All of you looking to get 17s on the Fiesta... Think again. (ST review)

[Teki04]

I've read it before, that the ST isn't as lively as the base model Zetec S, since the 17s increase the grip, but the car ultimately loses out on the fun factor.

A quote from the lastest EVO air freight September Issue about the Fiesta ST;

Personally, I warmed to the looks too. Chunky, poised and - perhaps crucially - not like yer boggo 1.4. A lot of credit for this transformation must go to those spokey 17in alloys, which really separate this car from the rental-fleet herd. It's just unfortunate that they also create a major dynamic flaw...

You see, while the ST grips tenaciously and changes direction keenly, it feels like it's got dumbbells attached to the hubs. Those whacking great alloys pick up every rut and ripple in the tarmac, distracting the car from the more important business of flowing neatly along the road. They also introduce a weird and inconsistent glassiness to the steering that someitmes leads to you to believe the front-end group has suddenly disappeared. I have moaned several times that this car would be better off without such big rims and, although I didn't mean for some bastard to take this literally last month by nicking them, spending some time with the ST's little brother, the Zetec S, showed just how sweet a sporty Fiesta can be on smaller alloys.

So, I guess the 16 inch rims make the Fiesta more fun, more agile, and quicker through the corners...