Why I Will Always Miss My Ford Fiesta ST

What I Love About the Fiesta ST | You Will Be Missed

   I was extremely sad when I heard that Ford would be pulling the Fiesta, more importantly, the ST variant out of the United States market. Surely declining Fiesta sales, and unreliable automatic transmissions in non ST trims are to blame. Having said that, an enthusiast could dream that Ford would decide to keep the Fiesta ST in the United States for years to come!

   *This is not a thorough review of the Fiesta ST, nor will it touch on any negatives with the car*

   Where do I start with this car... There are so many different components that make up the Fiesta ST. All of which work so well in conjunction, and provide an extremely fun car to take around any road your heart desires to explore. Best of all, it can be yours for under $22,000. 

   Let us start with the six speed manual gearbox, with its crisp and satisfying chink as you slot into each gear. Ford knew what they were going after, when they decided to have the ST variant only come in a manual. The throws are relatively short and you always know what gear you are in. The slop is nonexistent, and there will never be that feeling of moving a stick through a pile of rocks like some other manuals I have tried. The feeling is almost liberating when you are ripping through a mountain road, and rowing up and down the gears to maximize your cornering speed and acceleration. It gives me a similar feeling to the 1993 Mazda Miata that I used to own, and I would say that is a very nice compliment. The feelings do not end there.

   I want to touch on the 1.6 liter EcoBoost engine for a little. A small engine, but just right for the size and weight of the Fiesta ST. Touching on the boring stuff first, I get an average of 26.5 MPG when driving with fun intentions. Intentions, that lead to a lot of open throttle pulls. That being said, on the opposite end of the spectrum, when I am casually driving and making an effort to get better gas mileage, I have managed to pull 39 MPG averages. This little 1.6 turbo propels the Fiesta forward to 60 MPH in just under 7 seconds with its 197 HP and 202 lb-ft of torque. This may not sound very fast, but it definitely passes as a quick car, and feels a LOT faster behind the wheel. There is plenty of low end grunt from the engine, thanks to the torque that comes on at a low 2000 RPM. Passing power is always available at both street speeds and highway speeds, and the car never feels underpowered. This is a car that always feels fast, even if you are holding at the speed limit. 

   A huge contributor to the fun of the Ford comes from the wonderful chassis. The car is made exclusively in a front wheel drive configuration, but do not let that fool you into thinking it will be an understeering monster. the truth is actually far from it. Lift off oversteer is the hat trick with this chassis (also contributed to the torque vectoring system used to simulate a limited slip differential). The turn in is very sharp, which just makes me want to throw it into every corner that I face. Long sweeping turns or roundabouts is where the oversteer can kick in with just a touch of the brakes or a little lifting off of the throttle. If that is not really your taste, keep your foot on the accelerator, as the car will have more than enough grip to stay glued throughout the bend. The chassis is far from advanced, but it is this simplicity that I admire about the car. This car embodies a return to an old form factor, where a responsive engine, slick manual, and a lightweight chassis takes charge in the establishing of its character.

   All this just gives me a reminder that this is the last year of the Fiesta ST in the United States. It is not just the idea that a great car is being taken away, but that it strips more competition from the highly affordable sport car segment. In my opinion, the more cars to fall under this field, the better it gets for us, the consumer. Maybe I am just looking into all this much too seriously, I mean the new car market has recently seen an uptick of great affordable sport cars, and that is a reason to be happy. With all being said and done, I am grateful to have experienced the fun that comes with driving a Fiesta ST, and look forward to what the future will bring us. 

Thank you for reading

~Unseasoned Brain

Photo Credits in Order:

- Me

- Photo by Oscar Sutton on Unsplash

P.S. Those that will have access to the new Fiesta ST, I would love to hear all about it in the comments below!