Ford Fiesta ST First Drive - /CHRIS HARRIS ON CARS
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.ย. 2024
- All the talk is Clio RS v Fiesta ST - well this video doesn't answer that question. But it's our first drive in the newest fast Ford. And Henry tends to be quite good at making these hot hatches.
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I love how driving 6 figure hypercars hasnt skewed his view on driving. Mad respect to chris harris for looking beyond stigmas and appreciating cars like this
Ik, Doug demuro is very jaded
sorry to be off topic but does someone know a way to get back into an instagram account..?
I somehow forgot my login password. I love any help you can give me!
@Briar Lyric instablaster :)
@@dragospahontu 💀he reviewed the st as well and he loved it
@@Ghost_Shange but he isn't technical. He just says what people can see with their own eyes, not really a review.
He basically says we drink water and eat food. The sky is blue and so on. He doesn't understand how the car works.
I've owned this exact car in this colour since April, and I still go to bed every night looking forward to my drive to work in the morning, if I'm having a bad day I just remember I have a Fiesta ST and it cheers me up, that's how good this car is. Best money I've ever spent.
I had a 2013 one in Spirit Blue too, but had to go during lockdown as i couldn't afford it any longer(I've now got a Suzuki Swift 1.2 😢)
Absolutely gutted it went, But i was the same as you in that i looked forward every day driving to work in the fiesta. I had a Collins CP1 map, ITG Induction Kit and quick shift fitted, but everything else was standard(exhaust etc). God, It was fast, sounded great and driving it absolutely gave me a smile every time. That's what it's all about, and I loved it. ❤
I just picked up a 4 door in racing blue at the beginning of the year. It’s like a puppy that always wants to play. It’s an indulgent car that makes up for it with the economy and room, like a kammback Miata.
Best part about this car: It's fun.
A real enthusiasts car: Manual gearbox, superb handling, exceptional power. Just plain fun.
If it were a _real_ enthusiasts' car, it would have hydraulic steering. But it's the next best thing for little money.
Martin Espinoza and maybe a mechanical lsd. Other than that though, it's a sweet little car.
Gatekeeping hydraulic steering isn't worth it anymore. They're gone dude, we've got to accept it.
@@cameronnewman7538 Dude says: "If was a real enthusiast's car, it would have hydraulic steering." That is the definition of gatekeeping.
@@hyperlogos Honda NSX and S2000 aren't real driver's cars
I don't know why I love this little car so much! I'm not a fan of hatchbacks and definitely not a fan of FWD but it looks so nice, I drove one and it's a fwd car that doesn't know it's fwd with the rear coming out a bit. Ford hit the ball out of the park with this car. I actually traded my 350Z for this and have a lot more fun all while being economical.
How the hell can't you not like Hatchs and FWD? That should be a criminal offence
Daniels30 Different strokes for different folks brah.
sharpemang so this is why a lot of people have mini cooper..
I mean the standard of keeping up with everyone or pulling when you have to exist with these but if you want to go you can with 300+ hp but at that level it's kind of pointless as you pretty much are alone because everyone has been left behind and those who could race keep up or beat don't.
I mean, to actually half race to keep up with people or go near 3/3 throttle to pass.. I rather have a car that can do all of that effortless but a new M5 is $150k.. People driving in the 50mph RT speed zone is nothing. Catch up and pull no problem. Everyone really looks like they are "standing still".
Kind of the feeling like doing super heavy weight that used to be hard but now easy and all the light weight is like nothing. I rather have that than medium weight being super massive heavy and try harding to move it properly..
All you gotta do is just, not go 100%.
I have no idea what I was thinking when I was posting what I posted before.
+Anthony Abelardo that's called good weed my man. Blaze on. That's shit was hysterical. Haha.
"Who am I to complain about a gear knob? Look at my beard."
That cracked me up
This is a rather great line in my opinion. Here's a reasonable man who knows that his opinion can only be so relevant.
@@typingreallyfast A very healthy dose of self awareness.
My mind has been blown by this car. Bargain prices at the minute. Coming from a 1.6 MK2 focus with much less power and torque. Even in stock form, get this fiesta above 2k rpm and it'll will leave most other cars in the dust. Alarmingly fast. Definitely enough for public roads. Nice turbo woosh also but it's not obnoxious.
You can feel the German quality in it but without Volkswagen prices.
Low speed, a bit bumpy but not as bad as made out. Get it above 40mph and it's a bit calmer. A total dream on B roads.
I love how ford hasn't changed too many things since MK2 cars. If you are used to a MK2 focus, you will feel right at home within minutes!
It actually has pretty much the same boot space as a MK2 focus (if a little narrower). So very pleased with that also.
This may be one of the best hot hatches ever made. Calm and settled when you want it, power and noise when you put your foot down! Phenomenal.
I have no doubts this will achieve Classic status like the MK2 Ford Focus RS.
I picked up a used 4 door 2016 model last winter. Three years ago I sold a focus ST. They both share similar character and you can feel in the handling and steering that Ford put together two very special cars.
I think the fiesta is a bit more engaging but we have the roads to make it so here, plenty of paved lesser traveled roads with curves and elevation change. The lighter weight makes everything feel just a bit more dialed-in and the suspension never gets overwhelmed. It’s irresistible to drive hard whenever I’m behind the wheel.
Both STs fly under the radar just a bit. I agree that in time it’ll be a classic known for its intangible but undeniable fun-to-drive quality. Shows what Ford can do if they put their minds to it.
Having previously owned a Golf R32 before and a few other hot hatches over the years. I would have to say that the MP215 Fiesta ST I now own is probably the best hot hatch I've ever driven. Its more fun than cars three times its price and just as quick through a narrow b-road. This is gonna really take some beating, I think it will be the benchmark for small hot hatches for years to come. Superb.
+sax0joe Yeah would have to agree, a week after writing that comment my st started to go wrong. Door sills stopped working, boost hoses kept failing and interior recaros were wearing really badly. Interior rattles were very annoying and it soon became tiresome. I sold it 6 months later. Now I'm in a remapped BMW 335D 395 bhp and 40+mpg no comparison.
@@Mattparker1986 no issues at all with build quality on mine had it since new. Nothing not a single thing has ever gone wrong with this car in 5 years
I love this car I can't stop smiling when I drive it!
Owned one for over 3 years still love it. Great to drive and really fun
@@richlee509 I'm curious to try the mk7. I have the mk8 😊
click anything with "Chris Harris", click "settings", click "1080 HD", click "fullscreen", turn up the volume and smile. That's how I watch ALL of your videos. I've known a few Britons and it always makes my brain laugh when "you" use words like "illuminating" and drop an F bomb in the same sentence. your jargon is so hastily thrown together, but so fitting for what you're doing. TL;DR: love your videos. keep going. let me get in the passenger seat with you once. if you're ever in the Santa Barbara, CA area, let me know. i want a ride! thanks.
I absolutely adore my 19 FiST here in the US. Bought it brand new right before Covid hit, and it continues to make me smile. Responsive, quick, juuuust big enough, wonderful handling. Definately punches above it's weight.
You have to hold the ESC button in to turn traction control completely off.
Can anyone confirm this? Ppl on forums seem to disagree on whether or not you can turn torque vectoring off
@@gogox98 there are two level of ESC on the Fiesta 2016. Push once and its it's sort of off. Hold down for 3 second and it's all the way off. Check the owner's manual.
@@gogox98 I saw it in Fiesta ST 2017. Five seconds and it's off.
@@gogox98 Torque vectoring cant be turned off - it functions instead of LSD and you want that to be on all the time.
Cracking little car. Love Fast Fords.
My Zetec-S Mk5 was such a riot. I can't imagine how fun this would be to own. Ohhh I need to get a good job.
You don’t need a good job for one of these lol
The ST got an 3 Step ESP...so it is possible to turn it completly OFF!:)
Just Push the button longer...
Just take the fuse out for thr ESP lol
Its like 99% there, it still has the torque vectoring on that setting. Which i'm sure a lot of people like (including me) :D
Rejoice Rone but you will loose torque vectoring feature
@@rubendarioochoa8805 the only way to disable brake vectoring (aka torque vectoring) is by pulling the ABS fuse. Brake vectoring works incredibly well in the fiesta ST though, it helps transfer the weight away from the rear wheels which induces oversteer. ESC and Traction control can be fully disabled by holding the ESC button for a few seconds
I was gonna buy an older fiesta st but a friend from work bought one of these the other day, i had a ride in it. Time to start saving more money :)
Chris is THE man when it comes to car reviews. Enthusiastic, knowledgeable, informative, entertaining. Its good to see a review by a motoring journalist that actually knows what he is talking about and not some TV face trying to be clever.
Decent review, but why didn't you mention the overboost facility Chris? Brings the engine output up to 197bhp for as long as you'd need on the road.
I've owned one now for around 8 months, and I think I will keep it for at least 3 years.
Great chassis, enough power for tight Welsh B roads, doesn't drink an insane amount of fuel, cheap to insure (27 male no points etc) and servicing prices are good. Not to mention that the driving position is spot on and the wheel + seats are amazing.
Suppose the interior could be better but I'm not all that bothered really, as for this car I value the performance far more than soft touch plastics.....
For what it's worth, I don't think Chris was right when he said 'off' wasn't actually off for the Traction Control. Pushing the TC puts it into Sport mode - or "Wide Slip" as Ford call it. The completely disabled mode is safely nestled within the car's infotainment Vehicle menu options, so you can't accidentally idiot yourself into a hedge.
Or hold the button down for a few seconds and it disengages
His talking about the torque vectoring which was new to this model ST, it helps the car turn sharper. It isn't part of the stability control so it can't be turned off without modification. So his both wrong and right.
***** the torque vectoring I guess is always on due to the fundamental handling of the car, I personally think Sport mode reduces its aggressiveness. Chris specifically talked about ESP, which includes the Traction Control feature.
The Ford site published this:
"The Fiesta ST’s advanced technology converts its raw power into a dynamic drive - but one that’s always under your control. It has a specially tuned, lowered chassis for precision handling; Torque Vectoring Control, a cutting edge technology which gives you optimum grip when cornering; and an Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), to help you in the most challenging road conditions. Depending on how you like to drive, you can choose from three different modes in the ESP: ‘On’, ‘Wide slip’ mode (which means no traction control), or ‘Off’, with no intervention whatsoever."
I've not yet taken it on a track day to compare all three modes...
You got the 2 litre Mondeo engine model? A colleague at work has that, I've had a ride in it (no drive yet) and it's a much 'rawer' car, very mechanical - I liked it a lot.
I also have the problem where it cuts power if I'm too aggressive letting the clutch out. It's really embarrassing because it looks like you almost stalled ;-) You have to modulate throttle carefully above 3000 rpm - if you keep it pinned, the turbo torque just spins the wheels! Short shifting through third gear is best for damp days.
Torque steer is present a small amount on very uneven roads, but only if you're really giving it some off the line. I'm very surprised how little torque steer there is with this car.
Tramlining with the factory tyres is way more noticeable, the Bridgestone sidewalls are so stiff! I currently run Hankook Ventus Evo 2 K120s all round and it's a much more supple ride (still jiggly at low speeds, but nowhere near as twitchy, still loads of dry and wet grip).
Torque vectoring is AMAZING and has saved me more than once. It doesn't feel artificial - the car just pivots really happily around its centre point and you quickly go from gentle understeer to nailing the corner in a lovely arc.
You can take sharp corners unbelievably quickly, and I'm sure it helps on faster corners (e.g. tightly curved exit and entry ramps onto motorways), I can do them at least 20 mph faster than I think I should be able to with my foot on the gas.
If I know I need to disappear quick off the line, I always hit the Sport button. Anything more than 'moderate' departure results in it cutting throttle.
It's also easy to make the TC light flash just with an 'enthusiastic' shift through first and second gear, you can get a brief bit of wheel chirp even in the dry. To be honest I've begun turning Sport on at every set of traffic lights just to avoid the engine thinking I'm about to spin the wheels, it's way too conservative.
Christopher Woods thanks that is some good stuff to know, yes I have the 2 litre one. It corners so well, it's hard to believe something corners better, but I guess torque vectoring must. Does the new ST have a different steering rack than the base models? mine does to give high speed accuracy but it makes the turning circle pretty average. Torque steer seem fine on mine though it has less power, it certainly does like to wander at high speeds at full throttle.
You are on second set of tyres already?
mines just going on it's third set (bought 2 khumo ku22's to do highway miles on) seems a waste to wear out pirelli's or re002's on the highway. If you ever get a chance to drive your colleagues ST I'd love to hear a comparison.
I have the US 5 door ST it’s a 2014, it has 83,000 miles on it, it’s on a stage two Cobb, sticky Michelin pilot sport tires, short shift kit, motormouths, it’s the most fun I have ever had driving a car, I just took a 2,468 mile trip to Oregon from California in 21 days, I averaged 117 miles a day and got 30.5 mpg, I have embarrassed a lot of people in this Street legal go kart. The Fiesta Flash 🤙🏼🍺
Chris Harris is great.
Yeah, but not sure about the beard..... What was he thinking? Surely all that face fuzz just adds weight and slows him down?
truthpig Fukn LOL
truthpig No.
Rocknium1 Not no - yes. Any extra weight slows you down, when I drive fast I always get naked, and before trying to beat a lap record, always take a huge dump. These are the secrets of the professionals...
truthpig You're just another sad guy in-front of the computer.
Test drove one of these the other day and all I have to say is... it's brilliant. I haven't had that much fun driving a car in ages.
I daily one as get this...a 21 year old pizza driver😂 I have the time of my life every shift.
who am i to complain about the design of a gear knob, look at my beard !!
got to love chris harris !!
I bought my ST based on this review, still absolutely love it.
Just got my 2016 2 weeks ago. It's. Awesome
I pick up my Mountune one in blue this Friday, can't wait! I've had faster more capable cars but for fun on UK roads this really is a laugh.
The 215 one? How's the car?
I'm glad Chris mentioned that about the accuracy of the steering in Fords recently. I drove a 2013 Focus recently and I've never felt a base trim 3100lbs. FWD car give that kind of accuracy. It all felt effortless too with controllable understeer if any at all. I hope that Ford continues to get the recognition that they deserve for what they've achieved with these new cars because they've managed to take small ecoboxes and make them interesting and not bad driver's cars either.
I just came from a test drive, and i have to say, this Fiesta ST is absolutely hilarious. I love it, wish i could afford one.
It was chris harris and mr. regular that convinced me to buy mine. Worth every penny
I demand they give us the option for a 3 door here in the states! :(
Carlos AMEN. I owned a 3 door focus modded to the gills and now own a Fist. I was nearly sick handing over my money for a 4 door but, I don't have a choice. Hell the ONLY 2 door car ford makes is a mustang. I still love the car though. I have no complaints at all so far. That thing makes me smile at some point on every drive.
+Carlos Opposite here in Australia, we only get the 3 door option, no 5 door :/
polo GTI is comming to India, i want this too !
+nakul singh They said 20+ for the polo GTI. wtf
I love Harris' reviews. I've had mine for 3 days now and I have to say its astonishing! By far and away the best ST badged car ford has ever produced! I feel in 20 years time we will look back on this as fondly as we do the XR2s and RS turbos! It seems Renault have lost their small hot hatch crown!
9 years on and your prediction is looking good 👍
5:23... This guy knows how to "talk" to the audience. Brilliant.
probably the best choice i could have made when buying my first car, absolutely love the thing
I'm so late but I've just bought this car and it's amazing
Same here just got mine and I couldn’t be happier with my purchase.
@@Hubbardshash410 me too just got a 64 plate with 28k on the clock for £9700, same colour as the one in this video.
I picked mine up 4 days ago and absolutely love it.
Way more honest and humble than Jeremy Clarkson. Good on you, mate.
Not really
@@dragospahontu he's far more honest and mechanically knowledgeable then Clarkson, Chris's reveiws aren't as entertaining, but far more acurate, and that's what I prefer
@@dallasmellsop5488 for sure
@@dallasmellsop5488 but I like Mat Farah more
Bro, the way you talk about cars is honestly the best thing in the world 💯 No cap
Clio is good, no doubt. But that paddle shift kills the car. I will take the Fiesta over it in a heartbeat.
Are the pedals different in the US cars? because mine do not look like that
a stage 1 remap is a pretty impressive upgrade to this car too.
I love this little beast. It reminds me a lot of the original GTi. It even hangs the back tire in the air on fast corners. I want one.
Loved my ST had it from brand new (2013), unfortunately they are extremely easy to steal and have a blind spot on the alarm which allows thieves to access the OBD port and start the car without:
a). Setting off the alarm
b). Needing the keys
Ford of course advises no one of this, advising of it is as good as admitting it's a fault.
So yeah my advice if you get one make sure the OBD port is secured! Or you'll wake up one morning like me and the car will be gone.
Sorry to hear this. Did you get yours back?
+pandaK9 I haven't yet (it got stolen last week) but it's doubtful I'll ever see it again.
They are usually stolen by organised gangs that have spotted the car and arranged for it to be moved out of the country asap after they've stolen it.
It's just a shame Ford doesn't advise people of it, it's clearly not working as intended. They can be stolen in under a minute it's far to easy. Even if the alarm is set off the OBD port isn't disabled so they can still plug their device in and disable the alarm and start the car.
When did I say I don't have insurance?
Insurance isn't the issue in discussion - the issue is the lack of effective factory fitted security.
I feel it's prudent to let potential buyers and owners know of the risk, I wouldn't have bought one knowing what I know now. And had I found out during ownership I would have got an after market solution to fix the problem.
Steal my fist if you can dodge bullets.
Cage Fighter I don't know honestly - when I reported this issue to them they wouldn't acknowledge it and said it was working as intended so I doubt they have done anything about it but I can't say for sure.
Really wanted a MK1 Focus RS firstly cost to much and 2nd insurance so got meself a Fiesta 215 mountune stage1 a good substitute.... sport mode on shown on screen hold it down longer
They are lovely for commuting, though some cars with paddles seem to have a nasty override and won't let you hold on to higher or lower gears sometimes. This isn't so tiresome in dry weather, but in snow and ice, when the correct gear is even more important in the absence of a clutch, it would be more annoying, perhaps on occasion dangerous.
A new Chris Harris video always makes my day!
I really like this car. I'm really interested in seeing review of the 140 bhp 1.0 litre Fiesta as well
For me it's the best looking and offers a good balance of speed and decent mpg. Also great residual value at the moment.
Off is of, read at least, you were ar sport. Very "unserious" ... FiST (I have 2 btw) is miles in front of a clio... It is the perfect hot hach, drivers car/joy for any real enthusiast.
This is a man who (I'm not sure if currently) owned a Ferrari 599 saying that "standard fiesta interior is very nice". Like how down to earth you remain Chris. Love the videos best car related thing on TH-cam
The st's are kings at FWD handling,
Try tell that to renault with their lap record of the nurburgring in a megane 275 trophy-r. The fiesta and focus st's are good cars. But thwy cant compete with renault in the handling department. They're nowhere near.
daniel thompson
The Trophy R uses semi slick tyres, track brakes, track suspension, no rear seats, composite bucket recaro seats. It doesn't have airco, or a radio... It's basically a cup car tuned down to allow it to go on road.
Comparing the Focus ST with a Megane Trophy-R is pretty silly. And that's being polite.
Oh, and the Trophy-R is far more expensive than a Focus ST as well. And far more expensive than the upcoming RS, which will undoubtedly beat that 7.54 time of the Trophy-R rather easily.
McBaron I own mk6 ST, recently drove the new Clio rs 200. Fan of both ford and renault, The focus RS fwd official ring time is 8:26 vs meganes 7:54. The new RS wont be in the same class being AWD, but I'm looking forward to seeing what times it does. IMO the ST's do handle sharper (I've only driven the clio and fiesta) but the clio has more power. The megane however looks like it has super aggressive steering.
*****
That 7.54 is from the Renault Mégane RS 275 Trophy-R. That's basically a road legal cup car. Impressive, yes but not representative for a 'standard' Mégane RS.
You could also take a Mountune MR300 Focus ST with Michelin Cup 2 tyres, stripped interior, race suspension and drive that around the ring. My guess is it would beat the Trophy-R.
McBaron but they don't sell that, and that's how production car racing works. While Renault happily sold the trophy-r in Australia you can't buy a Mountune of any sort here, Ford Australia doesn't even know what Mountune is. Ford is more than welcome to do a spot run of race variants if they want to compete with Renault.
Chris Harris on cars and petrolicious are the best thing that happened to TH-cam!
Holy fk the 2 door fiesta ST looks damn good
I'm not a ford guy by any means, hate mustangs, but I love that they are making cars like these & are spending money on things car guys care about.
Who am I to complain about the design of a gear knob? Look at my beard :))
That made my day LOL!!! :D
Have a 2015 model for 2 years now and I love it 😁
Why can't America get the damn 2-door??
*3 door
"Who am I to complain about the design of a gearknob, look at my beard!" Oh god Chris, you're fantastic.
why can't Canada have the 3dr?!?!?!?
+BMan100 were sol bro :p at least we get the rs next year
Had a 2016 with Recaros. A 2019 with regular seats. Most fun things I ever bought with money. Full stop.
Thanks, Chris. This is the review I've been waiting for long time.
Agreed. Manual steering needs to be an option. With today's "creature comfort" list growing even bigger, I doubt that would happen.
Chris, you're the best car show presenter.
That is all.
Can't wait for the next video!
The color of this car is perfect.
Good question, 197(U.S.) vs 182(Euro), although we get the Fiesta in a 4 door sedan(saloon) or 5 door hatch, no 3 door hatch offered in U.S.
ST only in 5 door hatch. Although at $26,000 for a fully loaded Fiesta ST, it's a lot for such a basic type of car, the Focus ST isn't much more expensive and offers 252hp.
love this guy's performance orientation brilliant.
I already knew all about the international nature of the car (and really the entire automotive industry today). That being said, as long as it's an American company, I'll consider it an American car. It doesn't matter if it was sold in the US or not. And like I said, the Fiesta's chief engineer is Steve Pintar, a native of Wisconsin.
I don;t know why, but i love how the fiesta looks. Every time a see one(2-door) on the road i love it!
They have had the 3door model in Europe since 2007. Ford is releasing the Fiesta ST in the US this summer as part of the 2014 line. It has a 6 speed manual trans and 1.4 ecoboost engine w/turbo. Yay!
Done 300 miles in a tdci version last year..one of the most comfortable small cars I have ever driven..those Recaros will be superb
I will be getting my Fiesta ST2 hopefully end of the month or first week of June. I cannot wait. I have a MK7 Fiesta ZetecS and love it, the new Fiesta is a brilliant little car, amazing.
That's a racing technique that links into the idea of trail braking in which you keep the front planted by moving the weight forward and go on the throttle earlier. Also, using left foot on FWD hot hatches allow better control of the front end.
We are getting it, and we get the four-door (which has better visual balance). And, they are nearly identical otherwise! Yay!
It's biggest competition here, though, will be the Focus ST. For another $3K you get more room, more speed and a bit more polish. But you also get a couple hundred more pounds. The difference in the drive will be noticeable in each car: faster vs. more flingable. Incredible we have these choices to make! Finally.
Yes it is! MotorTrend tested it. When I asked them what was the point and what was the competition in US, they answerd me "Mini cooper S and that's about it".
This is really a no bullshit car. the ST means something and it acts like it. no smoke and mirrors.
"who am i to complain about the design of a gear knob? look at my beard." lmao
The traction control does turn completely off (or allow some slipping in 'sport' mode), but you can't turn off the brake vectoring.
wish this was just the chris harris show haha only reason I subscribed really
Chris Harris, you sir are a boss.
Auto Express was very clear about the best of the 3: 1) Fiesta ST 2) 208GTI 3) Clio RS
I have a 2013 Focus ST. Not only is it fun, agile, practical, and very quick, but it's actually a decent-sized car. The interior is a bit nicer than the Fiesta, and the suspension is more sophisticated (fully independent rear vs torsion beam in the Fiesta). It rides nicely and the handling is hard to describe. It's that good. The Focus literally has as much grip as some $40,000+ dedicated RWD sports cars. Focus ST is a lot more car for only a little more money.
This video sold me on getting an ST.........
5:36 This feeling! amazing feeling when the car slides under heavy cornering
With the Fiesta ST, the ESC is off when off. It is the torque vectoring that keeps intervening.
Future classic right here i think
Ford, since 96/97 have proven that power is a factor, but not the definitive factor in a car. It's the chassis that makes the car. The Puma/Racing Puma, the ST170 and this Fiesta are a case in point. Even the wee 1.25 Fiesta from 99/00 was a hoot on a good, twisty road.
I've owned a B5 RS4 and an 03 ST170, and on a regional road around home (west of Ireland; bumpy/twisty), I'd take the fast Ford any day.
Chris Harris reminds me of my history teacher , You guys have the same style HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
THATS HILARIOUS
Fantastic stuff. Can't wait for you to get a go in the Focus RS
Chris Harris is growing a playoff beard. Good man.
This video helped me get an ST. Thanks Chris!
Yes there is a fuse you can pull to disable the ESP fully however it also disables the ABS and speedometer! ABS I can live without but the Speedo is useful.
Well done Ford. This could well be my next suburban runaround. Thanks for building sensible cars that are affordable and FUN !!!!!!!!
Where to buy this car
Off is off on the ESP, when you understand how to turn it off and are not just putting it into sport mode.
I'd love to see this against a GT86. I know in Britain they're almost ten grand apart in price, but in North America, they will be almost the same, the ST maybe $2000 cheaper. Also, on this side of the Atlantic puddle, we don't get anything French, so that's a shame. For me, the battle of FWD and RWD is this little Fiesta VS the GT86.
Imagine how amazing it would be if Ford made an RS version. Wide, with say 220 bhp, it would rock our world!
I've only driven the last gen model and it was a blast. Not super quick, but that's half the fun because it's always a little bit on the edge. My current car needs a track before you can really risk having that sort of fun. I think it's the best of the Fords at the moment. The Focus has some weird body shape issues that mean you can't drive with the window down. The Focus ST was ok but felt like an ambulance, the RS is both amazing and jarring. Here in English suburbia, the fact it fits in a Waitrose parking spot is not to be sniffed at. The fact you can sometimes fit it in backwards with a sneaky yank of the hand brake... (don't try this at home).
Another great review Chris... Always engaging...
Chris Harris loves Top Gear and no body can deny it.
This reminds me of the Ford Racing Puma that was limited to Britian back in the days. Now I've never driven one, but even the normal 1.7 Puma with 125hp was a hell of a funny ride, so I can imagine how nice this ST has to be. I'd love to drive that one, even with the pesky FWD.
Nice little hump day video. I'm happy Ford is offering the ST here in America. It's a good time for affordable performance anywhere.
When my daily was in the shop, I rented a base Fiesta. I was honestly surprised by it. I really didn't suck. At all. It's a cracking good econobox.In a world where cars have gotten so expensive, it's nice that you can get something that is decent at a reasonable price. Of course it has a low rent interior.....it's an econobox, but it has decent nimble handling and it's not butt ugly (IMHO) I'm sure the ST is a hoot.
And no, I don't work for Ford, or have ever owned one.
I have a BMW 3 series, my wife has a 1.0 litre ecoboost fiesta. I don’t mind driving her car in the least. It’s a fun and nippy little car.