WHEN we get a car in for testing it usually comes with a sheet of A4 listing the main selling points, the performance figures, any optional equipment fitted and how much it all costs. The spec sheet left on the passenger seat of our Fiesta ST informed me that, when the generous extras Ford likes to add to its press cars are taken into account, this compact hot hatchback would have cost me £18,995.
Nearly £19,000 is a lot to pay for a Fiesta. Twenty-five years ago, a Fiesta XR2 cost £8,106 which, adjusted for inflation, equates to £15,197 today. So where does Ford get off charging another three big ones on top?
XR2: Would you want one of these?
The old XR2 was hilariously poor. It’s carbureted engine wheezed out a mere 95bhp, which was just about enough to crack ten seconds to 60mph, the crude suspension crashed and banged over every road imperfection, the cabin plastics wouldn’t have disgraced a Tic-Tacs packet and there was precious little room in the back.
Its successor has more of everything. More room, better plastics, improved suspension and more power. Lots more power.
ST: Or one of these?
ON THE ROAD:
Ford’s reputation for building humble cars that are fantastic to drive is undiminished. On paper, there’s nothing special about the Fiesta but, on the road, the way it performs is far, far greater than the sum of its parts.
Plant your foot and the turbocharged engine temporarily overboosts - delivering up 197bhp and spine tingling performance.
With that kind of power going through the fronts torque steer is unavoidable but the Fiesta’s systems deal with the worst quickly and efficiently. Apart from a bit of mild tugging on the wheel at full bore, the only time you know about it is when the traction control warning flashing urgently on the instrument panel.
There’s no turbo lag to speak of - just a kick-in-the-pants as the revs wind up towards the 6,500rpm red line.
Naturally, the Fiesta’s ride is rather firm but the pay-off comes with a chassis that corners flat even on a circuit at maximum attack. Driven briskly across country the ST has an answer for everything - bumps, dips, pot holes and adverse cambers hold no fears. At all legal speeds the Fiesta is confident and totally planted.
Even the electric power assisted steering (the Achilles’ heel of so many otherwise competent hot hatchbacks) holds no nasty surprises and, at 2.4 turns lock-to-lock, is pleasingly direct.
Designer sketch: how the ST began on the drawing board
ON THE INSIDE:
The cabin is starting to show its age, though. In particular, the buttons strewn across the fascia are confusing are out-of-step with modern “less-is-more” thinking. Ford based the layout on a ten-year-old Nokia phone - not a great idea when the modern mobile industry changes its designs every six months.
You do get some rather fabulous two-tone leather Recaro sports front seats as recompense, though, and there’s a surprising amount of room, even in the back where a couple of adults can sit without too much discomfort.
Otherwise, it’s business as normal. Owners of lesser Fiestas will feel right at home.
The chunky wheel is nice to hold and the hooded instruments are easy to see, even in bright sunlight.
Look a bit closer and you’ll notice that the pedals have been given the ST treatment (drilled alloy) and so has the gear shift.
WHAT DO YOU GET:
The 4.2-inch infotainment screen is small by modern standards and the menus are still a chore, but that matters less in a car that serves up so much mechanical fun and the sound the audio produces is perfectly acceptable. Kudos to Ford for fitting DAB radio tuners to all its cars.
In other respects the ST gets all the basics right - electric windows, remote mirrors, air conditioning, twin exhausts and alloy wheels. It isn’t dripping with pointless kit because that would only hike the price even higher.
HOW PRACTICAL IS IT?
In town, the ST is all the car you will ever need. The cabin is a decent size and the boot is big enough for a trip to the supermarket. It’s the perfect size for nipping into gaps and seeking out tight parking spaces.
Out of town the ST comes alive on B-roads. The way it can cover ground reminded me of the old Escort Cosworth, yes, it’s that good, and, while it would be a crime to waste time slogging down a motorway in such a capable car, it isn’t particularly tiresome when you’ve got a long drive ahead.
RUNNING COSTS:
A fuel return of 40mpg is a good result considering the kind of performance on offer. So’s the 138g/km of carbon dioxide coming from the twin tailpipes. Resale values are good, too. Your Fiesta ST will be worth more than the equivalent Clio when you want to trade up and there will be no shortage of would-be buyers.
VERDICT:
IT’S a strange affair when the creaky old XR badge somehow carries more cache among British drivers than the ST, because, in every conceivable way, the Fiesta ST is so much better than an XR2 that the comparison is not only rather unfair but also faintly embarrassing.
Instead, the ST deserves to live in the same exalted company as the fast Fords that once wore RS and Cosworth badges.
And when you look at it like that, the £17,995 Ford wants for this car is actually fantastic value for money.
FORD FIESTA ST2.
Price: £17,995 (£18,995)
Spec:
Engine: 1596cc, four-cylinder, 16-valve, turbocharged in-line four
Power: 182 bhp (197bhp on overboost)
Torque: 214 lb/ft
Top speed: 139mph
0-62mph: 6.9 seconds
Fuel economy: 47.9mpg
CO2 emissions: 138g/km
Equipment: Tailgate spoiler, rear diffuser, twin exhausts, 17-inch alloy wheels wi low profile tyres, honeycomb front grille, electric windows, DAB radio, air conditioning, leather heated Recaro sports seats.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here