With names to live up to like Honda Civic or Volkswagen Golf the Ford Fiesta has always fallen into a different flat. However with the re-launch of the name in North America (the fiesta had ran for a short 2 years in the late 70's) as a sort of replacement to the Festiva it provided a new platform for Ford to build upon the Fiesta model name. With the first Fiesta ST releasing as a top trim package for the 5th generation Fiesta in Europe and Australia it provided a good test for another good sporty hatchback from Ford. On the 5th gens last year of production (in 2008) Ford also began to provide performance upgrades through Mountune which is a branch of the legendary Roush Technologies. These slight upgrades really unlocked the potential of the engine but the 6th generations EcoBoost engine is where they began to thrive.
With the release of the 6th generation of the Ford Fiesta in 2008 for the European/Asian market Ford sold over 900,000 Fiestas in the first two years of production. With American market getting the fiesta in 2010 the Fiesta became one of the most common modern hatchbacks on the road. Although the ST model is still a small hatchback it has comfortable seating for 5 people and 14.9 cu.ft of trunk space (and 25 cu.ft with the seats folded down). It makes for the perfect city commuter or an economical road tripper as it also has a combined 27city/37highway mpg. With limited options the Fiesta ST comes standard with the Ford Sync infotainment system allowing for Android auto or Apple carplay, optional adjustable Recaro front seats which weren't selected on the car pictured and a unique front clip along with a rear diffuser/rear wing. But for most the big draw of paying the premium of the ST is when you put your foot down and chuck it around a corner.
For an unsuspecting hatchback the Fiesta ST will surprise you as it plants itself into a corner and pulls you out of the exit with swift push into your seat. From the 1.6L turbocharged four-cylinder engine sprinkled with Ford's wildly expandable EcoBoost technology comes a cool 197 horsepower and 202 torque. This gives the car a very happy power-band that mixes good mid range with enough low down torque to get you out of low speed corners without feeling sluggish. The stiffer suspension on the ST that plants you to the ground on a fast winding road goes unnoticed as you're navigating traffic to your next errand or meeting. A rather silent exhaust from the ST doesn't bark as much as you'd expect from a sporty hatch which for some can be a downside however with a slight muffler modification it makes a great blend of growling and popping on downshifts. Another drawback to some is that the ST is only offered with a six speed manual transmission but most would agree that it keeps the spirit of the car being a hot hatchback alive and not making it feel as much like it's base model counterparts.
If the factory numbers don't fancy your performance needs then Mountune has you covered. Providing a plethora of easy to install kits you can make substantially more power from these little 1.6L turbo engines. With one of their more basic kits at only $1000 you can get a bump of 20 horsepower and 34ft/lb of torque that's provided by a high flow intake and tune which is added to your stock ecu by a provided scanner, all done whilst not voiding the factory warranty as long as it's installed at a Ford dealer or Mountune themselves. These cars are becoming a huge favorite of the car enthusiasts that need a "responsible" daily driver but still love modifications and spirited driving. This little hatchback has put the Fiesta name into a class it was never meant to have as it's main focus was to provide an economical commuter for the regular family. Sadly with the rise and popularity of SUV's and pickup trucks the Fiesta line was for the most part discontinued in US and Australian markets so with it's great run the ST ended rather abruptly. However with the community alive along with the used market being very healthy I don't see the Fiesta ST leaving your regular "I'm just browsing" list any time soon.
No extras this time!
Thank you @bigb1011 for providing the ST
Josh Brown
@luckyclub.us