Do I want a Fiesta ST?

Well, I know a few of you have one now - how has ownership been?

I currently daily drive an '88 e30 320i - it's been relatively fun (slow) and quite reliable. I'd love to modify it - swap to a 2.5 or better, redo the suspension etc, but am busy working on the 964 (top end rebuild, general cleanup/freshen up).

A hail damaged fiesta ST with 5k miles on it has come up for a steep discount , and I am SUPER tempted to replace the e30 with it. E30 parts are expensive here, so realising my swap and suspension dream would represent many $&&- bringing me within a few thousand Dallas of nearly new ST levels.

What say you? The performance numbers of the ST aren't all that impressive, but reviews suggest it's one of the most entertaining cars out there... Other candidates include the mazdaspeed3 with 60k more miles, or a Polo GTI 1.8t or... Back seat is non-negotiable, and frankly the relative newness of the fiesta is a major factor: I don't have time or desire to have two projects.

Anything I've seen of the FiST has been amazing. Haven't actually driven one, mind you, but I've been impressed. They show up to our chapter autocrosses and throw down.

This thread is relevant to my interests. I'm casually shopping for a new daily driver. My requirements are: Fun, fuel efficient, reliable as gravity, hatch/wagon body strongly preferred, ability to commute 110-130 miles per day, nice interior touches (I'm spending 3+ hours per day in the car, I don't want a penalty box). $17k max budget. Euro stuff like VW is out, have zero faith in their quality. FiST and 2010-2012 Mazdaspeed3 are the two top contenders. Have driven the MS3 and absolutely loved it. Haven't driven the FiST yet.

Another one to consider is the Sonic LTZ or RS hatch. They're less expensive and with some simple engine tuning can make lots of power. But they're a bit smaller and not quite as nice inside. I've driven them and was highly impressed. Nearly bought one a few months ago, but backed out. Still like them a lot though.

Go for it. FiSTs are little balls of energy. They're constantly entertaining, and an absolute sweetheart on twisty roads.

Yes, I have driven one a few times and if I could afford one I would do it. Probably one of the best cars ever for the price.

Yes!

Yes! Yes!

Oh, but the Polo is a nice car, too! I guess it would come down to parts availability. I don't know how big of a presence VAG has in Australia, but I am willing to bet Ford's is bigger.

Yes and rally cross since it's already hail damaged.

I have a Mazda2 and thought I wanted a Fiesta ST... Until I drove one.

I prefer the minimalist interior and you can feel the extra 400lbs in every turn.

I DD my 2 100mi/day. Get a touring model for cruise control though.

With a bit of suspension work they're stupid-fun. Not fast in a straight line but that can be fixed eventually.

It's essentially a modern 80s VW GTI which I love about it. Dead simple and reliable.

In reply to Klayfish:

I average over 35 mpg with my FiST. Much of that is highway driving. I suspect a MS3 would be substantially less if that matters. I think the FiST is a very good car for the money, though most days I would rather drive an NA Miata. My biggest gripe is the lack of steering feel. It is kind of like playing a video game. You turn the wheel and the car will change direction well, but you don't get much feedback through the wheel. It has been awhile since I drove a MS3, but I suspect they are better in that regard. The MS3 is also substantially better in a straight line from what I remember, but that isn't that important to me.

"You turn the wheel and the car will change direction well, but you don't get much feedback through the wheel."

A VERY valid complaint, while the rest of the world eagerly awaits the coming cars that will drive themselves . . .

I test drove the FiST and thought it was cool if you really needed the extra doors. For me it wasn't worth the cramped driver / passenger and extra weight. I'd like to see a two door one, but that will never happen.

I know I'm in the minority, but I test drove FiST and came away not liking it at all. For the same money or less Id go for a gently used Frisbee instead.

In reply to pappatho:

I see the same pros and cons that you pointed out. The FiST would get much better fuel mileage, which matters considering how much I drive. Plus, I think it can run on regular unleaded, where the MS3 must have premium. OTOH, the MS3 is much faster and from my experience has great steering.

I love NA Miata, I've had several. But with a 55 mile each way commute, I don't think I'd want to use one more than the occasional sunny day. It'd get old for daily duty. Guess I'm getting soft in my old age, but I don't want a minimalist interior for every day use anymore. That's my one and only complaint about the Mazda 2. I love the thing and would buy one in a heartbeat if it wasn't so stark inside.

Yes you want one. They're super fun. I codrove my buddie's at nationals earlier this week and and it is such a lively and tossable little car. The smile factor is very high on this car!

Really? The mag reviews I've seen said that the Fiesta was a pretty dull car to drive. Of course this is in comparison to the Focus ST, which they all claimed was a much more nervous, twitchy, and thoroughly irresponsible-feeling mode of transportation, making the Fiesta seem as dowdy and boring as a Town Car.

If only the Focus wasn't so freakin' HUGE.

whut about a turbo fiat 500 doe

I'm sort of having the same dilemma. I have a Mazdaspeed Miata with 95k miles on it as a daily driver. It's getting to the point of needing lots of stuff (shocks, bushings, hoses everywhere, etc.) and the turbo's life expectancy is ticking down at this point. I could keep it and fix stuff as needed, but I'm not interested in a DD that needs too much attention. NDs are still just a little too new and hard to deal on, so I'm thinking 2016 Fiesta ST. I drove one last year and like it. The steering is fairly numb, but it is quick. Overall, I like how the car handled. I wouldn't call it boring, just competent. I'd lose some speed and handling compared to the Miata, but it should be a more comfortable and usable DD with better MPGs.

My only complaint is that I wish it weighed a little less.

Knurled wrote: Really? The mag reviews I've seen said that the Fiesta was a pretty dull car to drive. Of course this is in comparison to the Focus ST, which they all claimed was a much more nervous, twitchy, and thoroughly irresponsible-feeling mode of transportation, making the Fiesta seem as dowdy and boring as a Town Car.

I don't know what articles you have been reading, I have a folder with articles from around the world and they all universally love the Fiesta, and most pick it over the Focus. So many auto journalists have bought their own FiST I lost count.

Yes, it is twitchy and stiff with a short wheelbase. That makes ride quality suffer a bit, but the trade off in performance and fun factor is so worth it. I have found myself taking it out for a spin on nice days while the ATV, PWC, or motorcycle languishes because it is more fun than any of them.

It also serves as my DD, but my commute is short and is mostly twisty back roads. I also have larger cars for other duties, so size is not a big deal. Mileage has been OK, 25 mpg or so, but I drive like I'm being chased.

I drove the MS3 and GTI and Focus ST, but they were in a different price class. At this price, there is no competition. Sure, you can get a Chevy up to 150hp with some tuning, but for the same investment the FiST would be at 250.

pinchvalve wrote:

Knurled wrote: Really? The mag reviews I've seen said that the Fiesta was a pretty dull car to drive. Of course this is in comparison to the Focus ST, which they all claimed was a much more nervous, twitchy, and thoroughly irresponsible-feeling mode of transportation, making the Fiesta seem as dowdy and boring as a Town Car.

I don't know what articles you have been reading, I have a folder with articles from around the world and they all universally love the Fiesta, and most pick it over the Focus. So many auto journalists have bought their own FiST I lost count. Yes, it is twitchy and stiff with a short wheelbase. That makes ride quality suffer a bit, but the trade off in performance and fun factor is so worth it.

You make my point and miss it at the same time.

They pick the Fiesta over the Focus because they say it is more "grown up" while the Focus is the twitchy, hey-let's-play-with-lift-oversteer-ALLTHETIME car. (And the Fiesta, short wheelbase? It's 98 inches. That's almost exactly the same as an A3 chassis Golf. Longer than any generation RX-7.)

Which really does sound freakin' backwards, doesn't it? But there you have it. I guess a lot of it is the torque vectoring and active torque-steer cancellation gimmickry going on with the Focus.

If they would put the Focus's electronic wizardry in the Fiesta to give it that same crazy-monkey immediacy, I'd be deeply interested. If it didn't look like a minivan, I'd be running and shouting shut up and take my money....

In reply to Klayfish:

According to the ST insert in the owners manual it is OK to run the FiST on 87. There is some langauge to the extent that for maximum performance use premium. This was significant to me as well. I put on a lot of highway miles in the winter traveling to ski races. I don't exactly need max performance for that. In my area many stations are now charging around +$0.60/gallon for premium.

I want one pretty bad, but for some reason they are all listed at 20k. New, used, low or high miles, 20k.

Glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks it looks like a mini van.

I went and test drove one during my recent DD search and while they were fun, powerfull, and nimble...the cramped and busy interior turned me off. I felt like a husky girl trying to fit into 4 times too small pants and created a muffin top. I'm not that big either 5 feet 10 inches 185 lbs....