Alright, so long story short, my Mondeo had to go into the dealer...

Dealer gave me keys to a courtesy car... A 2019 (yes a 69 reg lol) Fiesta Active 1L Ecoboost (100) Auto... Requested an auto because I don't do manuals (last time I drove a manual was when I was learning to drive in my dad's car when much younger).

This was the first time I ever drove a Fiesta - previously when buying my first car, I chose a Focus over a Fiesta, after sitting in one (Mk7) and realising it wasn't ideal for a 6 ft 1 guy like me.

I was extremely skeptical, and I ended up hating it.

 

 

Hating? Nope, couldn't be further than the truth! Over the three days and 60 miles I had this car, I was simply amazed at what a cheerful, little, yet solid car this was.

70 MPH on the highway? Felt right at home! It had less road noise than both of the other two (larger) cars in the family (Vauxhall Astra and CRV), I was stunned. Seats were comfortable, and I could easily imagine myself cruising in this car many hours up north. It was also more comfortable (and quieter) than the Mk2.5 Focus I previously owned. Seating position was good too, plenty of visibility.

Handled like a go kart around town, adaptive steering made parking effortless (you can almost steer with a pinky, like the Audi A6 estate I drove a while back). Ride felt compliant, and it smoothed out the bumps and potholes better than my old Focus did.

Engine and auto gearbox suited the car well, shifted smoothly like a larger car would (albeit a bit too slowly). Wasn't fast by any means, but didn't feel underpowered at all (like my 1.6 Mk2.5 Focus did). Fuel economy was impressive, I achieved approx. 15 MPG higher on my same typical journey compared to my Mondeo. Stop/start worked as expected, even in colder temps and during short journeys.

Had none of the toys my Mondeo has - reverse camera, heated seats, folding mirrors, self parking, front and rear park sensors, keyless entry and start, power seats, etc, yet oddly enough found myself not 'missing' any of them, and ended up enjoying the pure simplicity and 'feel good factor' of the Fiesta! 😁

They a

Always make me smile when i get one as a courtesy car.

Glad to hear it, got mine coming in a few weeks. I’m 6ft 4 and I fitted fine when I sat in it at the dealer, so hopefully I’ll enjoy it.

19 hours ago, dtulip8 said:

Glad to hear it, got mine coming in a few weeks. I’m 6ft 4 and I fitted fine when I sat in it at the dealer, so hopefully I’ll enjoy it.

nice, which one are you getting?

Getting a St-line x 140 in a few weeks time, can't wait!

I took a 100ps fiesta for a test drive and it was lovely to drive, I'm also 6ft tall so was unsure on how I would find the leg room, but it was absolutely fine and I'm coming from a Focus mk2.5.

I got a 5dr, can't be going back to a 3dr, as nice as the 3dr look's.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Incontro said:

nice, which one are you getting?

A 125ps ST-Line, with sat nav, reverse camera and privacy glass. 

4 minutes ago, dtulip8 said:

A 125ps ST-Line, with sat nav, reverse camera and privacy glass. 

What colour?

I originally wanted the grey magnetic, but in the end I got black, the colour I was adamant I would not get again, my current focus is black🤣

But the fiesta st line looks so sexy in black with the privacy glass and drl's, grey looks awesome as well mind you.

 

*oops saw it in your sig, nice.

1 hour ago, mitch84 said:

What colour?

I originally wanted the grey magnetic, but in the end I got black, the colour I was adamant I would not get again, my current focus is black🤣

But the fiesta st line looks so sexy in black with the privacy glass and drl's, grey looks awesome as well mind you.

 

*oops saw it in your sig, nice.

Initially wanted red or magnetic, didn’t want blue for the exact same reason as you but seeing the Chrome blue in the flesh changed my mind!

Hate to be pedantic (ah, who am I kidding, no I don't! ) but that's not a Fiesta, it's a Fiesta Active...  

You got me all excited there reading about the comfort compared to the Mk2.5 Focus...of course it's comfortable when it's got a huge arch gap and chunky tyres...if only the normal Fiesta had the same level of comfort.  

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

.of course it's comfortable when it's got a huge arch gap and chunky tyres...if only the normal Fiesta had the same level of comfort.  

To all intents and purposes it is a normal Fiesta with a bit of body cladding and marginally higher ride height. As I've mentioned somewhere my neighbour is highly delighted with hers and the tyres (205/45) don't look that chunky to me. If you are looking for a comfy car, as you seem to be, does it matter whether it's a "normal" Fiesta or not? I know it seems to be a bit of a "Marmite" thing looks wise - though personally I find the "normal" Fiesta a bit boring compared to this and the ST and ST-Line (but I don't like Marmite!😀)

4 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

To all intents and purposes it is a normal Fiesta with a bit of body cladding and marginally higher ride height. As I've mentioned somewhere my neighbour is highly delighted with hers and the tyres (205/45) don't look that chunky to me. If you are looking for a comfy car, as you seem to be, does it matter whether it's a "normal" Fiesta or not? I know it seems to be a bit of a "Marmite" thing looks wise - though personally I find the "normal" Fiesta a bit boring compared to this and the ST and ST-Line (but I don't like Marmite!😀)

I don't like marmite either, so at least we're in agreement there!  

Trouble is, I'm essentially looking for an impossible spec...something that looks as good as an ST but has the ride comfort of a Maybach.  I'm afraid that massive arch gap just looks daft to me (without even mentioning the awful faded plastic trim, why wasn't that stuff left in the 90s!?), but it's the same on any comfort spec car, I never liked the gap between the 16s and the arch on the Mk2.5 Titanium.  But of course lowering it and fitting bigger wheels for looks would've taken away the comfort!  

I know it probably sounds daft, but I don't do many miles and don't have any other hobbies, so when I do take the car out I like it to feel 'special' like an ST/GTi does (and to some extent the Mk2.5 with the full leathers etc), and I like it to be photogenic which the Focus wasn't really due the Titanium alloys and arch gap...  The Golf just doesn't do anything for me...I frequently walk past it in lines of parked cars as it just fades into the background.  I even tried to get into a nearby Polo in a carpark last week...same colour, and amazingly the same reg ending (what are the chances!) but not even the same damn model!  Just shows how much interest I have in it!  

17 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Trouble is, I'm essentially looking for an impossible spec..

Lol, as I've mentioned elsewhere, I think I'm doing the same tbh!

10 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Hate to be pedantic (ah, who am I kidding, no I don't! ) but that's not a Fiesta, it's a Fiesta Active...  

You got me all excited there reading about the comfort compared to the Mk2.5 Focus...of course it's comfortable when it's got a huge arch gap and chunky tyres...if only the normal Fiesta had the same level of comfort.  

As said by another poster above me, the Active is literally a slightly raised Fiesta, with slightly bulkier body panels/bumpers in certain locations (platform is the exact same obviously, so ride should be quite similar). I imagine the 140 PS version of the Fiesta is even more fun!

Have you taken the Fiesta Mk8 on a test drive? You might like it, I for one am not usually easily pleased! I was dreading getting into a Fiesta after a Mondeo but like I said I ended up liking it so much that I wouldn't have minded it if the dealer took slightly longer with my warranty job. But only slightly longer 😉

Maybe a used early Mk3 ST Focus? Never driven one before, but you said you like your cars to look special and they look pretty cool

12 hours ago, Incontro said:

As said by another poster above me, the Active is literally a slightly raised Fiesta, with slightly bulkier body panels/bumpers in certain locations (platform is the exact same obviously, so ride should be quite similar). I imagine the 140 PS version of the Fiesta is even more fun!

Have you taken the Fiesta Mk8 on a test drive? You might like it, I for one am not usually easily pleased! I was dreading getting into a Fiesta after a Mondeo but like I said I ended up liking it so much that I wouldn't have minded it if the dealer took slightly longer with my warranty job. But only slightly longer 😉

Maybe a used early Mk3 ST Focus? Never driven one before, but you said you like your cars to look special and they look pretty cool

As you say though, it's a raised Fiesta...  It's literally the extra ride height that allows the springs to be a bit softer and more compliant!  There's a huge difference in ride between a Mk6 Fiesta LX and ST (I've had both), and that's 'only' about 20mm difference as well.   Same with the Focus Zetec S compared to the Titanium, again only about 20mm drop between them but much rougher ride on the ZS.  Of course the tyre size, sidewall especially, makes a big difference too, more sidewall soaks up minor bumps before they even reach the springs.

No I haven't test driven a Mk8...I can't test drive anything at all without feeling really nauseous so it's a pointless exercise and I just have to buy cars, have them delivered, and hope for the best now...  It rarely works out tbh...which is how I ended up with a 107, a GTi-6, an ST150 and an A3 Sport, all of which were so rough riding I couldn't drive them more than a few miles on a good day! 🤦‍♂️  I was only able to drive the Mk2.5 Focus half a mile on test before I felt too ill to continue...but once I'd got it home and it was 'mine' it wasn't so bad, so test driving doesn't tell me anything lol.  Plus I'm much worse this year, I've frequently struggled to do the 16 mile trip to Nans and back without having to stop midway due to nausea & reflux.  And that's in a comfort spec Golf with silly arch gap and chunky 205/55/16s!!   Realistically I know I couldn't have a Focus ST, let alone a Fiesta ST...it's just wishful thinking I guess!

I was considering trying to buy a used Mk8 Fiesta if the ride was genuinely acceptable but having just checked prices they're still well out of budget anyway lol.  I thought they'd been out for longer than 2 years, time certainly does drag on these days!  

Anyway, I won't spam your thread any further.  

 

20 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

I don't like marmite either, so at least we're in agreement there!  

Trouble is, I'm essentially looking for an impossible spec...something that looks as good as an ST but has the ride comfort of a Maybach.  I'm afraid that massive arch gap just looks daft to me (without even mentioning the awful faded plastic trim, why wasn't that stuff left in the 90s!?), but it's the same on any comfort spec car, I never liked the gap between the 16s and the arch on the Mk2.5 Titanium.  But of course lowering it and fitting bigger wheels for looks would've taken away the comfort!  

I know it probably sounds daft, but I don't do many miles and don't have any other hobbies, so when I do take the car out I like it to feel 'special' like an ST/GTi does (and to some extent the Mk2.5 with the full leathers etc), and I like it to be photogenic which the Focus wasn't really due the Titanium alloys and arch gap...  The Golf just doesn't do anything for me...I frequently walk past it in lines of parked cars as it just fades into the background.  I even tried to get into a nearby Polo in a carpark last week...same colour, and amazingly the same reg ending (what are the chances!) but not even the same damn model!  Just shows how much interest I have in it!  

Your right about the golf i just dont feel anything for the looks of it.