Ford Fiesta ST review

The old Fiesta ST’s interior wasn’t exactly plush and its infotainment felt decidedly old hat. That said, you're having so much fun driving the car that you barely notice.

Well, the good news is that the latest Fiesta ST has been improved on just about every front. The driver benefits from a supportive Recaro sports seat with excellent adjustment (the previous car's front seats had quite small bases) and a steering wheel with similarly wide-ranging movement.

The Fiesta ST gets Ford's 6.5in Sync 3 touchscreen infotainment system as standard, while an 8.0in version is optional on ST-1 and standard on ST-2 and range-topping ST-3.

We've tried the latter, which is bright and relatively simple to use. Our one complaint is that there are no physical shortcut buttons to make it easier to hop between functions. Still, it's far better than the systems in the Peugeot 208 GTi and Renault Clio RS, and a world away from the previous Fiesta ST's.

Interior quality has taken a huge leap forward, too. The Fiesta ST is hardly a luxury car inside, but the plastics used are far better than those before and the switches feel more substantial. Helping the car stand out from the rest of the Fiesta range are a leather sports steering wheel, figure-hugging sports seats, carbon-effect trim inserts and ST badges.