I have been realy enjoying the road testing down in Tassie to find Australias best driving car. They started with fifteen selected cars that were deemed to be the best of their genre with a 250000 thou price limit. They are now down to the top five and guess what? The fiesta st is one of them. Its now up against the likes of audi, mercedes, jag and porsch. Even if it doesnt advance further what a fantastic effort by a sub 30g car against cars with a price north of 100g.
The falcon boys are sooking because their xr8 came last with another supercharger blowup but hey another ford is in the top five. I have always been keen on the smallfords as good performing, fun to drive and resonably economical to run cars and it looks like the fiesta st is continuing the tradition. Even the lesser specced fiesta sport ecoboost is one of the better small cars out there. If you havnt driven one make sure its on the list.
So which car is going to be this years abdc? 

I like the concept of the Fiesta ST, but I find it to be absolutely hideous inside and out.

2015 Fiesta ST

Solidity of construction is well on the way out with more plastic and composites to make everything lighter......Power to weight ratio is king. Also everything is starting to look the same, hard to identify some cars. Go the classic Fords!!

Yes NQRS, you're right.
 
 
 Rapt I never sold my XC 5.8 or AP5 PB REGAL, or HJ61 12HT, or my XY 351, etc etc
 As VACC Mechanics, my son and I service "modern" 2000-2015 AUDI BMW MERCEDES and VW with  HOLDENS and FORDS as well, and I doubt I would buy any modern car after seeing what we see in the workshop........I should write a book on comparing post 2000 cars with Classics from 1970 to 1980............LONG LIVE THE "CHROMED BUMPERS"..............!

Several friends own small mechanical repair businesses servicing and repairing all models of cars.
I take my hat off to them because of the level of crap they have to go through to repair theses cars.
The technology and intricate designs of delicate components in the modern cars is way too complex.
A car's life appears to be 150,000km or 5 years. Then age redundancy sets in.
All most people want to do is be able get to work, take the kids to school, go shopping and visit the friends and relo's.
But I would love a late model turbo 6 cylinder or V8 Falcon.....

You've read my mind Peter...........as if all the bull**** that comes with these modern cars is not enough, the thousands of dollars everything costs when you buy parts that don't last very long, just adds to my disgust with them. Equivalent faults or service items today for old classics still only cost hundreds instead of thousands !..........But people are like sheep...........they NEED to keep up with the "Jonses" and "be seen" in modern car with all the bells and whistles.

One of the many reasons why I love driving my old car to work every day in traffic is because it is a bright visual statement that my old car will do exactly the same thing as your new imported hi tech car will do, but in a much simpler way.
 
Also says exactly how many thousands have you lost due to depreciation and servicing?
 
And after 5 years when your new hi tech car is in the scrap yard causing pollution and tying up valuable resources, my old car will still be doing exactly what the man made it to do, in an Australian factory, with Australian workers, in 1979. 

I have to say I have a dollar each way in relation to the old v new argument. I dearly love my old car and love driving it on weekends but..... when it comes to wanting a reliable car to get me to work every day I drive a late model techno, which I also love to drive. So much so it has taken a bit of joy off driving my old car on the weekends. Plus the fact I do not want some pleb to rear end my classic set of wheels during the week. Also the 7 year warranty and capped price services help.

Some very interesting opinions and observations guys and any classic ford driver could empathise with them. However The subject is what is australias best driving car new and under $250000 and the fiesta st came in at fifth. Considering that the top four are expensive this in my opinion makes the fiesta st a bargain. 
Alas there are many reasons why we buy a car  and practicalities come into question. One time I bought a car just for drivability and it was a 1970 escort twincam. A car that I loved when thrashing it but hated when trying to drive it sedately. It just forced one to thrash it. Fine for about a year and a half but mounting maintainence costs forced a sale. Resale price was deplorable something like about 50% depreciation in 1.5 years so this depreciation thing has been going on for a long time. The twink tho was such a sweet steer that every car Ive owned since has been compared to it in some way.
Nowadays I have a fiesta powershift because we need an auto and im not ashamed to say i just love driving this thing.
Practical purposes aside I have a capri v6 which is modified enough to make it interesting and a very original cortina 66 two door gt which is also registered and a 2 door mk 1 esky 2 litre nearly rebuilt.
Where does a fiesta st fit in? It doesnt unfortunately. but when ford makes a fiesta four door sport with the 1.6 st motor and auto tranny then im in.