Is a Ford Fiesta ST a good first car?

Since its introduction to the Australian market in 2013, the Ford Fiesta ST has been a popular model for enthusiasts who want a cheap, sporty, turbocharged hot hatch. 

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Building on one of the most popular hatchbacks in the world, the Fiesta ST takes the sixth (WZ 2013–2018) and seventh (WG 2019–2023) generation Fiesta, adds a turbo petrol engine with some serious punch, changes to the suspension and brakes, and some chassis improvements to turn this commuter car into an exciting hot hatch. 

The beauty of this model is that it's a P-plate-legal turbo car in all states and territories in Australia, which is typically hard to find for Queensland and South Australia. 

But just because this zippy little car is P-plate legal does not mean it's particularly the best fit for a P-plater. 

So, is the Fiesta ST a good first car? Here's what you need to know.

Yes, both generations of the Ford Fiesta ST are P-plate legal, even in states with a power-to-weight restriction of 130kW per tonne (Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and Queensland).

Even better, all Ford Fiesta STs were built after 2010, which means they are even P-plate-legal cars in Queensland and South Australia, which define a "high-powered vehicle" as one constructed before January 1, 2010, with eight cylinders or more and/or turbocharged or supercharged (except diesels with fewer than eight cylinders).

The 2013–2018 WZ model is powered by a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder, turbo petrol engine that puts out 134kW at 5700rpm and weighs 1197kg, just sitting under the limit at 112kW per tonne. 

Meanwhile, the 2019–2023 WG model is powered by a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder, turbo petrol engine that puts out 147kW at 6000rpm and weighs 1218kg, just sitting under the limit at 121kW per tonne.

Purely from a safety perspective, the Fiesta ST is a solid choice for parents wanting peace of mind that their young drivers are safe on the road. 

When it was last tested in 2009, the Ford Fiesta WZ model scored a five-star ANCAP safety rating thanks to its two frontal, side chest/head curtain, and driver's knee airbags throughout the car. 

The WZ Fiesta also has core antilock brakes (ABS), electronic brake distribution (EBD), and electronic stability control (ESC).

It should be noted that ANCAP testing evolves each year, so new testing considers things such as driver aids and employs more stringent crash-testing scenarios. Since 2009, the Fiesta, even its new generation, has not been tested again. However, the NCAP (European Crash Test Agency) did give the WG model Fiesta a five-star rating in 2017. 

The newer WG model is equipped with forward automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection along with a forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot alert and rear cross-traffic monitoring. Pretty much everything you'd want in a first car.

While the ST model only comes in a manual, which could be a deal-breaker for young drivers, the Fiesta comes equipped with hill-start assist to wash away some of those fears novice drivers seem to have when approaching a hill.  

Both generations of Fiesta ST have a zippy and fun amount of power without going overboard. The 1.6-litre, four-cylinder, turbo petrol engine that powers the 2013–2018 WZ model represents an easy-to-manage power output (134kW at 5700rpm) while still offering an exciting experience for more experienced drivers. 

The newer WG model (2019–2023) is powered by a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder, turbo petrol engine that puts out 147kW at 6000rpm, so while it does have more power, it's not an outrageous amount that will catch new drivers off guard. 

The last thing you want on your P-plates is a thirsty car. Luckily, the Fiesta ST offers good fuel economy thanks to its small engine. Both the 2013–2018 WZ and the 2019–2023 WG models use around 6.3L/100km, although you will need to fill up the newer model, the 2019–2023 WG, with premium unleaded. 

With a 45-litre fuel tank and the average price of 98 premium unleaded at the time of publishing around $2.20, it will cost you around $14 to drive around 100km in the 2019–2023 WG model. 

The 2013–2018 WZ model has a 48-litre tank and can support 91 octane. At the time of publishing, the average price of 91 hovered around $2 per litre, so it will cost you around $12.61 to get around 100km.

The beauty of the Fiesta ST, when it comes to considering it as a safe car for your young car-enthusiast P-plater children, is the fact that it is front-wheel drive. Not only does the front-wheel-drive layout make things cheaper to service, but it also eliminates the opportunity for hooning.

While it is still possible that your child will speed when they get their hands on this hatchback, you can rest easy knowing that they're not out doing burnouts or drifting. A front-wheel-drive layout also makes the car a little easier to handle in wet conditions. 

The newer WG model also comes equipped with Apple CarPlay, so you can be comfortable knowing the new driver in your life has absolutely no reason to use their phone while behind the controls. 

If you end up buying a Fiesta ST that is under five years old (unlimited km), you are eligible for Ford's 'Service Price Promise', which is a capped-price servicing plan costing $299 for each 12-month/15,000km service.

You're not going to break the bank with the Fiesta ST, either. You can pick up an older model on the used market for around $12,000 to $18,000, while the newer generation WG model starts around the $23,000 mark and upwards. 

One of the downfalls of the Fiesta ST as a first car has to come from the fact that there are no automatic options. If you desperately want a Fiesta ST as your first car, you will need to learn how to drive manual. While it is one of the easier manual cars to learn in, thanks to the hill-start assist, it still adds an extra learning curve for new drivers. 

Another downfall comes from the turbocharger. While the Fiesta ST has been heralded as a reliable car, any sort of forced induction does put extra strain on the engine compared to a naturally aspirated layout. You will not have to worry about these extra maintenance costs until the odometer is in the 200,000km range, but it is something you will need to keep in mind. 

Insurance is another extra cost. Comparing the Fiesta ST, which has an annual cost of comprehensive insurance for a 17-year-old driver at $3160, to the base-model Fiesta Ambiente, which has an annual cost of comprehensive insurance for a 17-year-old driver at $2580, there's a significant increase. 

If you're after a three-door Fiesta ST, you only have the older WZ model option, but if you want a five-door Fiesta ST, you will have to fork out the extra for the WG model. 

The Fiesta ST has also been discontinued, so the later models tend to hold their value quite well. Dealerships that do still have stock of the model will add a mark-up, which tends to make getting a bargain slightly difficult. Many people have been holding onto their Fiesta STs, so you may be hunting for a used example for a while.

Finally, the older WZ model does not feature the driver assist suite or Apple CarPlay. So, if you value safety and technology, you will have to fork out at least another $10,000 to drive away in the newer 2018 model. 

In conclusion, the Ford Fiesta is a good option for P-platers who have a little more money saved up for their first car. 

Fuel costs, purchase costs and insurance will cost you more than the average base-model Fiesta, but you get an epic hot hatch that looks fantastic and has undergone rigorous testing to develop its handling, plus plenty of power from that little turbocharged engine.

Yes, you will have to learn how to drive a manual gearbox if you want a Fiesta ST, but it's worth it to get the most out of the hot-hatch experience. 

For parents wanting their kids to be safe on the road, it pays to look at buying a WG 2018–2023 model as these have the driver assistance suite and Apple CarPlay. It's also a newer model that performed well in European NCAP safety testing. 

Looking to buy a Ford Fiesta ST? Drive's used-car marketplace currently has you sorted with an assortment of STs for sale across Australia. 

Click here to browse the used Ford Fiesta STs for sale near you.