Jump to content
Create New...
  • William Maley
    William Maley

    Review: 2015 Ford Fiesta ST

      Proving Its Better to Drive Slow Cars Fast

    I’ll admit that I am completely jealous of the European automotive landscape for the variety of vehicles on offer. Aside from the countless number of wagons that would make an automotive writer tremble, there is a wide range of hot hatches on offer. From compact hatchbacks that are lapping the Nürburgring under eight minutes to subcompact models that can provide a thrill for not that much money. The hot hatch is still a new thing to the U.S., with only a small number available in the compact segment. The subcompact hot hatch was mostly nonexistent unless you decided to drop a fair amount of change on a MINI Cooper. Last year, Ford decided to ship over the Fiesta ST, complete with a turbo-four, six-speed manual, and a number of key changes to the suspension and exterior. Have we been missing something in our hot hatch diet?

     

    The Fiesta has always been one of sharpest looking subcompacts since going on sale back in 2011, especially if you went for the hatchback. The European style with a rounded shape, low front end, and a number of wheel choices makes the Fiesta stand out. For the ST, Ford put in a new mesh grille insert finished in black, 17-inch alloy wheels, body-color rear spoiler, and a rear diffuser. My Fiesta ST tester came in a bright red-orange paint color, which works very well for the intent of the vehicle. But I found it to be a bit too much in loudness. Despite the color choice, I still think the ST is the best-looking model in the Fiesta lineup.

     

    Moving inside, the Fiesta is a mixed bag. The Fiesta ST feels and looks step above many competitors thanks in part to aluminum trim pieces and solid plastics used throughout. But in terms of ergonomics, the Fiesta seems like a step back. The climate controls are so low in the dash, you have to stretch out your arm to get them. Also, you can forget about taking a quick glance at them because of how low the controls are. Then there is touchscreen featuring MyFordTouch that comes standard on the ST. The screen is quite small and makes using the system more of pain since the touch points are much harder to hit. Combined with the sluggish performance and questionable voice recognition system, and MyFordTouch becomes more of a hassle.

     


    2015 Ford Fiesta ST 10


    As for seating, my Fiesta ST tester came equipped with the optional Recaro bucket seats. These seats feature increased bolstering on the bottom and top cushions to keep you from sliding around when you decide to explore the limits. But I found the seats to be more of a hindrance. Getting in and out was somewhat difficult due to increased bolstering, and the seats become very uncomfortable on long trips. Unless you are planning to do track days with your Fiesta ST, just skip the Recaros. As for the back seat, headroom is quite impressive. Legroom is very tight for the class.

     

    The Fiesta ST comes with a 1.6L EcoBoost four-cylinder with 197 horsepower and 202 pound-feet of torque. This engine only comes with a six-speed manual. With a curb weight of 2,742 lbs, the 1.6L is quite punchy. Power comes on quite early and it seems to never end the further you climb up in the rev range. It doesn’t hurt that the engine has an intoxicating note that will cause you to press the accelerator more often. The six-speed manual is one of the slickest transmissions I have used. The motion to change gears feels like a hot knife going through butter. I found that I was able to go through gears at a quick rate. In terms of fuel economy, the EPA rates the Fiesta ST at 26 City/35 Highway/29 Combined. I found my average to land around 27 MPG in mostly city driving.

     


    2015 Ford Fiesta ST 7


     

    In terms of handling, the Fiesta ST feels like a dancer as it gracefully goes around corners with no sign of body lean and changes direction quite fast. A lot of this comes down to the changes Ford made to the suspension including a 15-millimeter drop for the suspension and a set of stiffer springs. The steering is very impressive with excellent feel and a nice weight which makes driving the ST that much more fun. For day to day driving, the Fiesta ST is slightly uncomfortable as the stiff suspension will let in some bumps into the interior. But Ford did a great job of isolating a fair amount of road and wind noise from coming inside the Fiesta.

     

    There is the thought in the automotive world that it's better to drive a slow car fast than driving a fast car slow. The Ford Fiesta ST shows that it is very much true. This is a vehicle that you play with and not draw the ire of the law. It also helps that a base price of $21,435 nets you a lot of equipment and performance. Not only is the Fiesta ST one of the crown jewels in the hot hatch hierarchy, it’s one the best performance car values on sale today.

     

    Now the question I find myself asking is, how do I get one into my hands?

     

     

    Disclaimer: Ford Provided the Fiesta ST, Insurance, and One Tank of Gas

     

    Year: 2015
    Make: Ford
    Model: Fiesta
    Trim: ST
    Engine: 1.6L GTDI Four-Cylinder
    Driveline: Six-Speed Manual, Front-Wheel Drive
    Horsepower @ RPM: 197 @ 6,350
    Torque @ RPM: 202 @ 4,200
    Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 26/35/29
    Curb Weight: 2,742 lbs
    Location of Manufacture: Cuautitlán Izcalli, Mexico
    Base Price: $21,435
    As Tested Price: $25,530 (Includes $825.00 Destination Charge and $490.00 SYNC & Sound Discount)

     

    Options:
    Recaro Package - $1,995
    Navigation - $795.00
    Molten Orange Metallic Tricoat - $595.00
    17" Premium Painted Wheels - $375.00


    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    Nice write up, have to say that I am not a fan of the center stack. Just looks weird, not a good flowing system. Looks like an after thought. They worked to build a good racer and then said oops, we need controls for the civil stuff.

     

    Also I agree that the color is less than desirable.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    I was considering one of these before I bought the GTI. As much as I loved the Recaros, the rest of the interior was garbage. I didn't think I could live with it on a day to day basis. 

     

    You just explained my reason for why I wouldn't buy the Focus ST. That interior is terrible. In my mind, the Fiesta is so much better - ergonomic issues aside. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites



    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • google-news-icon.png



  • Community Hive Community Hive

    Community Hive allows you to follow your favorite communities all in one place.

    Follow on Community Hive
  • google-news-icon.png

  • Subscribe to Cheers & Gears

    Cheers and Gears Logo

    Since 2001 we've brought you real content and honest opinions, not AI-generated stuff with no feeling or opinions influenced by the manufacturers.

    Please consider subscribing. Subscriptions can be as little as $1.75 a month, and a paid subscription drops most ads.*
     

    You can view subscription options here.

    *a very limited number of ads contain special coupon deals for our members and will show

  • Similar Content

  • Posts

    • At the New York Auto Show this week, Hyundai unveiled the 2025 Hyundai Tuscon.  This mild refresh modernizes the Tuscon and brings it more into alignment with the rest of the Hyundai lineup, including their EVs. The exterior styling updates, largely consisting of a front fascia update, are subtle. Inside, Hyundai made the interior more open and airy with a new, lower-height dashboard featuring a panoramic gauge and infotainment screen. The screens consist of twin 12.3-inch displays with crisper colors and graphics, as well as faster processing speeds.  While the screens can control all functions of the car, Hyundai still included physical buttons for the most frequently used controls.  Wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay are now standard across the line. A new steering wheel features a much more open design, and on premium trims, the gear selector is now an electronically controlled stalk on the right side of the wheel, much like in the Hyundai Ioniq 6. On some Tuscon models, a new 12-inch color heads-up display with premium graphics is available, and for the first time, navigation directions from Apple Carplay and Android Auto will appear in the display. Proximity key with push button start is now standard across the 2025 Hyundai Tuscon lineup, while an available Digital Key 2 allows for fob-free driving and access via the driver's mobile phone. For 2025, Tucson adds Forward Attention Warning, which utilizes an infrared camera mounted on the steering column to help track the driver’s eye gaze and monitor attention levels to help ensure safe driving. Available Smart Cruise Control 2 continually assesses driver alertness. If the driver is found to be unresponsive, the system can even help safely bring the vehicle to a stop, activating the hazard lights and the electronic parking brake once the vehicle is stopped. Additionally, rear outboard passenger seatbelts now feature standard pretensioners and load limiters. The powertrains largely carry over from the previous model with a standard 187-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder at the entry level end. Also available is a 1.6-liter turbocharged hybrid with 231 horsepower with a slightly more powerful electric drive unit (47.7-kW, up from 44.2-kW), and a 6-speed automatic transmission. The plug-in hybrid model features the same 1.6-liter unit, but now paired with a larger electric drive unit with 72.0-kW of output rather than the 66.9-kW motor from the prior year. The plug-in hybrid boasts 268-horspower total system power. With a 13.4-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, the 2025 Hyundai Tucson plug-in hybrid takes less than 2 hours to charge on a level 2 charger.  All hybrid models come standard with all-wheel drive. 2025 Tucson 2.5L models will arrive at U.S. dealerships in June, while 1.6L turbo hybrid and plug-in hybrid models will be available late summer. View full article
    • Plastic cladding = off road.  Instead of killing the Sonata, they should just put plastic body cladding down the side and raise the price by $10k and call it the Sonata HD Overlander X.  Instant hit.
  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • My Clubs

×
×
  • Create New...

Hey there, we noticed you're using an ad-blocker. We're a small site that is supported by ads or subscriptions. We rely on these to pay for server costs and vehicle reviews.  Please consider whitelisting us in your ad-blocker, or if you really like what you see, you can pick up one of our subscriptions for just $1.75 a month or $15 a year. It may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way to help support real, honest content, that isn't generated by an AI bot.

See you out there.

Drew
Editor-in-Chief

Write what you are looking for and press enter or click the search icon to begin your search

Change privacy settings