The 2015 Ford Fiesta ST

2015 Ford Fiesta ST

1.6 Litre, 4-cylinder engine
197 hp
202 ft-lbs
6-speed transmission

$24,599

Non-car nerds – ST means it’s the performance model of the Fiesta.

Which is why the ST is ONLY available with a manual transmission; how rare and proper.

The 1.6 litre engine outputs a ton of torque for the vehicle’s small size. The dust in the top photo is from me tossing it around the windy Muskoka roads, shifting between second and third on the gear ratios that are good and close together, windows down to heighten the wrrrrr sound of the turbo.

Because that’s what you do
with a Fiesta ST – toss it.

Its sport-tuned suspension gives it a great grip on the road, steering is tight and direct, acceleration is brisk through the rev range, and its handling is as close to neutral as possible in a front-wheel drive car.

The list of standard features is strong – heated seats and mirrors, keyless entry, push start, fog lights, Sony speaker system and cruise control-  uncommon in a vehicle at this price point.

I’d forgo the +$495 racing stripe, and instead upgrade the rims to the +$550 black aluminum ones.

Know who else drives one? Ken Block drives a Fiesta ST.

At 8.3 L /100 km over 780km fuel economy is good, espeically because remember how I drive – like a pig.

My main complaint of the ST is a small thing, but big enough it has its own post.

The RECARO racing seats come standard, and actually, the car cannot be ordered without them.

And while the orange-coloured inserts are no additional cost, I find it makes the interior visually a bit busy. But really, styling is so subjective.

Beneath the trunk floor is a surprisingly large area for extra storage.

It’s not translating well in the photos below, but the space is quite cavernous.

This is an ideal car for the young, starter enthusiast.

It’s tough to beat the ST for the amount of fun at this price point.  Its competitors are Subaru’s BRZ and Mazda’s MX-5, but both those cars are 2-seaters, instantly making them a secondary car.

Right now is Ford’s annual Employee Pricing event, take advantage of the sale which ends September 30th, 2015.

Blog tag = Ford Fiesta

 

 

 

The Smallest Engine Available – Ford’s 1.0 L

At just 1.0L, Ford’s all-new engine is the smallest for sale in Canada, and at about 11 inches, it will fit into a piece of luggage – really!

It’s available only on the Fiesta, which was all-new last year, so, same interior and exterior styling, and new Aston Martin inspired grille.

* this 1.0L engine is available only in manual. 

Interesting huh. I’m fine with that, but considering 80% of Fiesta buyers choose automatic transmissions, hmmm. Certainly though, it helps with its excellent fuel economy, which is the purpose of this engine – gas powered that’s fun to drive, while still achieving a low rating.

Read my full review on Autonet.

My driving partner for this test was Jeremy Sinek… Mega Test Team, UNITE.

I’ve tested more cars with him than anyone else, and it’s a good match because we are opposites.

At 1.7 years of auto journalism, I’m still the new kid, and at 40 years, he’s a veteran. He’s into hyper-miling, whereupon I “drive like a pig” (I actually got that line in the paper ha.)

Read his review here, that’s me he’s talking about, 9th paragraph.

Best part of the test was the track.

I hurled the little guy around, and there was even some clapping after one particular hairpin.

(photo: Jeremy Sinek)

I’m nothing special behind the wheel, but as I’ve said before in video, I have great enthusiasm, and the appropriate amount of aggression.

My new skills were thanks to my trainers.

Left is Paul Caravello, and right is Daniel Bois, welcome to my blog guys!

How’s this for a closing-post shot?

 2014 Ford Fiesta

Add the 1.0 L engine, the “SE Manual EcoBoost Package”, for $1,295

 

 

Around the Track with Ken Block

Ford invited me to an event a few weeks back, Ken Block was in Toronto, and they’d set him up a course.

Non-car nerds: Ken Block, world-class precision driver and drifter. Sponsored by Ford, GoPro, Monster. Co-founded DC Shoes.

Watch him drift all of San Francisco:

He drives a 2013 Ford Fiesta ST RX43, outputting 650-hp and 650 lb-ft of torque, 0-100 km/h in 1.8 seconds.

Then, total luck, this happened:

We went around the course, it was about 90 seconds that felt like 2.

For such a maniacal sport, it was so calm in the cabin, surprised me; there’s less movement required than you may think.

We flew around,  I let myself get tossed around in the Gs, the entire cabin filled with smoke, and Ken drove so hard the car broke, making ours the final run of the day.

And then…

Above is the file list, no Ken footage, just poof: missing.  No explanation, that’s hard on a stomach.  Imagine writing that email to Ford… then one to Motoring TV… omg of all the footage to lose, in all the lands…

Adding to the disappointment: the footage of me driving the auto-cross course was also gone, and I’d driven so well that day.

Ken released his latest video, Gymkhana SIX. Wrote about it on Autonet yesterday, here. It’s ridiculous, go watch.

 

 

About My New Newspaper Column Job

Starting tomorrow, I’ll have a regular 300-word column about car culture for Sun Media, specifically the paper 24 Hours Toronto, their automotive site AutoNet, and potentially in Sun publications across Canada.

I’ll be writing about car culture.  Topics like: how to make fast sharp turns safely; pedestrians need to back up; go for a lazy drive down to Cherry Beach because, when was the last time you did?

     Best parts about this:

          1 – I’m paid to write about something I blogged & videod for 5 years: I love driving

          2 – my email is published at the bottom of each article

          3 – I made a blog make money

Meet my editor Joe Duarte, and welcome to my blog, Joe!

We met at Honda’s First Ever Manual Driving School. He emailed that I almost hit him, I replied eye roll, he emailed back the below photo.

This photo is funny, and proves nothing.

This will be my profile pic for now, until their official photographer can book me in.  Which thankfully is not this week because omg look at my hair.  No don’t.

Taken while waiting in the lobby. Is this happening?

Am I signing this? I won’t have full control of something.

 I’m most excited to see my name in print,

in ink, on paper, to hold it in real life.

You can blog and blog and video and blog, and no matter how much you make, you can never hold it.

  • 1 – my celebratory burger & beer
  • 2 -I’ve been concerned about making the adjustment from blog writing to print writing, and seeing this made me feel better, “totes”
  • 3 – this too. I had that exact Fiesta in the spring.  I can do this.

Let’s DO this!

Really pumped guys!  Thanks for continuing to cheer me on.

Love,

Keri

 

 

I’m Mobile Again YA Buddy

Boarded the GO train yesterday morning to Oakville.  I like the train.  Probably because I don’t have to take it everyday.

Destination was Ford Headquarters.

I walked in…hi hi I’m Keri, you have a car for me. Yes we do, here are the keys.

30 seconds later, this:

THAT is class.

The first place I drove was my beloved Cherry Beach.

And I am. It’s one of my favourite places in Toronto.

I have filmed so many videos there:

This is Morning Drive
I Read You my Manifesto
Getting Sand
No More Studio
– and more.

Being mobile is important, I designed my life around it, and when I was rendered car-less last year well, that was a big problem.

See ya later problem!

Seat heaters YES. Those will stay on the entire week.

And it came pre-programmed with all my favourite radio stations. How did they know?! :|

Thank you, Ford!

I look forward to cornering the crap out of your Fiesta. Wink ;)