PARTY ANIMAL

Ford’s hot hatch is one of the most engaging performance cars out there, quirks and all

Fiesta means celebration.

And that’s how hot hatch fans should feel about Ford’s new Fiesta ST, an affordable performance car worth celebrating in trying times.

Australia almost missed out on the new model. Ford could not build a sensible business case for the standard Fiesta hatchback, a car effectively replaced by the upcoming Puma baby SUV.

But the previous-generation Fiesta ST was a hit with enthusiasts and Ford understands the importance of niche vehicles, having tasted success with the Mustang and Ranger Raptor.

On sale in the UK since 2018, the Fiesta is late to its own party. Fortunately, there are precious few rivals in this class — VW’s Polo GTI is the obvious alternative, while Toyota’s turbocharged and all-wheel-drive Yaris is likely to be more expensive and the French have not readied successors to the discontinued Peugeot 208 GTi or Renault Clio RS.

Priced from $31,990 plus on-road costs (about $36,000 drive-away), the Fiesta ST costs a substantial $6000 more than the previous generation model. But it does have more gear, including pretty LED running lights, an 8-inch touchscreen with smartphone mirroring, thumping 10-speaker Bang and Olufsen stereo and driver aids such as autonomous emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring.

Australian cars are loaded with kit that costs more on overseas variants, including heated Recaro seats, Ferrari-lookalike 18-inch alloys and a tasty performance pack that adds a limited-slip differential and launch control.

The only options are a panoramic sunroof ($2500) and metallic paint ($650).

Ford backs the car with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Servicing costs $299 for each of the first four visits.

This hatchback doesn’t make a strong first impression on looks alone — particularly as the new car comes with an unassuming (though practical) five-door body shell as opposed to the old car’s coupe-like three-door layout. The understated styling helps the Ford fly under the radar, save for pentagram wheels which hint at the devil inside.

The cabin is spot-on, with deeply-bolstered sports seats, a perforated leather flat-bottomed steering wheel, well-placed (if petite) pedals and a six-speed transmission with a short and crisp shift action.

A prod of the starter button reveals the most significant change — the unmistakeable offbeat purr of a three-cylinder engine. Based on the 1.5-litre turbo motor found in the Ford Focus, the Fiesta’s willing little three-pot makes 147kW and 290Nm.

While those aren’t particularly big numbers, this isn’t a particularly big car. It scoots down the road with uncommon enthusiasm, warbling a throbbing unconventional tune on the way to recording a sub-seven second dash to 100km/h.

It won’t win a lot of drag races or set lap records but it will win plenty of hearts with truly entertaining handling.

Lightning-fast steering combines with taut springs to help this hatch change direction like a crazed terrier. It even cocks its leg when cornering at pace, raising an inside rear tyre and sliding its outer wheel across the road.

You can’t help but grin when the wheel touches down before flooring the throttle, plucking another gear and sizing up the next corner. That clever diff also helps make the most of its turbocharged torque, delivering impressive traction compared with older fast Fords, which flared into wheel spin and tugged at the wheel when exiting corners in a hurry. It’s brilliant fun. And the best part is it’s legal to enjoy.

Too many modern performance cars feel dull and remote at everyday speed, coming to life only at racetrack pace but the Fiesta’s magic is readily accessible. Every roundabout brings a smile and every back road an opportunity to savour rare brilliance.

If you love driving, you’ll love the ST. It’s far from perfect, though.

An auto transmission, preferred by the vast majority of new-car buyers, isn’t available and that engine, charming as it is, doesn’t deliver the top-end rush of a true performance thoroughbred. But it wins back points with clever cylinder deactivation technology that returns an official fuel figure of 6.3L/100km. We saw high 4L figures on the motorway.

Fixed-rate suspension is more accommodating than that of its predecessor, but still feels busy on bumpy roads. A racetrack adventure revealed the brakes aren’t built for repeated high-speed stopping and that its tyres are better suited to road use. The mirrors are small. The spare is an annoying space-saver.

Interior plastics are basic, and there are more spacious cars in this class.

But none are as thrilling on a twisty road. Very few cars are, at least for this money.

And that’s why the Fiesta ST is cause for celebration.

VERDICT

Brisk, entertaining and well equipped, the new Ford Fiesta ST is one of the best budget performance cars on sale.