal with?
No complaints about the Maus house. I gave them my best and final offer up front and they agreed to it.
jstein77 wrote: The steering is the tightest I've ever felt,
Have you been driving buicks or HD trucks your entire life?
trucke
Dork
2/12/16 10:10 a.m.
Dietcoke wrote:
jstein77 wrote: The steering is the tightest I've ever felt,
Have you been driving buicks or HD trucks your entire life?
You're kidding, right? The Fiesta's steering is awesome. As a novice instructor, I drive a wide variety of typical enthusiast's vehicles at every autocross, and the only system I've driven that was better was in a Caymen.
I drove a friend's fist at nationals and fell in love with the damn thing. They're wonderful.
Knurled
MegaDork
2/12/16 11:45 a.m.
Dietcoke wrote:
jstein77 wrote: The steering is the tightest I've ever felt,
Have you been driving buicks or HD trucks your entire life?
Cut him some slack. He just got out of a Sentra. Sentras have steering and shifter and throttle response sharp like Nerf. ANYTHING is good compared to that.
Dietcoke wrote:
jstein77 wrote:
Dietcoke wrote:
jstein77 wrote: The steering is the tightest I've ever felt,
Have you been driving buicks or HD trucks your entire life?
You're kidding, right? The Fiesta's steering is awesome. As a novice instructor, I drive a wide variety of typical enthusiast's vehicles at every autocross, and the only system I've driven that was better was in a Caymen.
It's electric...
That's not the end of the world, with that electric steering assist comes a manual steering rack(which is always better).....there is great feel there so long as it isn't programmed to over-assist. I loved the fiST's steering & handling when I did the ST Academy, it's very good. I just wish we could have a 3 door variant.
In reply to jstein77:
Congrats on the little scamp, I'm glad they finally offered them in white. One thing to note, if you run into boost lag autoxing, just left foot brake everywhere and keep on the gas. These things seem to like that.
WOW Really Paul? wrote:
Dietcoke wrote:
jstein77 wrote:
Dietcoke wrote:
jstein77 wrote: The steering is the tightest I've ever felt,
Have you been driving buicks or HD trucks your entire life?
You're kidding, right? The Fiesta's steering is awesome. As a novice instructor, I drive a wide variety of typical enthusiast's vehicles at every autocross, and the only system I've driven that was better was in a Caymen.
It's electric...
That's not the end of the world, with that electric steering assist comes a manual steering rack(which is always better).....there is great feel there so long as it isn't programmed to over-assist. I loved the fiST's steering & handling when I did the ST Academy, it's very good. I just wish we could have a 3 door variant.
In reply to jstein77:
Congrats on the little scamp, I'm glad they finally offered them in white. One thing to note, if you run into boost lag autoxing, just left foot brake everywhere and keep on the gas. These things seem to like that.
Sure, but 'tight' is an electrically created illusion. We shopped one of these and it lost out everywhere to the WRX we ended up getting. Neat little car though
Really, guys, electric does not equal terrible. Yes, it might mask some of the finer feedback at the limit, but it's precise, tight, and extremely responsive. There seems to be literally no slack between wheel movement and car response. And this is definitely the best electric rack I've driven.
Knurled
MegaDork
2/12/16 12:25 p.m.
For the record, I'm a huge fan of electric columns. They combine the feel of manual steering with the assist of power. There's no fluid to move through orifices like you have a shock absorber bolted to the steering - which kind of is the case.
The electric RACKS can be really crappy, though. They hang a big recirculating-ball mechanism on the non-input side of the rack, so unassisted steering involves backdriving a worm gear. These can be really numb feeling.
I dunno what the Fiesta has, I'm assuming column because Fiesta steering seems to get really sloppy/geary-sounding after 50-60k. Like a cheap force feedback racing wheel, and for the same reason.
S2000s have electric racks and feel pretty good to me.
Knurled wrote:
For the record, I'm a huge fan of electric columns. They combine the feel of manual steering with the assist of power. There's no fluid to move through orifices like you have a shock absorber bolted to the steering - which kind of is the case.
The electric RACKS can be really crappy, though. They hang a big recirculating-ball mechanism on the non-input side of the rack, so unassisted steering involves backdriving a worm gear. These can be really numb feeling.
I dunno what the Fiesta has, I'm assuming column because Fiesta steering seems to get really sloppy/geary-sounding after 50-60k. Like a cheap force feedback racing wheel, and for the same reason.
Is the numb system what Toyota uses? Chrysler? Those are some of the numbest I've driven.
Dietcoke wrote:
WOW Really Paul? wrote:
Dietcoke wrote:
jstein77 wrote:
Dietcoke wrote:
jstein77 wrote: The steering is the tightest I've ever felt,
Have you been driving buicks or HD trucks your entire life?
You're kidding, right? The Fiesta's steering is awesome. As a novice instructor, I drive a wide variety of typical enthusiast's vehicles at every autocross, and the only system I've driven that was better was in a Caymen.
It's electric...
That's not the end of the world, with that electric steering assist comes a manual steering rack(which is always better).....there is great feel there so long as it isn't programmed to over-assist. I loved the fiST's steering & handling when I did the ST Academy, it's very good. I just wish we could have a 3 door variant.
In reply to jstein77:
Congrats on the little scamp, I'm glad they finally offered them in white. One thing to note, if you run into boost lag autoxing, just left foot brake everywhere and keep on the gas. These things seem to like that.
Sure, but 'tight' is an electrically created illusion. We shopped one of these and it lost out everywhere to the WRX we ended up getting. Neat little car though
No, it actually isn't an illusion.....the only illusion you can get is if the programming makes it over assist you. There's also a distinct lack of fluid to boil and screw things up.
In reply to knurled:
I am pretty sure the Fiesta is a column side assist like my Ion Redline and Abarth are. The redline was great all the time, but the Fiat over-assists unless you're in sport mode. Sport mode makes it fantastic however.
JoeTR6
Reader
2/12/16 6:35 p.m.
I've test driven a FiST twice now and really like it. Comparing it to a modded Mazdaspeed Miata, it doesn't suck. It's a bit slower, more top heavy, and not quite as direct feeling. Then again, my Miata isn't as direct as my TR6, and that is sometimes a good thing. I think I actually prefer it to my old 2005 MINI Cooper S. I will say that I haven't driven one in anger nor am I even a front-wheel drive kind of guy, but I think it's a great little package. If the Miata blew up tomorrow, I'd probably pick up a FiST as a placeholder myself.
Deleted the ugly front license plate bracket tonight. Much better; now I just need to find a couple of white plugs.
But it did replace a '95 Buick LeSabre.
