Hot hatches are all the rage – unless you’re in the U.S. where crossovers and SUVs for the shrinking American family dominate parking lots everywhere. Americans opting for crossovers are missing out on some fun-to-drive cars. But in a country where you have to beat your next-door neighbor in pursuit of the American dream, crossovers and SUVs reign supreme. And that’s sad because low sales of cars like the Ford Fiesta ST eventually lead to their demise in the U.S. However, other parts of the world that appreciate such vehicles are in for a treat. 

Cars with a higher top speed:

The video, yet another from AutoTopNL, takes the three-cylinder hatch from zero up to its top speed of 147 miles per hour (237 kilometers per hour). It’s slow going, but how often will an owner have the space to hit the car’s top speed? Our bet is not often. The video shows two top-speed attempts. The first, which is timed, takes about 41 seconds for the Fiesta ST to reach 137 mph (222 kph). The second attempt isn’t timed; though a rough estimate indicates the car took an additional 30 seconds to go from 137 mph (222 mph) to 147 mph (237 kph). 

That’s not fast by any measurement, but the driving joy from the Fiesta ST comes from its collective greatness. Everything from the powertrain to the chassis to the suspension works together to provide an engaging driving experience. Buy a race car if you want a race car.

The new Fiesta ST gets its power from a turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 197 horsepower and 214 pound-feet of torque. That seems weak by today’s standards, but it’s more than the V6 Mustang from the early 2000s. This isn’t a supercar, but a hatchback designed to bridge the gap between a performance vehicle and everyday driver. You’re not trailering this to the track every weekend. You’re getting groceries, dropping off the kids, and maybe taking some friends for an evening out. And you’re taking it down some twisty roads, too, which the car handles exceptionally well. 

Source: AutoTopNL via YouTube

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