Ford Fiesta ST (2013 – 2018) Review

Ford Fiesta ST (2013 – 2018) At A Glance

5/5
Honest John Overall Rating
The outstanding Ford Fiesta ST is a hot hatch that will lift your pulse as easily as it raises a smile thanks to its brilliant driving manners.

+Exceptional road handling. 1.6 Ecoboost engine has lots of eager shove. Practical and comfortable cabin. One of the best hot hatches money can buy.

-Only available in three-door form. Rear seats can be a bit tight for large adults. Cabin doesn’t feel as special as some rivals.

Insurance Groups are between 30–31
On average it achieves 80% of the official MPG figure

Ford is an acknowledged master at building great hot hatches, but it excelled itself with the 2013 Ford Fiesta ST. It hits the sweet spot in every area that matters, and plenty that are less of a concern to rapid car buyers. Simply brilliant fun that stacks up strongly against the likes of the Renaultsport Clio or more expensive MINI Cooper S. Read on for our full Ford Fiesta ST review.

Ford has always had a knack for creating superb hot hatches and few models can match the history and sheer performance of the diminutive Ford Fiesta. Over the years, the little Ford has spawned a number of highly capable cars, with the XR2, RS Turbo and previous-generation ST establishing themselves in the annals of hot hatch history.

The 2013 Ford Fiesta got the high performance ST treatment and created arguably the best model of them all. On the outside, the Ford Fiesta ST follows the styling of the Ford Focus ST of the same era with a large gaping grille in the front bumper and a sports bodykit, while at the back there’s a body-coloured diffuser, twin exhausts and a roof spoiler.

As you’d expect, it gets a number of upgrades over the standard model, with sports suspension, uprated brakes and a potent 1.6-litre Ecoboost engine that produces 182PS – 20 per cent more power than the previous Ford Fiesta ST.

The hot Ford Fiesta ST is also leaner and cleaner than its predecessor, with big improvements in economy and a 20 per cent drop in CO2 to 138g/km. Fuel consumption is also better, with a claimed 47.9mpg.

However, technically speaking, the Ford Fiesta ST was one of the least powerful hot hatches of its time and its 0-62mph time of 6.9 seconds can’t match the Peugeot 208 GTi and Renaultsport Clio. But don’t be fooled into thinking the Ford Fiesta ST is a slow car – it isn’t. In fact, the latest Ford Fiesta ST is one of the fastest Fiestas ever to emerge from the ST stable.

On the road, the Ford Fiesta ST is extremely accomplished, with excellent acceleration and near perfect handling and grip. Unlike some of its rivals, the steering is razor-sharp, with plenty of feedback, while 290Nm of torque ensures you’re never short of pace. 

In fact, in our opinion, the Ford Fiesta ST was the class leader in the small hot hatch market of its era due to its impressive performance and unparalleled flexibility. It’s still a class act that’s cheaper to run, more usable and more rounded than all of its rivals.

Ask Honest John

Is there such a thing as an economical hot hatch?

"I like the idea of have a warm/hot hatch for my next car but after driving a car does 40mpg in most town driving I am worried about the mpg being too low and me spending more on fuel each month. At present I have my eyes set on a Ford Fiesta ST or a Suzuki Sport Sport, but like the look of the Volkswagen Polo in BlueGT model as it has the ACT feature. Are there any quickish cars out there? I only have £11k to spend."
The Volkswagen Polo BlueGT is a perfectly fine car, but I think you might be disappointed if hot hatches like the Ford Fiesta ST are also on your radar. The Fiesta ST is loads of fun and a £11k budget will get you a good example of an ST3 from around 2015 with such luxuries as keyless entry, navigation and cruise control. Our Real MPG data suggests owners of Fiesta ST from this era see a respectable 37.5mpg on average - around 80 per cent of its official figure. If you want something better on fuel, the Fiesta ST-Line with the 140PS 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine is also good fun, Our readers with this model report 43.2mpg on average. While not as powerful as the Fiesta ST, the Suzuki Swift Sport is another good purchase - and could prove to be more reliable than the Fiesta, going by the reports we receive from owners. Your budget will get you one of the last of the previous-generation models. Our Real MPG data suggests you could get 42.5mpg from a Swift Sport - 96 per cent of its official figure.
Answered by Andrew Brady

How do I find out if my vehicle is involved in a recall?

"I see there is a safety recall on 2010 - 2014 Ford Focus, C-Max, Fiesta ST and Kuga for possible cracked cylinder heads, which could result in a fire. I've been unable to identify which engine is involved, do you know?"
The recall notice doesn't specify which engines are involved. The manufacturer should get in contact to discuss the remedial work with owners of affected vehicles, but if your car is second-hand or if your contact details aren’t up to date then the manufacturer might not be able to reach you. You can always ring a Ford dealership to check. For more info on how recalls work, check out our guide: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/everything-you-need-to-know/2018-01/what-to-do-if-your-vehicle-is-recalled
Answered by Georgia Petrie

What sporty, 5-door, reliable cars could you recommend?

"Our 12 year old Audi A3 2.0 TDI Sportback has done 100,000 miles, so will be going, and we need a third car to back up our Ford S-Max 2.0 Ecoboost and Porsche Cayman GTS. The front runner is a Mazda 3 2.0 165 Sport, which you report very favourably on. It will be for general/family use (we have 3 kids: aged six, eight and ten) and Drivethedeal can supply one for under £20,000. Are there any other suggestions that should be considered for a sporty, five-door, good to drive, reliable car? We wouldn't touch VWG at the moment and a Ford Fiesta ST would be nearly perfect except it may be a bit small. Secondly, if we go for the Mazda, I cannot find any mention on the Michelin site that they do 18-inch cross-climates (which the Mazda rides on)."
You can get Cross Climates in 205/60 R16, which is the other size on the Mazda 3, but the Michelin site becomes very frustrating looking for 18-inch whether you just look for tyre size or try to input the actual car. You're obviously looking for a bit of power, but we had huge fun in the low power Mazda 3, though admittedly in Northern Scotland on almost empty roads: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road-tests/mazda/mazda-3-2017-road-test/?
Answered by Honest John

Are there any small hot estates?

"I am currently driving a Skoda Fabia 62-plate 1.4 TSI vRS Estate with the CTHE engine that I have had for about a year. It has done about 30k miles from new. I am looking to replace it with something that has similar engine size and performance and I cannot find anything to match it in today's market (sub £15k). Do you have any recommendations with similar performance, preferably an estate?"
My recommendation about this car is to get shot of it as fast as you can before the engine fails. Replace with a Fiesta ST or the not-quite-as-good Polo 1.8 GTi. No hot little estates.
Answered by Honest John
More Questions

What does a Ford Fiesta ST (2013 – 2018) cost?