Ford Fiesta ST Beats Toyota GT86 on the Track in EVO Test

[Superhatch]

Fwiw the ST priced out with similar options to the BRZ is 25K, no HID as an option.

[thill]

Originally Posted by Steve

he literally spent the entire minute and half lap complaining about the tires and lack of grip while the horrendous tire squeal resonated on every turn lol

Yes. Exactly. Which is why I mentioned the tires in the first place in this thread and was surprised when some people got all bent out of shape. I don't think some people that commented on this thread even watched the video!

[DylanFRS]

Originally Posted by Superhatch

Fwiw the ST priced out with similar options to the BRZ is 25K, no HID as an option.

Don't know what options you applied but I put navigation in one and ended up at $22.9k. I mean I could get to 25k with leather and heated mirrors and seats but the BRZ doesn't come with that stuff at 25k.

[Superhatch]

^, True. I was comparing it to my BRZ Limited. Forgot to point out that would have been a comparison to that car, not the Premium.

If not for the interior I would be fully on board with this car and would be seriously considering it for the wife's replacement of her Scion xD. In black the front grill doesn't look as huge, and I would totally daily it as an alternative to the BRZ.

I really wish some of the Japanese mfgs would bring back the hot hatches that were everywhere in the 80's and early 90's. The Civic Si, Corolla FX16, 323 GTX etc were all great cars for their time, but Japan seems convinced that the US doesn't want hatchbacks. I think Mini would argue against that idea. The BRZ is my second RWD car, and my first non-hatchback. If there would have been a current Japanese offering for a hot hatch I would likely have scooped it up.

Long live the hatch!

[Demandred7]

Originally Posted by HunterGreene

Um, point of order, but that is Ron Jeremy's face photoshopped on Saddam Hussein's body. I still get your point, but I lol'd a little at the picture.

Yeah, it was the first pic that appeared when I Google'd hedgehog. Every other one up to that point looked like this (which actually kinda similar to the Fiesta, but, wasn't what I was going for):

[SubieNate]

Originally Posted by radroach

@DylanFRS FF will always be faster than an FR setup except for cornering

BRB, gotta go tell my top fuel drag buddies that they're doing it wrong.

[radroach]

Originally Posted by SubieNate

BRB, gotta go tell my top fuel drag buddies that they're doing it wrong.

I'm talking in near apples to apples comparison (2.0l engines), there's drivetrain loss to consider comparing the acceleration of rwd to fwd.

[SubieNate]

Originally Posted by radroach

I'm talking in near apples to apples comparison (2.0l engines), there's drivetrain loss to consider comparing the acceleration of rwd to fwd.

With both cars being equally modern, I doubt the drivetrain loss is going to contribute to any large degree... tire grip, total vehicle mass, and gearing ratios are going to play a much larger role. And depending on whether you're rolling first or not, a RWD is going to have an inherent advantage off the line.

Cheers
Nathan

[thill]

Originally Posted by Superhatch

^, True. I was comparing it to my BRZ Limited. Forgot to point out that would have been a comparison to that car, not the Premium.

If not for the interior I would be fully on board with this car and would be seriously considering it for the wife's replacement of her Scion xD. In black the front grill doesn't look as huge, and I would totally daily it as an alternative to the BRZ.

I really wish some of the Japanese mfgs would bring back the hot hatches that were everywhere in the 80's and early 90's. The Civic Si, Corolla FX16, 323 GTX etc were all great cars for their time, but Japan seems convinced that the US doesn't want hatchbacks. I think Mini would argue against that idea. The BRZ is my second RWD car, and my first non-hatchback. If there would have been a current Japanese offering for a hot hatch I would likely have scooped it up.

Long live the hatch!

Did you not drive the Mazda Speed3 and the Subaru WRX? Both offer four door sporty hatchbacks, and both companies are Japanese.

[Superhatch]

Originally Posted by thill

Did you not drive the Mazda Speed3 and the Subaru WRX? Both offer four door sporty hatchbacks, and both companies are Japanese.

I guess the Fiesta is still a wagon, but it's size makes it more of a hatchbackish car. The WRX and MS3 are full on wagons imo.

[EAGLE5]

The MS3, WRX, Focus ST, and GTI are boats compared to the Fiesta ST, especially the 3 door. We're talking at least 300lbs difference and more like 500+

[Luis_GT]

huh... I just saw the latests episode of topgear and the GT86 beat the Fiesta by more than a second on the Top Gear test track... and the track was damp when they did the GT86 vs a completely dry track for the Fiesta.

GT86 1.31.3
Fiesta ST 1.32.7

[Allch Chcar]

Originally Posted by Lonewolf

Plus the Fiesta looks like a babyshoe...I don't care how fast it is

It's not that bad in person.

Originally Posted by SuiSid3l

Not to mention, few bolt ons and stickier tires is such an easy fix for this issue and rwd > fwd and the 86 is probably the sexiest car you can buy IMO anywhere near its price range.

Try and fix the backseat issue with boltons though. And the Fiesta isn't that bad, even with 5 doors.

Originally Posted by Turbowned

I kinnnda want to lease a Fiesta ST or a Fiat 500 Abarth in addition to the BRZ, not gonna lie...

If you really want one, wait until they can't give them away. Then you can snag them with huge discounts. Ford always does that.

Originally Posted by thill

Interesting. I need to give one of these little Fiesta ST's a drive. I still have the stigma of these Fiesta's burned into my brain.. Which were just horrible little cars:

1991_ford_festiva_2dr-hatchback_gl_fq_oem_1_500.jpg

The Festiva was rebadged. I forget what it originally was but at some point they used a Mazda BP. I think the chassis was a Korean design though.

Originally Posted by Superhatch

^, True. I was comparing it to my BRZ Limited. Forgot to point out that would have been a comparison to that car, not the Premium.

If not for the interior I would be fully on board with this car and would be seriously considering it for the wife's replacement of her Scion xD. In black the front grill doesn't look as huge, and I would totally daily it as an alternative to the BRZ.

I really wish some of the Japanese mfgs would bring back the hot hatches that were everywhere in the 80's and early 90's. The Civic Si, Corolla FX16, 323 GTX etc were all great cars for their time, but Japan seems convinced that the US doesn't want hatchbacks. I think Mini would argue against that idea. The BRZ is my second RWD car, and my first non-hatchback. If there would have been a current Japanese offering for a hot hatch I would likely have scooped it up.

Long live the hatch!

They still make hothatches, overseas. It's our cheap gasoline and cheap cars. Even BMW makes a hothatch these days! The 118i and the 135i!

As for interior, with Ford each trim level has a different optional interior. They don't offer luxury versions of their compacts so they offer options on higher end trims. I dunno what else the Recaro package changes but it's possible they change the interior. Ford is sneaky like that. The Focus SE had the S interior unless you added the SE Sport/Style package. Even the Focus ST uses different seats for the ST1 and ST2. The ST1 seats are straight out of the regular Focus SE. But the Titanium trims typically have the best interior and possibly leather interior. You can't get that on the ST.

[Lonewolf]

Originally Posted by Allch Chcar

It's not that bad in person.

The proportions are terrible, it will look worse in person...