Autocar UK – 24 April 2019

in the centre console: I’m reliably

informed the smaller, half-size slot

between the two main ones is so that

youthful owners have somewhere to

securely stash their Red Bull.

The Volkswagen Polo GTI,

perhaps the Ford’s closest rival, was

h a mp e r e d b y a n i nde c i si v e aut om at ic

transmission and overly restrained

styling that felt at odds with the

concept of a hot supermini. The ST

has a slick-shifting six-speed manual

and stands out from the standard car

without needing Honda Civic Type R

levels of styling aggression.

Pound for pound, I don’t think

there’s a better hot hatch on sale –

even after options pushed the price

of our ST-3 model north of £24,000.

There’s not much I’d change if I was

ordering one myself, although I think

I could live without the B&O Play

sound system. My, ahem, eclectic

combination of drum and bass,

spoken word podcasts and 1990s

grunge sounded decent but not good

enough to justify the extra £350. And

while I used Android Auto a whole

lot mor e t h a n Ford’s bu i lt-i n S y nc 3

navigation, it comes as standard on

the ST-3 anyway.

Shortcomings? Well, the Fiesta

isn’t exactly class-leading when

it c ome s t o b o ot s pa c e or r e a r le g

r o om. W he n c a l le d i nt o a c t ion a s a

photography crew car, the rear seats

w ou ld a l w ay s ne e d t o b e folde d f l at

so our snappers could travel with all

their gear. My weekly supermarket

run posed no such problems.

The sculpted seats aren’t the

easiest things for passengers to climb

over, so the back seats of our three-

door model really were best used

sparingly. You could, of course, opt

for a five-door – Ford, unlike many

makers of small cars, still gives you a

choice of bodystyles.

I would have liked a little extra

firmness and feel in the brake pedal

and thought the steering wheel was

overly squidgy, but none of these

minor quibbles was enough to spoil

the outstanding driving experience.

I’m not sure if there’s anything

else that’s quite as entertaining,

while still being so usable every day.

Which, for Ford, has to be pretty

much mission accomplished.

TOM MORGAN

LOATHE IT

LOVE IT

PODGY STEERING WHEEL

Abundance of padding makes for a

spongy feel. A skinnier wheel would

have done a better job.

SPORTS SEATS

Firm Recaros pin you in place

at maximum attack without

compromising everyday comfort.

BASIC DRIVE MODES

No option to keep exhaust note

while reining in throttle response

and steering feel.

USABLE PERFORMANCE

Engaging engine encourages rapid

pace but remains manageable.

Delivers sensible economy too.

RESPONSIVE INFOTAINMENT

Nothing about Ford’s Sync3

system feels entry-level, with sharp

graphics and smartphone support.

OWN ONE? SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE

[email protected]

You’ll need to

fold the seats to

carry big loads

Bodykit and tast

y

blue paint mak

e the

Fiesta ST look sp

ecial

The^ ST^ is^ fast,^

fun,^ usable^

and^ engaging

`

It allows for a level of playfulness rarely

experienced in a front-driven hatchback

a

FORD FIESTA ST-3

TEST STARTED 28.11.18

Mileage at start 1283

Mileage at end 9148

PRICES

List price new £21,495

List price now £22,445

Price as tested £24,515

Dealer value now £19,961

Private value now £16,758

Trade value now £18,535

OPTIONS

ST Performance Pack £850, Performance Blue

paint £745, full LED headlights £600, blind-spot

information system £475, B&O Play premium

audio system £350

FUEL CONSUMPTION AND RANGE

Claimed economy 40.4mpg

Fuel tank 42 litres

Test average 36.9mpg

Test best 43.1mpg

Test worst 34.9mpg

Real-world range 341 miles

TECH HIGHLIGHTS

0-62mph 6.5sec

Max power 1 9 7 b h p a t 6 0 0 0 r p m

Max torque 2 1 4 l b f t a t 1 6 0 0 - 4 0 0 0 r p m

Transmission 6-spd manual

Boot 292 litres

Wheels 7.5Jx18in, alloy

Tyres 205/40 R18 Michelin Pilot

Super Sport

Kerb weight 1262kg

SERVICE AND RUNNING COSTS

C o n t ra c t h i r e £334.18

CO 2 136g/km

Service costs None

Other costs None

Fuel costs £973.32

Running costs inc fuel £973.32

Cost per mile 12 pence

Depreciation £2960

Cost per mile inc dep’n 51 pence

Faults None

PREVIOUS REPORTS

2 8 N o v 2 0 1 8 , 2 7 D e c , 1 6 J a n 2 0 1 9, 1 3 Fe b , 2 7 Fe b ,

13 Mar, 20 Mar, 3 Apr

TEST DATA

Many thought the old ST

needed the Mountune

upgrade to get the most

out of it, but this car feels properly

rapid out of the box. It’s helped by

the close ratios of the six-speed ’box.

I love the way it rips through the mid-

range with such enthusiasm, even

if it does run out of puff right near

the redline. It turns every commute

into a joy yet is well mannered

enough to be a refined daily driver.

The powertrain is as impressive as

the handling for me – and it’s even

reasonably economical. LA

SECOND OPINION

The Suzuki Swift Sport showed

that performance upgrades alone

can’t entirely justify a premium

price if the interior remains built to a

budget. The ST might not be all that

different from the regular Fiesta,

but that car’s cabin was already

above average for the class, and the

h a l f-le at he r R e c a r o s p or t s s e at s

and f lat-bottomed steering wheel

r e a l l y he lp t he ST fe e l s p e c i a l.

I love how well Ford knows its

audience, too. Take the cupholders D

E

P

R

E

C

IA

T

IO

N

IS

C

A

L

C

U

L

A

T

E

D

B

Y

T

A

K

IN

G

T

H

E

T

R

A

D

E

V

A

L

U

E

F

R

O

M

T

H

E

O

R

IG

IN

A

L

L

IS

T

P

R

IC

E

M

IN

U

S

O

P

T

IO

N

S

24 APRIL 2 019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 65