The Fiesta ST is an interesting case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, or at least it feels that way. Statistically, it was consistently mid-pack, but because it was the most enjoyable front-wheel drive machine in the competition and 3rd most fun overall (behind the two rear-wheel drive entries), it moved up the overall rankings into a strong 3rd place, less than a point behind the winner.
The Scion FR-S woke us up to the fact that faster doesn’t always mean more fun when it first hit the market a few years ago,
We don’t care that it’s almost 2-seconds a lap slower than its big brother, the Focus ST, because it’s the rawness of the Fiesta’s performance that engages and entertains me as a driver. It looks immature, it feels immature, and that’s exactly why it’s so much fun to blast around in. It’s the Fountain of Youth on 4-wheels, and we love it.
More analytically, what we love most about the Fiesta ST is that you can pitch it into corners like a rallycross car, or you can drive it into corners like a road racer and it’ll carve a perfect arc and scoot out onto the straights as tidily as you’d like. It’s a rare thing for a front-wheel drive chassis to offer such a wide range of driving styles and such an immediate willingness to change directions, and it’s this freedom of expression that epitomizes a true driver’s car.
Lap time: 1:28.516 (5th)
Top Speed: 95.8 MPH (4th)
Max Cornering G-Force: 1.12 (4th)
Max Braking G-Force: 0.75 (6th)
Fun To Drive On The Track (out of 25): 21 (3rd)
Engine: 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, 197 HP, 202 lb-ft
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Drivetrain: Front-wheel drive, eTVC differential
Fuel Economy Ratings: 26 MPG City, 35 MPG Highway
Fuel Economy Observed: 36.8 MPG
Price: $24,220 after destination charges
