Ford Fiesta ST (2013 – 2018) Review

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.

Ford struck a great balance when it comes to the handling of this Ford Fiesta ST. A lot of modern cars suffer from steering that’s been overpowered, making the handling feel vague and detached from the road, yet Ford spent a lot of time tinkering with the power-steering system to get the balance just right.

At its zenith, the Ford Fiesta ST is like a big go-kart, with instant acceleration and firm, responsive handling, which lets the driver throw the car into corners and power out of tight bends.

The handling can also be tailored, thanks to an adjustable ESP system, which lets you switch off the computer aids.

The Ford Fiesta ST is not a road hooligan though. In fact, if you ease up on the throttle and leave the computer aids on, it can be transformed into an everyday run-around, with a practical cabin and large boot.

For sure, the suspension is firm, but it never intrudes on the quality of the ride and at low speeds it feels like any other small hatchback. Things are also calm and serene on the motorway, with low road and engine noise, making the Ford Fiesta ST ideal for family transport or long runs.

If boy racing is your thing, then you can enhance the Ford Fiesta ST with optional power upgrades. For a fee, Ford’s in-house tuning expert Montune provided an extra 33PS, which lowered the 0-62mph sprint to 6.7 seconds.

For the majority of drivers, this will prove unnecessary, but we would recommend it to anyone who wants the ultimate hot hatch.

The Ford Fiesta ST came with just one engine – the 1.6-litre Ecoboost – which produces 182PS and 290Nm of torque.

The four-cylinder engine was a huge step forward compared to the 2.0-litre found in the old Ford Fiesta ST, with less road noise and better refinement. It also produces 20% more power, while emitting 20% fewer carbon dioxide emissions at 138g/km. Fuel consumption is better too, with a claimed 47.9mpg.

However, despite the gains in horsepower and torque, the Ford Fiesta ST lags behind the competition in straight-line speed and its 0-62mph time of 6.9 seconds is 0.1 slower than the Peugeot 208 GTi and 0.2 behind the Renault Clio Renaultsport of the same era.

But the Ford Fiesta ST does have a trump card with its torque, beating all of the competition with 290Nm.

Obviously, forcing all of that torque through the front wheels can present problems, but Ford keeps everything pointing in the right direction thanks to an electronic torque vectoring control system, which replicates a limited-slip differential.

On the road, the Ford Fiesta ST’s running gear does a brilliant job. In fact, the little Ford is almost without equal when it comes to outright performance.

Indeed, with a slick six-speed gearbox providing the perfect gateway to its diminutive and punchy engine, the Ford Fiesta ST sprints along with real gusto and is as nimble as a fox when it comes to changing direction.

The majority of power flows from 3000rpm, which means the Fiesta will gain traction in almost any gear. This makes the Ford Fiesta ST an incredibly rewarding car to drive, because you can overtake by simply dropping the throttle and not a gear.

While this Ford Fiesta ST does not come with the latest automatic emergency braking or lane keep assistance, it does have seven airbags and ESP.

The Ford Fiesta also scored a highly creditable five-star rating from Euro NCAP in crash tests when it was new, which means it’s a safe car even by today's standards.

There are twin Isofix mounts in the back seats to secure kiddy seats, so the Ford Fiesta ST can perform admirably as a small family car.

There are no official figures for this Ford Fiesta ST’s towing capacity.

The Ford Fiesta ST is surprisingly spacious and has little trouble accommodating four adults, with comfortable seats and decent amounts of head and legroom.

For the driver, the seating is particularly good, with excellent lumbar and back support. The Ford Fiesta ST also boasts excellent visibility, with clear views of the road and all four corners of the car.  

In fact, the Ford Fiesta ST’s cabin ergonomics are superb and easily surpass rivals like the Volkswagen Polo and Vauxhall Corsa, with good comfort levels and plenty of cubby holes and cupholders.

There is also lots of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel, with it taking just a few seconds to find the perfect driving position.

Ford resisted the urge to overcomplicate things when it came to the dashboard and based the centre console on the layout of a mobile phone, with a large multi-functional display at the top and simple buttons below. It’s a really good idea, and makes the radio and CD controls simple to understand.

Storage is plentiful and the Ford Fiesta ST’s boot has 290 litres of space, although this drops to 276 litres if you specify an optional spare wheel. It’s not the largest in this class of car, but should prove sufficient for most tasks.

An adjustable load floor compartment was an option, which makes it considerably easier to load and unload heavy items.

It’s no secret that Ford made significant gains with its interiors ahead of the launch of this model and it is a vast improvement over previous versions, with a well-crafted cabin that’s adorned with hard-wearing fittings and trim.

Everything feels sturdy and built with purpose, while the cabin architecture has a simple but intelligent layout, which makes it a pleasant place to be.

There are aux and USB connections for devices, plus the bonus of remote audio controls on the steering wheel. It comes with a Sony radio with DAB and 4.2-inch TFT display. It looks a bit dated now, but still works just fine for most needs.

One of the Ford Fiesta ST’s technological developments was Ford SYNC, which simplified the whole ‘infotainment’ experience, with integration for receiving phone calls, selecting music and using the optional sat-nav system.

The Ford Fiesta ST could also be specified with direct voice commands, which allows the driver to select music, radio stations or make phone calls with the sound of their voice. It all works with a wonderful simplicity, which should win over even the biggest of technophobes.

Another important feature is MyKey, which provided parents with an optional second key for their children. This second key can be programmed with parameters set by the parents, for instance limiting top speed, setting off warning sounds if they forget their seatbelts and limiting the maximum volume of the radio.

Early Ford Fiesta STs of this generation start at around £6500 for cars with average mileages for their age. This will get you an ST-1 or ST-2 version, while the ST-3 with its more generous equipment will be a further £500 due to demand for this model.

Go for a late example of the Ford Fiesta ST, and you can expect to pay up to £11,000 for one with low miles and in immaculate condition.

Ford claimed a combined economy of 47.9mpg for the Ford Fiesta ST when it was new, which was impressive stuff for a quick, compact hot hatch. In our Real MPG results, the Ford Fiesta ST scores a still excellent 37.6mpg average, so keeping one fuelled up isn’t going to break the bank.

Nor will servicing at Ford dealers or good independent garages, while insurance sits in group 30, so it won’t sting anyone with a clean driving history and some no-claims bonus.

Carbon dioxide emissions are 138g/km for the Ford Fiesta ST, so road tax will be £180 at the time of writing. The Ford Fiesta ST can also be used in low-emissions zones without fear of penalty charges.

The Ford Fiesta ST range started off with three trim options, comprising the simply titled 1, 2 and 3 versions, but the basic 1 was soon dropped as not many people chose it.

In Ford Fiesta ST-1 form, buyers got 17-inch alloy wheels, body kit with rear spoiler, the 4.2-inch infotainment screen, DAB radio, Recaro front sports seats and cloth upholstery.

Take the Ford Fiesta ST-2, as many did when it was new, and you get half-leather front seats that are heated, Sony stereo and keyless ignition.

Choose the Ford Fiesta ST-3 if you want keyless locking, cruise control, automatic wipers and lights, climate control and an auto-dimming rear view mirror.

There was also a limited-edition Ford Fiesta ST200 model with a 200PS engine as standard that was based on the ST-3 specification.