Ford Fiesta ST Mk7 vs Mk8: Which is better? 

Hi all, thanks so much for watching this video - just a small bit of housekeeping; I've quoted 179bhp for the old ST when it should have been 180bhp (apologies). Before you say, yes, I know it produces nigh-on 200bhp with overboost 😉

Outside of car - Mk7 Inside of car - Mk8

Thanks man! Fair and honest comparaison. Well done!

Aaron, you've got a good presentation style. Enjoyable vid. Nice job mate.

I have a 14 ST and I just put $2000 in upgrades, big intake, bigger Intercooler with a Cobb access port and a pro tune, it absolute hauls some serious Ass now, the Torque is off the scale, it’s easily in the 5 second to 60 mph, I was going to buy the new one just for the new infotainment system alone, but Ford pulled the plug on sales in the US at the last moment, that’s why I just did the upgrade, the US Version is a 5 door hatch witch looks awesome, there’s very few of them as opposed to the Focus ST, people every day give me complements on the looks as I have a lot of Visual mods, I’m 72 years young and have had many cars & 9 motorcycles in my life, and by far this is the most fun driving car I have ever had, long live the MRK 7.

I owned 2 new mk7 Fiesta ST's. Loved them. Might have a look at the mk8 when they start discounting them.

Mk7 looks miles better

Having had the old ST and missing it. Got to say new one looks very tempting just at that age whereby baby on the way can’t be spending my money on mini hot hatches as tempting as the new one is. Got to say the St will be number one again in the mini hot hatch market. Nearest competition will be to polo GTI but let’s face it the fiesta is more fun. Well done car obsession another brilliant review. Can’t wait for your Focus Review.

Great vid. Really fair and honest opinions. I said the same stuff about the mk8 on the Stoc forum 're being more grown up, refined, a nicer place to be and not so raw. However I am a mk7 owner and I still love that car so will hold onto it for at least another year before I consider the mk8. This will give it a chance to bed in and will highlight any issues (hopefully none) it may manifest. Both great cars though and I wish I could own both... Keep up the good work

Ace video once again Aaron, I’d choose the mk8 just for the engine. To be honest, because of watching your video I bought one. Cheers Aaron. 👍🏻

Well done for not spending the opening 5 mins imagining your are a comedian by cracking crap Jokes before starting the review. Well done straight to the point and informative. Good work

Rear end on new car spoils the whole package, old one with a few mods look great.

Will be nteresting to see how tunable the new 1.5 mk8 engine will be.. The 1.6 is good for 400 bhp. Insane for a car of this size. Two amazing cars. Very nice review thanks.

I like it that the Mk. 7 feels more confined inside, more like a little fighter plane on wheels. I want to feel like I'm driving a little sportscar, not someone's living room.

Theres an aftermarket bov on the mk7, definately not standard

Good video! It would be good if you could try a non Performance pack MK8 to see what you'd think of that. Some reviews that have been of cars with the LSD fitted have commented on the steering feeling a bit strange just of centre, but no one seems to have compared the two properly.

Well done 👍

Good review I’ve had my local dealer on the phone offering me a good deal on new one which is very tempting (haven’t driven new one yet) but more than likely going to stick with my 65 plate ST2

I selled my st mk7.5 2years ago and miss it everyday. Gonna buy again a mk7.5 cause he looks better and you feel that you drive the car. Mk8 looks like a shaved baby

In usa, our fiesta ST came out in 2014 with 197 HP and 202 lb tq. Always been that way the new model is not coming here, but no big loss because your new model has identical power and tq as our old one.

Can you get a performance pack with a LSD on a MK7 ? Or do you have to buy the part separately and install it ?

Shame on Ford for not offering this car to it's American enthusiasts. Currently own a MK7.

Both brilliant depends on what you prefer can't go wrong with either

That MK7 ST has a dodgy diverter valve if it is making turbo flutter like that. It should be a solid "Pssst" with no flutter. Mine only does this when the GFB DV+ shreds an O-Ring and I have to replace it.

Thx for this video

I own a mk4 Focus ST, and had a mk3 Focus ST. Recently drove both mk7 and mk8 Fiesta STs on bumpy fast country roads. So many reviewers giving rave reviews to everything on RU-vid. This reviewer hits the nail on the head, both cars are exactly as he describes them, both positive and negative. Brilliant reviews, thank you

You're not faced by a million buttons, but you do have an after thought screen glued on the dash

Wish I could trade in my MK7 ST interior for the MK8. But the MK8 ST exterior looks are a downer, especially because it does not look all that different from a ST-line.

can we fit mk7 brakes pads on the mk8? on addition great video but i never found the braking distance of the car :(

Thank you for the great review ! A bit of a late comment, I had the 1l black edition mk 7.5, 140bhp done up to 160 and just moved to a st mk7 mountune 215 bhp, omg made me yell with excitement :)) I really don't like the new st, I wouldnt trade the mk7 for the mk8, it looks to tame and after having a 3 cylinder engine I don't want another one, they are good cars but I love a bigger engine..

The only people who seriously think the Mk7 is better are ones who can't afford the Mk8. The Mk7 has far better tuning and modding options but the Mk8 ones are coming. I drove a Mk8 with Revo stage one and it was quicker than my MK7 stage 2. The future tuning ability for the Mk8 is frighting👍 Also hands down the inside and ride quality is far better in the MK8.

Think I'll test drive one soon just out of curiosity. Don't think it looks as good as the Mk7 and won't be replacing my Mk7 with it for the foreseeable. Sounds better and better interior definitely though.

The turbo flutter is 100% not normal in a stock mk7 ST...

I’ve not heard 1 standard mk7.5 ST have turbo flutter like that! The person may of bought it thinking it was standard but it could have an up rated DV?? I’ve known 2 people that bought one as “standard” and one had an up rated DV the other had a better RMM.

I would prefer the former version and just add a Quaife differential and some much lighter wheels. The 3 cylinder is working awfully hard. I doubt that it will be long lived.

Love my MK7 ST 3 its the north american 4 door

Prefer the looks of the mk7 ......

Very good video, I have a Mk7 and as a daily driver and a fun weekend car it strikes the right balance. I usually get bored of cars very quickly, but a year in and I’m still not bored of it. It still gets looks and I love driving it, whether normally or spirited. I’m not keen on the interior aside from the seats. It generally is basic. But I am pretty swung by the new car, I’m in the process of getting a Mk8 ST3 with the performance pack. They are both great cars, in their own ways.

How tall are you exactly? I'd like to know if I'd fit into one of these (the mk7)

Am I the only one that prefers the look and everything of the mk8?

ST Mk7 OR Mk8? Both good in their own way. New model has evolved. Remember, Petrol heads still argue over Golf GTI Mk1 or Mk2, and 205 Gti 1.6 or 1.9. But then I’m old. :-)

I’m still with the MK7 as I think it looks better and isn’t missing a cylinder 😉🙄

Top speed of the old fiesta is actually 145mph 😉 tried and tested.

Which one would everyone recommend for long journeys?

Last year I was gonna buy the mk7 cus at around 8k it’s a steal. The interior is what made me save up for a golf gti which I still haven’t got tbh😂 is this new fiesta worth buying or would u go towards a VW or Audi?

I'm sorry but that turbo whistle is deffo not standard lollll

Did you compare driving in sport mode on the mk8?

Mk7.5 miles better& far more tuneable than the 3 pot 1.5 !! Same BHP , Revo 1 on a Mk7.5 would 'bury' that 3 pot with the B-Max rear lights !!! -- no thanks Ford , your 'ST' Best one was the Mk7.5 !! nice interior though on the Mk8 !! , just didn,t cut the same 'driver,s' car as the Mk7.5 , but still ahead of the other 'marques' with the ones today :-)

It's maby because I am younger (18) But I think the old one looks terrible . Would never buy it . With the new one it's the opposite. Beautiful car . Working to buy one one day

The new one might be better but still don’t like the stylising. I never liked the interior of the old one but considering all the praise it gets for the driving experience I would save my money and pick the old one. That would actually make a good replacement for your Ibiza unless you need a bigger car

Don’t even need to watch the video, it’s obviously the Mk7

Im yet to see the mk8 do a quarter mile quicker than the old mk7. As a matter of fact havent seen the mk8 break into the 14s yet.

I do like the new st, but at 19k+ it's in mk2 focus rs money. And I know where my money would go.

I only know that the fiesta it's nowadays the only hatch you can get in his price range with 3 doors, the mini it's much more expensive

I owned an MP215 mk 7 and loved it. I now own a Mk8 stock and it’s as quick as the mp215 handles better with the LSD and is light years ahead with regards to interior. However,to look at it’s not as distinctive but makes up for it elsewhere!

Is that turbo sound really normal??

The old st has 197hop on overboost for 15 seconds. It would be more informative and less bias to test the st200 against the MK8. The old car weighs around 200kg less than the mk8, and I think grips just as well, providing you know how to drive. A bit of Rev matching and a bit of heel and toe would see the old keeping head to head with the mk8 i reckon, and the old has half the tech that the mk8 comes with. I get things have to evolve and all, but I’m tired of you tubers giving opinions that lean to one side slightly. Again, a fairer test would have been the st200 against the mk8. It would then be neck and neck. Oh the old st has 180 bop as per fords spec sheet. Get the right info!

Not really a fan of the latest Ford fiesta, the interior is much better I admit.

That turbo noise surely isn't normal from stock...

I have a stage 3 st180 sat at 320 goes like a beast and can abuse it, but put more power in the new one bet it will shit it’s self don’t trust the 3 cylinders

MK8 looks better, the lights on the MK7 look dated.

I just bought a 2018 fiesta st with the 1.6 liter engine and I would not trade it for no three cylinder 1.5 liter Fiesta ST. No way in hell I like what I've got plus I got a great deal on it. I paid for power moon roof and voice activated touch screen navigation system $1590.00 in options that I absolutely love about this car. Less than 1500 miles on it so far. The dealer paid off my trade I ended up getting over $500.00 dollars back after my trade 2016 focus S four door sedan with barley 10,000 miles on it. My new Fiesta ST is magnetic color exterior with charcoal black/contrast STI interior Love the color of it the car had 20 miles on it when I bought it had a couple of scuffed wheels which the dealer replaced no questions ask. I did not pay anything bogus no fake doc fees, or dealer prep fees, just title and license fee. destination fee and taxes ,and that was it a couple thousand dollar discount from the $23,750.00 The best handling car I have ever had including my 2016 mustang 5.0 that I traded in for the focus. Later on I plan to put the Cobb turbo upgrade kit on the Fiesta ST and turn it into a 11 second street hot rod with 400 hp limit it has a cast iron crankshaft so 400 is for sure my limit maybe 380 just to be safe with the tune. No fuel upgrade needed no bigger injectors I do't think so any way, stock cams will rev out to 7800 rpm no problems with some valve springs of course. or at least shims to go under the springs that are on the engine now.a Cobb tuner and cold air intake with a cone filter and big straight free flowing hose for the intake cold air package. The stock exhaust will be at its limits after the kit is installed. $1859.00 for the complete kit down pipe inter cooler upgrade cold air kit. 0 to 60 in less than 4 seconds for sure and quarter mile in mid to high 11en's. 500 pounds lighter than the focus RS or more even closer to 600 pounds lighter. Traction will be a big problem with it pushing 400 BHP at the wheels.

not as composed lacking that LSD (pause)... lol

Although I like both the old one looks more boy racer while the new looks a bit pensioner.

I had a test drive of the new ST. Liked it but the cost to buy and run was a downer. In addition, the gearbox on it was shocking though. Struggled to get in to 2nd and 3rd on occasions. The salesman said I was not the first to comment on it. Have since ordered an ST-Line 140ps

You definitely were changing gears way to early in the Mk7

Why is no one comparing the ST-200?

The Noo ST ?

The new fiesta had so much potential such a shame! Rear completely ruined. Some nice interior improvements but that stuck on pad though!! Really don't like the front led light design aswell especially compared to the old one seen the leds on some standard new fiestas and it just looks pretty weird in person.

The new engine sounds so much better.

old one looks better

So the sound test winner was the one that sounds like (is) a three cylinder and that has the fake pops mapped into it from the factory 😂 oh dear.

It’s funny how it’s just the chavs who think the Mk7 looks better. It’s for that reason why I prefer the Mk8 rear. It looks more like a grown up car like a Golf. Understated is good, unless you’re an 18 year old chav. And the interior looks sooo much nicer.

This guy looks a lot like Andrew Tate😂

Ford are twats, both the ST’s look too much like the Zetec S or ST-line. Make them look special atleast

#ecoboom I'll never touch a shitty ford ever again. Absolutely disgusting customer service, disgusting company.

Neither. Get a Subaru WRX STI instead.