WHAT CAR AWARDS - The Fiesta takes best hot hatch as the Galaxy wins best MPV over £26,000.

The acclaimed Ford Fiesta ST was crowned the UK’s best hot hatch for the fourth consecutive year at the 2017 What Car? Awards.

Enjoyed by over 25,000 owners, Ford Fiesta ST remains a UK favourite since its launch in 2013.

To mark the 40^th anniversary last year of the Ford Fiesta – Britain’s best-selling car every year since 2008 – the ST200 was added to the range, adding a further 18PS to the 182PS available from the existing 1.6-litre Fiesta ST.  Also new last year was a five-door Fiesta ST to complement the original three-door bodystyle.

Steve Huntingford, What Car? editor, said: “The Ford Fiesta ST is impossible to dislike. It leaves rivals trailing on a challenging road because it dives into corners like a terrier chasing a bouncing ball and the steering is full of feel. In normal use, it doesn’t disappoint. Like all Fiestas, the ST has a decent boot and plenty of cubbyholes and is small enough to feel wieldy around town.

“Fiesta ST is the best all-round hot hatch. It strikes the perfect balance between performance and affordability. It lets you attack B-roads without worrying about the width of the car or how powerful it is. In fact, it’s sharper than the BMW M140i, which costs almost £15,000 more. To add to its appeal, the ST combines all of this with the reliability, practicality and dealer coverage that has made the Fiesta top seller.”

The consumer magazine and website, attracting over 1.95 million monthly users, chose the well-equipped Fiesta ST-2, priced at £18,895, as their recommended model complete with heated Recaro front sports seats and Ford Power push button start.

On receiving the award, Lisa Brankin, Ford of Britain marketing director, said: “Performance vehicles, and the thrill they bring to driving, are renowned Ford strengths.  Our new ST-Line range, sitting under ST, to RS and Mustang above it, offer a performance car for everyone.  Thank you What Car? for recognising Fiesta ST - the biggest seller in this exciting 2017 line-up.”   

It is also the fifth successive year that Ford has triumphed in the hot hatch category – prior to Fiesta ST’s four-year run of success, the 250PS Focus ST took the title in 2013.

Ford Galaxy – best MPV (£26,000+)

The new Ford Galaxy is also best Multi-Purpose Vehicle for its price, according to What Car?

What Car? named the Ford Galaxy Zetec with 2.0-litre TDCi 150PS diesel engine as its pick of the range.

AUTO EXPRESS AWARDS - Ford takes one outright title, Best Hot Hatch, and commended in five others.

Ford’s five-star Focus RS has added “Hot Hatch of the Year” from Auto Express to its increasing awards collection. The latest acclaimed fast Ford has already been honoured by Top Gear, Autocar and Vehicle Dynamics International this year.

Now the all-wheel drive performance sensation has also been sent to the top of the class by top-selling weekly motoring magazine and website Auto Express.

“The flames of the hot hatch fire were well and truly fanned when the Ford Focus RS hit the market,” said Auto Express editor-in-chief Steve Fowler.  

“Despite the muscular styling, the RS is still practical – just as a hot hatch should be.  Ford has put distance between the hottest Focus out there and its similarly priced competition – in fact graduating into the mega hatch league of Mercedes-AMG and Audi RS3, only a lot cheaper.”

The £31,000 hatch can now be specified for all seasons, with the addition of heated steering wheel and seats available as a Winter Pack.  While summer is supposedly here, demand for Focus RS means an order today will be delivered in mid-winter.

Consequently Winter Packs comprise 10 per cent of latest specifications, with an additional five per cent opting for the heated wheel only.  Luxury Pack (powerfold mirrors, rear parking sensors, KeyFree, cruise control and privacy glass) continue to be on 90 per cent of orders.

Ford of Britain chairman and managing director Andy Barratt, said: “For new Focus RS to add Auto Express Hot Hatch of the Year to its trophy cabinet is yet another highlight in its still short life.

“Since specs and prices were announced 10 months ago, we have already taken 4,500 orders – around the UK’s first allocation.  While we have secured additional cars, prospective Focus RS owners need to move quick to be part of this thrilling chapter of RS history.”

The 350PS Focus RS achieves 0-62mph in 4.7sec and its 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine can power the car on to 165mph.  Its development was filmed for an eight-part online documentary called “Rebirth of an Icon”, capturing the highs – and lows – of engineering the third-generation Focus RS: 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JVhgCqHr2g.

Further Fords commended

Five other Ford models were commended in other Auto Express award categories:

Best Coupé:	Mustang
Best Convertible:	Mustang
Best MPV:	S-MAX
Pick-up:	Ranger
Van:	Transit

Ford's All-New Focus ST wins it's first award.

The new Ford Focus ST has claimed its first award in the UK – Best Hot Hatch in Carbuyer’s Best Car Awards.

Editor of Carbuyer.co.uk, Stuart Milne, praised the new Ford Focus ST’s sporty new exterior design and enhanced interior: “Focus ST is a stunning example of practical performance and, with an excellent diesel model joining the petrol, it has become a true real-world champion.”

The Carbuyer website is one of the leading resources for people seeking information about new-car purchases in the UK, receiving more than 1.4 million users a month, who view more than 5.5 million pages.

“It is great to see the new-model Ford Focus ST gathering its first UK award within a month of arriving in dealerships,” said Anthony Ireson, Ford Britain marketing director.  “A third of the 140,000 Focus ST models sold globally since 2002 were bought in the UK, where our appetite for fast Fords shows every sign of continuing.”

The new Focus ST range features two engines, three series and two body styles. Both the 250PS EcoBoost petrol and 185PS TDCi diesel 2.0-litre engines are offered in the ST-1, ST-2 and ST-3 series starting from £22,195. There is also an acclaimed estate body style offering a unique combination of load space and sporty handling.

Featuring sportier and more aggressive styling than the previous generation of Focus ST, the new model has a lower, wider stance; new dynamically sculpted bonnet, slimmer headlamps and rectangular fog lamps. The sports body kit also includes body colour side skirts and diffuser elements either side of the exhaust, and a rear roof spoiler optimised for aerodynamic performance. Black lamp bezels, ST badging and new 19-inch ST Design alloy wheels – available as an option – complete the look.

New Fiesta ST3 expands the popularity of the ST series.

Ford has launched a new flagship version of its multi-award-winning Ford Fiesta ST.

The new Fiesta ST3 builds on the specification of the ST-2 by adding desirable features including:

• Keyless entry
• Sony DAB radio/CD with navigation system
• Cruise control
• Automatic headlights
• Rain sensing wipers
• Auto-dimming rear view mirror
• Power-fold door mirrors with puddle lamps
• Electronic automatic temperature control

The Ford Fiesta ST-3 goes on sale just one year after the current Fiesta ST’s debut.  Since then over 6,250 have been sold – 20 per cent more than forecast.

Priced at £19,250, the Ford Fiesta ST3 responds to demand for a higher series model in addition to the previous two specification line-up, with the ST-2 accounting for over 90 per cent of sales.

Powered by the same highly efficient petrol engine that has proved so popular with Ford customers – the 1.6-litre EcoBoost 182PS unit with six-speed manual transmission – the Ford Fiesta ST-3 will maintain the car’s ‘hot hatch’ performance, reaching 62mph time in 6.9 seconds and a top speed of 139mph. Official fuel economy on the combined cycle is 47.9mpg, with CO₂ emissions of only 138g/km.

Five vibrant exterior colours are available – Frozen White, Race Red, Panther Black, Spirit Blue and Molten Orange. They are matched to one of two striking interior colour themes, Molten Orange or Smoke Storm, depending on the paint finish chosen.

Rear parking sensors are introduced as an optional extra on the ST-3 (and ST-2), costing £250.

The Ford Fiesta ST was launched to critical acclaim and has gone on to win almost 25 award honours including:

• Car of the Year – Top Gear Magazine Awards
• Best Hot Hatch – Auto Express Awards
• Best Hot Hatch – Scottish Car of the Year Awards
• Car of the Year – The Scotsman Motoring Awards
• Best Performance Car – UK Car of the Year Awards

Scottish COTY - Ford succeeds with a double win

Ford is celebrating a double victory at the Scottish Car of the Year awards, where Fiesta ST took Best Hot Hatch title and Ford’s MyKey technology was judged Innovation of the Year.

Alisdair Suttie, Association of Scottish Motoring Writers president, praised the Ford Fiesta ST which triumphed in the awards’ most hotly contested category.

“Buyers of affordable ‘pocket rockets’ are spoiled for choice these days, with power and fuel economy light years better than ever before,” said Alisdair.  “Our winner is not the most powerful of the shortlisted cars but its ease of driving and superb chassis won over the judges.”

Powered by a 180PS, 1.6-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, the Ford Fiesta ST is capable of 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds and has a top speed of 139mph.

Available from only £16,995, it offers performance-tuned steering, suspension and brakes, Recaro sports seats as well as Ford MyKey as standard.

The Scottish Car of the Year judges were impressed by Ford’s MyKey, an industry-first technology which allows parents to programme a key for younger drivers that limits their top speed, reduces maximum radio volume, disables the radio until seat belts are fastened and prevents deactivation of driver assistance and safety technologies.

“Picking a winner for this year’s innovation category was harder than ever as car makers offer ever more intelligent solutions to life’s ups and downs,” said Alisdair. “However, our judges were bowled over by the simplicity, ease and inventiveness of this thoroughly deserved award winner.”

Danny Bell, Ford Britain’s district manager for Scotland, said:  “It is always a great pleasure to accept awards here in Scotland, especially when they champion automotive innovation and vehicle appeal as strongly as the 2013 Scottish Car of the Year awards do.  The Ford Britain team joins me in thanking the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers for this recognition.”