Drove them both today at the Ecoboost Challenge event being held at Golden Gate Fields in Alameda near San Francisco. Drive time was limited to a couple of laps on a course set up in the parking lot. Fiesta feels lighter and with less low end torque. For the money, the Fiesta ST will be tough to beat. My only real complaints are lack of a two door hatchback in the US and rear camera is likely a year away. Don't know how solid beam axle affects real world driving. Ford personnel still can't say if Focus RS is a go or no go. It would be a shame for them not to outdo both the WRXSti and the Mitsubishi EVO!
Fiesta ST vs Focus ST
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I've been really curious at the real world difference between the two cars. The Fiesta has less hp, but it's also about 400 lbs lighter as well? I'd like to see a stock vs stock race to see what the actual difference is. I bet there isn't much.
I agree that the US needs the three door version as well!!
I agree that the US needs the three door version as well!!
And if not at a stop light, most certainly in the twisties.Good points. I don't think it will take but a mod or two on the Fiesta for it to be able to pull a stock Focus ST. That would be fun to do to an unsuspecting Focus driver
I'm sure the Abarth will sound way better than the Fiesta ST... but I'm quite sure the Fiesta will be a better car to drive and fling around. Not that the Abarth is not a fun car to drive, but if they applied much of the Focus ST recipe onto the Fiesta ST, the Abarth won't be able to touch it. In the Abarth, you get very decent handling for a FWD... but on the Focus ST, you get RWD handling on a FWD. If they can make the Fiesta do this as well, it's no contest.
But yeah, that Abarth sounds perfect! Not too loud, just a sexy, sporty growl! It kinda purrs at idle and then hypnotizes you into flooring it and grin when you get on it even a bit. Those Italians sure know how to make a car sound just right!
But yeah, that Abarth sounds perfect! Not too loud, just a sexy, sporty growl! It kinda purrs at idle and then hypnotizes you into flooring it and grin when you get on it even a bit. Those Italians sure know how to make a car sound just right!
Had a chance to drive both at the recent Ford Ecoboost Challenge held at Citifield and both were incredibly fun to drive. Fiesta ST was fast and nimble but felt a wince of turbo lag and visibility wasn't the greatest as dash is raised a little and angled up so I couldn't see the cones as well as in the Focus ST. Focus ST felt it handled better for me on the course and it produced the best lap time for me in the autocross.
Both cars looked a lot better in-person than they did in pictures for me, practically liked every color they had at the show. The black with painted rims/calipers and molten orange Fiesta ST really stood out among the rest, but you really can't go wrong with any color you choose.
Both cars looked a lot better in-person than they did in pictures for me, practically liked every color they had at the show. The black with painted rims/calipers and molten orange Fiesta ST really stood out among the rest, but you really can't go wrong with any color you choose.
IMO, it depends more on your definition of "outperforming" than anything else. None of the two have been created to be especially fast in a straight line... that's what muscles cars are for. So, would outperforming a great handling car mean it would be even better around corners?
I'm sure both are. If the Focus has an edge, the average driver would probably be hard pressed to notice it. Anyway, I'll tell you more about that when I've had the chance to drive the Fiesta...
I'm sure both are. If the Focus has an edge, the average driver would probably be hard pressed to notice it. Anyway, I'll tell you more about that when I've had the chance to drive the Fiesta...
Not entirely sure the Fiesta ST is a worse performer than the Focus ST, might just be my driving style and how the cars reacts to it. With that said, I might forgo the Recaro package and purchase the Mountune M215 kit when made available--that is if the standard seats aren't terrible.
Depends on what you call terrible. These days, if I drive a car with seats that don't have decent lateral support, I find them terrible. Maybe they've put decent base seats on the Fiesta though... (somehow I doubt that... good base specs don't sell options)
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The base seats are the same as the regular Fiesta... no bolstering whatsoever. I would not recommend them for anything more than DD use.Depends on what you call terrible. These days, if I drive a car with seats that don't have decent lateral support, I find them terrible. Maybe they've put decent base seats on the Fiesta though... (somehow I doubt that... good base specs don't sell options)
Wow. There should be a law against installing that kind of seats in a performance-oriented car...
I'm sorry in advance for all the poor souls who will have to contend with these while driving a Fiesta ST. Ford clearly wanted to put their point across: If you want to cheap out on your Fiesta ST, we'll make sure you'll regret it!
On the other hand, those Recaros seem to be the same seats as on the Focus ST2. That means they are almost identical to mine, minus some leather. Which means they are extremely good seats for an econo-class car!
I'm sorry in advance for all the poor souls who will have to contend with these while driving a Fiesta ST. Ford clearly wanted to put their point across: If you want to cheap out on your Fiesta ST, we'll make sure you'll regret it!
On the other hand, those Recaros seem to be the same seats as on the Focus ST2. That means they are almost identical to mine, minus some leather. Which means they are extremely good seats for an econo-class car!
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The Fiesta ones are a bit wider and shorter, but yeah, otherwise identical to ST2 seats - partial leather and all.
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