Meet the new Ford Fiesta ST | GRR
As the UK's top seller it's one of the most familiar cars on the road, and now it's getting a new look – more correctly, lots of new looks. From granny's wheels to boy-racer special, each model in the new Ford Fiesta range now boasts more of an individual character.
As before, top model is our favourite Fiesta – the Fiesta ST, honed by Ford Performance. Under the skin it's the same 200PS (149kW) pocket rocket as before, though with a 10 per cent torque boost taking it to 320Nm. It's that skin that changes, and the latest design tweaks suit it well.
The ingredients are honeycomb upper and lower grilles, large lower side vents, Chrystaline Grey finish, and body-colour lip spoiler, side skirts, rear hatch spoiler and rear diffuser. It's all set off by 17-inch (or optional 18‑inch) alloy wheels with a dark Magnetite finish.
All this ST character works well with the much stronger new front end look of all the Fiestas, achieved by a new bonnet that makes the nose taller and sees the Blue Oval badge relocated from bonnet to grille. Suddenly the Fiesta looks a bigger car. Other Fiesta family members get different finishes and grille inserts so they can be more readily told apart. New lights, all LED now, add a finishing touch while inside there's a new 12.3-inch, fully-configurable TFT digital instrument display.
The ST, a long-time drivers' favourite especially with the optional Quaife mechanical limited-slip differential, in this new form gets a Track driving mode which disables traction control and sets ESC to wide-slip mode for circuit driving. The 1.5-litre EcoBoost engine's extra torque, developed between 1,600-4,000rpm, will surely be welcome but is hardly transformative, with Ford quoting 0-62mph in 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 143mph.
Three and five-doors, petrol or mild hybrid engines, Trend, Titanium, ST-Line and Active models each with bespoke styling aimed at different buyers, plus luxury Vignale packs are all available as well. There are also more body colours and a larger range of interior finishes and wheel designs.
Clever new features include local road hazard information, 'Wrong Way Alert' to warn against driving through “No Entry” signs on a motorway ramp, Glare-Free High Beam for the optional Matrix LED headlights, park assist for hands-free manoeuvring into tight parking spots, and a phone app that lets you remotely check fuel level and tyre pressures. There's even something called rear occupant alert to remind you to check the back seats in case you have left the children there. Really?
The latest Ford Fiesta – more all things to all people than it has surely ever been – starts from £16,620 with the first of the new models arriving early in 2022.