hiya folks, took a silver st out for a spin this morning... felt quite nippy to be honest, and it sounded lovely, i really do like the engine note! only thinkg that bothered me was the amount of revs it was doing at 70mph... quite high really, 3,200ish iirc. What is the fuel economy like on the motorway? not that i do alot of motorway driving, just wondering. Obviously it's not as quick as my current car, but it would be very easy to get used to i think. I felt as though i was sat really quite high in it though, but again, i would get used to it in time.

Overall, really quite impressed with it! very nice!!

Yeah, I noticed that when I had my test drive - it does rev quite high at 70, due to the gearing I think. I don't really notice it anymore though, so either I've got used to it, or running it in has improved it.

I often go up to Sheffield and I get around 35-36mpg, (doing between 70 - 95mph). I think it'll do better though if you keep it steady.

What car do you have at the moment?

60mph is best for fuel economy but then if your worried about it to much buy a Skoda Fabia VRS and have best of both worlds.

The isn't too bad on Fuel Economy but neither is it too good... just acceptable for what car it is.

You do sit high up but you get used to that.

What car do you currently drive out of interest

It sounds like you liked the by your comments.

Just pottering about town mine isnt too bad until i want a bit of a play on the B-roads

But i was amazed when i got it on the motorway it eats it sooooo quickly

The rpm is about average for a medium size petrol at about 70. If it had a sixth gear the revs would drop but you would drop off the powerband causing you to have to drop a gear anytime you needed power.

If its revving at 3200 at 70 it could really do with a 6th gear, like the Clio 172/182 needed. But hay-ho i guess you will get used to that like people say.

Knight - what do you mean by if it had 6 gears it would drop out of the powerband?

Yeah, but a sixth cog would be perfect for sitting on the motorway at 70mph but then as has been pointed out, so would a Fabia vRS. I've got mixed views about having a sixth gear in the ST. On one hand it would be great for fuel economy and noise on long jouneys but the 5 gears work so well in the ST on the roads/driving style it was designed for.

yep, if there was a 6th gear it would only be for economy and low noise driving definitely!

if you drop below 60 in fifth and then put you foot down hardly anything happens this is what happens when you drop off the powerband (go below 3000ish). The same would happen if you were to drop the revs at 70, (ie a sixth gear)

I think the gearbox on the focus ST17O was a 5+1 gear it was just ad to reduce consuption on motorway and noise level nothing more!

i drive a megane sport trophy at the moment, and at 70mph it is around 2,500rpm in 6th... but then because it is a turbo there is no need to drop a gear. I would imagine the VRS Fab to be like that too, especially seeing as it's a diesel. I looked at and test drove the new punto sporting, but it's like driving a ford transit, way way way toooo noisey for me. I liked the ST's engine note and exhaust note when driving, but at motorway cruising speed was a little too loud, but like i said, i don't do much motorway driving, so this wouldn't stop me from getting one if i could find a good deal.... my megane manages 40mpg on the motorway between 60 and 70, which tbh, is great for the engine and car... its just knocking around when it's constantly on boost it drinks it!!!!!

Minnnt - why are you going from a renaultsport Megane Trophy to a fiesta st may i ask? Or is the fiesta a second car?

Knight - well thats what happens i guess. You have one or the other, sit out the power band for consumption gains, or sit in it for performance. I still think 6gears would be better (on most cars these days), and if u didnt like it you could just sit in 5th instead of 6th =]

Lplus - what dya mean by two cammy? That one's got me!

i need something cheaper, but from what ford have offered i don't think it is worth the loss in performance.