New car sales price Ford Fiesta ST

A hot little Fiesta ST priced at $25,990 will headline the updated range when it arrives in Australia with a fresh design, new engines and features. The most powerful ever Fiesta ST will carry a 1.6-litre turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine delivering 134kW of power at 6000rpm and 240Nm of torque from 1600-5000rpm – lifting to 147kW and 290Nm in a 20-second burst of overboost between 1600-6000rpm. Mated to a six-speed manual, the ST covers the sprint to 100km/h in 6.9 seconds and hits a top speed of 220km/h top speed, with claimed fuel economy is 6.2-litres/100 km.

The Fiesta is strategically positioned against the Peugeot 208 GTi, Renault Clio RS, Volkswagen Polo GTI, and the Mini Cooper S, – and even the recently arrived Nissan Pulsar SSS that is trying to claw some reputation in the crowded hot hatch field. 

It will arrive with a system that improves cornering by applying brake force to the inside front wheel, dynamic stability control with three modes that range from full intervention through to intermittent meddling and the freedom of being switched off altogether. The ST will also offer as standard the Emergency Assistance feature that dials 000 through a connected mobile if the car crashes.

The milder end of the Fiesta range will ditch the current 1.6-litre engine and will arrive powered by a new 1.5-litre petrol four-cylinder developing 82kW at 6300rpm and 140Nm 4400rpm – a loss of 7kW and 11Nm on the outgoing model.

Transmission choices are either a five-speed manual or six-speed dual clutch automatic, both of which post an official economy of 5.8 litres per 100km, shaving the current engine by 0.3L/100km.

At the end of the year a new entry level will join the Fiesta range, powered by the tiny 1.0-litre Ecoboost turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine that delivers 92kW of power at 6000rpm and 170Nm from 1400-4500rpm. Despite its diminutive dimensions, that’s still 19Nm more than the current 1.6-litre. It gets the choice of a five-speed manual transmission or an optional six-speed PowerShift dual-clutch transmission, with fuel economy claimed to be a frugal 4.9L/100km.

The equipment list will include hill start assist, Ford’s voice-command SYNC system for phone and audio connectivity, with rear parking sensors, blue ambient lighting and 16-inch alloy wheels among the other options. The safety fit-out gives you twin front, side, curtain and driver’s knee airbag, dynamic stability control and anti-skid brakes with brake assist.

Ambiente 5-door 1.5-litre 5-spd manual $15,825
Ambiente 5-door 1.5-litre 6-spd auto $17,825
Trend 5-door 1.5-litre 5-spd manual $17,825
Trend 5-door  1.5-litre 6-spd auto $19,825
Sport 5-door 1.0-litre 5-spd manual $20,525
Sport 5-door  1.0-litre 6-spd auto $22,525
ST 1.6-litre Ecoboost 6-spd manual $25,990

This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott