I've had my FiST for the past 3 years, 60k miles. I've done all the bolt-ons possible except for the turbo.Visual mods are Euro tail lights, HID headlights, led fog lights, Velossa tech diffuser fins, wing extension and assetto gara wheels. The Fiesta ST is by far the most under rated car in north america. No argument.
I've been driving cars with low-profile performance tires for many years, most recently a 2017 Mustang with the Performance Package which had a ride slightly more harsh than my 2019 FiST. I turn 70 this year and this is my first manual trans since a 1989 CRX Si. I have to say that not only is my Fiesta much more fun to drive than the Mustang it is THE most fun I've had with any car in over 50 years of driving.
My son just got one of these and it seems like the ride is more acceptable at higher speeds. Having said that I do love driving this car but kinda glad it's his car and I get to give it back to him. It's an awesome little machine, they got so much right with this package
This is something I noticed in mine. At 80-90 and above, it feels planted. I got it up to 120 once, and it wasn't scary at all. It was gripping the road just fine. The suspension is what you want at race speeds. But it IS rough in town. Some 16s or even 15s can smooth it out considerably.
I bought a 2015 fiesta st brand new. It now has 35,900 miles on it and I absolutely love it so far. Yes the ride is stiff but I’m almost completely use to it now. I read the stiffness is for the cornering. No other front wheel drive car handles like a fiesta st because of the stiffness.
I have a '17 w/ about 40k kms on it, and absolutely love the car. I think it's just about the perfect daily driver for crazy people like me. I don't think the suspension is too stiff at all - stiffer doesn't necessarily mean faster, but it gives you that twitchy feel, and that's what is so fun about this car. The #1 flaw of these things IMO is the damn rev hang on the factory tune... that drove me nuts until I got an Accessport.
I've got a 16 ST that is my daily driver and my track day car. I agree with you: "The Fiesta ST would be a better daily driver with smaller wheels and a softer suspension". Just drive any other configuration Fiesta to see what this would feel like. BUT...But ...but.... At Watkins Glenn (or any of the other tracks we visit) flying through fast corners, dodging muscle cars in the slow corners, and flat out on the straights, the suspension suddenly becomes too SOFT! It's not bad, just not optimized for track use. To me this means that the geniuses at Ford who tuned this thing got it exactly perfect!!! It's compliant enough to be a reasonable commuter car and it's stiff enough to stay stable under threshold braking at 110 mph. There are very few cars that get this as spot on as the ST and NONE anywhere near $21k. I'm really sad that 2018 is the end of them...
Recently found your channel. Must say you are easily one of the best car channels on TH-cam. You say it like it is, don't make your videos with a bunch of frills and are just a regular guy. Really rooting for you and your channels success!
Just got 2018 fiesta st and it really doesn't feel much rougher riding than my 2013 Chevy spark did but the power is a whole new world with this car ...
I bought mine for adventure travel and dirtbike towing. Your absolutely right about the ride. Load it for adventure travel though, and the dampers do very well
As some ppl did mention above, I also replaced the stock 17's in for a set of 16x7 Volk TE37's. Along with increased ride quality, it tossed some rotating weight at the same time for quicker acceleration. Second upgrade was to replace the stock suspension for a set of KW V3 coilovers. It takes a good 2-3 weeks for the new suspension to settles and break-in properly but when it's done you can dial it and set the ride to just about anything. I like my ride firm but comfortable. The KW rebound and compression settings allows me to do that with ease. The only downside is that it take quite some time and a fair bit of knowledge to be able to fine tune the coilovers to the best of their capabilities. Love the little critter! :)
I have a green 2015 and I agree completely about the ride and it is one of the reasons I am contemplating selling. But then I take it for a drive and feel that turbo put me back in my seat...and then totally second guess that.
I lowered mine with mountune springs and swapped wheels out for team dynamics pr1.2 16x7 wrapped with 205/50r16 tires...makes a world of comfort difference. Yeah the total diameter went from 23.4" to 24.1" but because of my -7lbs reduction in each corner you dont notice reduction of acceleration...if anything my car feels faster on take off and now i hit 60mph in second gear.
Soft back! My wife and I are double your age and we don't mind the ride. I think if you soften the suspension, you will lose handling. When we got the car, we drove it to our family's place over 1000 miles away (putting 2600 miles on it within a couple days there and back), and we didn't mind the bumpiness. That said, we did live in the UK for 7 years and you don't get a smooth drive over there either and the Fiesta is British through and through. Yeah, it has a rough slow ride, but I enjoy that.......
I absolutely agree wiith everything you said. I wish it had active suspension. Once mine is out of warranty I may look into changing the suspension. only mod I did was the symposer delete.
Solid review - Less than 2 weeks ago, after watching gushing youtube reviews of the FIST for years, I turned in my leased 428 Gran Coupe and bought a '16 in Molten Orange with matching orange seats.Friends think I'm nuts until I take them for a ride. As for the ride quality, I'm not minding it so far, maybe I'll feel differently in time. Loving my decision so far!
That's a hell of a change up but I can't say I'm surprised. Every newer BMW I've driven that wasn't an M was very snoozeworthy. This car is a riot as I'm sure you're finding out!
Been driving my wife's '17 ST for about 1800 out of the 4400 miles it has so far. I think 16's would be decent as you would also likely lower your unsprung rotational mass, which is good for everything. You forgot to mention part of what is awesome for the sportiness of the car is the close gearing of that buttery 6 spd. Great for everything but a rough HWY as you are turning 3000 rpms at speed. Also, we put some 15's and snow tires on it for the winter, and it is now one of my favorite cars in the snow!
My 2ct from my FiST: The engine growl you mentioned, is actually created by the 'sound symposer box'. It's basically a membrane that takes intake air vibrations, and routs it into the cabin (left bottom, near the pedals). It helps you hear the engine better in the cabin, which helps if you're driving a manual (cars nowadays have whisper silent cabins), and for the tracks. It's not the real sound of the engine, but a synthesized sound, added in the cabin.. You can disable it, if you feel that it's too loud or obnoxious. Thankfully, it's only audible under heavy load, and in the mid-RPM range. While cruising, or even at higher RPMs, the symphoser box is barely audible. My Cruze had the same steering resistance (basically pinky steering). It's cheaper than hydraulic steering, and works better (more fuel efficient, and more precise too). The amount of steering wheel rotations per x-degrees of wheel turn, is very low on this car (meaning, less turning the steering wheel when making a turn on this car than most others out there). The turning radius is rather large for this small car. I had expected to be able to make tighter turns. It turns about just like a mid-size sedan I used to own. The suspension is actually a compromise between a passenger car, and a track car. Good and bad. The good, is you can use it for both purposes; track and street. The bad, is that it won't work well for either. I tend to agree that the suspension is crap. Might work on a perfect asphalt road, but with the least wobbles, I get shaken in my seat. It would be good if the suspension travel was longer; it would have more cushioning, more comfy ride. However the firm suspension does help with body roll, which is why most people are buying the FiST. For tight turns. I've looked around for increasing the suspension travel, but in the forums they laugh at it, saying I'd make it 'undrivable'. The easiest solution is to equip the car with slightly higher profile tires, from 205/40R17 to 205/45R17 (supposedly the tallest tires that would fit without rubbing). It'll kill 3 birds with 1 stone: - It gives 0.4" more clearance, - will reduce road noise (I find with the potholes in my neighborhood, more issues with road noise, than suspension travel issues) - Will lower RPM by 3,4% (and supposedly increase gas mileage on the highway by about 2-3%, or ~1MPG) At the cost of: - Speedometer and Odometer underreading by ~3.4% (which can actually be beneficial if you ever want to resell the car later on).
I've had my '15 ST from new with 30k miles ( mud flaps and hitch are the only upgrades). Couldn't agree more with all you said. I still love this car. Suspension uhmm - I Put up Shut up and drive the bitch - or spend the cash and upgrade if it is such a big deal/annoyance. All good...... I will be keeping mine for many more years of fun.
Going to 16 inch wheels and tires was a huge change in the driving feel. More sidewall not only feels better on this tiny thing, but also looks much better in my opinion.
Thank God for editing :) That merge is actually rather funny because both cars have their own lane, but people who aren't familiar with that intersection are often terrified and slam on their brakes.
We have a couple of those here in C-Bus that people finally learned how to use properly. Took them a good two years to figure it out. About the car, they're great cars. I do agree about the suspension, but it'll be tough to get it to calm down with Konis/whatever you go with. The short suspension plays a big part in that rough ride. Ride in a Focus ST and it's night/day. Subscribed to follow what you do. Looking forward to it.
I tossed a set of non-ST 15" wheels and 185/60/15s on mine and absolutely love the way it rides. It's not all about the suspension. It's the heavy 17s and no sidewall.
Excellent review. I have one exactly like yours and am crazy about it. Noticed you have the base seats, unlike most TH-camrs who post about STs. I find them comfortable, but not supportive laterally. What do you think of them? In regard to the ride quality: after 8 months of ownership, I'm no longer shrugging off the ride. Instead, I try to stay off certain roads, and have every pothole memorized in a 20-mile radius. The only mod I have planned is the one another commenter mentioned: moving down to 16-in wheels and all-season tires with more sidewall.
Same thing with our Mini S on 18's. Feel everything is good on some days and others it's a nightmare. Manhole covers and potholes suck. But when we whip around on\off ramps and ripping thru traffic nothing beats the feedback. You can literally feel the smallest of imperfections on the road but that you feel way more in tune with your car.
Nice review. I’m planning on buying one in a few months. Here in the UK they revised the suspension set up from mid 2015 (to the same set up as the limited edition ST200) and I believe it is more forgiving. I have driven a 2017 which wasn’t too bad at all. Yet to compare it with an older model. Will be definitely looking for a newer model for my 50 year old bones! Absolutely fantastic car though.
Thanks for the video !! I've had mine for over 3 years from new now and yea it never gets old, it's always ready and is always so happy to go hard and rev hard just so much fun. As far as I know it does have to be that firm, for it to handle the way it does... In some reviews they mention that so just what I have heard over the years about this car.. I just blame the roads here in Australia lol very bumpy roads here even in a car with soft suspension...
Good point. Softer front suspension may actually improve grip. Stiffer isn't always the answer for more speed, it all depends on how the car is setup and what you're trying to accomplish, but a lot of people automatically assume stiffer is better.
11k on my 17' FiST, and as someone who drives 100-150 miles a day I agree with you on everything. I did go for the mountune springs and I'm still on the OEM bridgestones and it's not too bad, spring rate makes a big difference imo.
I'm curious where you live. I live in iowa and I had a 14 mustang gt/cs before my motorcycle accident forced me to sell it and its ride was pretty good. Now i have a 17 fist and I've only had it for about 2 weeks now. This cold weather definitely makes it a rough ride until the tires warm up then it's a ok ride. I definitely agree a taller side wall will smooth out the ride but I guarantee you will lose some performance. The taller the side wall and the more body roll you will get as the side wall will flex from the hard turn ins. You will also get a little bit of a softer "point and shoot" feelings from your steering wheel, though it may not be noticeable to you(depends on the person).
I have a '15 and went to a 45 series tire and it is a little better. I will change the struts/shocks next, as I have a clunk in the front suspension. If I decide to spend more, I'll do a spring and shock swap. The struts/shocks don't have enough rebound, thus making the car tend to bounce; I did a track day in it at Lime Rock and it pitched way too much do to the lack of rebound. Also, when I hit the rumble strips, it thought I crashed and tried to call 911, and went in to limp mode. LOL. I can't wait to get a different car in about a year.
I just bought a ST 2018 (from a Chevy SS) and I agree with on everything you say about the ST specially the suspension stiffness, however I live in Texas and our roads are some of the best in the country, so the ride is tolerable down here. I would like to see if the Koni SRT's shock would fix the bounce this suspension has. Tire Rack has those shocks stupid cheap right know. I am going to do this 1st when I touch my suspension. Love to see your impression if you get these shocks.
I had one of these in 2014. I still miss it, but I couldn't take the stiffness of the suspension. I read that Ford redesigned the springs/shocks/sways for 2016. I'm not sure how much difference it made, maybe I need to drive a newer one. I couldn't stand long drives in it. Doesn't help that my back isn't the greatest. It has that immediate gratification from driving that sells you on the test drive, but wears on you quickly. Again, may have something to do with my back. I found the engine, transmission, and steering feel to be unbelievable. I've owned about 65 cars and this is right up there with my 06 GTI and NX2000.
Rob Wagner i switched to team dynamics 16lbs 16x7, 205/50/16 tires with mountune springs....world of comfort difference without sacrificing performance.
went with the exact same tire size, I wanted the TD wheels bad, but got a real good deal on the assetto garas that I just couldn't pass up. I've heard good things about those mountune springs, might give those a shot
I replaced the stock shocks on my Fiesta S with some Koni Orange (STRT) shocks. I intentionally did not replace the springs because I wanted the full travel of the suspension. I find that even with 45 series tires on 17 inch wheels the ride is compliant and composed. Perhaps OEM SE or S springs would help. Just a thought. Cheers
I have a 2014 Fiesta ST, after I wore out the original Bridgestone 205-40-17’s in 19,000 Miles I went to a 215-45-17 Hankook’s it had a better ride, but it suffered in the handling department, and they bottomed out occasionally on the top of the front wheel wells, I’m back to the 205’s and there Perelli P0 Nero’s, and I love them, very sticky.
Got this little gem not log ago. very satisfied by it. However I just cannot rap my head around the fact that they put a twist beam rear suspension instead of an independent rear suspension. Cheers!
Pt3005. I totally agree I have the same magnetic and several several chips. The other problem I have after 48000 miles the interior also is making all sorts of noises with panels and instrument cluster chattering everywhere I go. Anyone else getting that? Probably comes with a nature that it is a fiesta after all with a cheaper interior build and the suspension and low profile tires vibrate the cramp out of everything. I plan on putting on some sixteens and thicker sidewalls and seeing how that changes the comfort and the vibrations.
For a nicer ride, there's a bunch of aftermarket suspension options which are still stiff but handle bump damping better (from what I've heard). Tires do make a big difference as well and might be cheaper option vs messing with suspension. I just got Firestone indy500 summer tires, even in stock size they seem to handle bumps a lot better than my previous tires.
I agree it is a little too stiff but I like it in turns for less body roll. Makes me feel more planted. But I don’t like the jarring feeling I get when I hit small bumps
It's light weight i beat cars of the line people think I'm drivi g a economy shit box but I leave them in the dust I get 33.7 miles per gallon I only fill up once a week 20 to 25 dollar's fills it up
Not arguing that the RS isn't a better car...it is all around without a dout...but comparing a 22,000 dollar diff between cars in the same brand ford would have to be mental to make the 👊 preform as good as the RS
I wished they made a street version of this car, a sedan, softer suspension, and 20% taller gearing. Same engine. I would also get thicker tires on it. Maybe a 215 55 R17, or 215 60 R17
Owned a 2015 ST2 same black colour and agree the paint is thin and most undercoats are white or light and the smallest scratch looks a mess,as for the ride stiffness around town and the horrible pot holed roads in the UK now,my wife hated the ride,do i miss the car yes i do,for the used price of this little ford and it's performance it's still king of the road in it's class for now!
I just bought one of these two weeks ago. Recently took a long trip (220 miles). I couldn't agree more on the ride quality. It's not comfortable. I will be upgrading the suspension in the future.
I moved back to Detroit from LA, and I'm definitely not looking forward to swapping back to my 17" stock wheels from the 15" snows that are on it. I'll tell ya though, in the canyons of Southern California it's a Religious experience!
The suspension is just right. I guess I'm used to harder suspension because of my last car. But if you want suspension that handles as well as it does you have to give up ride quality. Personally I hate soft suspension. If you don't drive it on curvy roads from time to time then it's probably not the right car for you anyway, because that's where the Fiesta ST shines. It's a quick car, but it's not that fast. But it makes up for it because it's quick in the corners. It is a fun daily driver, and I'm completely fine with a bit of stiffness for the sake of handling. I've never felt it was jarring. Don't buy a car that's designed for good handling and expect it to be a smooth ride. And it's a Fiesta, it's Ford's cheapest car at the time it was out. It's not going to have active suspension. It was already priced fairly high if you added a couple of options like I did on mine.
Just started watching your vids, and enjoy them. As to stiff suspensions, lots of choices out there starting with adjustable Konis. I wouldn't change the tires, however. You would be giving up more than you gain.
I love the firm suspension, if you lower it and stiffen it up about 10% more it actually handles even better. So why offer a complaint but no solution.....
Bubbled my front tire by hitting a pothole @ 500 miles. The roads are so crappy where I live, so I'm thinking about going to minus 1 or 2. I also agree that the paint chips way too easily. I don't use it as a daily so the ride doesn't really bother me. Otherwise great car!
I got the se sedan version it hauls ass for a automatic it handles like a go kart got the dual clutch automatic it hauls ass for a automatic i want this car band
I love my ST but your right it is abit stiff.. Only had had the car 6 months and already a pot hole took my tyre out Grrrr.., I now try and memorise were all the potholes are and try and dodge them day in day out.. I'm in Scotland in the U.K. and the roads are a disgrace...
BY the way... I don't know if anyone else has this issue.. But so far my 2015 is starting to get rust stains/paint bubbles on the rear doors (where the weather stripping is) and my Hatch seams as well are bubbling up as well....I wonder if Ford will be able to do something..if not... good lord a new hatch and new rear doors as well?? WTF FORD?!.... Also the ride got MUCH better when I changed over to my Michelins Pilot sports lol
Bro its your roads, I have the same car. I agree I would not want it if I still lived up North where they blow all the road money on who knows what. I have no potholes in the south and I don't notice it. In fact, on the highway it is smooth as glass. I think the fair compromise on your criticism is that if people live in a state with shit roads, they may want to think twice. A cool easter egg is to hit your sync button and say weather map and you have live doppler radar. Which I have used to dodge weather.
I have a '15 with about 22,000 miles on it. From the beginning I felt my brakes were not up to snuff backed up by vehicle health reports saying there is a brake/suspension problem. So I took in my car and they said nothing wrong with brakes. Well this went on for sometime where my brakes felt weak and vehicle health report would say brake malfunction. At 15,000 miles dealership says I need new brake caliper slides. Is this normal or a manufacturing defect?
A torsion beam rear suspension doesn't help either. That, coupled with the low curb weight sends my ass off the seat when I hit expansion joints at highway speeds.
I think the answer to your issue is the new design. The Civic Type R has truly rubber band tires, and yet on the comfort mode rides almost as good as regular civic. The GTI has a great on road ride, however it’s size and price may turn some away - plus it’s not quite as engaging. HOWEVER, Ford has decided that they will only build trucks in the US, so you’ll have to move to the Europe to find your answer and buy the next generation Fiesta / Focus ST.
Keep the stock rims/ tires, and store them away.. drop down to 16's, with rims... and see how it changes.. If not much better, new suspension with 16's. Scaffold the process to see the impact of each change.... Oh, car is cool and your camera is sweet! 😄
My father has one and the engine has no grunt below 3,000 RPM. The steering being so quick it needs a lot of correction on the highway. Other than that it’s a great zippy car.
I felt like a kid when I owned one. It was fun to drive but the torque steer was crazy. The sound system sucked and overall it felt cheap, but priced accordingly. Occasionally I miss it, but my gti was the better choice for me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great car, especially for the money! Enjoy your time with it.
Once I got my Cupra I realised how many features this lacks. I got used to the ride quality but the biggest without a doubt! The security on this car they can be stolen with a kit bought off eBay in a minutes. It port that is so accessible hasn’t even been fixed on the mk8 version which is why I might never buy another ford again.
The car is lightweight, this makes it difficult to balance between rough/smooth. It would cost thousands to place coil overs or magnetic adjusting shocks. This vehicle will corner faster than my Porsche 996 unless you are right of the edge with the Porsche. It's the weight difference. This is EXACTLY what's fun about driving it. Biggest downside, is resale. I only paid 19k for a sticker of 26k, with 10k miles it books for 13K
I feel the opposite about the steering. Mine tends to tramline like a son of a bitch. It actually takes effort for me to keep it in the lane. Also, the feel through the wheel isn’t great. Turn in is great, but feel is not. As for the shifter, it’s ok. Somewhere between the loosey goosey, easiness of an 90’s honda, and the bolt action of a bmw. But I would prefer the honda, IMO. The ride actually isnt too bad. Yes, it hits the bump stops when I go over a speedbump doing 20+kmph (about 13+mph). But other then that, the ride is actually pretty comfortable for me. Its like we’re driving 2 different cars.
@eatsleepdrive FYI I personally own a Fiesta Ecoboost Sport, which has the same dampers, springs and wheel-setup(in size) as an ST. my brother owns an Ecoboost ST-line with after market 16inch wheels. difference is, the ST-line has softer springs and dampers front and rear (and maybe a softer antirollbar??). my Eco S i drive daily. my brothers Eco St-line i drive weekly. What i notice is, my car IS less comfy (like you complain about) but the moment i get on the highway or in a turn at a bit of speed. my car has a MUCH better feel and a LOT less bodyroll. so its a choice you'll have to make. also (as someone how races cars for a hobby) i dont recommend softening only the front suspension. it CAN mess up the (grip)balance of your car, and you might end up with lift-off oversteer. this is something that can get you in a wreck. so i hope you didnt do that by now. or that it works out just fine.
Yeah I agree about the rough ride, I travel 2 1/2 hours one way to work everyday,....but man let me tell you when get off the freeway and take this twisty road it makes up for it,....the smile is back on my face,...so yeah do your home work and be honest with your self.
Is there any way I could get in touch with you to ask you a question about a 997 purchase? It’ll be my first 911 so I’m looking for all the help I can get!
Well, technically it is mechanical. They actually route a tube directly off the intake to the firewall so it's not electronic. But to your point, I'm not sure how I feel about it. Because it's not electronic, it doesn't seem artificial to me because it's actually sound waves coming from the intake. But at the same time, how ridiculous that they routed a pipe from the intake to the cabin lol. What do you think?
amazing car I love my 05 white ST. you missed 2 more flaw. 1. the rear motor mount is WAY too soft. Cobbs replacement Is worth every dime. 2. heel toe can be a challenge with the position of clutch pedal. they make a kit to adjust the pedal for easier heel toe stepping. other than that car is WICKED!!!
Forgot to add the fact it's a direct injected engine so the valves develope debri and gunk junk over time since injectors are not positioned behind the valves so gas detergent could reduce build up so you might want to find someone who does apricot shell blasting at a shop to remove all that build up like they do with bmw and Mercedes direct injected engine Platforms. no more flaws. I'm done lol
This happens to me occasionally - my seat position is fairly far back and lowered completely. I have the Recaro seats. I actually considered removing the center console lid on day one of ownership, but changed my shifting style a smidge and it's been tolerable. The 3-4 upshift is usually the one that nails my elbow.
I drive a 2014 SfE with the phenomenal 1 liter turbo engine. Agree that the entire Fiesta package is superb. The ride was too soft in my view so I upgraded to 16 in wheels with performance summer tires and Ford Racing shocks and springs. I don't know if they are the same spring rate as the ST springs, but I find it to be very compliant. With that package and a rear sway bar, it corners like a freaking go-cart. Curse Ford for discontinuing US sales. The batards might have bothered to advertise the thing, but they were probably losing enough money on it at the low price they were charging. Would folks have paid more if they went upscale with the interior and nicer creature features? The car got killed by Edmunds et al because of the horrible automatic fitted to most of the civilian cars. The only transmission for this car is the manual. Without telling the public about the car - leaving virtually all publicity to the enthusiast press - they sold this little gem short. Bastards. The Fiesta is a truly great car and I drove Honda Civic SIs for 20 years.
Ford stoping production on their small car fleet and leaving us hanging with one last year of fiesta ST or focus rs....whhhhyyyy can't the just say fuggit and throw out a fiesta st so we can just hoon Ken block
I've had my FiST for the past 3 years, 60k miles. I've done all the bolt-ons possible except for the turbo.Visual mods are Euro tail lights, HID headlights, led fog lights, Velossa tech diffuser fins, wing extension and assetto gara wheels. The Fiesta ST is by far the most under rated car in north america. No argument.
ClayterBob ? How can it be underrated if it recommended by so many? Farrah, Everyday Driver, etc.
Could you post a picture please
It's underrated because the focus st overshadows it
@@93455Driver "Underrated" might not be the best word. Maybe "overlooked."
@@bongodave13 you right...i love my fiesta more than any other car ive had
I've been driving cars with low-profile performance tires for many years, most recently a 2017 Mustang with the Performance Package which had a ride slightly more harsh than my 2019 FiST. I turn 70 this year and this is my first manual trans since a 1989 CRX Si. I have to say that not only is my Fiesta much more fun to drive than the Mustang it is THE most fun I've had with any car in over 50 years of driving.
My son just got one of these and it seems like the ride is more acceptable at higher speeds. Having said that I do love driving this car but kinda glad it's his car and I get to give it back to him. It's an awesome little machine, they got so much right with this package
Try 23 north in Michigan just past the Ohio state line.
This is something I noticed in mine. At 80-90 and above, it feels planted. I got it up to 120 once, and it wasn't scary at all. It was gripping the road just fine. The suspension is what you want at race speeds. But it IS rough in town. Some 16s or even 15s can smooth it out considerably.
I bought a 2015 fiesta st brand new. It now has 35,900 miles on it and I absolutely love it so far. Yes the ride is stiff but I’m almost completely use to it now. I read the stiffness is for the cornering. No other front wheel drive car handles like a fiesta st because of the stiffness.
I have the 16 ST in Magnetic color and the only flaw I have with it is the paint is so cheap i got scratches and chips all over.
PT3005 same here with my 17' magnetic. It looks great but it chips with no effort
Same with my 14 molten orange. I don't mind the ride, but the paint is crap
that sux, i have heard that alot too but I have Frozen white and seems to be standing up very well after 3 years of daily driving..
YURI Mine is Ingot Silver and only the one chip above the windshield. Otherwise, it’s holding up very well after almost 17k miles.
I have a '17 w/ about 40k kms on it, and absolutely love the car. I think it's just about the perfect daily driver for crazy people like me. I don't think the suspension is too stiff at all - stiffer doesn't necessarily mean faster, but it gives you that twitchy feel, and that's what is so fun about this car. The #1 flaw of these things IMO is the damn rev hang on the factory tune... that drove me nuts until I got an Accessport.
I've got a 16 ST that is my daily driver and my track day car. I agree with you: "The Fiesta ST would be a better daily driver with smaller wheels and a softer suspension". Just drive any other configuration Fiesta to see what this would feel like. BUT...But ...but.... At Watkins Glenn (or any of the other tracks we visit) flying through fast corners, dodging muscle cars in the slow corners, and flat out on the straights, the suspension suddenly becomes too SOFT! It's not bad, just not optimized for track use. To me this means that the geniuses at Ford who tuned this thing got it exactly perfect!!! It's compliant enough to be a reasonable commuter car and it's stiff enough to stay stable under threshold braking at 110 mph. There are very few cars that get this as spot on as the ST and NONE anywhere near $21k. I'm really sad that 2018 is the end of them...
Recently found your channel. Must say you are easily one of the best car channels on TH-cam. You say it like it is, don't make your videos with a bunch of frills and are just a regular guy. Really rooting for you and your channels success!
Just got 2018 fiesta st and it really doesn't feel much rougher riding than my 2013 Chevy spark did but the power is a whole new world with this car ...
I bought mine for adventure travel and dirtbike towing. Your absolutely right about the ride. Load it for adventure travel though, and the dampers do very well
As some ppl did mention above, I also replaced the stock 17's in for a set of 16x7 Volk TE37's. Along with increased ride quality, it tossed some rotating weight at the same time for quicker acceleration.
Second upgrade was to replace the stock suspension for a set of KW V3 coilovers. It takes a good 2-3 weeks for the new suspension to settles and break-in properly but when it's done you can dial it and set the ride to just about anything. I like my ride firm but comfortable. The KW rebound and compression settings allows me to do that with ease. The only downside is that it take quite some time and a fair bit of knowledge to be able to fine tune the coilovers to the best of their capabilities. Love the little critter! :)
I have a green 2015 and I agree completely about the ride and it is one of the reasons I am contemplating selling. But then I take it for a drive and feel that turbo put me back in my seat...and then totally second guess that.
I lowered mine with mountune springs and swapped wheels out for team dynamics pr1.2 16x7 wrapped with 205/50r16 tires...makes a world of comfort difference. Yeah the total diameter went from 23.4" to 24.1" but because of my -7lbs reduction in each corner you dont notice reduction of acceleration...if anything my car feels faster on take off and now i hit 60mph in second gear.
Soft back! My wife and I are double your age and we don't mind the ride. I think if you soften the suspension, you will lose handling. When we got the car, we drove it to our family's place over 1000 miles away (putting 2600 miles on it within a couple days there and back), and we didn't mind the bumpiness. That said, we did live in the UK for 7 years and you don't get a smooth drive over there either and the Fiesta is British through and through. Yeah, it has a rough slow ride, but I enjoy that.......
Yeah the name Fiesta is spanish for the word party, and Fiestas have been made in the Americas, in the end it is British engineering.
Picking one up tomorrow, excited is not the word
I absolutely agree wiith everything you said. I wish it had active suspension. Once mine is out of warranty I may look into changing the suspension. only mod I did was the symposer delete.
Solid review - Less than 2 weeks ago, after watching gushing youtube reviews of the FIST for years, I turned in my leased 428 Gran Coupe and bought a '16 in Molten Orange with matching orange seats.Friends think I'm nuts until I take them for a ride. As for the ride quality, I'm not minding it so far, maybe I'll feel differently in time. Loving my decision so far!
That's a hell of a change up but I can't say I'm surprised. Every newer BMW I've driven that wasn't an M was very snoozeworthy. This car is a riot as I'm sure you're finding out!
Been driving my wife's '17 ST for about 1800 out of the 4400 miles it has so far. I think 16's would be decent as you would also likely lower your unsprung rotational mass, which is good for everything. You forgot to mention part of what is awesome for the sportiness of the car is the close gearing of that buttery 6 spd. Great for everything but a rough HWY as you are turning 3000 rpms at speed. Also, we put some 15's and snow tires on it for the winter, and it is now one of my favorite cars in the snow!
My 2ct from my FiST:
The engine growl you mentioned, is actually created by the 'sound symposer box'.
It's basically a membrane that takes intake air vibrations, and routs it into the cabin (left bottom, near the pedals).
It helps you hear the engine better in the cabin, which helps if you're driving a manual (cars nowadays have whisper silent cabins), and for the tracks.
It's not the real sound of the engine, but a synthesized sound, added in the cabin..
You can disable it, if you feel that it's too loud or obnoxious.
Thankfully, it's only audible under heavy load, and in the mid-RPM range. While cruising, or even at higher RPMs, the symphoser box is barely audible.
My Cruze had the same steering resistance (basically pinky steering).
It's cheaper than hydraulic steering, and works better (more fuel efficient, and more precise too).
The amount of steering wheel rotations per x-degrees of wheel turn, is very low on this car (meaning, less turning the steering wheel when making a turn on this car than most others out there).
The turning radius is rather large for this small car.
I had expected to be able to make tighter turns. It turns about just like a mid-size sedan I used to own.
The suspension is actually a compromise between a passenger car, and a track car.
Good and bad. The good, is you can use it for both purposes; track and street.
The bad, is that it won't work well for either.
I tend to agree that the suspension is crap. Might work on a perfect asphalt road, but with the least wobbles, I get shaken in my seat. It would be good if the suspension travel was longer; it would have more cushioning, more comfy ride.
However the firm suspension does help with body roll, which is why most people are buying the FiST. For tight turns.
I've looked around for increasing the suspension travel, but in the forums they laugh at it, saying I'd make it 'undrivable'.
The easiest solution is to equip the car with slightly higher profile tires, from 205/40R17 to 205/45R17 (supposedly the tallest tires that would fit without rubbing).
It'll kill 3 birds with 1 stone:
- It gives 0.4" more clearance,
- will reduce road noise (I find with the potholes in my neighborhood, more issues with road noise, than suspension travel issues)
- Will lower RPM by 3,4% (and supposedly increase gas mileage on the highway by about 2-3%, or ~1MPG)
At the cost of:
- Speedometer and Odometer underreading by ~3.4% (which can actually be beneficial if you ever want to resell the car later on).
Great little car I have a '17 in black, Cobb stage 2 lot's of fun to drive!
I've had my '15 ST from new with 30k miles ( mud flaps and hitch are the only upgrades). Couldn't agree more with all you said. I still love this car. Suspension uhmm - I Put up Shut up and drive the bitch - or spend the cash and upgrade if it is such a big deal/annoyance. All good......
I will be keeping mine for many more years of fun.
Terry B me too, I love my 2014 ST, it’s all dialed in with Mods, such a fun car to Drive fast.
Going to 16 inch wheels and tires was a huge change in the driving feel. More sidewall not only feels better on this tiny thing, but also looks much better in my opinion.
3:31, definitely thought you were going to get hit. LOL
Thank God for editing :) That merge is actually rather funny because both cars have their own lane, but people who aren't familiar with that intersection are often terrified and slam on their brakes.
We have a couple of those here in C-Bus that people finally learned how to use properly. Took them a good two years to figure it out.
About the car, they're great cars. I do agree about the suspension, but it'll be tough to get it to calm down with Konis/whatever you go with. The short suspension plays a big part in that rough ride. Ride in a Focus ST and it's night/day.
Subscribed to follow what you do. Looking forward to it.
I tossed a set of non-ST 15" wheels and 185/60/15s on mine and absolutely love the way it rides. It's not all about the suspension. It's the heavy 17s and no sidewall.
Excellent review. I have one exactly like yours and am crazy about it. Noticed you have the base seats, unlike most TH-camrs who post about STs. I find them comfortable, but not supportive laterally. What do you think of them? In regard to the ride quality: after 8 months of ownership, I'm no longer shrugging off the ride. Instead, I try to stay off certain roads, and have every pothole memorized in a 20-mile radius. The only mod I have planned is the one another commenter mentioned: moving down to 16-in wheels and all-season tires with more sidewall.
Ive had a 2015 st for 4 yrs now . I think it may be the best car you can get for the price. Love it .
Same thing with our Mini S on 18's. Feel everything is good on some days and others it's a nightmare. Manhole covers and potholes suck. But when we whip around on\off ramps and ripping thru traffic nothing beats the feedback. You can literally feel the smallest of imperfections on the road but that you feel way more in tune with your car.
Nice review. I’m planning on buying one in a few months. Here in the UK they revised the suspension set up from mid 2015 (to the same set up as the limited edition ST200) and I believe it is more forgiving. I have driven a 2017 which wasn’t too bad at all. Yet to compare it with an older model. Will be definitely looking for a newer model for my 50 year old bones! Absolutely fantastic car though.
Simon Taylor 50 year old bones? You old fart. What the fuck you buying one of these for. Get yourself a Volvo grandpa.
Hey, I've got 50 year old bones as well. I love my ST. Leave us alone :-)
Thanks for the video !!
I've had mine for over 3 years from new now and yea it never gets old, it's always ready and is always so happy to go hard and rev hard just so much fun.
As far as I know it does have to be that firm, for it to handle the way it does... In some reviews they mention that so just what I have heard over the years about this car.. I just blame the roads here in Australia lol very bumpy roads here even in a car with soft suspension...
Good point. Softer front suspension may actually improve grip. Stiffer isn't always the answer for more speed, it all depends on how the car is setup and what you're trying to accomplish, but a lot of people automatically assume stiffer is better.
11k on my 17' FiST, and as someone who drives 100-150 miles a day I agree with you on everything. I did go for the mountune springs and I'm still on the OEM bridgestones and it's not too bad, spring rate makes a big difference imo.
I'm curious where you live. I live in iowa and I had a 14 mustang gt/cs before my motorcycle accident forced me to sell it and its ride was pretty good. Now i have a 17 fist and I've only had it for about 2 weeks now. This cold weather definitely makes it a rough ride until the tires warm up then it's a ok ride. I definitely agree a taller side wall will smooth out the ride but I guarantee you will lose some performance. The taller the side wall and the more body roll you will get as the side wall will flex from the hard turn ins. You will also get a little bit of a softer "point and shoot" feelings from your steering wheel, though it may not be noticeable to you(depends on the person).
I have a '15 and went to a 45 series tire and it is a little better. I will change the struts/shocks next, as I have a clunk in the front suspension. If I decide to spend more, I'll do a spring and shock swap. The struts/shocks don't have enough rebound, thus making the car tend to bounce; I did a track day in it at Lime Rock and it pitched way too much do to the lack of rebound. Also, when I hit the rumble strips, it thought I crashed and tried to call 911, and went in to limp mode. LOL. I can't wait to get a different car in about a year.
I just bought a ST 2018 (from a Chevy SS) and I agree with on everything you say about the ST specially the suspension stiffness, however I live in Texas and our roads are some of the best in the country, so the ride is tolerable down here. I would like to see if the Koni SRT's shock would fix the bounce this suspension has. Tire Rack has those shocks stupid cheap right know. I am going to do this 1st when I touch my suspension. Love to see your impression if you get these shocks.
if you live in houston check out the Houston ST/RS club on facebook
I had one of these in 2014. I still miss it, but I couldn't take the stiffness of the suspension. I read that Ford redesigned the springs/shocks/sways for 2016. I'm not sure how much difference it made, maybe I need to drive a newer one. I couldn't stand long drives in it. Doesn't help that my back isn't the greatest. It has that immediate gratification from driving that sells you on the test drive, but wears on you quickly. Again, may have something to do with my back. I found the engine, transmission, and steering feel to be unbelievable. I've owned about 65 cars and this is right up there with my 06 GTI and NX2000.
My '14 has 15" and rides very nice
switching to 16x7's with meatier tires was the best choice I made on the FiST so far. Drastically improves the ride.
Rob Wagner guessing you also took off lots of weight too
Rob Wagner i switched to team dynamics 16lbs 16x7, 205/50/16 tires with mountune springs....world of comfort difference without sacrificing performance.
went with the exact same tire size, I wanted the TD wheels bad, but got a real good deal on the assetto garas that I just couldn't pass up. I've heard good things about those mountune springs, might give those a shot
Rob Wagner got my TDs for $622 shipped to my door last month...couldnt be happier.
Where from?
I replaced the stock shocks on my Fiesta S with some Koni Orange (STRT) shocks. I intentionally did not replace the springs because I wanted the full travel of the suspension. I find that even with 45 series tires on 17 inch wheels the ride is compliant and composed. Perhaps OEM SE or S springs would help. Just a thought. Cheers
I have a 2014 Fiesta ST, after I wore out the original Bridgestone 205-40-17’s in 19,000 Miles I went to a 215-45-17 Hankook’s it had a better ride, but it suffered in the handling department, and they bottomed out occasionally on the top of the front wheel wells, I’m back to the 205’s and there Perelli P0 Nero’s, and I love them, very sticky.
My 2015 has 90,000 km now and as the suspension gets warn in it becomes more forgiving.
Got this little gem not log ago. very satisfied by it. However I just cannot rap my head around the fact that they put a twist beam rear suspension instead of an independent rear suspension. Cheers!
Pt3005. I totally agree I have the same magnetic and several several chips. The other problem I have after 48000 miles the interior also is making all sorts of noises with panels and instrument cluster chattering everywhere I go. Anyone else getting that? Probably comes with a nature that it is a fiesta after all with a cheaper interior build and the suspension and low profile tires vibrate the cramp out of everything. I plan on putting on some sixteens and thicker sidewalls and seeing how that changes the comfort and the vibrations.
I'd happily go back to steel wheels and 78-series tires, but those days are gone. Got aluminum wheels on my focus SE -- hopefully won't have troubles.
For a nicer ride, there's a bunch of aftermarket suspension options which are still stiff but handle bump damping better (from what I've heard). Tires do make a big difference as well and might be cheaper option vs messing with suspension. I just got Firestone indy500 summer tires, even in stock size they seem to handle bumps a lot better than my previous tires.
I agree it is a little too stiff but I like it in turns for less body roll. Makes me feel more planted. But I don’t like the jarring feeling I get when I hit small bumps
It's light weight i beat cars of the line people think I'm drivi g a economy shit box but I leave them in the dust I get 33.7 miles per gallon I only fill up once a week 20 to 25 dollar's fills it up
Focus RS 41,000 MSRP
Fiesta st 18,000 now what kinda mods can one do with 22k I bet one could keep up
Not arguing that the RS isn't a better car...it is all around without a dout...but comparing a 22,000 dollar diff between cars in the same brand ford would have to be mental to make the 👊 preform as good as the RS
Agreed..Michigan roads(and the suspension, rubber band tires) on my 2015 are rough on the pool factory.
Correction poop factory
I put 215/45/17 PSSs on mine and it made the ride noticeably better
I have a 2019 Fiesta ST and the ride quality is way nicer than the 2013 Scion FRS I had.
I wished they made a street version of this car, a sedan, softer suspension, and 20% taller gearing. Same engine.
I would also get thicker tires on it. Maybe a 215 55 R17, or 215 60 R17
Agreed.
Owned a 2015 ST2 same black colour and agree the paint is thin and most undercoats are white or light and the smallest scratch looks a mess,as for the ride stiffness around town and the horrible pot holed roads in the UK now,my wife hated the ride,do i miss the car yes i do,for the used price of this little ford and it's performance it's still king of the road in it's class for now!
Bilstein coilovers actually improve ride (as well as handling). the stock ride is harsh.
I just bought one of these two weeks ago. Recently took a long trip (220 miles). I couldn't agree more on the ride quality. It's not comfortable. I will be upgrading the suspension in the future.
I moved back to Detroit from LA, and I'm definitely not looking forward to swapping back to my 17" stock wheels from the 15" snows that are on it. I'll tell ya though, in the canyons of Southern California it's a Religious experience!
I have the same car 2017, but with rado grey wheels. Very fun to drive especially with upgrades...
The suspension is just right. I guess I'm used to harder suspension because of my last car. But if you want suspension that handles as well as it does you have to give up ride quality. Personally I hate soft suspension. If you don't drive it on curvy roads from time to time then it's probably not the right car for you anyway, because that's where the Fiesta ST shines. It's a quick car, but it's not that fast. But it makes up for it because it's quick in the corners. It is a fun daily driver, and I'm completely fine with a bit of stiffness for the sake of handling. I've never felt it was jarring. Don't buy a car that's designed for good handling and expect it to be a smooth ride. And it's a Fiesta, it's Ford's cheapest car at the time it was out. It's not going to have active suspension. It was already priced fairly high if you added a couple of options like I did on mine.
Just started watching your vids, and enjoy them. As to stiff suspensions, lots of choices out there starting with adjustable Konis. I wouldn't change the tires, however. You would be giving up more than you gain.
Thanks for subscribing! I'm going to look into Konis.
You're on point with the ride quality.
I love the firm suspension, if you lower it and stiffen it up about 10% more it actually handles even better. So why offer a complaint but no solution.....
Bubbled my front tire by hitting a pothole @ 500 miles. The roads are so crappy where I live, so I'm thinking about going to minus 1 or 2. I also agree that the paint chips way too easily. I don't use it as a daily so the ride doesn't really bother me. Otherwise great car!
I got the se sedan version it hauls ass for a automatic it handles like a go kart got the dual clutch automatic it hauls ass for a automatic i want this car band
Ryan Belden I have an S sedan and put ST badges on it 😂😂😂
The automatic transmissions seem to have a lot of issues. Just a heads up.
That auto tranny is trashhhh lol I’ve driven my sisters se hatch
I love my ST but your right it is abit stiff.. Only had had the car 6 months and already a pot hole took my tyre out Grrrr.., I now try and memorise were all the potholes are and try and dodge them day in day out.. I'm in Scotland in the U.K. and the roads are a disgrace...
BY the way... I don't know if anyone else has this issue.. But so far my 2015 is starting to get rust stains/paint bubbles on the rear doors (where the weather stripping is) and my Hatch seams as well are bubbling up as well....I wonder if Ford will be able to do something..if not... good lord a new hatch and new rear doors as well?? WTF FORD?!.... Also the ride got MUCH better when I changed over to my Michelins Pilot sports lol
The stock Bridgestone RE050s are fantastic on warm, smooth pavement. In rain or cool weather they're garbage. They turn into hockey pucks.
Brian Dickerson yeah I am really liking this Michelin’s
Bro its your roads, I have the same car. I agree I would not want it if I still lived up North where they blow all the road money on who knows what.
I have no potholes in the south and I don't notice it. In fact, on the highway it is smooth as glass.
I think the fair compromise on your criticism is that if people live in a state with shit roads, they may want to think twice.
A cool easter egg is to hit your sync button and say weather map and you have live doppler radar. Which I have used to dodge weather.
When I test drove the car I couldn’t believe how small the foot box was. The pedals are way too close together.
padistedor Better for heel-toe shifting.
i love the suspention cause where i live and drive it the roads are good and if you drive faster it doesnt bounce at all haha
I have a '15 with about 22,000 miles on it. From the beginning I felt my brakes were not up to snuff backed up by vehicle health reports saying there is a brake/suspension problem. So I took in my car and they said nothing wrong with brakes. Well this went on for sometime where my brakes felt weak and vehicle health report would say brake malfunction. At 15,000 miles dealership says I need new brake caliper slides. Is this normal or a manufacturing defect?
Ride quality is better than the FRS/BRZ. Trust me i had the FRS for 6 years.
I know this an old video, but did you ever do anything to soften the suspension?
A torsion beam rear suspension doesn't help either. That, coupled with the low curb weight sends my ass off the seat when I hit expansion joints at highway speeds.
I think the answer to your issue is the new design. The Civic Type R has truly rubber band tires, and yet on the comfort mode rides almost as good as regular civic. The GTI has a great on road ride, however it’s size and price may turn some away - plus it’s not quite as engaging. HOWEVER, Ford has decided that they will only build trucks in the US, so you’ll have to move to the Europe to find your answer and buy the next generation Fiesta / Focus ST.
Keep the stock rims/ tires, and store them away.. drop down to 16's, with rims... and see how it changes.. If not much better, new suspension with 16's. Scaffold the process to see the impact of each change.... Oh, car is cool and your camera is sweet! 😄
Agree completely with your video. Such a great car that ford designed.
I did end up bending two rims due to the small side wall >.
My father has one and the engine has no grunt below 3,000 RPM. The steering being so quick it needs a lot of correction on the highway. Other than that it’s a great zippy car.
I felt like a kid when I owned one. It was fun to drive but the torque steer was crazy. The sound system sucked and overall it felt cheap, but priced accordingly. Occasionally I miss it, but my gti was the better choice for me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great car, especially for the money! Enjoy your time with it.
Replacing the right rear engine mount makes all the difference and shifts 1- 3 smooth out.
If you want a a smoother ride get the se ...ST stands for SPORT tech. Cars is based of a rally cross inspired design
Once I got my Cupra I realised how many features this lacks. I got used to the ride quality but the biggest without a doubt! The security on this car they can be stolen with a kit bought off eBay in a minutes. It port that is so accessible hasn’t even been fixed on the mk8 version which is why I might never buy another ford again.
The car is lightweight, this makes it difficult to balance between rough/smooth. It would cost thousands to place coil overs or magnetic adjusting shocks. This vehicle will corner faster than my Porsche 996 unless you are right of the edge with the Porsche. It's the weight difference. This is EXACTLY what's fun about driving it. Biggest downside, is resale. I only paid 19k for a sticker of 26k, with 10k miles it books for 13K
I feel the opposite about the steering. Mine tends to tramline like a son of a bitch. It actually takes effort for me to keep it in the lane. Also, the feel through the wheel isn’t great. Turn in is great, but feel is not.
As for the shifter, it’s ok. Somewhere between the loosey goosey, easiness of an 90’s honda, and the bolt action of a bmw. But I would prefer the honda, IMO.
The ride actually isnt too bad. Yes, it hits the bump stops when I go over a speedbump doing 20+kmph (about 13+mph). But other then that, the ride is actually pretty comfortable for me.
Its like we’re driving 2 different cars.
@eatsleepdrive FYI
I personally own a Fiesta Ecoboost Sport, which has the same dampers, springs and wheel-setup(in size) as an ST. my brother owns an Ecoboost ST-line with after market 16inch wheels. difference is, the ST-line has softer springs and dampers front and rear (and maybe a softer antirollbar??). my Eco S i drive daily. my brothers Eco St-line i drive weekly.
What i notice is, my car IS less comfy (like you complain about)
but the moment i get on the highway or in a turn at a bit of speed. my car has a MUCH better feel and a LOT less bodyroll.
so its a choice you'll have to make. also (as someone how races cars for a hobby) i dont recommend softening only the front suspension. it CAN mess up the (grip)balance of your car, and you might end up with lift-off oversteer. this is something that can get you in a wreck.
so i hope you didnt do that by now. or that it works out just fine.
I never took it on the highway, how is the cabin noise?
It's definitely a cheap car so there is a fair bit of road noise but at the same time it's tolerable.
Yeah I agree about the rough ride, I travel 2 1/2 hours one way to work everyday,....but man let me tell you when get off the freeway and take this twisty road it makes up for it,....the smile is back on my face,...so yeah do your home work and be honest with your self.
Swimming with Sharks bro you should just move. 5 hour commute daily? Lmao
Shame u tanks ain't getting the new one.
Sigh
Im running 18s on mine, rides just fine💁♂️
Is there any way I could get in touch with you to ask you a question about a 997 purchase? It’ll be my first 911 so I’m looking for all the help I can get!
That growl is the "fake" resonator that it routed through the speakers....
Well, technically it is mechanical. They actually route a tube directly off the intake to the firewall so it's not electronic. But to your point, I'm not sure how I feel about it. Because it's not electronic, it doesn't seem artificial to me because it's actually sound waves coming from the intake. But at the same time, how ridiculous that they routed a pipe from the intake to the cabin lol. What do you think?
EatSleepDrive i personally like the sound as it reminds me of a v6, but it sucks that no one out side of the car hears it
True.
amazing car I love my 05 white ST. you missed 2 more flaw. 1. the rear motor mount is WAY too soft. Cobbs replacement Is worth every dime. 2. heel toe can be a challenge with the position of clutch pedal. they make a kit to adjust the pedal for easier heel toe stepping. other than that car is WICKED!!!
Forgot to add the fact it's a direct injected engine so the valves develope debri and gunk junk over time since injectors are not positioned behind the valves so gas detergent could reduce build up so you might want to find someone who does apricot shell blasting at a shop to remove all that build up like they do with bmw and Mercedes direct injected engine Platforms. no more flaws. I'm done lol
Does it ride worse than your 911? I’m thinking about getting a used ST, and my other car is also a 997
Yes, the ST ride is crashier over bumps than the 911. I would downsize the tires to 16's and I think that would help a lot.
The real imperfection is the one damn lock/unlock button😒
They fixed the suspension in the later years.
28mpg jesus christ mines got a stage 1 remap and in the UK I get 50-60 mgp on the motorway and 45+ normal
I wish the would get a ford fiesta club cause there not making them anymore I'll buy your rims I live I. Indiana
Its a bit tall for a "sporty" car. Dont get me wrong! I love mine, harsh ride is part of this car!
Thought it was going to be how the centre console gets in the way of your elbow while shifting! Fairly minor but unnecessarily annoying.
Interesting, I haven't run into this. I wonder if it depends how your seat is adjusted or height matters.
Yeah, bit of both I think. I'm only 5'10". Not an uncommon height though!
This happens to me occasionally - my seat position is fairly far back and lowered completely. I have the Recaro seats. I actually considered removing the center console lid on day one of ownership, but changed my shifting style a smidge and it's been tolerable. The 3-4 upshift is usually the one that nails my elbow.
I love my st its fuckin fun not meant for long journeys its FUN
Do they have a ford fiesta club does anyone know
www.fiestast.org/forum/forum.php is a fairly active forum.
quite a few facebook groups as well
I drive a 2014 SfE with the phenomenal 1 liter turbo engine. Agree that the entire Fiesta package is superb. The ride was too soft in my view so I upgraded to 16 in wheels with performance summer tires and Ford Racing shocks and springs. I don't know if they are the same spring rate as the ST springs, but I find it to be very compliant. With that package and a rear sway bar, it corners like a freaking go-cart. Curse Ford for discontinuing US sales. The batards might have bothered to advertise the thing, but they were probably losing enough money on it at the low price they were charging. Would folks have paid more if they went upscale with the interior and nicer creature features? The car got killed by Edmunds et al because of the horrible automatic fitted to most of the civilian cars. The only transmission for this car is the manual. Without telling the public about the car - leaving virtually all publicity to the enthusiast press - they sold this little gem short. Bastards. The Fiesta is a truly great car and I drove Honda Civic SIs for 20 years.
Thanks...
The growl is fake...or should I say enhanced
true :) that's why i plugged that spot. All I hear is spool and intake now on mine
Change to bilstein struts/shocks
Ford stoping production on their small car fleet and leaving us hanging with one last year of fiesta ST or focus rs....whhhhyyyy can't the just say fuggit and throw out a fiesta st so we can just hoon Ken block