B-Segment Hot Hatches. They have been around for awhile, and they were spawned as the “little brothers” of the traditional hot hatches, like the Mk1 Volkswagen Golf GTI and the Peugeot 205 1.9 GTI.
As the years moved on, hot hatches of the C-segment have grown to a considerable size, but so has their level of power, comfort, technology, and safety.
We tested one hot hatch of the B-segment that is on the fine line between classic and modern, the 2016 Ford Fiesta ST200. It comes without driving modes, fancy clutchless transmissions or other "tricks," but has 200 HP and a fake engine noise.
The Fiesta ST200, a model that we recently tested for a considerable number of miles, is the swan-song of the ongoing Fiesta in its performance form. It is like a last “Hoorah” for the Fiesta ST, and comes with much more than a mere power bump.
Curiously, it has not replaced the regular Fiesta ST, so you can still get the regular one if this does not fit your bill.
However, we think the Fiesta ST200 is worth its extra bucks, if you are into a Fiesta and want the best possible experience out of the small hot hatch from Ford. Other shoppers might be inclined towards alternative models, but the Fiesta ST200 sure has its sweet spots.
The Fiesta ST200 is available in an exclusive finish, called “Storm Grey.” It looks great in photos and just as good in real life. Clients will also get machined matte black alloys, but these are not as hard to obtain like the paint finish.
Photo: Mihaela Pop/Ford Romania
It is important to note that the shade is exclusive to the Fiesta ST200, and it is the only one you can get.
So keep that in mind if gray is not your favorite shade for a hot hatch. The same goes for the interior, which can only be had in Ford’s combination of charcoal leather and fabric.
The look of the Fiesta ST is not dated, but it is evident that the car has been on the market for a few years. The Storm Grey shade takes it out of the ordinary range, but those looking for the freshest look in the segment must seek elsewhere.
The Fiesta ST200 welcomes its occupants into a Charcoal cockpit, which has Recaro seats for the front. The upholstery is a mix of leather and fabric, and the latter is used on the surfaces that touch your body, so you will not sweat or slip on leather.
The upholstery has contrasting silver stitching, and the same thread is found on the seatbelts. The dash has carbon fiber inserts, and there is even an illuminated decorative element above the glove compartment. The scuff plates are also illuminated and have an ST200 logo.
The Fiesta ST200 will fit four adults without a hitch, but a fifth passenger would only fit if all three in the back are slim. There’s also no headrest for a third passenger in the rear seats, but a seat belt is present.
Concerning storage spaces and room in general, the Fiesta ST200’s interior is fair, but is far from the roomiest in the segment. In other words, ideal for two or three people, but not so great when four are involved. Things will get cramped with five adults on board.
The interior of the Fiesta ST200 is functional and ergonomic, but there’s nothing about it that says “2016,” or even “2014.” The interior feels a bit on the “classic side,” as it does not have a touchscreen unit, and it does not get overloaded with gadgets. If you are into that, get one as soon as you can, because it is a limited edition.
The front seats are more comfortable than you would expect, and everything is where it should concerning controls.
Photo: Ford
This generation of the Fiesta was always a “fair” car from this point of view, and the ST200 just builds on that reputation will all of the features available in the range, which have gotten a cherry on top from specific ornaments.
As you probably know from the article regarding the introduction of the Fiesta ST200, Ford has sharpened the steering, stiffened the rear twist-beam suspension, beefed up the front anti-roll bar, and fitted a bigger brake master cylinder. The final drive of the transmission has been shortened for better in-gear acceleration, while power and torque have increased.
The phrases above mean nothing is the Fiesta ST200 is not fun to drive. Fortunately, Ford mixed things up in just the right way to have a car that you can drive daily to work, use on a vacation, and occasionally "hoon" to withing an inch of getting in jail.
There is only one “sport mode” here, and it comes with a single press of the ESC button. It does nothing to the engine or steering, but it just dials the stability control back a notch if you feel the standard mode is too restrictive.
Other than that, the Fiesta ST200 has a single driving mode, and you control it. Want to go fast? Floor it. Regular driving? Do not floor it. Eco driving? Sure, just go easy on the gas. That is it. No fancy tricks, no gimmicks.
The reconfigured engine and transmission provide smooth power delivery, and the Fiesta ST200 feels like it has plenty at almost any rev and in virtually any gear. Care to accelerate from 2,000 rpm in 4th? It will be done without any complaints, as if it had a three liter naturally aspirated unit, and not a 1.6-liter unit.
It pulls its best in the first four gears, while fifth and sixth are more suitable for regular driving at highway speeds. The gearing is sufficient to handle motorway speeds without the hassle of a loud engine tearing your ears apart at high rpm and ruining your trip with large fuel bills.
The suspension is masterfully calibrated, as it does a good job while driving on bumpy and imperfect roads, while still keeping things on track at higher speeds and in corners.
Photo: Mihaela Pop/Ford Romania
It does not have the most advanced suspension on the market, but it is more than fair to its driver. It loses grip progressively, and you have to push it way too far from judgment to spin or lose control. With common sense and good tires, the ST200 will keep to the road without a hitch.
The steering is lighter that you would expect from a hot hatch, but torque steer is also minimal, so that is a nice compromise. The phenomenon can be perceived in hard accelerations in the lower gears, especially in Sport Mode, but it is nothing violent or unexpected. Steering feel is not outstanding, but not a disappointment. It is linear and predictable, which is good enough, but not class-leading.
As we explained above, Ford has nailed it with the Fiesta ST200. It is a car that can handle sporty driving and go to the supermarket without feeling out of place in either scenario.
It is unnaturally quiet for a hot hatch, and Ford has added a fake engine sound when the gas is pressed hard to trick you it is louder than reality.
The cool part about the Fiesta ST200 is that its fuel economy is surprising if you do not glue the rightmost pedal to the floor mat with your right foot.
Even if you have a heavier foot, things will still be good for a trip of about 250 miles (400 km). If you are economical, but still drive quickly, like we do, you can exceed 300 miles (480 km) and still have plenty of gas to drive another hundred and a bit over that.
If you are looking for a figure, we managed to go as low as 5.9 liters/100 km for the entire trip we made in mixed driving conditions, which was mostly done outside cities, with a few drive-through towns.
In city driving, things are not as fortunate, as the 1.6-liter engine does not come with Start-Stop, and every traffic light will bring wasted fuel. In a hot day with plenty of traffic, we got a fuel economy of 12 liters/100 km (19.6 mpg) on the onboard computer’s gauge, while relaxed conditions bring something around nine or ten liters for every 100 km (21-23.5 mpg) in the city.
Concerning technology, the Fiesta ST200 we drove did not have cruise control, a speed limiter, or rear parking sensors. All of those elements are optional. Otherwise, it had it all, including a multimedia unit with a Navigation system and a rear-view camera (optional).
Photo: Mihaela Pop/Ford Romania
The Nav lacked the map for the region we were driving in, but the camera surprised us the most, as we did not expect it to be there. Controls of the ICE unit are outdated, but they work, and you get used to them in an instant. The same goes for climate controls, so simplicity is good from time to time.
Price-wise, the Fiesta ST200 is not exactly cheap, but it does improve on the regular ST, which starts at 20,440 Euros in Germany ($19,345 in U.S.). Meanwhile, the ST200 starts at 24,640 in the same country.
Fully loaded, with everything you could get, its list price goes up to 25,990 euros. If you can go without rear parking sensors, alarm, rear view camera, or cruise control, things get even more affordable.
The Ford Fiesta ST200 is more expensive than Renault’s Clio RS 200 or the Volkswagen Polo GTI, and it costs slightly less than its competitor from Opel/Vauxhall, the Corsa OPC/VXR. It is not the quickest or the most powerful car in the segment, and also not the newest.
However, it is the best Fiesta ST ever made, and it would be a shame not to spend 10% of the asking price of the ST for the ST200 and get the regular one instead. You will feel sorry if you get the “normal” one as soon as you see an ST200 on the road.
If you are unsure what to get, we suggest a trip to the showrooms and check out each model to see what best fits your needs.
Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland. Full profile
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