Costs & verdict
Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is
The three-door Ford Fiesta ST-2 undercuts the VW Polo GTI on price and is only fractionally more expensive than the far less powerful Suzuki Swift Sport. If you’re looking for five doors and a well-equipped car, the five-door ST-3 is also a little bit cheaper than the Hyundai i20 N.
The Fiesta ST and the i20 N are both predicted to have solid resale values, so they’re broadly on a par when it comes to PCP finance, and will average around 40mpg when driven carefully. Always remember to check out the free What Car? New Car Deals pages to compare the best prices.
All models come with lane-keeping assistance and ST-3 trim adds traffic sign recognition. Unfortunately, you don't get automatic emergency braking (AEB) as standard – it comes with the optional Driver Assistance Pack. Because of that, the Euro NCAP safety test doesn’t technically cover the Fiesta ST, but the regular Fiesta, which is available with a more advanced AEB system than the ST, was awarded the full five stars in 2017. Crash test protection should be the same for the ST, and on that specific point, the Fiesta was outscored by the Polo, which offered better adult and child chest protection.
The standard Ford Fiesta was rated 'poor' for reliability in the 2021 What Car? Reliability Survey compared with other value and small cars, and Ford did less well than many of its rivals in the overall manufacturer section of the survey.
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here
