What's the news?
We're big fans of the current Fiesta ST, and the buying public seems to like it too. Over 38,000 of the little flyers have found homes in Europe since 2013 despite the lack of a five-door option, but Ford has now rectified that. This is good news for hot hatch enthusiasts who may have been turned off the three-door model due to practicality concerns, so this is a particularly shrewd move from the American manufacturer.
Spec-wise, it's the same story as the three-door, with the grunty 182hp 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine propelling the slightly heavier shell to 100km/h in an identical 6.9 seconds. The ST's superb chassis remains, so if you can tolerate a slightly jiggly ride on rougher roads then the reward will be a huge grin on your face. ST-2 and ST-3 trim levels are available in the same five colours as the existing car, and Ford expects the five-door body to account for 25% of ST sales in Europe.
While purists may bemoan the ongoing shift away from the tradition of three-door hot hatches, there is no denying that this opens up a whole new market for the ST. There's not much else that can match it dynamically for the money, so it's easy to imagine it becoming a common sight alongside the three-door on these shores. There's no official word on Irish pricing just yet, but you can expect a premium of around €1,000 over the current ST-2 starting price of €26,390. Visit www.ford.ie or your nearest dealer for more information.