2022 Ford Fiesta ST: First batch loses B&O premium audio

Ford Australia has offered buyers of the first 2022 Ford Fiesta ST hot hatches a full refund or $500 compensation, after a factory mix-up saw them built without premium sound systems.

The first 73 Australia-bound examples of the updated Ford Fiesta ST were built without the intended 10-speaker B&O Play sound system, Ford Australia has advised, due to an unspecified "issue" in the Cologne, Germany factory.

All 73 vehicles have arrived in Australia, with 44 of them already "contracted" – referring to a formed sales contract, with the vehicle soon (or already) delivered to the customer.

These customers will be offered the choice of cancelling the contract entirely and having their deposit refunded, cancelling the contract and waiting for a car with the correct sound system, or accepting the vehicle with a $500 cash-back "as a remedy".

Ford Australia has confirmed the omission of the 10-speaker B&O Play sound system – and fitment of a six-speaker non-branded system instead – was not due to the semiconductor shortage, but rather a mix-up on the production line.

Earlier this year, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were omitted from the facelifted Fiesta ST's equipment list due to semiconductor constraints. As reported previously, there is no update on when these important features will return.

Meanwhile, AM radio was also cut from the facelifted Ford Fiesta ST, compared to its predecessor – however Ford Australia has advised AM radio will return, and will be fitted to all customer-delivered 2022 Fiesta STs in Australia.

AM radio is being phased out in Europe, but in Australia it remains an important source of emergency communication in regional areas – where there is no phone signal – during natural disasters such as fires and floods. AM radio can also be the only source of news and information for people in remote areas.

The basic feature was omitted from certain models from Ford, Volkswagen, Volvo and Tesla – with some of these manufacturers working to re-install AM radio.

As for the missing B&O sound system in the updated Ford Fiesta ST, a statement from a Ford Australia spokesperson reads: "Unfortunately, the first 73 new MY22 Fiesta ST vehicles for Australia were built with a non-branded, six-speaker audio system instead of a Bang & Olufsen Play 10-speaker system with subwoofer (Branded Audio System).

"The issue has now been resolved and all future arrivals will have the Branded Audio System, as intended.

The statement continued "44 of these 73 vehicles were contracted, and we are in the process of contacting those customers with several options: they can cancel their contract and have their deposit refunded, or cancel their contract and wait for a Fiesta ST with the Branded Audio System in the next few months, or if they would like to proceed with their purchase we’re offering them a $500 cash payment as a remedy.

"We apologise for any inconvenience."