ST 3dr

Great fun, but a hard ride.

This is my wife's car. It was bought at 2 years old with circa 13,000 miles. It has now done 68,000 miles.

This is a fun car to drive. It feels very different from the larger Focus ST (see separate review). All the controls are very responsive and the communication to the driver is clear and direct. The steering is sharp and the gear change snappy. The engine lacks low down torque but pulls well from 3000 rpm. It is a car where the driver can feel all the forces involved and knows exactly what is going on. It feels like it would make a great budget track day car with little modification.

However, the flip side of the driver involvement and responsive feel is that the car can be quite tiring to drive and it transmits all bumps and irregularities into the cabin. I find myself constantly searching out potholes to avoid them. The suspension is very firm with little travel and the low profile tyres offer little bump absorption. This has also taken its toll on the suspension-the car has recently had 2 new front springs fitted.

Though not as solid feeling as the Focus, the car still looks fresh. Apart from a few stone chips the white paintwork still looks good and the blue/black part leather interior looks almost new and is surprisingly rattle free. Servicing has been quite cheap and tyres (O.E. Pirelli) last well. Other than the springs the car has required a new OSR wheel bearing (quite common) and a new BBS for the alarm as it is sensibly placed where water can get to it! We had the wheels powder coated at 4 years old as they had corroded quite badly. Fuel consumption tends to be about 34 MPG. Late 30s are possible on a long journey, but motorway economy and refinement are hampered by the lack of a sixth gear-the engine is doing 3500rpm at 70mph in top gear.

Overall the car is great fun and has been largely reliable, however, the hard suspension and lack of refinement can sometimes grate if all you want to do is get from A-B. For a youngish driver who wants to do the occasional track day, a Fiesta ST would be a great, relatively inexpensive choice.

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