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Fiesta ST vs GTI

Irishbri

Go Kart Champion
Test driving the the Fiesta ST was what got me into the hot hatch market to begin with....just prior I was trying to narrow my choices down between the (mostly) uninspiring Dodge Dart Rallye and the Mazda 3......
The Fiesta was truly a blast to drive....it plastered a grin on my face during the unaccompanied hour long test drive...I loved it....it seemed to have torque to burn and it was available anywhere, I mean anywhere in the powerband.... (this is my minor gripe with my gti...the throttle response lag lower in the band).

During the test drive, I brought the ST home and quickly discovered that my 14 and 12 y.o. kids would never be even remotely comfortable in the back seats.....i mean they are tiny...

Still, I pretty much had myself talked into it by the time I got it back to the dealer.

Walking in with an exhilaration in my step, and a grin sewn on my face, we started crunching the numbers. The whole time my thoughts are vacillating between the crazy fun factor and the down right impracticality of this little beast.

Ultimately we couldn't reach numbers that I was comfortable with, and he either couldn't or wouldn't find me a slightly stripped down version to get there.

I was disappointed until I found a used 2012 Gti that struck a perfect balance between what I struggled with on the other. Serious spunkiness with DD comfort....

Having just gotten APR Stg 1 tuned....i have to say that, based on my memory of the ST, I am hands down happier with the more refined and (now) more ballsy GTI.

PS...<aside>.I have read on multiple threads (including this one) where there is at least one naysayer who states that the improvement of a Stg 1 tune is lackluster over stock....

My response to all of them is twofold...

1) There is something wrong mechanically with your car, and/or

2) You are not as spirited a driver as you like to think you are.

I loved the GTI stock.....but APR Stage 1 is rocking my world....
 
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syonxwf

Go Kart Champion
Test driving the the Fiesta ST was what got me into the hot hatch market to begin with....just prior I was trying to narrow my choices down between the (mostly) uninspring Dodge Dart Rallye and the Mazda 3......
The Fiesta was truly a blast to drive....it plastered a grin on my face during the un accompanied hour long test drive...I loved it....it seemed to have torque to burn and it was available anywhere, I mean anywhere in the powerband.... (this is my minor gripe with my gti...the throttle response lag lower in the band).

During the test drive, I brought the ST home and quickly discoverd that my 14 and 12 y.o. kids would never be even remotely comfortable in the back seats.....i mean they are tiny...

Still, I pretty much had myself talked into it by the time I got it back to the dealer.

Walking in with an exhilaration in my step, and a grin sewn on my face, we started crunching the numbers. The whole time my thoughts are vacciliating between the craxy fun factor and the down right inpracticality of this little beast.

Ultimately we couldn't reach numbers that I was comfortable with, and he either couldn't or wouldn't find me a slightly stripped down version to get there.

I was disappointed until I found a used 2012 Gti that struck a perfect balance between what I struggled with on the other. Serious spunkinees with DD comfortability....

Having just gotten APR Stg 1 tuned....i have to say that, based on my memory of the ST, I am hands down happier with the more refined and (now) ballsy GTI.

PS...<aside>.I have read on multiple threads (including this one) where there is at least one naysayer who states that the improvement of a Stg 1 tune is lackluster over stock....

My response to all of them is twofold...

Either.1) There is something wrong mechanically with your car, and/or

2) You are not as spirited a driver as you like to think you are.

APR Stage 1....is rocking my world....

APR Stage 1 is absolutely amazing compared to stock. No comparison to stock at all...not sure where you read that people said it's lackluster over stock, everything I read talked about how stage 1 was a must have because of how much better it is.

That being said, if you don't have an intake, look into getting an intake to help with some of the low end throttle response. I have the lightened flywheel as well, which also helps with response, but that's not quite as cheap as the intake lol.
I never thought the throttle response was ever that bad, but I never drove a FiST either.
If you ever go stage 2, you'll appreciate the fact that we're a little slower to start than the FiST and FoST, much better top end than they have for sure :D
That and the fact that stage 2 rocked my world almost as much as stage 1. Some people will disagree with that, but the car just keeps pulling up top once you go stage 2, it's absolutely fantastic, doesn't feel like it's ever going to stop pulling :lol:
 

syonxwf

Go Kart Champion

Vroomer

Banned
Meh, I could really care less about interior, GTI has made me realize it really doesn't matter, you drive the car, not live in it.
 
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Kyle Butler

Ready to race!
To each their own. I thoroughly enjoy getting into my car. I like long road trips, and just driving. Doing all of that with a crummy interior just takes away from the enjoyment for me.

I got a chance to sit in the focus ST and fiesta ST and i would take the fiesta all day. It felt somehow larger and much more comfortable.
 

Irishbri

Go Kart Champion
APR ....
That being said, if you don't have an intake, look into getting an intake to help with some of the low end throttle response.....

You are pulling me over to the dark side....hell, lets face it, I was halfway there as soon as I left the tuning shop parking lot! :23:
 

kiteboarder

New member
Interesting thread.

I don't post here much. Mainly because my GTI is my wife's. But I've been driving it more and more lately and I've become more fond of it.

I did an extensive test drive of both a FoST and FiST and compared it to my experience with our 2010 GTI.

I'll post links to both stories below. However, the bottom line for me was this:

1. The Fiesta ST is more fun and less expensive than the GTI.

2. The GTI is way nicer inside and out. Much more refined, classier and easier to live with.

3. The Focus ST is faster than the Fiesta ST, but is also not as nice as the GTI. It's also a bit basketcase if you ask me.

Which would I buy? Between the Fiesta ST and the GTI... Hard to say. I think it would come down to price. I think the GTI is the better car, but it's also more expensive. The Fiesta ST can be had for considerably less. About $5K less if you play your cards right.

So if I felt comfortable spending more at the time. The GTI. If I wanted to save some money and still get a rad car. The FiST.

For longevity, I'd feel better owning a GTI for 10 years than I would a FiST. I'm sure a MK6 or MK7 will look cool 10 years from now. Just like a MK4 looks cool still. The FiST... I don't know how that's going to age. 5 years? Tie. 3 years? I'd have the FiST over the GTI and beat the crap out of it.

The FiST review: http://rallyways.com/5887/ford-fiesta-st-review/

The FoST review: http://rallyways.com/6198/2014-ford-focus-st-review-first-hand-experience/

Hope this helps :)
 

Irishbri

Go Kart Champion
^ [emoji106]
 

BoostedVW11

Drag Racing Champion
Only perk to drive a fiesta st is that when you beat someone in a street race..you can roll down your window and yell "you just got fisted bro!"
 

Irishbri

Go Kart Champion
Lol.....all seriousness aside .....the FiST was a very fun little car.....the refinement and fit and finish of our fabled GTI made it me comfortable with my choice....but it took the Stage 1 tune for it to compete in the "smile factor/butt dyno" department. ....
 
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