Fiesta ST or otherwise

[notGill]

Hi all, first post here after a lot of snooping around!

For some background, I owned a 2016 Mk7 Fiesta ST for over 5 years until the end of June when unfortunately I was crashed into and my pride and joy written off.

I had Mk8 Fiesta ST on order but that was recently cancelled as Ford have just refreshed the model with a facelift and a couple of changes. I provisionally have the facelift ordered but I've been scoping out other possibilities too.

I'm interested to hear opinions, I know a few forum members have the Mk8 Fiesta ST, is anyone thinking of ordering a Mk8.5?

The Fiesta is the perfect sized car for me as I don't really have a requirement for anything bigger, even though I do love fast estates. Most of my driving is around Dublin City. The car has to be manual as my wife will be learning to drive in it at some point soon...we're also a one car household so practicality has to be considered (I almost bought a Cayman during the summer)!

The Fiesta ST to me is a great all-round package and I loved my old one despite the outdated interior.

Is anyone taking the plunge on an i20N?

The car market going belly up hasn't helped things at all with the price of secondhand cars, but I'm interested to hear any opinions or potential other options.

[Titan]

Welcome along and sorry to hear about your ST getting written off.

Just reading the review in Evo and the Hyundai i20N,Fiesta and Yaris GR group test,the Hyundai got very good reviews.

Looks like they have put together a really cracking car there and I think they rated it slightly better than the Fiesta ST.

Is there much difference between the Mk8 ST and the new model?

[notGill]

I'm not fully convinced by the i20N, something about the looks don't really do it for me.

The new model ST gets digital dash, new seats (no more recaros), more torque, and just generally well specced. The only downside is that the initial run will so without folding mirrors and one touch electric windows due to the worldwide chip shortage, but whk knows when they will be brought back.

I've seen a few Golf GTIs for sale recently, I'd get a 2018 for the same budget as a new ST but I've never been mad on them and I'm not sure they have same playfulness as the fiesta. I'm also trying to stay in the realm of sensibility regarding power and avoiding losing my licence with my heavy right foot!

[golfr]

I have a mk8 and it's a great all rounder, in that it can do school runs etc but still a bit of fun. See if you can try an i20n first too. The i20n is a brand new model, where as the fiesta, even the facelift is built on a platform a few years old now. Think the Hyundai is slightly bigger inside too if that's important.

They both have diffs, 200bhp, similar size etc so laptimes etc are prob not going to be noticeable when living with it so it just comes down to preference, and that's the same for journalists too I'd say.

The Hyundai has more tech in it, and more customisation of driving modes etc but suspension is passive so much the same as the ford. Ford has three modes, normal, sport and track. I only ever use sport and track as the throttle is very long in normal.

think the 3 pot prob has more character than the 4, but I haven't driven the 4. It does sound good from the videos though.

Few owners on here as you say, if you have any questions fire away.

[notGill]

I'll try get onto Hyundai but I don't think there will be any demo cars. Not sure even the first customer cars have arrived yet! I've never actually driven a Hyundai so might even see about a normal i20 just to get a feel for it. Fitting into the car is quite important as I'm 6ft3, I know I fit into the fiesta perfectly as my brother and Mum have mk8s.

Looking at reviews, the i20N does look like a nicer place to be inside, but I think they do have quite similar spec at the end of the day.

Just re-watched that Chris Harris mk8 "review" video and you just want to buy an ST after it!!

For anyone who has had a mk7 and then a mk8, I guess it's more of the same, if not better?

The 3 pot is a much better engine by the sounds of the reviews, I think it boils down to the Fiesta being built for our type of roads whereas the i20N appears to be more track focused.

Do you have a 3 door or a 5 door golfr?

[golfr]

I think ford owe a lot of sales to Chris Harris! I have the 5 door version as the back seats are used every day. The car is fine for taller people, but the seats are bolstered a lot, which some can find uncomfortable on longer journeys depending on body shape.

[notGill]

I actually found the old recaros perfect, maybe they moulded to me after so long. The seats are one thing that ford have changed anyway for the facelift.

​​​​​A more general question is, I don't think I'm missing any other small hot hatch options out there? The GR Yaris isn't an option since they've closed the books and also price wise.

I see now that Hyundai have actually raised the price of the i20N by 4.5k since the start of the year if Mooney's website is correct. It really is not a good time to be shopping.

[zero86r]

Did Ford cancel the Mk8 order or did you? Not a lover of the facelift front end lookswise but the performance upgrade is always welcome.

[notGill]

I cancelled it because I didn't want the outgoing one if the facelift was available. I only ordered at the end of July and was expecting the facelift but there was no date. It would have been cancelled regardless judging by the UK forums!

I actually quite like the front end and I prefer the alloys. I've grown to like the replacement seats too and the matrix leds should be a winner.

What's the exhaust note like in reality on the mk8 actually?

[KevC]

For anyone who has had a mk7 and then a mk8, I guess it's more of the same, if not better?

I owned a mk7 for 4 years and recently bought a mk8 and that is exactly how I'd put it. If you have any questions give me a shout, no problem! I'm in Dublin too if you want to have a closer look at a mk8.

[notGill]

I might take you up on that offer KevC depending on what news next week brings in terms of potential price increases (and ability to actually order a new ST).

The price of an i20N is now basically 40k, I can't bring myself to spend that.

I've had another sweep of the used car market and nothing is jumping out at me. I can't believe how well Golfs (GTI/Rs) hold their value!

I've very reluctant to buy something with more power because I feel like it takes some of the fun out of the car. The Fiesta ST is hard to beat when you don't need a big car.

[hooch]

Nice i30N here for what I would consider is reasonable money

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sal...mance/29579597

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[notGill]

IMG20220525173836~2.jpg

To come full circle, I had proceeded with the ST order last year and patiently waited for it to arrive to the dealership just after Easter. I finally got to pick it up last week after 5 weeks of further delays (!!!) and safe to say it was worth the wait.

[hooch]

Nice, well wear that's the facelift model isn't it? Looks great, really like that colour on them too.

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[notGill]

Yep, they started making the facelift in January, my order had been from last July! I find it hilarious how many Magnetic grey Fords are on the roads but they are relatively unnoticed. The colour really sparkles when it's clean but flys under the radar looking dreary when it's filthy.