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

[campy]

I really like the Fiesta ST. Definitely one of my favorite FWD cars on the market today. I wish we got the 2door version in the US though.

[DarkSunrise]

Originally Posted by s0sl0w

I spent last Saturday driving these:

All I have to say is while quick you'd have to be high to think that either ST is a comparable car to the twins. A great hot hatch? absolutely. A pure drivers car? not even close.

Sad. With all the positive press these hatches are getting (especially the Fiesta ST), I was hoping they'd drive a bit more like the Twins. The tall hatch packaging would be more friendly to live with on a daily basis, but...

Physics - 1, ST - 0.

I'll probably still try out a Fiesta ST someday though to see what the hype is about.

[s0sl0w]

Originally Posted by DarkSunrise

Sad. With all the positive press these hatches are getting (especially the Fiesta ST), I was hoping they'd drive a bit more like the Twins. The tall hatch packaging would be more friendly to live with on a daily basis, but...

Physics - 1, ST - 0.

I'll probably still try out a Fiesta ST someday though to see what the hype is about.

If for some tragic reason I could make the BRZ work it'd definitely be on my list. It's good but, like you said. Physics will always win at the end of the day, especially when your talking about the subtleties of feel.

[EAGLE5]

Pshaw. The problem isn't fwd or physics. It's steering feel,crappy rear suspension, and the refusal to put in a real LSD. Ford makes amazing engines and does solidly on trannies. They can make cars perform well. They just love to cheap out on suspension while putting in crap seats. Even crap recaros.

[Symmetrical]

The Fiesta ST could be 20 seconds faster around the track, feel like a Go kart, or out accelerate a GT-R, I'd still pick the GT86. Because come on folks, it's a frickin fiesta. It has nothing in the looks department.

[regal]

Originally Posted by MVJ1975

Damnit, Ford, why can't we have the sweet 3-door Fiesta ST? All we get is the grandpa version.

I just don't get the modern infatuation with 4 doors, I just have don't have any need for a 4-door especially a fwd one.

The twins aren't perfect, my only complaint is the engine reliability, but it is so intuitive to drive. The road to driver positioning and handling is porsch level. You will never get that in a fwd hatch. As time goes on the DI system will be figured out and reliable FI will be a small price to pay for a Toyobaru that has all the performance of a Cayman. When you buy an FR-S for $25k, you buy a chassis with huge potential.

[Sport-Tech]

Originally Posted by thill

That is Europe. Hatches are not nearly as popular here. I am finding brand new Focus ST's by me selling for well below invoice (I saw one recently for $21,800 and invoice is $23,299). This is typical of Ford in the US even on a newer model like the Focus ST.

There's far more competition for the Focus ST at MSRP than for the Fiesta ST. At the Fiesta ST's base price it's really the only hot handling car out there with a relatively powerful engine. It's going to sell better than the Focus ST and won't be discounted as heavily.

[Sport-Tech]

Originally Posted by s0sl0w

All I have to say is while quick you'd have to be high to think that either ST is a comparable car to the twins. A great hot hatch? absolutely. A pure drivers car? not even close.

What specifically was better - road feel? Stability over in-corner bumps? Give us a bit of a writeup!

[Sport-Tech]

They also state the European Spec Fiesta only has 180hp vs. the US Spec 200hp.

That's because in Europe it's illegal to include overboost power when rating engines, but it isn't in NA. It's the exact same engine in both markets - 180 base hp, 197 on 20 second max overboost.

The NA Fiesta will be actually be a bit slower than the Euro spec as being a 5 instead of a 3 door it's carrying an extra 130 lbs.

[DarkSunrise]

Originally Posted by Symmetrical

The Fiesta ST could be 20 seconds faster around the track, feel like a Go kart, or out accelerate a GT-R, I'd still pick the GT86. Because come on folks, it's a frickin fiesta. It has nothing in the looks department.

If the Fiesta ST looked like it does right now, but literally drove like the Twins (RWD, low to the ground, multi-link rear suspension, mech. LSD), I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

[regal]

Originally Posted by DarkSunrise

If the Fiesta ST looked like it does right now, but literally drove like the Twins (RWD, low to the ground, multi-link rear suspension, mech. LSD), I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

I'm not sure I follow. First it wouldn't look like the Fiesta, RWD cars just don't look like FWD. For just a few thousand more you get nice coupe styling and everything on your list with the twins?

Sounds like you are basically saying you would give up a little in the twins styling for the ford engine over the FA20?

[Symmetrical]

Originally Posted by DarkSunrise

If the Fiesta ST looked like it does right now, but literally drove like the Twins (RWD, low to the ground, multi-link rear suspension, mech. LSD), I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

lol what...

So you're saying if the Fiesta drove like the Twins, which the Twins already does what it does, but look like an ugly fiesta you would pick the Fiesta?

[regal]

Originally Posted by Symmetrical

lol what...

So you're saying if the Fiesta drove like the Twins, which the Twins already does what it does, but look like an ugly fiesta you would pick the Fiesta?

I think he is saying he would rather have the ford power-plant than the FA20. But then you would get a ford gear box and LSD, sort of a wash.

[thill]

Originally Posted by Sport-Tech

There's far more competition for the Focus ST at MSRP than for the Fiesta ST. At the Fiesta ST's base price it's really the only hot handling car out there with a relatively powerful engine. It's going to sell better than the Focus ST and won't be discounted as heavily.

So you would buy a Fiesta ST for $22K over a Focus ST? That is my point. With the heavy discounts on the Focus ST, it will force discounts on the Fiesta.

Base price on a Fiesta ST is $22,195 in the States. I am finding Focus ST's for that price or even less.

It might take a few months, but like just about all Ford cars, there will be huge discounts on these cars. Probably by the end of the year.