Test drive review - from me - a former Mazda2 Genki driver.
This car is worth the $ just for the engine. It's seriously - fun.
Pretty much everything I have read about this car, I agree with. The cockpit is very black, and there are a lot of buttons. They are just out of reach for the driver. And it's funny that there are so many since there's voice control for most adjustments! Steering wheel height adjustment not reach. Which isn't good if your arms are long. It was fine for me, and we know that women have shorter arms than men in relation to height.
The seats have fabric that I didn't like much (wouldn't like them on bare legs!) but as a slim woman, I fit in the seat just fine. The large salesman had more trouble getting comfortable.
Having only three doors, the doors are wide and when open enough to get into, take up probably 75-100cm. Don't park too close to other cars or you can't get in or out of the car! This isn't a shopping centre carpark car. Beware!
What's it like to drive?
First gear must be tuned so that you can't spin the wheels (slow) but from second gear onwards, my goodness! Plant your foot and you're zipping along. The salesman was giggling. haha. I took a hill in 6th gear (90kph) and it didn't complain. I want to see the torque curve. It had a good amount of power in any gear at any speed.
The gears are good, not at all notchy, and the clutch is just right. It was easy rowing through the gears (without missing them, unlike in the gen2 MPS3). It feels as light on the road as it is.
It's easy to park and the blind spots aren't as bad as I was expecting. Rear visibility was quite good. Side visibility isn't. Front visibility is excellent.
I deliberately wandered off the edge of the road to check out the effect of a 'bumpy road'. No issues there. Didn't get a thing through my backside or hands. Left foot on the floor felt the bumps though = decent suspension for Aussie roads.
I didn't have to brake hard but they were as responsive as I needed.
Stereo had excellent sound quality, both with window down and up. I'd buy it for that stereo!
Boot is tiny. Might just fit a medium suitcase. Looks smaller than the Mazda2's. Space saver spare tyre under boot carpet. Back seat access is lousy and the front seat does NOT return to original position when flipped back - you have to manually use the rake. That'll get old quickly.
Would I buy one? Mm... possibly. Ask me again in a few days and let me try to get into that back seat. For $29k on road you do get a lot of fun in a safe and pretty cheap to insure car. It'd be a very fun commuting car if you have a bigger car for trips.
Oh and molten orange looks red. I know this because the salesman and I argued over it until he actually read the key tag in his hand which said molten orange. I would get it in blue. Maybe white. Not orange.
Last edited by countrychic; 04-10-2013 at 06:41 PM.
Very thorough review there!
Your motoring journalism gets a star from me for not complaining about 'torque steer'
Last edited by Jamesa2z; 05-10-2013 at 02:43 PM.
For the bumpness test, I wouldn't count on it in a test drive. All previous performance car's test drive I test drove, felt absolutely fine on sydney road, but its quite different after owning it for a few days.......
Shame it only comes in 3 doors, Volkswagen Golf and polo just announced no more 3 doors for them as they didn't sell very well.
Ford Fiesta Review | 2013 Fiesta ST Hot Hatch Page 1 of 2 | Reviews | Prices | Australian specifications It's still getting rave reviews. Apparently the brakes are good, I didn't slam them on. And what's the go with redlining a tiny hatch? Of course the engine squealed!
The rest of this TMR review agrees with my test drive review of the Fiesta ST - except for the ability to get into the back seat (noting it says 2 adults, but has 3 seatbelts) where I disagree that it's easy to do!
The 3-door model killed it for me. We need access to that back seat daily. Also driveaway price is much more like $29,000-$32,000 than $25,990!
So... everyone likes the Fiesta ST... I haven't seen one on the roads yet! Have you?
My mate just got one, no stock till Dec not bad $27800 drive away
ZAS just bought one of these to turn into an Optimum Polymer Technologies sponsored rally car
https://www.facebook.com/notes/opti-...10462452352542
Going to be a beast
... and @SarcasticOne calls this a warm hatch.
Be interesting to see how it goes on the rally track!
http://www.fordaustraliaforums.com/f...-seats.-1-000& Steven is selling off his rims ($?) and seats ($1k) of the above mentioned soon to be rally car. Which would be fine if you had a 3-door to throw the seats into. Don't blame him. .
Last edited by countrychic; 25-11-2013 at 11:41 AM.