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Ford Fiesta ST Mk7 review (2013-2017) – performance and 0-60 time

The ST was evo’s favourite junior hot hatch, hopefully the new one will be just as fun

Evo rating
  • Great value, deeply involving chassis
  • Interior feels older than its model year suggests

The Fiesta ST isn’t the most powerful car in its class – the Renault Sport Clio 220 Trophy is 20bhp up on even the ST200 and Peugeot's 208 GTI by Peugeot Sport is 8bhp ahead – but on the road it has enough straight line performance to keep pace with its rivals. The Fiesta ST clocks a 6.9 second 0-62mph time and only stops accelerating at 139mph.

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The strong peak torque figure of 214lb ft gives the ST an impressive turn of pace throughout the rev range, which means it overtakes slower traffic with ease. It produces a hearty roar as it does so, too – not through synthetic sound as you might find in some higher-end vehicles, but a relatively simple acoustic tube connecting the induction system and the cabin.

The ST200’s shorter gear ratios give it punchier acceleration than the standard car, dropping the 0-62mph time to 6.7 seconds, down from 6.9. The top speed creeps up to 143mph from 139mph despite the shorter gearing.

Tuning company Mountune offers a Ford-approved engine upgrade, which lifts peak power output to 212bhp, without affecting the manufacturer warranty. The upgrade costs £599 (plus fitting) and can be retrofit.

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