Subaru Levorg vs Ford Fiesta

What's the difference?

The Levorg STI Sport is a niche car that flies so close to true greatness. It’s a bucket load of fun… but not fun enough for the true enthusiast. A practicality, equipment and safety hero… but too brutal to be cross-shopped with an SUV… It’s an awesome car that’s just too narrow in its appeal to find a large audience. One thing is for sure – it will be interesting to see what Subaru does next with the Levorg badge.

The Fiesta ST is an addictive car to drive. It's a modern classic and hard to beat when it comes to engaging performance and smile-inducing dynamics. Add in excellent value for money and you have a certified performance car bargain. 

I love the Levorg’s design. It’s slick, low and mean, and also unmistakably Subaru. It also plants itself right next to the WRX in the brand’s stable with that utterly ridiculous and unnecessary bonnet scoop, which does actually lead to a massive intercooler and thus is at least, functional.

The entire front of this car borrows so much from the boy-racer camp it’s just exciting to look at and, like any hot wagon should be, it’s party in the front and business in the back, with a paired-back rear end and side profile which says it’s ready for the family haul during the week.

The only giveaways from the rear are the chunky dual exhaust pipes and the almost aftermarket-style alloys which in our test car’s case were body-coloured.

Just like its WRX sedan brother though, the Levorg’s exterior design does lag a little behind the brand’s all-new Impreza and Forester ranges with it’s last-gen fittings exposing it’s last-gen underpinnings (rumor has it a new Levorg is on the horizon…).

The Levorg’s interior is as plush as it is chunky, with nice soft leather-trimmed bits placed along the doorcards and transmission column, as well as on the thick, purposeful steering wheel. Again, pundits who have helmed a WRX in the last few years will be familiar with all the fittings in here.

There’s little to give away the fact that the Levorg is older than the rest of Subaru’s range, it’s a modern dash design. It also suffers from Subaru’s obsession with screens as you have a TFT screen in the dash cluster, a information display in the binnacle atop the dashboard and a 7.0-inch multimedia touchscreen embedded in the centre stack. It’s just too much information from too many angles.

I will say I love the design of the analog instrument cluster, with its red highlights and the multimedia screen is definitely one of the better ones, with an easy-to-use interface and flawless phone mirroring (for Apple CarPlay at least).

It’s a symmetrical, cosy and aesthetically pleasing place to be.

The styling changes ushered in by the 2022 update are subtle. The Fiesta ST gains a revised front fascia with LED Matrix headlights, a larger grille with a repositioned Ford badge, and restyled bonnet and bumper. 

It gets a fresh 18-inch alloy wheel design and black tail-light surrounds at the rear. It also comes in two new exterior paint colours - 'Mean Green' and the 'Boundless Blue' of our test car.

The current-generation Fiesta ST has an appealing design that represents a clear evolution of its predecessor, and, arguably, it didn’t need much work this time around.

The ST’s sporty bodykit adds a touch of aggression but not in a boy racer sort of way. It’s a classic hatchback design with a bit of an edge. 

Why buy a wagon? Well, for a start, you’ll be getting generally much better boot space than a hatchback or a small SUV (with the handling appeal of a car), but I’m willing to bet if you’ve read this far, you already knew that.

The Levorg’s boot, for example, offers up 489-litres (VDA) with the second row up or 1413L with the seats down. For a bit of perspective, that’s a good 47-litres more (with the seats up) than a mid-size Mazda CX-5.

It’s a big, flat practical space, too with tie-down hooks, and under the boot floor, there is a space-saver spare wheel.

Moving to the second row, passengers will get decent, but not stellar rear legroom as well as good headroom, but where the Levorg shines is the sculpted rear outboard seats which are comfortable to sit in.

The door trims continue the soft-touch surfaces, and have a single 500ml-sized bottle holder on each side.

The middle passenger sadly loses out on legroom due to the large raised tunnel for AWD running gear underneath, and there are no vents, with rear passenger amenities limited to dual USB power outlets and a drop-down centre armrest.

Front occupants score 500ml bottle holders in each door card, a big glove box, a decently-sized centre console box, dual-cupholders in the transmission tunnel and a huge binnacle under the climate controls, where a 12-volt, dual USB and AUX ports exist.

Visibility out of the Levorg is excellent thanks to big rear vision mirrors, a deceptively tall windscreen and the naturally wide aperture of a wagon rear window.

Ergonomics are pretty good for front passengers too, with sporty, supportive seats and dial controls in all the right places (fan speed, temperature, volume, and tuning).

What you will miss out on over Subaru’s SUV range is the easy entry and exit that comes with a taller ride height. You’ll really need to drop yourself into the Levorg’s low-set seats.

As part of the update, the Fiesta ST gains new Recaro front sports seats that are firm and hug the body tightly. You feel well supported when cornering. The mix of synthetic leather and suede looks spot-on.

Like a number of sports-focused models, the ST features red stitching throughout the cabin - on the steering wheel, gearbox gaiter and air vent surrounds - and while it’s ubiquitous, it’s still a nice touch.

The chunky perforated leather steering wheel feels nice to touch, as does the metal gear knob. 

Cabin materials are a mix of soft-touch and hard plastics, and there’s carbon-fibre-look inserts on the dash.

There’s no denying Ford’s dash design is a huge improvement over the previous-generation Fiesta that ran from 2009, but the current model still lacks the polish of the VW Polo. It’s about on par with the Hyundai i20 N, although the Ford’s layout is a little busier.

In saying that, it’s hard to fault the cabin’s functionality. It has a deep central storage bin, which is larger than most cars in this category, a decent sized glove box, two-and-a-half cupholders in the centre console and storage for narrow bottles in the doors.

There’s a wireless charging dock behind the gear shifter, two USB ports (one in the storage bin and one next to the charger), as well as a 12-volt charger.

It’s nice to see the ST still has a manual park brake, too.

The facelift introduced a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster, and while some may lament the loss of analogue dials, it’s nice to see Ford taking the opportunity to improve the tech.

The multimedia is housed in a smallish 8.0-inch digital screen sitting atop the centre stack and it runs Ford’s Sync 3 system. 

Sync 3 functions well, is hard to fault and the menu layout is easy to navigate, but it is being left behind by competitors with more modern and appealing graphics. The latest version in the new Ranger will no doubt be a major improvement, but we won’t be seeing it in this generation of Fiesta.

The diminutive size of the Fiesta ST is more apparent when sitting in the rear seats. It’s pretty tight behind my 183cm (6ft) driving position, with my knees hitting the rear of the front seats. 

It’s a cramped space that’s not designed for long trips by adults. It has redundant tiny rear-side windows behind the C-pillar, but on the plus side, there’s acres of headroom. 

It lacks rear-seat air vents and the closest USB port is in the front centre storage compartment. Taller bottles won’t fit in the doors and it lacks a centre fold-down armrest, but it has map pockets.

The rear seats are flat and the Fiesta has outboard ISOFIX points for child seats.

Realistically, most people buying a car like this aren’t using it to haul children around so think of it as a two-seater with handy rear-seat storage.

The rear seats fold 60/40 but not flat. A space-saver spare wheel lives under the boot floor and it has a high boot lip, meaning you have to lift items up and over to get them in. 

At 311 litres, it’s a decent sized boot with usable space. It’s just one litre more than the Hyundai i20 N, and six litres more than the Polo GTI.

As far as mid-life updates go, the Fiesta ST’s isn’t significant. But the additions bring with it a bump in price. At $34,490, before on-road costs, it is $1200 more expensive than the previous version.

It still represents good value and is only $500 more than its newest rival, the Hyundai i20 N ($32,990 BOC). It’s quite a bit cheaper than the other big gun in the light hot hatch battle, the Volkswagen Polo GTI ($38,750 BOC).

Another offering in this group is the Suzuki Swift Sport which is the price leader, starting from $27,990 BOC.

Ford has specified a lot of standard gear for the price, including some niceties you don’t even get in pricier premium European cars.

It comes with a leather-wrapped heated steering wheel, heated front seats, Recaro sports seats, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, heated power door mirrors, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with digital radio, satellite navigation, 'Sync 3' multimedia with voice control and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and a 10-speaker audio system.

As with the pre-update model, the German-built ST is the only Fiesta variant available in Australia.

This section starts out sounding actually very good. Powering the two most expensive Levorg spec levels is a 2.0-litre turbo boxer engine, producing a strong-sounding 197kW/350Nm, power outputs that once would have been in V6 territory.

Where the enthusiast audience is let down though is the rather pedestrian continuously variable transmission (CVT) auto which the engine is mated to.

There’s no option of a manual here, nor is there a more performance-oriented dual-clutch, even in our top-spec car.

All Levorgs use Subaru’s own all-wheel drive system which includes torque vectoring on 2.0-litre variants.

Under the Fiesta’s cute bonnet is Ford’s 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine delivering 147kW at 6000rpm and 320Nm at 4000rpm - the latter is an increase of 30Nm over the pre-facelift model.

Interestingly, it now matches the power and torque outputs of the Polo GTI. The i20 N pumps out 150kW and 304Nm.

The engine is exclusively paired to a six-speed manual gearbox - there is no auto transmission available - and it is front-wheel drive.

An unfortunate side-effect of the Levorg’s slightly older 2.0-litre engine architecture is a minimum fuel requirement of mid-grade 95 RON unleaded to fill its 60-litre tank.

The Levorg STI’s claimed/combined fuel figure comes in at a not-low 8.7L/100km, against which we scored 9.6L/100km blasting around back-country roads in the Kosciuszko National Park for several days.

It’s a high fuel use figure, but at least a semi-realistic one given the type of driving we were doing. Again, with a more enthusiast audience, a few extra litres here and there won’t shake potential buyers, but there is better to be had elsewhere from lower-capacity engines.

Ford claims the Fiesta ST has an official combined cycle fuel use figure of 6.3 litres per 100 kilometres. 

After a week of predominantly inner city and freeway driving, we recorded a much higher 10.2L/100km. However, that was very shortly after an enthusiastic back-road blast to test its performance chops. We did see single-digit numbers throughout the week prior to that.

The Fiesta requires premium 95RON petrol and it has a 45-litre tank. CO2 emissions are 144g/km of CO2.

The Levorg is great fun to drive, but it still falls short of that stenciled red ‘STI’ badge that lives on its front and rear.

I’ll explain. There’s plenty of power on offer here, it’s just how you’re able to use it. When you’re as close to the ground as you are in the Levorg it should be engaging, with maximum driver input and minimum interference.

The trouble is the CVT takes that idea of control out of your hands. It’s rubbery and unnatural, and a bit dull when you’re pushing the otherwise-tightly tuned chassis around corners.

It’s a shame because everything else is so close to excellent. The steering is superb, direct and with just the right amount of weight to it, and when you’re enjoying the Kosciuszko National Park’s best B-roads you can really feel all the grip delivered by the torque vectoring all-wheel drive system. It’s a blast and very reminiscent of the WRX.

Setting the drive computer to 'Sport Sharp' mode tightens up throttle response and keeps the CVT revving harder. This is best enjoyed using the paddle-shifters to bring the revs up in corners and hold them for longer in the straights, allowing the Levorg to behave as closely to a normal auto as possible.

It’s the best way to drive it, but demands the right road. It’s also a little less fun because there’s no penalty for getting it wrong. Rev too hard or drop the 'gear' too low and the computer will simply switch the transmission back to auto mode.

The suspension is a lot of fun on a back road, but decidedly less so around town. In the case of the STI with its extra firm springs, it’s best described as brutal, crashing low and hard over road imperfections. It also allows far more sound into the cabin than in other Subaru products, with tyre roar picking up at freeway speeds or on coarse bitumen.

Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed the Levorg’s drive experience more than I had even expected to, but it’s not for everyone and won’t please the die-hard enthusiast either.

It’s easy to find your ideal driving position in the Fiesta ST, thanks to the reach and height adjustable steering wheel and the adjustable seat.

Aside from the extra 30Nm dollop of torque, Ford hasn’t changed anything else about the Fiesta ST mechanicals for 2022, but arguably, it didn’t need to.

The pre-facelift model could cover 0-100km/h in 6.7 seconds, and while Ford has not revealed whether that has changed with the facelift, it feels about right.

It’s brisk from a standing start, without being neck-snappingly quick, but there is strong urge and a lack of noticeable turbo lag. There is, however, some axle tramp on take-off, particularly in the wet. We also detected some torque steer when pushing hard up a hill, but it was minimal. 

Speaking of, the little three-pot turbo engine is utterly unfazed by steep hills - it just keeps adding speed. A light kerb weight of 1218kg helps here. 

The three-pot turbo engine sounds wonderful when accelerating, and the Fiesta ST begs to be driven hard.

The engine is perfectly matched with the slick shifting six-speed manual gearbox that has lovely short throws and is a joy to use. Even if Ford offered an auto with the Fiesta ST, it would take away from the driving experience.

'Sport' mode ups the growl from the engine and throttle response, but it’s not a dramatic departure from 'Comfort' mode.

The ST’s strong brakes are bordering on sensitive, but the heavily weighted steering is incredibly sharp.

On a back road run, the front-wheel drive Fiesta ST comes alive, hugging corners confidently. 

On bends that would’ve seen many other cars come undone, the Fiesta’s tight, balanced chassis, grippy tyres and the standard mechanical limited slip differential ensure it maintains its composure.

The ride is undeniably firm, particularly around town in urban areas - you feel every speed bump. My partner found the ride a bit too much at times, but I was far more forgiving.

The Fiesta feels solidly built and has a level of refinement that’s missing from the likes of the Suzuki Swift Sport and Hyundai i20 N.

However, the cabin could do with more noise deadening materials as it can be quite rowdy at speed and on coarse chip roads. Another negative is the massive turning circle - a bit odd for a city-focused light hatchback.

But these are things I could happily live with. During my week with the Fiesta ST, I made any excuse to jump behind the wheel and go for a drive.

Me: “I’m just going to run to the shops to get pasta.”

My partner: “We’re not cooking pasta this week.”

Me: “Yeah but you never know when you need pasta. Bye!”

The Fiesta ST has not been tested by ANCAP for crash safety.

It comes with standard safety gear including auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assist with lane-departure warning, speed-sign recognition, rear parking sensors and a reversing camera.

Given it’s a manual, it has old-school non-adaptive cruise control.

Subaru offers a five-year/unlimited km warranty across its entire range, which is on-par with competitors, including the Octavia and Mazda6.

Like the Skoda, Subaru also offers the ability to buy service plans in three- or five-year packages at the time of purchase, doing so includes other benefits including a free service hire vehicle and three years of roadside assist.

The 2.0-litre Levorgs, including our STI cost between $319.54 and $671.85 per six-monthly 12,500km service interval for a total cost of $4,540.92 for the life of the five-year warranty.

That breaks down to an average cost of $908.18 which is actually very expensive considering the Octavia RS costs less than half that at $340 per year, and it’s a European car.

The Fiesta is covered by Ford’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and you get free roadside assistance and state/territory auto club membership each year that you service your car at a dealer, for up to seven years.

The servicing schedule is every year or 15,000km, whichever comes first. There’s a four-year/60,000km capped-price servicing program, which costs $299 per service. 

Ford also offers a free service car loan that can be booked in ahead of your service.