2014 Ford Fiesta ST
Here at MotorWeek, we’re always looking for cheap thrills…performance wise that is…and while they have become somewhat more readily available of late, many options are still a little too watered down for our tastes. That brings us to the Ford Fiesta ST. Is America ready for a world class high performance subcompact from Ford? Well, we sure are!
Performance oriented versions of existing cars are nothing new and usually come with a 20 or 30% boost in power. Well how about 65%? That’s what we’re talking about here in the 2014 Ford Fiesta ST.
Its 1.6–liter turbo I4 sees numbers climb from 120–horsepower and 112 lb-ft. of torque to 197 and 202 respectively! And while those aren’t supercar high, they are certainly high enough for a good time. And, with the engine’s instant response, the numbers feel even higher.
Just about everything has been major upgraded here, including suspension, brakes, and steering.
The humble Fiesta was already a solid handler for a bargain basement subcompact, but now it’s gone full on Go-Kart. With a firm feel that’s more like a mid-size sport sedan than pocket rocket.
We’re talking true point and shoot fun here! This car yearns for you to get on it and stay on it. It even has a very pleasing exhaust note, inside the cabin, thanks to a sound symposer; powerful, but not too loud at all.
Off the line, torque steer is surprisingly minimal, despite big hits from the turbo, accompanied by some cool waste gate noise that put smiles on our faces. A strong clutch aids the launch, and you hit 60 in 7.1–seconds. Again, nothing for purveyors of exotic cars to lose sleep over, but in this little car it mean just plain fun, as you grin your way to the end of the ¼-mile in 15.3–seconds at 93 miles-per-hour. The shifter is fast and direct.
The ST…Sport Technologies…engineers added Torque Vectoring Control, but weren’t able to dial quite all of the understeer out. But just about, as it sticks really well and feels exceptionally neutral for a front-driver, with very little roll.
The interior is spiffed up with aluminum trim, enhanced gauge cluster, and well bolstered Recaro seats. Ford’s MyFord Touch screen is here as well, and most found words on the display too small for easy use, and ended up using voice command.
Rear seats are more spacious than many other pocket hot rods, and you can fold them down to expand the 10.1 cubic foot cargo bay to make the ST a purposeful hauler in more ways than one.
The last Sport Technologies effort we sampled was the Focus ST, and as much as we loved that, the Fiesta ST has the same amount of awesomeness in a smaller and lighter package. It’s just simple, pure, driving fun. Sure a Corvette can beat it in every performance category, but is it more enjoyable? Well that’s doubtful.
So yes, the Fiesta ST is a lovely piece of work and we liked just about everything about how it goes. But, many of our staff were less enamored with the exterior design.
The 5-door hatch-only ST is definitely tricked out, though; sharp and evil looking from most angles. But, with way too much grille up front; like a stupid grin showing way too many teeth. Poor rear visibility from the thick C-pillars didn’t help either. And some thought the brake calipers would benefit from some bright paint to sport-en the look up even more.
But cosmetics aside, this is the most pure joy we’ve ever extracted from a front-wheel-drive car. All while doing fine on gas. Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 26-City, 35-Highway, and 29–Combined. We fit right in a 29.1 miles-per-gallon of Regular.
And all for an amazingly low price starting at $22,225. High performance on a budget, that’s what a lot of us are looking for, and the 2014 Ford Fiesta ST delivers that best.
So much so we delivered it our Drivers’ Choice Award as Best Subcompact of the year. We love it!
Along with the Focus ST, Ford has got quite a great thing going and should really promote the ST lineup more, as they could be real halos for the brand. We think that most Americans are well beyond the rear-drive only bias when it comes to performance cars. And while putting more spunk into an existing model is not a new idea, this one is as well executed as they come.
Specifications
- Engine:
- Horsepower: 197
- Torque: 202 lb-ft.
- 0-60 mph: 7.1 seconds
- 1/4 mile: 15.3 seconds @ 93 mph
- EPA: 26 mpg city/ 35 mpg highway
2024 Hyundai Elantra N
Looks Better, Handles Better
When we first sampled Hyundai’s Elantra N, we were impressed. Not only did it live up to the high expectations Hyundai set for themselves with their new N performance brand, but it made a great showroom companion to the funky and fun Veloster N. Well, that was just two years ago and already the Elantra N is getting better!
It’s totally fitting that Hyundai chose the humble Veloster and Elantra to introduce us to their N performance brand, as it mirrored their own humble beginnings here in the U.S. in the 1980s. What started with a single subcompact economy car has grown into a full lineup of cars, SUVs, a pickup truck, and even multiple battery-electric vehicles, one of which recently got the N treatment and set a new benchmark for high-performance EVs.
All that to say, when we had an opportunity to test the recently updated 2024 Hyundai Elantra N sedan, we jumped at the chance.
Now, not to be a downer right away, but there is nothing new to report in the powertrain department, as most updates follow the systemwide midcycle refresh that the Elantra has received for ’24, which mostly highlight styling and tech. But there are other meaningful upgrades, specifically to address the N’s ride and handling. More on that later.
We’ll start with styling tweaks which include a new front with a larger two-piece grille, slimmer daytime running lights, and flat stainless-steel logo. Inside, materials get a premium boost with lots of N logos, some of which are even now illuminated. Both the steering wheel and shift knob are also new in the N, as are the sport bucket seats which are definitely aggressive, though ride quality remains plenty street friendly. Now those N suspension enhancements include new urethane bushings, along with a complete overhaul to the steering system, and additional structural upgrades including engine mounts.
There was a lot of feedback coming through the chassis, encouraging us to push harder and harder.
And they were all readily apparent in our handling course where the N showed great balance, an eagerness to turn in, and fantastic grip. It really is crazy how competent front-wheel-drive cars have become. It’s also more responsive to driver inputs, and there was a lot of feedback coming through the chassis, encouraging us to push harder and harder. You can find a little bit of remaining understeer if you go looking for it, but it’s not the natural tendency at anything less than the absolute limit.
Under the hood is the same 276-horsepower 2.0-liter I4 with 289 lb-ft of torque as last year; and when keeping a hand on that new shift knob for some acceleration runs, the Elantra N didn’t feel overly quick, as it was hard to find a good compromise between a soft launch and massive amounts of wheel hop. Still, we got to 60 in the same 5.4 seconds. The available eight-speed DCT automatic is a few tenths quicker if that’s your priority.
The engine sounds cool, nice and raspy, not high-strung, and the shifter works and feels great, with no missed shifts during our track time. Our best quarter-mile run was 14.0 seconds flat at 101 mph. Not bad for any family sedan. In braking runs, stops from 60 were strong and fade free, averaging a mere 100 feet. There was very little nosedive, as the N had a more of a hunkered down feel to it; and there was also very little ABS pulsing through the pedal.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings with the manual are 21 City, 29 Highway, and 24 Combined. We recorded a good 25.8 mpg of Premium on our mixed driving loop. As for Hyundai’s traditional high value, Elantra N pricing starts at only $34,850, with the DCT a $1,500 option.
If you subscribe to the original Hot Rod ethos of making things go as fast as possible, for as little as possible, Hyundai is glad to have you along for the ride. This 2024 Hyundai Elantra N is a fun-filled modern-day Hot Rod in an economy car disguise. Those that are willing to take their next compact purchase to the power of N will get a driving experience that very few other affordable cars can approach.
Specifications
As Tested
- Engine: 2.0-liter I-4 Turbo
- Transmission: 6-speed manual
- Horsepower: 276
- Torque: 289 lb-ft.
- EPA: 21 City | 29 Highway | 24 Combined
- 0-60 mph: 5.4 seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 14.0 seconds at 101 mph
- Braking, 60-0: 100 feet
- MW Fuel Economy: 25.8 mpg (Premium)