23rd Jul 2006, 06:54

Whatever, you'll never get anywhere near the 7.5 sec mark.

24th Jul 2006, 20:17

Yes you will. I bought mine from new and it's far quicker now than when I bought it, and 0.5 sec quicker is definitely a fair reflection.

23rd Aug 2006, 09:12

OK, it's fair to say there are too many Clio fan boys on this web page. I've had a Clio 172 for the last 2 years, it was a 2002 with 36000 miles on the clock and almost all the options!

Yes it was fantastic, very fast and fun to drive with exceptional handling! Build quality was a joke - I must have spent over 2k just keeping the thing together! I spent a lot on new tyres, brakes etc and had a few minor engine mods, had it rolling road tested at 186bhp.

The new Clio admittedly has better build quality than the older cars, this can be said for all manufacturers nowadays as they all share parts etc with each other anyway. But £16000 for a new Clio without any good kit at all, I mean everthing is optional! If you want all the goodies, you're looking at £17500 for a Clio!!! Which will be worth half that in a few years!.

My point is yes, Clios are great cars, but the new one I feel has priced itself out of the market! I can get a Megane F1, Astra VXR or Focus ST for a few grand more! So technically it's priced next to the faster end/larger cars.

Also my Clio was group 16! And the Fiesta ST is 13, 3 groups less for a difference of 22 bhp!

Official 0-60 times are as follows:-

Fiesta ST - 7.9 seconds

Clio 172 - 7.0 seconds.

OK, yes the Clio is faster, but you're comparing an old car to a new one! In my opinion 150 bhp is quick enough, all I have to do is have my Fiesta remapped to give me 165 bhp, add an exhaust and induction kit and there's 172bhp! Quite easily.

So those people on this site who say the Fiesta ST is hard to tune, you are very much mistaken, the engine is by far easier to tune than the Renault engine. The Duratec engine is highly and easily tuneable!

I've bought a Fiesta ST For the following reasons, I'm not interested in racing Clios all day, that's not the point in driving! I wanted a cheaper car to insure and run and maintain!

The performance is good enough for me, if I want that bit extra I will have a few minor mods done to compensate, but for now I'm happy with it.

I've got a brand new car, almost all the options, with 3 years warranty and 2 years free servicing for £12k, and after 3 years I'll simply get rid of it, but the way I look at it is, Ford parts are cheap, warrenties are free, this Fiesta isn't going to cost me much at all if things go wrong.

Now if I was in my Clio I'd be forking out a fortune, and I'm speaking from experience as I've had one! I also looked at 182s and yes they are nice cars, but they're old now and they are going to lose money faster than a sinking ship!

Overall the Fiesta ST is a gorgeous car to look at, good enough performance for most people, plenty of kit (in mine) and a good price for a new car! Bargain.

If I could afford it I would have gone for a Focus ST or maybe even a New Clio 197, but £17k can get you a lot of cars!!

1st Sep 2006, 12:04

My Fiesta ST is utterly shocking and I will never buy a Ford ever again - lots of problems. I also had the Clio 172 from new before the ST. That was also shocking.

The Clio 172 was miles faster and handles better, however.

My best mate has a VW Golf GTI and that's superb.

Ford/Renault do not make quality cars full stop.

21st Sep 2006, 12:05

Can't beat the Germans for quality.

22nd Sep 2006, 16:19

That comment was true 20 years ago. Now it's not.

I bought a Golf mk4 GT TDI 130PS new, and it was without a doubt the worst built and least reliable car I have ever owned. In 12 months:

The door glass fell off its regulator and smashed inside the door.

The pipe carrying washer fluid to the rear wash/wipe split and leaked washer fluid all over the interior headlining.

The CD player went up in smoke (literally)

The Mass Airflow Sensor failed.

The boot leaked

The interior buzzed and creaked from 5,000 miles onwards.

If this "can't be beaten" we are really in trouble.

13th Nov 2006, 06:30

Hi I am a fan of the ST 150 and I know it's a strange question and not mportant, but does any one know what a ST 150 does in MPH on the clock in 4th gear. (on a test track not on public roads).

Cheers.

18th Jan 2007, 14:22

I have a mate with an st and another mate with a 182. obviously I have been in both. yes the 182 is faster and does look a bit better. however I think inside the 182 it looks like a cheap French car. witch it is (French not cheap) but the st looks like your getting way more quality. I have a bmw 320d 03 reg and I played less than both them. fair enough it is about 1sec slower 0-60 but it is still fast enough for me (as I am only 19 and don’t want to kill myself). it has far better build quality, you are getting much more car for your money, and I also pay way less on fuel as it is a diesel. also when your in the pub and someone asks what you drive I can say bmw and for more money they are still saying Clio of Fiesta.

24th Feb 2007, 12:49

The above comment was posted on my birthday!

I've owned a lot of cars including two fiesta ST's, and have done around 33,000 miles in my ST's. They are not as fast as the clio - obviously!! However, as my mate who drives the clio 172 will, my fiesta's build quality is better, its cheaper to run and insure and has far more options available.

It also handles very well, but It sorely lacks a sixth gear for the motorway.

I would dearly love an RS fiesta, but that's just not going to happen.

12th Jun 2007, 15:21

Now when the poster of the above comment says the ST150 needs a 6th gear... you can be sure the guy has owned one. As an ST150 owner that is the one and only thing I can fault mine on.

Good value for money and a cracking all round package!

26th Jun 2007, 21:37

I think it's a compromise; yes the Fiesta is better built, and more relible, but not as fun or fast; where as the Clio is faster, more fun, but poorly built.

I'd rather have the Clio and risk it. It's a lot more fun, although I wouldn't pay for any of them or risk it; I just drove each one a few times as well as other cars. Maybe I didn't get a good enough feel as I've not owned them, but I prefer the Clio.

I'm skint, so I drive an Audi A3 1.8t, which is fun, reliable, and only costs 2.5k for an R plate