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It's easy to be dismissive of the 2014 Ford Fiesta ST. When you think of all the great fast Fords of the past, not many of them are tiny hatchbacks with four-cylinder engines driving the front wheels. If within the genre of sporting automobiles there were a polar opposite to a Shelby Mustang, without a doubt you'd be looking at it right now.
But don't be too quick to judge. If the car can cash the check written by those two little letters after its name, the Fiesta ST may yet be a force to be reckoned with. ST stands for Sport Technologies and on all cars to which it has so far been fitted (recently the Focus ST in the U.S. and European Focus, Fiestas and Mondeos for many years) it has produced startling results.
A giant of a car it is clearly not, although a giant killer it may yet be. It should also be said here that while the pictures are of European-specification three-door cars, all U.S. STs will have five-door bodywork.
Punching Above Its Weight
Don't spend too long looking at other heated-up hatchbacks in this category in the hope of getting a sense of what the 2014 Ford Fiesta ST might have to offer. A Chevy Sonic RS has a mere 138 horsepower and even that mighty mouse the Mini Cooper S offers just 181 hp. Instead the Fiesta ST's 1.6-liter EcoBoost motor is just 3 hp short of the magic 200-hp mark, a figure backed by an even more impressive 214 pound-feet of torque. Indeed it has the same torque at 1,600 rpm (177 lb-ft) as the Cooper S offers in total, yet Ford says it should hit 34 mpg combined, compared to the Mini's 29 mpg.
Unsurprisingly, Ford has modified the rest of the car to suit and not just with the usual cosmetic applications of flared wheel arches, a rear wing, chin spoiler, twin pipes and big 17-inch rims. The suspension is lowered by 15mm and substantially stiffened — twice as much at the back as at the front. The front struts also have been modified to provide more accurate wheel control under large cornering forces. A quicker steering rack has been fitted, as has three-stage ESP that allows no slip, some slip or all the slip in the world depending on which setting you choose. Torque vectoring, which can brake an inside front wheel midcorner to improve cornering balance, is also present.
Inside you'll find chunky Recaro seats, ST badging, a thick leather wheel and gearshifter. Ford also now offers a 6.5-inch LCD touchscreen in place of the unlovable Sony push-button infotainment system. Programmable MyKey options allow the owner to limit the car's speed and audio volume for when others are driving. Finally the ST specification includes a mechanical sound symposer for enhancing the sound of desirable engine noises in the cabin.
As Good as It Sounds?
Those Recaros really make a difference. Not only do they look good, but the way they hug your body almost like a race seat instantly tells you that, contrary to what you can see in a cabin that's little changed from standard, this experience is going to be different.
There's no fire and brimstone from the engine as it starts: It sounds like any other smooth, well-balanced Ford four. But as soon as you're moving and without your having to stomp the throttle, the ST starts establishing its credentials.
It's the steering you notice first. It's not just more direct, it's more positive, too, answering your inputs more swiftly and accurately. The ride is clearly stiffer, too, but it's appropriate for this kind of car. It's firm enough to offer control and composure but not threaten your dental work. The gearbox is good and six manual gears are all that's available. Despite its class-leading power, the ST is not about how fast you can go, but how much fun you can have going fast. For that you need to feel the connection to the machine provided by a quick gearbox with close ratios and a pleasantly mechanical feel.
The engine feels every bit as strong as its numbers suggest, particularly if you gas it at medium revs. Even so, there is some lag. And despite the symposer, its voice is more pleasant than inspirational. In Europe it's claimed to reach 62 mph in 6.9 seconds and it easily feels that quick. Still, this engine is not much more than a delivery mechanism for the real fun this car has to offer.
Let's Twist Again
String a decent set of corners together in the ST and the first thing you'll want to do is turn the car around and try them the other way. We first saw Ford's highly unorthodox approach to hot hatchback chassis tuning with the oversteer-adoring Focus ST. Its little brother now confirms this was more a product of policy than accident.
It's best to find out about it first with the ESP set to allow some slip rather than disengaged altogether. There's nothing inherently treacherous about the ST's chassis. Indeed, it is the very immediacy with which it executes your instructions that might take you by surprise. If you go powering into a bend and cut the gas halfway around, it's going to assume you want to tighten your line and tighten it will — right up to the point where all understeer has been killed stone dead. Then the electronics will chime in to stop it from getting any looser. You could, of course, do it yourself using the throttle, but Ford correctly assumes most drivers won't know what to do in this scenario and safely steps in with the electronics.
Remove all the electronic safety nets and it'll wag its tail like a live-axle muscle car on a wet road thanks to the decision to increase stiffness at the back by twice as much as the front. Few of us associate small front-drive hatchbacks with armfuls of countersteer, but if you want it, the Fiesta ST is here to provide it.
Performance Value
Driving like this is not the fastest way from apex to apex but we should remind ourselves that's not how to look at the ST. This is a car that's all about the provision of fun in a small, frugal, usable package. It knows that raw speed is only one ingredient in this complex recipe. It accepts that it is how that performance is harnessed that is the true measure of the machine.
For driving enthusiasts needing a car that's both cheap to buy and run, Ford has added another winner to its ST stable. U.S. pricing has not been announced, but if the strategy follows Focus ST pricing, the 2014 Ford Fiesta ST will come in under the Titanium trim level below $18,000. Its engine could do with more character, its electric steering would be improved by better feedback, but for $5,000 less than a Mini Cooper S, it's hard to think of another car out there that can touch it.
And it definitely lives up to the ST badge.
Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.
Used 2014 Ford Fiesta listings and inventory:
Shop Edmunds' used car, SUV, and truck listings of over 6 million pre-owned vehicles to find a cheap used and certified pre-owned (CPO) 2014 Ford Fiestas for sale near Ashburn VA. There are currently 328 used and CPO 2014 Fiestas listed for sale in your area, with list prices as low as 5,295 and mileage as low as 18,625. Simply research the type of used car, SUV, or truck you're interested in and then select a vehicle from our massive database to find cheap pre-owned vehicles for sale near you. Once you have identified a used vehicle you're interested in, check the Carfax and Autocheck vehicle history reports, read dealer reviews, and find out what other owners paid for the used 2014 Ford Fiesta. Then select Edmunds' special offers, perks, deals, and incentives to contact the dealer of your choice and save up to 315 on a used or CPO 2014 Fiesta available from one of 2,634 dealerships in your area.
What's a good price on a used 2014 Ford Fiesta ?
Save up to $314.9 on one of 47 used 2014 Ford Fiestas for sale at dealerships within 25 miles of Ashburn, Virginia with prices as low as $5295 as of Apr 19, 2018, based on data from 18 dealers and 387 consumer-driven dealer ratings ranging from 1 to 5 out of 5 stars.
Price comparisons for used 2014 Ford Fiesta trim styles:
The used 2014 Ford Fiesta S is priced around $6298 with average odometer reading of 63769 miles.
The used 2014 Ford Fiesta ST is priced around $13948 with average odometer reading of 47553 miles.
The used 2014 Ford Fiesta SE is priced around $8531 with average odometer reading of 58498 miles.
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What options are available on the 2014 Ford Fiesta?
Available Ford Fiesta 2014 Submodel Types: Sedan, Hatchback, ST
Available Ford Fiesta 2014 Trims: SE, SES, S, SEL, ST, Titanium
Exterior Colors: Shadow Black, Magnetic Metallic, White Platinum Metallic Tri-Coat, Lightning Blue Metallic, Hot Pepper Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat, Bohai Bay Mint Metallic, Chrome Copper Metallic, Tuxedo Black Metallic, Storm Grey Metallic, Magnetic Metallic (Late Availability), Violet Grey Metallic, Lime Squeeze Metallic, Orange Spice Metallic Tri-Coat, Kona Blue Metallic, Ingot Silver Metallic, Blue Flame Metallic, Electric Spice Metallic, Green Envy Metallic Tri-Coat, Race Red, Red Candy Metallic Tinted Clearcoat, Black, Blue Candy Metallic Tinted Clearcoat, Oxford White, Performance Blue, Monterey Gray Metallic, Outrageous Green Metallic Tinted Clearcoat, Ruby Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat, Molten Orange Metallic Tri-Coat, Yellow Blaze Metallic Tri-Coat
Interior Colors: Charcoal Black w/Reverse Contrast Stitching premium cloth, Charcoal Black w/Sterling Stone Insert cloth, Smoke Storm leather/cloth, Charcoal Black w/Charcoal Accents cloth, Charcoal Black w/Red Stitching premium cloth, Molten Orange leather/cloth, Light Stone w/Charcoal Black cloth, Medium Light Stone w/Embossed Seat Design premium cloth, Charcoal Black premium cloth, Light Stone w/Charcoal Black premium cloth, Charcoal Black w/Blue Accent premium cloth, Charcoal Black w/Charcoal Bolster Accents cloth, Charcoal Black leather, Cashmere w/Charcoal Black Piping leather, Charcoal Black w/Embossed Seat Design premium cloth, Charcoal Black w/Reverse Silver Stitching premium cloth, Medium Light Stone leather
Popular Features: Keyless Entry/Start, Apple Carplay/Android Auto, Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel, Aux Audio Inputs, Bluetooth, Fold Flat Rear Seats, Post-collision safety system, Rear Bench Seats, Stability Control, Tire Pressure Warning, USB Inputs, Alarm, Trip Computer, Power Driver Seat, Auto Climate Control, Mobile Internet, Heated seats, Sunroof/Moonroof, Back-up camera, Leather Seats, Parking sensors, Navigation, Remote Start, Upgraded Engine
Engine/Mechanics: 4, 3 cylinders
Transmission: AUTOMATED_MANUAL, MANUAL
Fuel Types: regular unleaded
Drivetrains: front wheel drive
Used 2014 Ford Fiesta Overview
The used 2014 Ford Fiesta is offered in the following submodels: Sedan, Hatchback, ST. Available styles include SE 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl 5M), ST 4dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 6M), and Titanium 4dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl 5M). Pre-owned Fiesta models are available with a 0-liter gas engine, with output up to 0 hp, depending on engine type. The used 2014 Fiesta comes with front wheel drive. Available transmissions include: 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual.
