Buying a fast supermini can be a pretty straight forward decision to make. There’s no confusing what this type of car is for, and that means people are rarely conflicted about whether they should purchase one or not.
The question then is, should you buy new or used? That’s something people living in the U.S. have to figure out, especially when it comes to the Fiesta nameplate that’s soon to be removed from the market thanks to Ford’s recent decision to focus on crossovers.
During his time with the Fiesta ST, reviewer Doug DeMuro took an in-depth look at its quality, comfort, performance and practicality, while also gauging its value on the used car market.
Of course, the best part about this car is the way it accelerates and handles. Powering it is a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-pot putting down 197 horsepower and 214 lb-ft (290 Nm) of torque. While it’s not much in a vacuum, in something that weighs just a little over a tonne, it provides plenty of pull, especially high up in the rev range, says DeMuro.
He was also pleased with the exhaust note and the handling (despite the torque steer), and went on to call this car a more grown-up alternative to the Fiat 500 Abarth.
The problem with buying a brand new Fiesta ST is that you can find similarly priced used Focus ST models, and those are considerably faster, not to mention more practical. This is where a used Fiesta ST would definitely come in handy, as it would offer you better value for money at just under $15,000.