Twelve months ago, our British colleagues crowned the car gracing this spread TopGear's Car of the Year 2013, ahead of the McLaren P1, Ferrari 458 Speciale, Porsche 911 GT3 and, well, the lot, really. Yet, while the likes of Hammond and Turner were swooning over the red hot Ford, our hot hatch rave reviews went to a French duo, the Peugeot 208 GTi and Renault Clio RS 200, which beat the ST to Malaysian shores.
The Fiesta ST's recent arrival was something local auto hacks have been anticipating for ages. But since Hezeri had committed to helping the flood victims in the East Coast at the turn of the year, the less daunting responsibility of putting the ST through its paces went to yours truly.
It's difficult to resist the Fiesta ST's recipe. Its 1.6-litre force-inducted EcoBoost engine's output of 182bhp and 240Nm represents a jump of 57bhp and 70Nm over the Blue Oval's revelatory 1.0-litre three-cylinder EcoBoost mill. Spicing things up is a proper 6-speed stick shift managing power delivery to the front wheels. To top it off, all of the sports appeal is befittingly packaged in a sexier three-door body brandishing a gaping front grille similar to the Focus ST's to stop onlookers from mistaking it for a pedestrian Fiesta hatch.
Despite the amplified performance offered by the Fiesta ST, it gets off the line like any B-segment hatchback would, quietly, comfortably and with plenty of composure. Its three pedals aren't difficult to get used to either. The clutch is light but not tactless. You would hardly hear it slip thanks to a forgivingly wide power band made possible by the EcoBoost engine's wealth of low end torque that doesn't gush in snappily as is the case with many high-performance vehicles. The body-hugging Recaros and slightly snarly exhaust note are the only giveaways to the ST's high-speed prowess.
Ask the ST to showcase its talents with your right foot and it responds. First gear is not as short as you would expect it to be, with the car only getting into its element in second. But once it takes off, it does so with gusto. Ford claims the ST does 0-100kph under seven seconds and it shows in the real world. Turbo lag is hardly felt and torque steer is never an issue either. Couple the straight-line enthusiasm with the slick gearbox and the ST becomes a machine that's both driver-friendly and quick enough to give German bruisers that cost twice the ST's price a run for their money.
Like the large saloons it would likely end up chasing, the Fiesta ST exhibits incredible poise at high speeds. The driving experience is boosted by a quick-reacting steering that's beautifully weighted and precise despite being electronically aided. It strikes a brilliant partnership with the ST suspension – a sportier setup than what's in a regular Fiesta – for a ride that's oozes confidence and finesse at the speeds the Fiesta ST is capable of. Although it's integral in minimising bodyroll around the B-roads, the Fiesta ST is built to attack. Even so, its ST suspension is surprisingly compliant at low speeds too. Yes, it's firmer than what you would normally get in a family car, but the ST's ride is never jarring or harsh.
The Fiesta loses a lot less of its habitability in ST form when compared to the Focus which, with an ST badge stuck to its backside, takes on a much angrier persona.
It's hardly longer than the five-door Fiesta but we would like to believe that the ST's three-door chassis also contributes to a tauter and consequently more rewarding ride around the bends. There's plenty of balance to complement the ST's sublime suspension and steering, with the Potenza-wrapped 17-inch alloys hooked to feistier all-round disc brakes chipping to offer oodles of grip and stopping power when things get a little dicey, which is only possible with the glaringly obvious 'ESC OFF' button engaged.
These starring properties inject a welcome sense of maturity to the ST's fun factor, something inexistent in its direct competitors. It's a huge plus point to this 182bhp Ford waging war against jumpy 200bhp hot hatches that are a touch quicker off the bat because this grown-up approach makes the ST more approachable, practical, driveable and ultimately more complete than the slightly overzealous French duo. That is until you notice the lack of items expected of a RM150k car, such as leather seats, dual-zone air-con and a proper infotainment display.
But treat it for what it's worth – a no-frills hot hatch built to put a smile on your face on a day-to-day basis – and it's difficult to fault the talented tyke that is the Fiesta ST. The composed way in which it executes daily runs to the shops and the do-it-all charisma it exhibits when urged to do more make it easy to overlook its lack of equipment and the ergonomically flawed dashboard that's always bugged the Fiesta. As a drive, the ST is as good as a modern day hot hatch gets and the boys from the UK got it spot on. Not that we doubted their judgement to begin with.
SPECS
Engine: 1,596cc, turbocharged 4-cylinder, 182bhp, 240Nm (290Nm limited overboost), 6-speed manual
Economy: 5.9L/100km, 138g/km CO2
Performance: 0-100kph in 6.9 secs, 224kph
Weight: 1,163kg
Price: RM149,888