[x-wrx]

Hope you guys can help me out here. I can't decide which ST to buy. Here's the deal. I'm in my 50's but have always loved hot little cars. I recently had a 2006 WRX that I bought new, and loved it. Then, I got stupid for some reason and traded it in for a BMW 128i. It gets worse.... It had auto transmission!

Now I want to have the thrill back. I am looking at many reviews/videos/etc of both Fords, and I'm beggining to thing the Focus looks like a station wagon from the side. It's too long. It doesn't have that rally-car size. On the flip side, The Focus is no slouch either. And chances are it will have greater resale value when the time comes.

My wife and I have no kids, and so I'm usually driving around in an empty car. She does all the shopping in her beater Matrix.

Am I talking myself into the Fiesta here? I think I am. Help.

 

[WScottCross]

We're NOT going to talk you out of a Fiesta! It's the funnest car I have ever owned! The Focus might do better at the track, but the Fiesta is alot of fun to drive on the streets and is an excellent Autocross car. In the end, it's up to you, but I don't think you'll be disappointed with a Fiesta. Drive one and you'll be sold!

 

[madhatter]

I own a Fiesta, so i'm biased. I drove both before buying. the focus is *SO* damn fast in a straight line, but it's big, heavy, and doesn't handle as well. If you prize outright speed, get it. Deals on them right now are smoking to boot.

If you want "clip exactly 3 blades of grass off the apex of that turn. No more, no less" handling, get the Fiesta. It's *that* good. And it isn't slow. Just not as fast as the focus.

IMO, the Fiesta is the better car. You can exploit all of it's abilities at a much lower threshold. this makes driving it around town that much more fun. In the focus, you'd be travelling way too fast before your pulse got up.

 

[FSWerksVP]

I drive both daily. Seriously, go drive both and try to drive more than just around the block. The Focus ST has my vote as the ONE car to own, but I'm in the minority here. And here I am trying to pick up my own Fiesta ST this week. LOL, I feel so schizophrenic.

 

[MLKN]

Third Car? = Fiesta, Second Car or babies? = probably Focus

 

[Slowclimb]

I have two kids the fiesta is my car, my wife has a Tiguan, and my play car is my 64 beetle. The fiesta is big enough for family of four duty...it is bigger than my mini and we used that to take trips to VT and DC...so the size is not limiting. I have driven both and the Focus seems to be more comfy. The Fiesta seems to be more stiffly sprung and is a bit bouncy...so you have to decide if that is okay. Definitely go drive both.

 

[ohskigod]

I test drove both. Look at it this way, you are not going wrong either way. The Focus has the fiesta in raw power if that's your thing, about 90% of the fun factor of the fiesta, and extra room some might find as a premium.

That extra 10% of fun is a splendid thing though, and I felt the Fiesta was just a better balanced car from a pure driving pleasure standpoint. I drive the fiesta anywhere and it's just a blast. It's just tighter, more accurate, you feel more connected to it .

If the extra room isn't an important factor, I'd say the Fiesta is the way to go but again, drive me both and follow your heart, That's what I did

 

[DAC17]

So I may be helpful to you. Just turned 60 and, like you, have always loved performance cars. I now have a 2013 Focus ST, which I'm selling to make way for a 2014 Fiesta ST. The Focus is great, but the Fiesta is just that little bit more "usable" on public roads. As others have said, if you want straight-line speed, get the Focus. For the pure joy of handling, get the Fiesta. Frankly, you can't go wrong either way!

 

[Gpfarrell]

I think the Focus is more car, but I wouldn't want one. The feisty Fiesta won me over. It's a street legal go cart that is an absolute hoot to drive. I feel everything the Focus adds would take away from that purity... Just be aware the Fiesta is less car.

 

[BlueBomber]

I went Fiesta ST; I downsized from a Volvo V70R. I wanted a car that'd deliver fantastic fuel economy and still be ludicrously fun to drive.

I don't regret choosing a Fiesta at all- I just couldn't get past that weird back end of the Focus- the Fiesta ST is pretty both front and rear, but the Focus has a nicer interior.

A friend got rid of a 400hp wrx to pick up a Focus ST and he doesn't regret it, though he caught the mod bug with the Focus too. Running Randy's maps he tells me the car is a real monster.

I prefer the size and sheer "tossability" of the fiesta. I cannot wait to see what happens once i brace the chassis, convert to coilovers and add a big brake kit. Should be insane- but for now I can just watch what Dave has done with the car and get an idea

 

[avcdude]

Drove both back to back and to me the Fiesta had something special to it. Hard to describe but it's a little bit of what everyone is saying on this thread. Possibly, the balancing act of the many factors that define a car's dynamics. By no means perfect but quite possibly one of the best for such as an inexpensive vehicle.

Besides that other KEY factors that lead me to go with the Fiesta are the better design all around. Both inside and outside albeit this is clearly a personal matter.

The Focus clearly wins on some factors, such as the engine, the usable space and value which might be important to some.

Bottom line is go and drive both if you have the opportunity. The choice is yours. Keep us posted!

 

[BRGT350]

Having spent time in both cars, I prefer the Fiesta over the Focus. It is more fun to drive, brakes much better, makes more fun noises, and is easier to see out of. I love how wide and low the roof line is of the Focus, but I don't feel like the car fits me as well. It is impressive in a straight line, but doesn't give me the same confidence around corners. On the track and autocrossing, the Fiesta constantly beat the Focus. While the Focus is larger, I still found myself using the hatch and rear seat when hauling luggage on trips. The Focus isn't large enough to haul all the luggage, but large enough to feel big and heavy. If I can't fit everything in the trunk anyway, I am ok picking the smaller car that is way more fun to drive. Also, TeamRS and SVT had better collaboration on the Fiesta than the Focus, so you get a better total package. The British engineers played a big role in the Fiesta development, which made it a more rowdy car to drive. The Focus was done by the Germans, and is more refined. I prefer the raw Fiesta.

 

[captainmorbid]

The Focus ST is getting some revisions soon that may narrow the gap in fun. I'd still go with the Fiesta though...


Sent via poles, wires and telegraph 2.

 

[eeboxer]

I had a 2009 Subaru STI and I'm surprised how much more solid the Fiesta ST felt after test driving it; a combination of steering, gearbox, suspension, and chassis. I also test drove the Focus ST and though it's a bit nicer (suede steering, seats), more powerful, like others have said, there's just an extra fun bonus in the fiesta. It's what I chose and I'm very happy. If you're concerned about comfort at all, like I am, Ford is about in between the Subaru and the 540i I had after. My passengers are just as happy with the room, or maybe I'm just ignoring them now with all the fun I'm having.

 

[x-wrx]

Thanks everyone for all these great opinions - this seems like one of the better auto forums I have been in.

I still haven't made the choice (as I have test driven neither car), but I'll be sure to let everyone know what happens.

PS- nobody has commented on my avatar. I thought this catfish mouth resembled the Fords. But alas, no lolz.

 

[spangenb]

Nobody is really bringing up the economy piece of this puzzle. For me, economy was one of the deciding factors. Aside from the overall hefty feel of the Focus (I have a '12 SEL), it didn't meet my magic number of around 30 mpg combined. I have had my FiST since October and average right around 30mpg in daily driving. I had an '08 Mustang GT/CS that collected dust because it cost so much drive. I can enjoy this awesome car every day and not go broke at the gas station

 

[Slowclimb]

I have only seen 22.5 mpg over the 1300 miles I have driven the FiST. I came from a mini where I averaged 39.8 mpg over 20 thousand miles, luckily fuel economy is not an issue for me. I drive all my cars very hard, and I am sure if I backed off a bit on the FiST I would see better economy out of it. Turbo cars are thirsty when they are driven like they should be.

@x-wrx I saw your avatar and it took me a bit to figure out wtf it was...ha ha.

 

[ST-in-Mich]

I have only seen 22.5 mpg over the 1300 miles I have driven the FiST.

Im getting the same 22-23 mpg mostly driving city. Its still better then the 15 i was getting previously.

 

[spangenb]

Turbo cars are thirsty when they are driven like they should be.

I agree. I have been in "winter mode" since I got my car. I do like having the option for great economy just by staying out of the boost though. Some cars (STi) don't give you that option.

 

[Slowclimb]

My commute is 50 percent back road (not city, but suburban/rural) and 50 percent highway (anywhere from 65 to 80 mph). Honestly I thought it would do better, but MPG is one place higher on my list of reasons I bought the car than the red calipers that came with the painted wheel package is. I am seeing the same MPG that I got out of my 2004 wrx wagon - but I drive this car harder.