Mk 8 facelift 2021

[wordchild]

3 hours ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Now that Fiesta production has ended, and presumably most people who have ordered one will have got it, just wondering what owners thought of the Mk 8.5 compared to the Mk 8.

I've certainly noticed a good few deletions compared to my Mk 8 ST Line X, some of which have been mentioned elsewhere and in some cases applied to late Mk 8s also:

 Folding mirrors

One touch window switches (now one touch to open only, and only on drivers door)

Illuminated cup holders

Sunglasses holder in roof console

B&O badges to speakers (where applicable)

Leather covering to handbrake on higher spec models

Owners manual etc. folder (now general on all models it seems)

Removable storage tray under armrest.

Centre speaker on dash 

Spare wheel even as an option

There may be more - I seem to keep noticing more stuff (or rather NOT noticing it) as time goes by.

Also:

Noticed the gap between the A pillar and wing now seems to be stuffed with a black bin liner which has also been mentioned in the Mk 8.5 Focus. I asume this is a soundproofing measure and it may be effective but certainly looks like a bodge!

 

Must be somewhat dismantling to see how Ford has 'de-contented' the Fiesta over time. 

Am a little mystified by just one of your list tho Roger  - the spare wheel. I thought the configurator showed it as an option right to the end, and have seen mk8.5s on AutoTrader with spares.

[wordchild]

Oooops I meant dismaying not dismantling... proof read fail there🙄

[Eric Bloodaxe]

8 minutes ago, wordchild said:

I thought the configurator showed it as an option right to the end, and have seen mk8.5s on AutoTrader with spares.

Oddly, the one for the ST had disappeared from the price list/ordering guide by the time I ordered mine, though it was still shown for other models. Dealer didn't seem able to order the official ST item seperately either, though there are various aftermarket items available and used stuff on eBay etc.

 

 

 

 

 

[unofix]

5 hours ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

it may be effective but certainly looks like a bodge!

Which reminds me we haven't seen isetta in months 🤔

[Eric Bloodaxe]

Interesting that no other comments so far on the "paring back" of the spec on the Mk 8.5. I wonder if many have actually been sold? I've only seen a couple of 8.5s in total, and not seen another ST yet.

Specific ST forums, however, are beginning to amass a lot of negative comments on the 8.5, not just on the reduced spec but quality issues in general. Panel gaps, paint quality and soundproofing issues are getting particular mention.

[TomsFocus]

I've noticed a general defensiveness on here if any negatives are suggested against Mk4 Focus or Mk8 Fiesta.  Not sure if that's the result of having spent a lot of money on something or whether people really are fully content with them?  Maybe ST owners generally have higher expectations?

There are a couple of Mk8.5s near me, one ST, the other an ST-Line.  However at least two that used to have new Fiesta's every few years have switched to the Puma this year.  Puma's easily outnumber Mk8/8.5s around here now.

[alexp999]

1 hour ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Interesting that no other comments so far on the "paring back" of the spec on the Mk 8.5. I wonder if many have actually been sold? I've only seen a couple of 8.5s in total, and not seen another ST yet.

Specific ST forums, however, are beginning to amass a lot of negative comments on the 8.5, not just on the reduced spec but quality issues in general. Panel gaps, paint quality and soundproofing issues are getting particular mention.

I feel like it’s just expected from Ford at this point for a lot of us on here. 

[Eric Bloodaxe]

3 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

  Maybe ST owners generally have higher expectations?

Perhaps so, Tom. There seems to be more satisfaction with the original Mk 8. It's easy to forget now that the base ST-1 was a whisker under £19k when it first came out so I can see people might have higher expectations with the prices now and only ST-3 trim being offered. Paring the spec back while hiking prices hasn't helped matters (although most people appreciate some of the global issues behind that) but some folks have posted shots of pretty shocking build quality which is harder to justify.

I have to say, so far, mine seems to have been screwed together ok, though I'm not impressed with the black bin liners stuffed down the inner wings (shared with the Focus 4.5 it seems).

I've seen suggestions that the Puma is better built, though I didn't get that impression from the ST-L 155 I had on 24 hour demo last year which had quite a few creaks/rattles. 

Still loads of Fiestas near me, but only one Puma. Mine is the only 8.5, though.

3 hours ago, alexp999 said:

I feel like it’s just expected from Ford at this point for a lot of us on here. 

Sadly, probably true, Alex. It strikes me they're going to have to find a new customer base for their upcoming EV only range, as they seem to have pretty well turned off the existing lot.

[Eric Bloodaxe]

More things for the list of items deleted from the Mk 8.5 compared to my previous Mk 8 ST-L:

Puddle lights

Illuminated cup holders

I didn't notice at first - don't need to drive at night much these days. Not things I'm personally that bothered about, but still......!

[Eric Bloodaxe]

After commenting earlier in this thread how few facelifts (Mk 8.5) I've seen, I've spotted 5 this morning in Alnmouth, Northumberland. Plus mine of course.😀

[Eric Bloodaxe]

Another thing missing from the Mk 8.5 is the acoustic windscreen - I recall Ford made a bit of a thing of this when the Mk 8 was originally launched. I was unsure if this was just a facelift thing, or if, like some of the other deletions, it happened late in the run of the Mk 8.

One of my neighbours has an Active, PFL on a 21 plate. Her previous car was the same model, 18 plate, which she has now passed on to her daughter. Got an opportunity to look at both this morning - the 18 plate has an acoustic screen (Ford Soundscreen), the 21 plate doesn't. 

So that seems to confirm that particular feature was dropped pre-facelift.