[WRC Fan]

If so, please give us your feedback here. Both on the event, and the car(s). If you drove both the Fiesta ST and the Focus ST, we would be very interested in your observations between the two.

http://fordecoboostchallengedrive.com

 

[mrtn]

If they ever do a Canadian one I'd be happy to provide feedback.

 

[9]

I went to the EcoBoost challenge in SF and to a Ford sponsored Ride & Drive in Reno. I also got to drive a 2014 Fiesta Titanium at the Ride & Drive. In addition I have a friend who owns a Focus ST, so I have had plenty of chances to compare them.

Focus ST vs. Fiesta ST:
- The Focus ST has a LOT more torque steer (duh), but unless you race the two side-by-side, they both feel about the same in terms of power/speed. I'm talking about regular, surface street driving, I'm sure on a track you would notice the extra HP of the Focus.
- The Recaro's in the two cars are similar, but not identical. The Recaros in the Fiesta feel a bit less snug due to the design of the side bolsters, and it seems like the headrests are different/shorter in the Fiesta.
- The Fiesta isn't all that much smaller than the Focus in day to day use. The cargo space is about 50% of it's big brother, but interior space is comparable. I like the center stack of the Focus more (better placement of the touchscreen and the little cubby hole next to the shifter vs. the weird circle cutout below the AC on the Fiesta), but they're both nice.
- Fiesta is much more nimble in the twisties, but I have only had 3 laps to make this call. It's a much smaller and lighter car, so that's expected.

Fiesta ST vs Fiesta:
- Recaro's are way better than stock seats, as long as you aren't too tall or big. I'd try before you buy.
- Fit & Finish on all 2014 models seems to be a step above previous years. Interior is better than any other econobox I've driven. The ST's moreso with the Recaros and leather doodads.
- The car I drove didn't have a leather e-brake like I've seen in Euro spec ST's. This may be a preproduction thing but came someone look into it?
- ST is, overall, a much better car than the regular Fiesta. It does everything except mpg better.

 

[wash]

About 10 seconds in to the drive I was thinking "I could get in to so much trouble with this car..."

For me, that is great unless I get in to so much trouble.

General impressions, the car is small and the Recaros tight if you are built wide like me. I hope I can live with the Recaros or at least they provide motivation to diet a little (I could stand to lose 20 or 30 lbs.).

The steering was light with maybe a bit less than ideal feedback but not bad at all. In other words, the steering was unremarkable but I've never been one to say "OMG you've got to feel the steering on that car!"

The sound is very cool. At idle its like nothing but floor the gas and a very nice sounding engine note fills the cabin. Its not deafening or uncomfortable but it is what I would call loud.

Waiting in line I noticed more tire noise than engine noise so I don't think you'll hear it coming from a mile away and if its being driven in a sensible fashion it probably makes no more noise than the average economy car. An exhaust to give it more volume and maybe pop-off valve noise seems like a good idea.

The pavement at Golden Gate Fields was crumbling in to gravel but even when I got off line it had plenty of grip.

I'm sure I barely touched the limits of the car because it never seemed to be close to any edge, it just turned in and stuck. The brakes are the only thing I'm worried about. You can carry so much speed that you might wind up in a situation you can't avoid (I'm thinking blind corners). The stock brakes did fine but I'm thinking upgrade.

There wasn't time for much more of an impression.

The car pulls very nicely. Not quite as strong as the Focus ST but still good.

 

[Devon]

If they ever do a Canadian one I'd be happy to provide feedback.

Be nice wouldn't it. Dream on....:headphones:

 

[Sil3nt611]

I'll be going to my event on September 7th.

 

[tommy]

For the event, I thought that the combination was really a weird hodgepodge. Any of the screwey hypermilers would probably not be into SUVs or t ST Academy, and the same true of the other two combinations of types of drivers. I certainly had no interest in either of the other two events.

The autox course was fun, but at the Citi Field event, you really had to start at an odd angle, which I'm sure was there to keep speeds low, but made for a really annoying start to things.

I only drove the Fiesta, as the Focus is too big for my needs. It was a fun drive; as said previously, too short to really learn much, and for "bigger boned" (ie, fata$$es), the Recaro was a bit tight for a daily driver, and I did think the clutch was a bit light, and I'd agree on the light steering feedback. Seeing a Green Envy would have been the cherry on top, but overall, it's good to see car makers still doing these events.

 

[Audrey]

We got a note in the mail, "get $50 for taking the EcoBoost challenge," back in May. We looked up the FoST and saw it has the "EcoBoost" label on the website. We went to the dealership and Telero took it for a drive. They were busy that afternoon, so they sent us with a "lot boy." It's the kid that moves the cars around and rinses them off. So we didn't have to listen to a sales pitch, which was nice. We liked the power of a 6-speed and the oomph of the ST logo, but it only served to make us more hungry to drive a FiST.

A few weeks ago we got the $50 as a prepaid VISA card. You'd think it'd be cheaper to send a check; whatever.

Sadly none of these events are in the Pacific Northwest.

 

[tommy]

VISA helps with the cost of the $50, since they get their pound of flesh on each charge.

Checks are also too expensive these days for businesses. The only real loser in this is the consumer, of course, as many of these cards aren't used fully.

 

[9]

Hmm, I wonder why I never got one for test driving the Focus ST in June. Was it a thing you had to sign up for online?

 

[RodMoe]

Hmm, I wonder why I never got one for test driving the Focus ST in June. Was it a thing you had to sign up for online?

Yes you needed to take this form

Thanks for your interest in Ford Motor Company.
Please take the EcoBoost® Challenge and receive a $50 cash card for taking a test drive.

Print this email and take it to any Ford Dealer.

1. Test drive any eligible Ford Vehicle.

2. Obtain validation information from dealer.

3. Register online to redeem the offer.

Certificate ID: XXXXXXXXXXX
Name: XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Test Drive by: May 31, 2013
Redeem by: June 14, 2013


Please request the following required Test Drive Verification information to be provided by Dealer:

Dealer Name: ____________________________
Dealer Sales Code (e.g.881234): _____________
Sales Consultant Name: ____________________

Redemption instructions:
- Register your information at https://www.fordspecialoffer.com/...e/EcoBoost prior to the expiration date.
- Once all the data entered is validated, an approval email will be sent out. If your test drive is not approved on the website, then you are not eligible for the offer.
- All test drives must be registered and accepted on the website prior to the program expiration date to be eligible to receive a MasterCard® card.

to a dealer and have them fill it out. Last I heard of mine was it was going to be delayed and I have not gotten it yet.. May be lost in the mail or something not really a fan of cards anyway ..

 

[Matt]

I drove both ST's last weekend in Charlotte and was very impressed by the torque and the traction control on the Focus, the Fiesta not so much. It just doesn't feel like the car is being pulled into the corner as aggressively, and when applying the throttle the TC seems to take away more power. With the TC off in the Fiesta it was just inside wheelspin city, and would take a very deft foot to control it.

 

[Ataru]

I'm driving to Dallas this Saturday to participate. I'll post up my thoughts after I smoke some tires.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 4

 

[Sil3nt611]

I'm driving to Dallas this Saturday to participate. I'll post up my thoughts after I smoke some tires.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 4

I'll be at the Dallas event as well.

 

[Ataru]

1pm for me.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 4

 

[Sil3nt611]

I signed up for 11, but I'll probably be there for awhile waiting in lines. It's hard to say what they let you do because the results are mixed from what people are saying, but some people got more than 2 rides in the ST Performance Academy and if I can get more than two rides I'll keep on riding until I need to leave.

 

[wash]

Go early, the tires get used up.

For your required task before driving the STs, do the Ecoboost challenge Fusion, its a non-timed course but it is a bit of fun. The hyper-miler thing is frustrating and very hard to do well if you have a lead foot like mine.

Don't expect to go at your scheduled time, they take walk up participants. Don't expect more child care than a girl making balloon animals. With proper expectations you will have a good time.

 

[9]

I was pleasantly surprised by the Fusion.

Does everyone who signs up get the extended powertrain? Or was there a place at the event itself you had to sign in for? I went to the SF one and never got an email about it.

 

[wash]

I preregistered, gave my email address and attended the event.

I'm not sure which of those are required but that worked for me.

I think I had to fill out a survey too.

Maybe check your junk mail folder to see if it got filtered?

 

[Sil3nt611]

I went to the Dallas event today. I started with the head-to-head Ecoboost challenge with the Fusion, Escape, and F-150 against the Camry, CR-V, and Silverado. I was surprised by the Camry on the amount of get up and go it had. But with the seating position it seemed like I was sitting too high or the windshield was too low. I didn't like the overall feel. The Fusion didn't seem to have as much get up as the Camry which I was surprised about but it was pretty much better in everything else. I didn't care for the Escape or the CR-V but I like small cars. The Silverado vs F-150. They seemed to be fairly similar for the most part. The F-150 did have more get up, but there was a decent amount of turbo lag in comparison to the Fiesta ST. Being that the only 4 turbo cars I've ever driven is the FiST, Escape, Fusion, and F-150 I really can't tell you how much of a lag it is. From taking a corner off the gas to full on gas it took about a second and a half maybe for the turbo to supply that power. May not seem like real long but when I put my foot down I expect it to react a bit quicker.

Then I went to the ST Performance Academy. I asked if I could go around more than twice and they said no. The lines were not real long and I wouldn't have minded wasting a bit more time in a longer line to get a couple more goes, but oh well. I took all my 4 laps in the Fiesta ST since I'm not really interested in the Focus to begin with. I never really paid attention to my lap times because I always forgot to check. Took the first lap at a moderate pace to get acquainted with the car and track. Then the second lap I went as quick as I felt I could. Got some tire squeal and even felt like I went 3 wheeling at one point. I don't think I ever hit a cone. Went back through line and both laps were all out. The Fiesta handles great. Get on the gas and it immediately goes. The brakes are excellent. Probably a little too excellent for me because I wasn't real used to having brakes that good so I got on them too much sometimes. Good acceleration and good brakes means you can get on it and the brakes don't have to be hit quite so early for the corner. It was a lot of fun. The Recaros hold you right in. Never felt like I was falling out of the seat. Still my only complaint about the car is the lack of a short shifter.

I went ahead and did the Hypermile Challenge as well in the Fusion Hybrid. Never driven a hybrid before. My first lap wasn't good because they just tell you to go out and drive how you think you should. Then they give you instruction on how to drive and how to read the car's gauges to drive within the confines of keeping it on the electric engine as long as possible. 60MPG for my second lap. Not too bad for a short course and the fact that I would never own a hybrid in the first place. It was interesting still. The best MPG for the hour was 250ish MPG. They do the two top MPGs of the hour and at the end of the hour place them head-to-head and whoever comes out on top gets a set of high end Sony headphones. I was nowhere near the top though.