Ford Fiesta ST150 review: the 2005 hot hatch test

This review was originally published in issue 136 of Top Gear magazine (2005)

It’s the old line, isn’t it: what counts isn’t what you’ve got, but the way you use it. That, at least, is the argument Ford is leaning on as it releases the Fiesta ST150. The Blue Oval isn’t naïve; it knows perfectly well that anyone eyeing up the hottest Fiesta will also be cross-shopping a RenaultSport Clio or a Mini Cooper S. And yes, those pack 182 and 170bhp while the Fiesta makes do with 150. Ford’s message is simple: it’s about how you deploy it.

Ford Fiesta ST150 styling and stance

As a starting point, it certainly looks like it means business. Regular Fiestas can come over a bit dowdy, but in three-door form this one finally feels like it belongs in the conversation, wearing just the right dose of spoilerage, sillage and foglampage. With 17-inch alloys wrapped in 205/40 P Zeroes, plus chunkier bumpers giving it more muscle, it lands the stance and that “machined” feel Chris Bird talked about from day one.

There’s a faint product-design flavour to it rather than conventional car-styling fuss - particularly in Apple Mac white. Forget the hot hatch; this is the iHatch.

Hot-hatch credentials and where I’m coming from

I should probably nail my colours to the mast here. I’ve got form with small, lively hatches - and I’m a fan. Ten years back I ran through a string of hot Peugeot 106s, including the daft Rallye. And some of my best drives in the last couple of years have been in Mini Coopers. Little overexcited hatches practically demand a thrashing: you jam yourself into a shoebox cabin, sit upright at the wheel, and fire it along the road. They’re cheeky, and they’re within reach financially.

Engine, gearbox and performance

To keep the price sensible, the ST150 uses a mainstream engine - but considering it also pulls duty in the 2.0-litre Mazda6 and Mondeo, you can guess what it’s like in a lighter Fiesta. Getting it under the bonnet wasn’t trivial, either; it took serious effort to squeeze in.

It isn’t simply lifted and dropped in unchanged, though. Ford has made a handful of subtle tweaks to sharpen it up, sacrificing a touch of idle smoothness in return. Honestly, that’s no great loss. A freer-flowing exhaust helps liberate a few extra horses as well, and it also supplies the kind of healthy hot-hatch noise you’d hope for.

Drive goes through a standard Fiesta ’box, but with a shorter gearlever so it feels that bit more snick-snick. The ratios have been tightened up too, and some of the gears are uprated for strength.

On the move there’s a pleasingly urgent shove, helped by the sort of torque that gets a supercharged Cooper off the line and into its stride. It’s not an out-and-out rev addict, yet it never leaves you feeling short-changed: there’s plenty in reserve for overtakes, and a proper punch when you’re powering out of bends. Ford also quotes 0-60mph rather than the more typical 0-62, which helps it slip in just under the eight-second mark.

Chassis, steering and brakes

The chassis doesn’t merely cope; it makes the most of it. First up, it clings on like mad. Springs, dampers and anti-roll bars are all stiffer. The aim is quicker response at the nose, despite that extra lump of engine over the front axle, so it gets a faster steering rack.

At the back there’s more resistance to roll, which means you can adjust the attitude on the throttle. It’s spot on - and in a very Ford way: it can feel as if it’s pushing wide, but the more you lean on it and the harder you work the wheel, the more bite the front end seems to find. It’s a proper little terrier.

Braking is upgraded too: larger items all round, plus rear discs - a first for any Fiesta. That’s not only excellent for hauling it up repeatedly today; it’ll also delight all the kids who’ll be tarting up their STs in a few years’ time. Big multi-spoke alloys framing green-painted rear drums is absolutely not the look.

And yet… I can’t help thinking the whole package could have felt that bit more urgent. There’s a slight softness in the steering and in the throttle response. It certainly makes the car more straightforward to drive, and lends it a Golf GTI sort of polish - but is that really the brief here?

Even so, the Fiesta definitely has genuine feist, and because I was having a good time I managed to make Barry the photographer feel ill. Sorry, Barry. Taking it easy also reveals another side to the ST: it’s genuinely civilised, and it doesn’t come across as two whole class-sizes below a Golf GTI. Wind noise is well suppressed, the suspension rarely makes a fuss, and if you surf the torque rather than chase the red line the engine won’t disturb the neighbours.

Most Fiestas have cabins that feel penny-pinched and gloomy, but in the ST the large, curvy seats and a bit of extra brightwork lift the atmosphere enough that it’s no longer a deal-breaker.

Look up and out, though, and enjoy the buzz of flinging it down a road. The ST150 extracts the maximum from what it has.

Verdict: A rapid, entertaining B-road tool thanks to a superb chassis and a torquey engine. Those stripes, mind - cheeesy!

2.0-litre 4cyl
150bhp, 140lb ft
FWD
0-60mph in 7.9secs, 129mph
1,137kg
£13,595

Words: Paul Horrell