Just had my first test drive of the Fiesta St yesterday. I was very impressed with the car's performance, however the car in my opinion is not worthy of a $26,000 price tag fully loaded. When I sat down inside the car I couldn't help but to feel very under whelmed by the car's interior quality. I think that Ford dropped the ball on this cars price tag. There was a brand new Focus ST1 sitting across the lot that had and equivalent price tag and in my opinion had a more quality feel to it than the fully loaded Fiesta ST. Most people who are in the market for a Fiesta want cheap, they don't want to go to their local Ford Dealership and buy a Fiesta for the same price as it's sister Focus.
Test drove a Fiesta ST yesterday and....
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Honestly, what are you looking for in a car? Neither interior will win any awards. Let's not kid ourselves here. They are both great cars in their own way. If the Focus interior felt better to you "quality wise", it couldn't have been by much. Maybe it was the Fiesta just being the smaller car? Did you drive them both? They are very different when you drive them. As all the reviews have pointed out. I would bet more people went to their local dealer in intent on buying a Focus ST and walked out with a Fiesta ST than the other way around.
If you want more "interior refinement", maybe a GTI should be on your list? I'd hold out for the 2015 model from what the magazines say.
Would like to hear what you decide. To be honest, you can't lose with any of those cars. Just different strokes for different folks. Good luck!
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I am continually amazed at the quality of auto interiors these days. For at least the last five years many cars in the $20,000 range have had interiors that would rival luxury brands of the 80s and early 90s.
I remember Chevy rental cars back in the 80s, they had all the quality of 99¢ store imitation Tupperware. Nothing fit, very ugly and very basic.
After seeing that and some uninspired interiors like the Toyota Camry, the Fiesta ST is fine.
The arm rests in the doors could be nicer, we don't have the overhead console with sunglass holder, the vanity mirrors dont have lights and in general it is small. I'm OK with that.
I'll improve some of it eventually but its fine. If you can't deal with that, you are too picky and shouldn't buy a Fiesta.
What I get for dealing with it is a car that will weigh less than 2,600 lbs with some basic weight loss and probably 300+ whp after a turbo upgrade. Can a Focus ST match that power to weight ratio?
Its a blast in stock form and has huge potential, if you are looking for something else, go find it.
I remember Chevy rental cars back in the 80s, they had all the quality of 99¢ store imitation Tupperware. Nothing fit, very ugly and very basic.
After seeing that and some uninspired interiors like the Toyota Camry, the Fiesta ST is fine.
The arm rests in the doors could be nicer, we don't have the overhead console with sunglass holder, the vanity mirrors dont have lights and in general it is small. I'm OK with that.
I'll improve some of it eventually but its fine. If you can't deal with that, you are too picky and shouldn't buy a Fiesta.
What I get for dealing with it is a car that will weigh less than 2,600 lbs with some basic weight loss and probably 300+ whp after a turbo upgrade. Can a Focus ST match that power to weight ratio?
Its a blast in stock form and has huge potential, if you are looking for something else, go find it.
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I've sat in many 2011-2014 Fiestas and several 2012-2014 Focuses. I can tell you the interior quality is just about equal IMO. The interior quality doesn't get any better on the ST model of either other than maybe a color change or two. They use the same interior pieces they use on the $15K regular Fiestas as they do on the Fiesta ST. The Fiesta is inherently an econo-box so asking for super quality interior is not gonna happen.
That being said, your perception of quality is really what it all comes down to. I currently drive a 2003 Ford ZX2, which was Ford's cheapest car is 2003. It's got cheap interior all over that vibrates and buzzes every now and then with a nice air leak when going highway speed by the driver's door mirror. I don't really mind it. As I said I've driven multiple Fiestas, and 5 Fiesta STs on top of that. I can tell you that every one of the Fiestas I drive had a much better interior than my ZX2. I'm totally and completely happy with that. When I get a Fiesta and the interior starts making noises, oh well. I may track down the noise, but unless it's really loud then I probably won't care. If you're coming from luxury quality interiors down to a Fiesta quality interior, you will notice a difference I'm sure. Having never driven a luxury car myself, I'm plenty content with it. Another thing people go to is road noise, which I also laugh about because my ZX2 is about as loud as they get. The Fiesta ST isn't silent, but if you want silent, the Fiesta is not the car for you. You can add sound deadener, but that adds weight (not good for the whole power to weight ratio thing).
While I haven't sat in a Focus ST, I have sat in several Focuses, and for the size of the car the interior doesn't seem all that big. I didn't have much headroom in a car without a moonroof was something immediately noticed. While I did feel like I had enough headroom in a Fiesta with a moonroof, and it just got better with a Fiesta without a moonroof.
As for the price, you were comparing a fully loaded Fiesta to a base ST1 Focus... As noted, you can get a Fiesta ST with only the standard stuff for $21,400. It already comes standard with stuff that are options on the regular Fiesta like the automatic climate, My Ford Touch, interior illumination, leather wrapped wheel and shift knob, fog lights, push button start, and dual height hatch floor. Ford decided to add those things on as standard equipment because they though most buyers would already end up buying all those options anyway (likely based on previous sales of Focus STs). On top of that the Fiesta ST obviously comes with the 1.6L ecoboost and a 6 speed manual with 17" wheels, summer tires, with rear disc brakes, performance suspension, ST body panels, and all the stuff that makes a Fiesta ST an ST. You can spend about $22,500 on a fully loaded Fiesta Titanium with the regular boring engine and transmission with no performance suspension/tires/etc. Anything above the $21,400 price of the ST is optional, although the Recaro seats are recommended personally. The only real options are if the color is green or orange is costs $595 more, if you want navigation it costs $795 more, if you want the Recaro seats it costs $1995 which includes heated seats and side mirrors, Grey wheels and red calipers cost $375, and the moonroof costs $795 more. That's all the options other than accessories. They tend to add options to on the lot cars to make a bit more money off the deal. If you don't want the options, order a base car with a color other than green or orange and you've still got a great car for a great price IMO.
As for the price for a a Focus ST, the base Focus ST is $23,700. That doesn't come with the My Ford Touch system, the automatic climate, or ambient lighting. I'm not sure what other features it does or doesn't come with standard. The base price of an ST2 comes up to $26,095 and the price of a fully optioned out Fiesta ST (no accessories) is at $26,030 including either green or orange paint. Heated seats are not included in the ST2 package even though the Recaros are. All in with the ST3, moonroof, grey wheels, and tangerine color it comes to $30,115. That's over $5k more than the top dollar Fiesta ST. Yes there are a few things like projector headlights and a factory subwoofer that aren't even optional on the Fiesta (at least as of now) that you can get on the Focus. From what people say on driving the Fiesta vs the Focus, the Fiesta is a lot more fun and handles better, despite being down on power. I like the smallness of the Fiesta and as it has been said, it has a better power to weight ratio than the Focus. If you need the Focus because you need a larger car, then the Fiesta really isn't for you anyway. If size isn't important, the Fiesta is the winner in my book, and honestly I think it looks better. If interior quality is your deal, you're looking at the wrong cars altogether... Not sure what interior quality differences you saw from the Focus and Fiesta, but I just didn't see it TBH.
If you want a base car with no frills, the Fiesta still comes out cheaper than the Focus and already comes out the door with standard equipment that the base Focus ST doesn't have. But it really comes down to what you want in a car. Some people want Recaro seats, integrated navigation, grey wheels, and will pay the extra cost for green or orange. Shoot, I'd pay more for a factory subwoofer and projector headlights if they were optional, but I think Ford omitted them from even being option for the reason that you speak of exactly that not a lot of people want to spend that kind of money on a Fiesta. I know where an orange car is that has been on the lot since at least December, fully optioned and they've dropped the price to $23,995. I'm sure with some negotiating you could drop it further but that price alone is pretty good. You could find something like that and see where it gets you. Honestly, if I was able to buy a car right now, I'd be going to that dealer and making a deal on that very car because I really wouldn't mind a fully optioned Fiesta ST and I am planning on paying more than that for an orange one with Recaros and navigation, so why not get a few other options for free basically?
That being said, your perception of quality is really what it all comes down to. I currently drive a 2003 Ford ZX2, which was Ford's cheapest car is 2003. It's got cheap interior all over that vibrates and buzzes every now and then with a nice air leak when going highway speed by the driver's door mirror. I don't really mind it. As I said I've driven multiple Fiestas, and 5 Fiesta STs on top of that. I can tell you that every one of the Fiestas I drive had a much better interior than my ZX2. I'm totally and completely happy with that. When I get a Fiesta and the interior starts making noises, oh well. I may track down the noise, but unless it's really loud then I probably won't care. If you're coming from luxury quality interiors down to a Fiesta quality interior, you will notice a difference I'm sure. Having never driven a luxury car myself, I'm plenty content with it. Another thing people go to is road noise, which I also laugh about because my ZX2 is about as loud as they get. The Fiesta ST isn't silent, but if you want silent, the Fiesta is not the car for you. You can add sound deadener, but that adds weight (not good for the whole power to weight ratio thing).
While I haven't sat in a Focus ST, I have sat in several Focuses, and for the size of the car the interior doesn't seem all that big. I didn't have much headroom in a car without a moonroof was something immediately noticed. While I did feel like I had enough headroom in a Fiesta with a moonroof, and it just got better with a Fiesta without a moonroof.
As for the price, you were comparing a fully loaded Fiesta to a base ST1 Focus... As noted, you can get a Fiesta ST with only the standard stuff for $21,400. It already comes standard with stuff that are options on the regular Fiesta like the automatic climate, My Ford Touch, interior illumination, leather wrapped wheel and shift knob, fog lights, push button start, and dual height hatch floor. Ford decided to add those things on as standard equipment because they though most buyers would already end up buying all those options anyway (likely based on previous sales of Focus STs). On top of that the Fiesta ST obviously comes with the 1.6L ecoboost and a 6 speed manual with 17" wheels, summer tires, with rear disc brakes, performance suspension, ST body panels, and all the stuff that makes a Fiesta ST an ST. You can spend about $22,500 on a fully loaded Fiesta Titanium with the regular boring engine and transmission with no performance suspension/tires/etc. Anything above the $21,400 price of the ST is optional, although the Recaro seats are recommended personally. The only real options are if the color is green or orange is costs $595 more, if you want navigation it costs $795 more, if you want the Recaro seats it costs $1995 which includes heated seats and side mirrors, Grey wheels and red calipers cost $375, and the moonroof costs $795 more. That's all the options other than accessories. They tend to add options to on the lot cars to make a bit more money off the deal. If you don't want the options, order a base car with a color other than green or orange and you've still got a great car for a great price IMO.
As for the price for a a Focus ST, the base Focus ST is $23,700. That doesn't come with the My Ford Touch system, the automatic climate, or ambient lighting. I'm not sure what other features it does or doesn't come with standard. The base price of an ST2 comes up to $26,095 and the price of a fully optioned out Fiesta ST (no accessories) is at $26,030 including either green or orange paint. Heated seats are not included in the ST2 package even though the Recaros are. All in with the ST3, moonroof, grey wheels, and tangerine color it comes to $30,115. That's over $5k more than the top dollar Fiesta ST. Yes there are a few things like projector headlights and a factory subwoofer that aren't even optional on the Fiesta (at least as of now) that you can get on the Focus. From what people say on driving the Fiesta vs the Focus, the Fiesta is a lot more fun and handles better, despite being down on power. I like the smallness of the Fiesta and as it has been said, it has a better power to weight ratio than the Focus. If you need the Focus because you need a larger car, then the Fiesta really isn't for you anyway. If size isn't important, the Fiesta is the winner in my book, and honestly I think it looks better. If interior quality is your deal, you're looking at the wrong cars altogether... Not sure what interior quality differences you saw from the Focus and Fiesta, but I just didn't see it TBH.
If you want a base car with no frills, the Fiesta still comes out cheaper than the Focus and already comes out the door with standard equipment that the base Focus ST doesn't have. But it really comes down to what you want in a car. Some people want Recaro seats, integrated navigation, grey wheels, and will pay the extra cost for green or orange. Shoot, I'd pay more for a factory subwoofer and projector headlights if they were optional, but I think Ford omitted them from even being option for the reason that you speak of exactly that not a lot of people want to spend that kind of money on a Fiesta. I know where an orange car is that has been on the lot since at least December, fully optioned and they've dropped the price to $23,995. I'm sure with some negotiating you could drop it further but that price alone is pretty good. You could find something like that and see where it gets you. Honestly, if I was able to buy a car right now, I'd be going to that dealer and making a deal on that very car because I really wouldn't mind a fully optioned Fiesta ST and I am planning on paying more than that for an orange one with Recaros and navigation, so why not get a few other options for free basically?
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I find the interior perfectly acceptable for the intent of the car. And that's coming from someone who traded in a BMW for it.
I actually like the interior of the ST better than my 2012 WRX STi too. Not that that is saying much, but that was a $37,000 vehicle. I also find the ST more fun to drive. And that *is* saying a lot.
I actually like the interior of the ST better than my 2012 WRX STi too. Not that that is saying much, but that was a $37,000 vehicle. I also find the ST more fun to drive. And that *is* saying a lot.
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I looked at both but in all honesty, I was set on a Fiesta ST instead of a Focus ST two years before they were even announced. When it came time to buy the reviews about the FoST stated that it had a 40' turning circle. That was enough for me not to even test drive the car. People who want the Focus tend to think that the power advantage is more important than the extra space. I prefer the nimbleness, and the weight advantage of the FiST.
Standing beside the Focus in the showroom, it felt like a BIG CAR. Interestingly as the reviews came out its the FiST that garnered award after award in large part because the whole being more than the sum of the parts.
Speaking of weight, the FiSt weights about the same as my 2000 Focus ZX3, and that's just about twice of the weight of my other car. (Avatar Photo)
Standing beside the Focus in the showroom, it felt like a BIG CAR. Interestingly as the reviews came out its the FiST that garnered award after award in large part because the whole being more than the sum of the parts.
Speaking of weight, the FiSt weights about the same as my 2000 Focus ZX3, and that's just about twice of the weight of my other car. (Avatar Photo)
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You want a high-grade interior? Go buy a heavy Golf GTI. It'll cosset you and make you feel important. It'll also weigh 3000lbs. That's not the point of the FiST. The door handles exist to pull or push the door closed, not to feel nice in the hand. They're chintzy--because they're lightweight. The important things are soft-touch, and the steering wheel and gear lever are leather. That's it. You don't want to spend $26k on a FiST? Don't. I spent far less. That ST1 Focus ST has just as few amenities, and weighs ~3250lbs. What you're paying for in a base FiST is lightweight, gobs of torque, and a tight chassis made lively by design.
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You're right, but I really don't think the Fiesta ST is marketed towards them though. You have to know what the car is about to be willing to spend the money on it. Just like an STI or Evo, they're not marketed towards the people buying base Imprezas and Lancers.
On a side note, I wonder what the total sales numbers are for Fiesta ST's in Canada and the US.
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Coming from an E39 BMW (which is, I think arguably, one of the nicest interiors in terms of feel and general fit and finish in the last 30 years) I don't feel let down by the Fiesta at all. It's actually pretty damned nice considering its econobox origins. It's leaps and bounds ahead of the R50 Mini Cooper I had as well just in terms of build quality. Frankly, I'm just excited that I found a car in my price range that ticks all my weird boxes.
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354 Posts
Exactly. This is a niche car. The basic Fiesta is marketed towards a budget, often urban crowd looking for a small, practical, cheap to own and run car. The Fiesta ST is a car marketed to someone looking for a small performance daily driver, or an often third-or-fourth car (much like the Focus ST, which is often a third car).
Considering the UK is the 'home market' for the FiST and they did roughly 3,000 units, I'd be surprised if the US & Canada broke half that. It's almost a special-order only car.
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I compared the focus and fiesta ST........I liked the interior of the focus better, my bass guitar fit in the back better of the focus, interior had a nicer fit and finish...hell, the engine even had more balls. Yet, I bought the Fiesta........because when I buy a performance car, I buy the performance.
Who gives a crap about interior when I'm playing my rousing game of "how fast can I take that off ramp?"
Who gives a crap about interior when I'm playing my rousing game of "how fast can I take that off ramp?"
All i'm saying is in my opinion that car did not have a $27,0000 feel to it. Don't get me wrong the car was great to drive, in fact I absolutely loved it. However it is my opinion that ford put a bloated price tag on the Fiesta ST. My comparison to the ST1 was justified because that car basically had no frills what so ever and in my opinion was the more quality feeling vehicle for the same price, not to mention you get more power as well. I can tell you however the Fiesta ST is by far the better looking car, I was actually pleasantly surprised when I walked up to the car. I have driven the Focus ST as well because I know someone who has one and I did enjoy the Fiesta quite a bit more it was like a little flea in the bends. I'm not sure if anyone has noticed this but I felt as if i had to reach down too far to shift the car. I felt like the shifter was too low. Maybe it was just me but I felt like it should be raised up a bit.
Funny you mention the Recaros because the dealership we went to was a bit of a drive from where I live and my stepbrother has the Focus ST and we took that car to the dealership and after the 2 hour drive down and sitting in those damn Recaros I think I could do without them... They are not built for comfort.
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They are not for everyone. I personally find them VERY comfortable and I spend 9-10 hours straight in them when I drive to VA and then back a couple times a month.
They look nice but those damn things are as hard as a rock once you've been in them a couple of hours.
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