Topic: Quick Spin: 2014 Ford Fiesta ST ' with Ken Block

[Autos_Editor]

Ken Block shows Jacob how a Fiesta ST should be driven.

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[Rupert]

   I have lost track of all of the versions of this vehicle...1.1 thru whatever this is...turbo or not. Dual clutch/auto-manual or manual/manual.
   It's like going into an 'all you can eat' restaurant and not recognising any of the food. It's a nice little car but too gourmet perhaps for me. I don't want to go to the end of the line to get egg and chips with my cup of 'T'.
   Another thing is that the multi tubed race car is not a Fiesta at all...not even front wheel drive and no where near practical even. It relates not one iota to the publically vended 'multi faceted' product.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I'm so glad to see the return of proper hot hatches like this.

you’d have to be a pretty epic whingebag to find any real fault with it.   

[PJ]

I really like this car.   I'd prefer to trade a few pricey standard features like leather for a lower base price but otherwise it's great.   This where the 1.6 ecoboost belongs. 

[johngenx]

In the ST, the seat only reclines a little way, so the slumped-back, club-district driving position isn’t possible.

 

[dkaz]

   I have lost track of all of the versions of this vehicle...

Ahem Dodge Grand Caravan CVP, SE Plus, SXT, SXT Plus, Crew, Crew Plus, R/T, and the couple dozens of packages on top of it. Upsell upsell upsell!

Chevrolet is the only one who's emulated the Japanese brands of three or four trim levels, maybe a couple of upgrade packages in each trim level.

[Noto]

you’d have to be a pretty epic whingebag to find any real fault with it.   

Price as Tested: $29,549


^^^fault found.  Fak!

[sacrat]

For anyone who hasn't watched a proper Ken Block Gymkhana video, I'd recommend the 7:42 minute insanity below. These are professionally shot with multiple cameras (including "in car") , not like the single camera at a distance one in the story. They WILL leave you breathless...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPeIzimsg60

[Sir Osis of Liver]

you’d have to be a pretty epic whingebag to find any real fault with it.   

Price as Tested: $29,549


^^^fault found.  Fak!

That doesn't seem out of line to me. There's some stuff that could easily be trimmed without affecting the driving experience.

Base Price (Fiesta ST): $24,999
Freight and PDI: $1,550
A/C Tax: $100
Options:
- Metallic paint – $400
- power moonroof – $1,200
- 17-inch Rado Grey Premium Painted wheels with red brake calipers – $500
- navigation – $800,
Price as Tested: $29,549

[toolatecrew]

you’d have to be a pretty epic whingebag to find any real fault with it.   

Price as Tested: $29,549


^^^fault found.  Fak!

That doesn't seem out of line to me. There's some stuff that could easily be trimmed without affecting the driving experience.

Base Price (Fiesta ST): $24,999
Freight and PDI: $1,550
A/C Tax: $100
Options:
- Metallic paint – $400
- power moonroof – $1,200
- 17-inch Rado Grey Premium Painted wheels with red brake calipers – $500
- navigation – $800,
Price as Tested: $29,549

I am not trying to say its out of line but maybe more of a reflection of the price of cars in genral today

Even a Fiesta ST with 0 options after tax OTR is going to be over 30K.

I really like this car I don't know I could justify 30 K for something that small.

I'd love to see them drop that engine into the Focus an make a Focus "GT" something between the full on ST and the Base focus. Bigger than the Fiesta but without the too short geared 5 speed of the base Focus.

I think I'd take the boring Blue color I'm too old for Day Glo

[WRX_Pilot]

I really like this car I don't know I could justify 30 K for something that small.

That's the problem the car companies have with North Americans.  When they equate price with "how big a chunk of metal can I get".  No wonder we don't get any of the premium small cars from Europe.  Some cars are about more than the sum of their parts!

Personally, I would totally jump on one of these, but the cramped back seat is holding me back a bit... it's almost unusable.  Also, I can't find any around to test drive in Manitoba...

Ditto on getting rid of all those unnecessary options.  Definitely skip the headroom-robbing sunroof, it's the size of a postage stamp anyway.

[dkaz]

Skip the moonroof, adds weight and raises centre of gravity.
Skip the navigation, who doesn't have a smartphone these days?

Wheels and brake caliper paint for $500, so long as it includes upsized tires too, is not a bad deal.

[Fobroader]

Awesome article....even better that you got to get a little demo with Ken Block...awesome!! Great little car.

[SaskSpecV]

Wheels and brake caliper paint for $500, so long as it includes upsized tires too, is not a bad deal.

I think the wheels are still 17", same as the "regular" ST wheels.  Just fancier!  I don't think the tire width changes either, but could be wrong there.  Wouldn't spring for those wheels myself, but I love that some MNFRs offer "different" wheels as a reasonably-priced standalone option.

[nlm]

For anyone who hasn't watched a proper Ken Block Gymkhana video, I'd recommend the 7:42 minute insanity below. These are professionally shot with multiple cameras (including "in car") , not like the single camera at a distance one in the story. They WILL leave you breathless...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPeIzimsg60

Agreed. I was sad when Block went from a STi to a Fiesta and thought WTF?!? Then I watched his Gymkhana 3 vid and saw that Ford let him take that car to levels way past Subaru's comfort zone.

[johngenx]

Ken gets AWD in his Fiesta.  If Ford offered the ST at the same price with AWD, it would be a serious buy.

[JacobBlack]

I'm so glad to see the return of proper hot hatches like this.

you’d have to be a pretty epic whingebag to find any real fault with it.   

Call me egocentric, but knowing you got laughs out of this article made my day!
Cheers!

[dkaz]

That's why you buy this car with employee pricing. If I remember correctly, it slashed almost $1,500 off the cost of the Fiesta ST. It was $28,500 with premium paint incl 12% tax OTD if I remember correctly.

The Focus is small inside. I'd take the Fiesta, at least it's small on the outside and more nimble. I had fun in my buddy's Fiesta 5 speed manual.

[Rupert]

   Prices are climbing and I suspect that incomes in general are not. It's only a very few years ago that a very decent three door Accent cost under $10,000 and it had nice seats and decent 1.6. Maybe some of these vehicles are now playing to a market that can't afford them and is quit of color.

[PJ]

   Prices are climbing and I suspect that incomes in general are not. It's only a very few years ago that a very decent three door Accent cost under $10,000 and it had nice seats and decent 1.6. Maybe some of these vehicles are now playing to a market that can't afford them and is quit of color.

The $9999 price was on the old school Accent and it wasn't the list price.  It was discounted from $12,999 if I remember correctly.  You can still buy lots of cheap cars.  The Mazda2 is discounted to $10,950 (just noticed that one this morning) and it is much better equipped then the Accent was.  Cars like the Mirage, Note and Spark are all in the $12K range.

Most Compacts seem to start in the $14K- $15K range.  I think prices are excellent right now for most cars, it's options that are expensive.