I'm currently driving a mk4 seat ibiza FR TDi. It's 130bhp as standard, but has been remapped to around 160bhp.

Its lots of fun to drive, very economical, but the interior drives me mad. It constantly feels like it's falling to pieces, various creaks, groans and rattles. For me, it ruins a perfectly good car, at the end of the day - the interior is the bit I drive from, so I want to be able to enjoy it!

For this reason, early next year i'll be looking at changing cars - and a fiesta ST is a strong contender.

According to parkers, my car (04 plate) is worth about £6000 PartEx, so i'd be looking at saving up a couple of grand and trading in for a used ST (upto 10k miles max most likely) and paying the rest out right. I'll be 21 by december this year, and insurance won't be much of an increase.

However, I'll be going from a Derv to a petrol, I only drive to work and back during the week, 8 mile round trip but at weekends I tend to do a few miles, just for the sake of it. The change in economy might hit me there, also - although it's only once a year, tax. I'm only paying £110 a year right now, how much more will the fiesta cost?

I'm really after some opinions, am I likely to be jaw droppingly impressed from the move from vag diesel to fiesta? Or could it be a letdown?

Feel free to talk me in, or out of the car - offering as much experienced opinion as you can manage!

Cheers

Hi Kyle. First welcome to the Forum. Hope you get constructive opinions from other owners and that they will help you in determining if the Fiesta is indeed the right car for you.

I'll start by giving you my own thoughts on the car based on your points above. I've never personally driven an Ibiza FR IDi (or any other recent Ibiza for that matter) but I've been in a few Seats and I got the impression that the build quality is nothing short of the effort which Ford have put in the Fiesta. Not that the Fiesta is badly built but in my car, after 37000 km (23000 miles) some noises have invariably started to develop. True my car is a pre-facelify (2005 model) and the post-facelift cars benefitted mainly of a redesigned and better dash on which the built quality had probably improved too. I'm sure a post-facelift owner will confirm this and give their opinion.

Regarding performance, if torque is what you're after then I'll say it straight away, the Fiesta is NOT the car for you. The engine is torquey enough for a 2-litre petrol, but if you are coming from a Turbo Diesel then you will surely be disappointed. On the other hand, if you don't mind taking it up high in the revs, once past 3000 RPM you get a nice and constant push all the way to 6000+ RPM and the engine sound at that range is something that no diesel will ever be able to match.

Another strong point in the Fiesta is the handling. You will be hard pressed to find a car for the budget of the Fiesta which delivers such good grip around corners.

Hope my comments may have helped you a little.

I also would advise you to go and test drive one. This is the best way to make up your own opinion about the car.

Cheers,
Nick

hello welcome to the site! Like Nick say the facelift did have a better built quality did drive pre face lift version and can say there a difference even so its rattle abit everywhere! also the facelift did also have more toys as standard! as for the engine can' t compared both really as one is petrol and the other a diesel! the diesel is better cos it have more torque from low range but can revs like a petrol car where the ST can hit 7000rpm! and also diesel don't sound nice at all! compared to the ST who sound nice from standard thanks to its sporty exhaust! another thing for handling the ST is much better than the ST but can't really feel it on a everyday road! as for compsution ur going to feel a big difference there!

I agree with the above comments, both very well put.
I would strongly recommend fixing the sqeaks and rattles on the Ibiza.
As you have increased the torque and BHP on your diesel the serious lack of mid-range torque on the ST is going to seriously kick you where it hurts. You have to give them some stick to get any performance out of them, I find the car to be amazing between 4,500 & 6,500 RPM, but who drives like that all the time??
MPG isn't that bad TBH if you can be happy with averaging 28-32 MPG (if you don't floor it everywhere)
Both babyboom and myself have been unhappy with ours due to the build quality and stupid little niggling problems you get. We are both in the stages of changing ours. Babyboom is moving to a Polo GTi and I'm moving (down?) to a Fiesta Zetec Climate 1.6 TDCi (which I plan to chip), this is my second ST.
The most annoying thing about the ST for me is the hard ride which is too much for Britain's poorly maintained roads and the fact that the car changes it's mind like the weather - some days it's as smooth and responsive as hell then the next time you get in it it sounds like a Cortina and performs like a 1.25 Zetec.

Seriously, seriously have a very long test drive.

Welcome to the site and please let us know how you get on.

Dave

Hi and welcome to the site!

As has been said, fuel economy is going to be noticeably different, I guess you can probably get about 50mpg out of yours no problem, you can expect 28-32mpg on the ST dependant on driving style, you can have a fair bit of fun and achieve 28mpg I would say.

In terms of tax cost I can't recall exactly, but I think mine was £171 to tax back in April.

Have had my car for almost 6 months now and I love it for the most part, fuel economy is my main bugbear averaging 32mpg at present.

My mate has a Seat Leon TDi FR on a 55 plate, it has 150bhp and book performance is 0-60 in 8.6 seconds, compared to the ST's 7.9 seconds. My car is certainly quicker off the mark but once you get going the torque is a lot better in the Leon (I am assuming the performance would be very similar in yor Ibiza).

You will have to test drive the ST and see what you think, if you want similar power delivery to your current car, you will need to look for a turbo'd car and that's going to be something like the Polo GTi or Corsa VXR, if fuel economy is a big concern you may have to find yourself a diesel unfortunately, these petrol cars just cannot compete!

really after some opinions, am I likely to be jaw droppingly impressed from the move from vag diesel to fiesta? Or could it be a letdown?

Gotta say guys, thanks for the honesty! Normally on car specific sites I'd expect a very biased opinion - but you guys sound pretty neutral!

I definately need a testdrive, I've never owned a powerful petrol car before - so the different driving style might suit me perfectly, or I might hate it - i'll need to find out to be sure.

I'll definately keep you all updated on what I think of a testdrive, and would appreciate anymore feedback from you guys!

Cheers

No probs mate, let us know what you think when you've driven it!

It is a great little car!

Have a browse around the site and you will see the sort of problems / mods available and general feedback owners have on it

Fiesta ST is a great car!

I have a brand new one in white and it really looks the part. Performance wise, it's a pretty nippy little car. I'm very happy with it and I love it!

However, it's not as powerful as I thought it would be from hearing peoples opinions/reviews about it. Not really a downside, just an opinion.

The Focus ST is really growing on me. And I think feeling that extra power beneath the engine would satisfy me. I'm considering changing in about a year or 2. Maybe I'll see what the new Fiesta is like, see if that takes my fancy, who knows.

Not trying to put you off, as the Fiesta ST is a great little car. Just my honest opinion.

Again I'll say that Fiesta ST are a great little car to have! All tho the handling is good, the bumpyness isn't the best and the fuel again isn't great but I'd say on the hole I think the car LOOKS PERFECT and if you now how to drive a car is it FAST and you can have sum fun in it.

HONESTLY MATE, GO AND GET 1!

GOOD LUCK