• Cabin is very similar to regular Fiesta
• Sports gear-lever and seats are both highlights
• Some cheaper plastics on show

The Fiesta ST’s interior is lifted straight from the regular Fiesta, and there’s very little to complain about here – it was one of the biggest complaints about the previous Fiesta towards the end of its life, so Ford changed what needed to be changed.

Quality on top of the dash is good, with softer plastics used higher up and a smattering of ST-specific design details – namely some sportier looking dashboard trim, a stubbier gearlever and chunky sports steering wheel – used to differentiate it from run-of-the-mill Fiestas.

Some plastics lower down the cabin aren’t quite as impressive, but there’s little to complain about as it’s a car from lower in Ford’s range – it happens in plenty of other superminis anyway.

The Sync3 infotainment system impresses though. With a large, bright screen placed within very easy reach of the driver, it’s easy to operate on the move. Similarly, Ford’s voice control system works well, the car able to understand plenty of commands from the driver without the need to shout back at it several times.

Is it comfortable? 

• Ride is firm, but not overly so
• Reasonable refinement
• Comfortable seats and lots of creature comforts

Naturally, the Fiesta ST’s ride is much firmer than a regular model, but that comes with the territory of a hot hatchback – there’s a reason we rate this car so highly when it comes to handling.

It’s certainly better than it used to be in the old car, which was known for bouncing you down the road with very little in the way of give when you came across anything more severe than a mild undulation in the tarmac.

The ST still demonstrates some of this, albeit to a lesser degree, which makes it more usable day-to-day. It’s not bone-crushingly firm and will deal with bumps in the road well, but you’ll need to watch out for bad lumps in the road at speed, as you would in any car. 

If you’re not in a mad rush hunting out the finest twists and turns on your morning commute, the ST will provide good levels of comfort that you’ll find in any other supermini – supportive seats, a good infotainment system and good visibility, plus there’s room for four adults if you try hard enough and the option of a panoramic roof to let more light into the cabin.

The seats are a particular highlight, with plenty of under-thigh and side support without feeling too hardcore and racy, which can often feel uncomfortable in focused hot hatchbacks. Settle in for a longer drive and you won’t find them too hard, plus the (standard on ST-3) heated seats are some of the best in the business – as we found out in our Fiesta ST long-termer. 

It’s also easy to find a suitable driving position for most drivers, too, although some taller drivers will find the seat is still set quite high, but it’s a marked improvement over its predecessor.

There is plenty of road noise though and trying to have a conversation between front and rear passengers will certainly require each of them to raise their voices in order to be heard.

Those thinking the ST-2 and its smaller 17-inch wheels will make an improvement on both ride quality and road noise would normally be right - and they do - but in the case of the Fiesta ST, the difference is negligible, so it's not enough to warrant selecting this model out of all the others. You're in for a noisy and bumpy low-speed ride whichever one you go for.