Used Ford Fiesta ST 2013-2017 review

The Ford Fiesta ST is one of those hot hatches that comes along, puts a grin on the face of those who get behind the wheel and makes them fall in love with driving all over again. The ST is just that much fun to drive.

It's happened in the past – the Peugeot 205 GTi comes to mind – and it's happened since, with the rally-bred Toyota GR Yaris. Like the focus of this review, the 2013-2017 ST, the latest (and sadly last) Fiesta ST was similarly well received, too.

Engines & Performance: Under the bonnet is a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which drives the front wheels via a slick six-speed manual gearbox. A power output of 180bhp (rising to 197bhp for periods of 'overboost') might sound underwhelming, but in a car of its petite size and weight, it really isn't.

Officially, the 0-62mph sprint takes 6.9sec, but it feels quicker and the engine really starts to fizz towards the redline, so the car begs you to put your foot down and keep it there. Unless you've just hopped out of a Porsche, you'll be pleased with the ST's straight-line performance.

Ride & Handling: The Fiesta ST's handling is even more pleasing and arguably the model's best attribute – it's certainly the most giggle-some. From the steering to the balance and body control, the ST is alive with precision, engagement and communication.

It's a true driver's car, being on your side and willing – eager, in fact – for you to play with the car's capabilities and limits, those of which are approachable and accessible at road speeds. It's all brilliant fun.

The trade-off is that, particularly around town, the ride is rather harsh and crashy. However, as cited in our Ford Fiesta ST last look, you can opt for a 2016 or 2017 example to reduce this harshness a tad – the ST saw a slightly more complaint ride for those two model years.

Interior & Practicality: The ST's Recaro sports seats are fantastic, very figure hugging and comfortable – handy, considering the rough ride. The driving position as a whole is far from perfect, though: six-foot adults will likely want the seat to go lower than it's able to, while pretty much everyone will want some reach adjustment in the steering wheel (of which there isn't any).

Bar some 'ST' touches here and there, the interior is essentially the same as the regular 2008-2017 Ford Fiesta's, which is to say quality is fine at best, albeit rather poor next to a VW Polo and very poor next to a Mini Hatch. There is some squishy material on the dashboard, some leather on the steering wheel and handbrake, as well as the suitably sporty gearlever, but that's your lot and cheap plastics rule over the vast majority of the interior. Build quality is decent for the most part, though.

There’s a reasonable amount of space in the back for two – or three for short hops – and there’s enough space in the boot for a couple of suitcases or a large weekly shop. If you're after the most practical Fiesta ST, you'll need the rare five-door model that was introduced in the final year of production (2017).

Trims & Equipment: There are three main trim options to seek out. The ST-1 trim grants 17in alloy wheels, a body kit, rear spoiler, rear diffuser and honeycomb mesh grille, as well as a DAB radio and fabric-upholstered Recaro seats. Few people opted for this trim, mind you.

The more popular, mid-range ST-2 adds partial leather and heated front Recaro seats, keyless start and a Sony stereo system, while the ST-3 models get sat-nav, cruise control, climate control, keyless entry and automatic wipers and headlights, plus an auto-dimming mirror.

There's also the limited-run ST200. It gets all of ST-3's kit, but ups power to 197bhp (212bhp on overboost) and gets an exclusive exterior and wheel paint combination. Only 400 examples were built.

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There’s good news here. You can buy a 2013 or 2014 Fiesta ST in ST-2 trim and with a mileage of around 60,000 for around £7000. You only need to up your budget by around a grand to see ST-3 cars, too.

For a 2016 ST-2 with around 40,000 miles on it, have around £9000 – again, ST-3 cars are around £1000 more. A 2017 five-door will currently set you back around £12,000 and the limited-run ST200 around the same.

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MPG: As running a quick car goes, the Fiesta ST is very affordable. The on-paper claimed average fuel consumption figure is a respectable 47.9mpg, according to the older NEDC tests, with corresponding CO2 emissions of 138g/km.

During our tenor with one, we saw an average of 41.5mpg – that was mostly motorway journeys, mind you.

Road tax: Those cars registered before the road tax changes of April 2017 came into force will currently attract a charge of £190 per year and that's based on its CO2 emissions. Funnily enough, those registered after said date will pay the same amount, because the flat-fee for all petrol and diesel cars is now £190 per year.

Insurance and servicing: The ST sits in insurance group 30, which is about average for this kind of car. Ford servicing costs should be moderate, too, and the intervals are pretty long at 12,500 miles or every 12 months. You should also be able to take advantage of Ford's fixed-price Motorcraft scheme at participating dealerships, with a yearly service costing £159. A timing belt is required every 10 years or 125,000 miles and costs £475, or £540 if you renew the water pump at the same time.

There's only the one engine option in the ST, but there are a choice of trims. Although the Fiesta is great in any spec, you can pick up the top trim, ST-3, for reasonable money, so we'd opt for that.

Our favourite Ford Fiesta ST: 1.6 ST-3

The Volkswagen Golf GTI is appealing for its everyday usability. It's more practical, refined and comfortable than the Fiesta ST, but in turn it's not as entertaining to drive – and by some margin.

The Renault Clio RS is a serious bit of kit, being very fast and sharp – it's great on a track. However, you could accuse it of being too serious. For instance, the last generation of the model is only available with an automatic gearbox and the handling, while impressive, isn't as playful as the ST's.

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Interested in buying a used Ford Fiesta ST? Visit our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.