Rivals - Ford Fiesta ST Vs Mini Cooper S | WATCH BEFORE BUYING PT2 

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Totally agree with the verdict - I test drove a Fiesta ST, it was the best car I've ever driven. Like you, I was smiling as soon as it started moving.

Fiesta is really nice - fun toy - but for me the mini Wins any day , better build quality and full of pure character with out that boy racer feel and looks .mini a true enjoyable fun car that will hold its value longer , the mini any day is the real winner . Thats me a fiesta and mini owner

I own a 2019 Ford Fiesta and it is the best small car I have ever owned.

I own a Focus ST and have driven plenty of Fiesta STs and they are fantastic cars; however they are based on ECONOMY cars where the Mini is truly a bespoke design. The Cooper “touch-points” are all superior as well as the BMW sourced switchgear and build quality. The Cooper is a “de-tuned” luxury car and the STs are dressed up econo-boxes. Really need to test manual v manual...seems like a strange comparison when talking a lot about “fun factor.” Lastly just look at the gorgeous twin-sunroofs...the greenhouse effect; compare that to the “Hertz rental” dome of the Ford :(.

Agree the fiesta is the faster more fun out and out boy racer car, the mini build quality and interior are a Class above and it’s a nicer car to drive sensibly being more refined. Depends what you priorities are for a small hot hatch to which you pick.

Liked this little series and was actually nice to see two cars the vast majority of people could realistically afford. 👍

I've driven both and I absolutely love the mini, it's such a cool car I love it, better engine too 4cyl Vs 3, but you can't deny... The fiesta is a blast to drive, feels like it will go round anything, definitely has more character even though I want to like the mini more 😂

Just take the fiesta for a test drive and you’ll understand 😘

What I like about you guys is even though you have your own opinions and you like what you like, you still agree with each other on some points... Nothing worse than someone that can't even admit when theirs doesn't do something as good or whatever! Good video!

Getting mini cooper s sport in October with auto box British racing green cannot wait

Fantastic and informative video. Going to get a fiesta ST soon once I sell my SL55. That one is getting a bit on the expensive side.

£40 per month more, but it's worth £5k more, so over 3 years it's only about £1,500 extra for a car costing about 25% more. And the mini if buying outright would hold its value better long term.

I own a 2014 Ford Fiesta ST (mainly due to us not having any of the newer ones 😭) and I love the fiesta so much, they’re great cars and they come alive around those corners! Throw a tune on there and they’re a blast to drive, a true pocket rocket!

Nice review! I had my eyes on both cars.. Ended up with the Fiesta cuz I found a really cheap st1! I was only out for fun so I think I ended up with the right car, its a little beast!! Nippy indeed!

I own a 2016 Pre LCI mini cooper s, manual. Having compared mine to an LCI with PPF, the new one sounds awful. This mini will not pop and bang anywhere near as much as the 2016. This fiesta is fantastic but, I can't help but think the older mini F56 would spank this in a head to head...especially my manual 😉

I'm a yoot of the 80s and 90s, I've never discounted a fast Ford because it's a Ford. I picked one up, finally, at the weekend, tis a wonderful thing. I also own a standard Elise, the Fiesta is not quite that good at handling though ;)

Guys great review 👍🏻, I’d love to see the Civic Type R vs the I30N. On paper there’s a clear winner, but as a daily I think it would be a lot closer

The ST is quite simply great fun to drive.

fieSTa ❤ pocket rocket

Trying to decide now between a Cooper S and an ST haha. Decisions 😂 anyone recommend?

I currently own a cooper S and know it well from the last 3 years of ownership. I have driven the Fiesta and it is a way better Drivers car than the Mini. As you stated the mini is a better everyday driver but the Fiesta is the Better hot hatch. Only downside was the Tight seats on the ST.

Uncle fester all the way

You picked the wrong mini. Should've been a JCW.

I swapped my JCW for a mk8 ST, it’s that good!’

Actually wanted to buy a Fiesta ST, unfortunately there are no discounts on the ST models in Switzerland. My Mini Cooper S 5 door was list price 28% more expensive with full equipment, with a very high discount it is ultimately cheaper to finance than the Fiesta ST. The Fiesta ST is definitely more fun! The Mini Cooper S is more comfortable. Incidentally, I would only buy a Mini Cooper S as a 5-door car, the handling is more neutral than with a 3-door car, the weight distribution is better with the 5-door car.

The Mulgari edition you guys drove is awesome!! and now it has 310bhp!

Mini just feels sounds and looks more "normal" and "boring" compared to the ST. Gonne try to get my hands on an ST this summer, seems like the perfect reasonably priced car for what it should be. Fun.

In Sport and Race Mode you can shift without lifting Throttle

The Engine of the Mini 2.0 L 4 Cylinder is way more reliable, than the Ford 1.5 L lil 3 Cylinder on the long term !

isn't it wheel hopping on launch start?

Fiesta ST

The Mini F56 is a disappointment in terms of handling and fun factor compared to the older Mini R56 and yes compared to the Fiesta as well. Does anyone have driven both the Mini R56 and the Fiesta ST mk3 and can say how the two compare?

Was torn between the 2 but when I get my next car that fiesta st is getting purchased mate

Who puts down £5K on PCP? Good review though, still prefer the Mini and Mini customer service is second to none on 'affordable' cars. The Fiesta looks like loads of fun too!

I’m not that interested in either car but this is a really well made video in terms of format and production 👍

"Road Tax" was scrapped in 1937. It is now "Vehicle Excise Duty", based on carbon emissions.

A thought for an 'In The Headlights' thing. 'Work and Play' (or something to that effect) for hot hatches paired with a potential work horse (pick up or van). Pairings of Fiesta ST and Ranger Raptor, Mercedes A35 AMG and Mercedes X350D, Volkswagen Golf R/GTI and Transporter, and I'm not sure about the 4th but maybe Suzuki Swift Sport and Suzuki Jimny.

The bold guy just wasn't wanting to like the mini deffo win from the mini coming from a abarth owner

The cooper s, looks the better car, and os the most fun to drive and although not as quick as the fiesta, it just feels more like a track car. It doesn't have that fiesta stigma, or boy racer/teenager reputation. The mini cooper s name sounds better than ford fiesta! You cant beat that go-cart feel in the cooper s. Its a solid car, sorry but the mini wins hands down for me.

Just ordered my white st 😎

It is a shame really. The mini as a whole is not what it used to be, and I’m not even talking about it’s classic roots. Verdict in this instance… Fiesta.

Had both, love both, but for 'fun factor' you don't compare an auto with a manual, come on. The fiesta is brilliant, its close, but the mini is a more fun car to drive all the time, fiesta maybe on some roads. Oh and its also torque thats important, not BHP.

It's to bad we didn't get the Fiesta 3 door in the states . But I love my Mini

Mini has so much more potential though.. 300+hp is easy achieved. If you spend on a nice suspension upgrade. They drive on rails. Love mine. No Fiesta could beat that.. not even close on a trackday

Debating between a 2012 countryman all4 S and a 2014 ST both manual, the mini is 8k vs 11k for the ST... Hard dilemma...

I'm reminded of Dom & Brian xD

Mini is nice inside but far worse to drive, handling and steering in the mini is terrible, bouncy suspension, inconsistent steering and no lsd so it’s just not on the same level as the fiesta

Thanks for your video. That mini sounds shithouse lol but it's mostly because it's automatic as well. He said "whinging" 🤣 fk I'd be sleeping instead if I was driving that mini 😂. I hate the looks too always have. The real very first minis look awesome even now in 2019. I'm going to buy that new mk8 but I'm going to wait till the facelift is available.

I prefer the look of the previous ST, it looked sportier.

Excellent

I just don't get the Mini. What's the point in having a 2 litre engine if you are going to dumb it down.

Fiesta st

the fiesta can be 10 times better for all i care, its a fiesta hahaha and looks just exactly the same as the stline or zetec s ect where in the mini you see an s badge or jcw ect and you no its the fast one straight away where every other person will still think the fiesta has a 1.0 eco boost init! hahaha

Looks like it was filmed in the New Forest

Fiesta is better than a mini any day

8:05 - woapapapapapa, 8:06 oh yeah woapapapapapa I'm crying :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Shame you did not try the manual Cooper S

2 years later I’ve got a fully specced facelift fiesta ST3 for £28K 😂😂😅

Did they mention that the fiesta has fake engine noises pumped into the cabin via the speakers? I think the difference is, the mini is a little more grown up than the ST but still both fun cars.

Stealability is always a bad factor when buying a Ford

The issue with this test is Fester purposefully puts a downer on the Mini from start to finish. It biases the review. Regardless of what car you prefer they need to be given equal chance. Also use a manual v's manual car, it's not difficult! Any idiot is doing car reviews these days it seems. The interior on the Mini is so much better. Ford has always and will always be a bit cheap looking and feeling. I've owned both Ford and Mini. The Mini looks classier and more expensive in every way. A Ford will always be just a Ford. I wish ford would just spend another 50 quid on each car to bring a few things a bit further forward. They don't need to be making these crappy economy interiors any more - look at the last Focus interior for example, yes the one thats in the Focus RS - IT IS SHOCKING!!!! Not good enough and IS THE reason I will never buy the current RS. The older ones - which you don't get in the USA which is where I live now - I need to move back coz this country is in love with shit cars, had great interiors for the model year. Mini have always had good interiors for their model years. Mini are IDIOTS however because they are competing in a segment that includes the GTI and they are way down on power. Back in 2009 they held their own but over a decade later they are just too slow for the price you pay for them. The extras on Minis mount up so fast you could buy a very nice second hand car with what you pay for an all inclusive Mini package. You get to 30k very quickly and that won't even get you electric seats! The center screen is LAME. A rectangular screen in a round housing is shite. I understand the need to keep the tradition but if thats your concern why not keep the speedo there if you are so concerned about tradition. RELIABILITY - SHOCKING! As soon as they start to go wrong you are forever chasing the next issue and putting more and more money down from huge issues like the timing chain, high pressure fuel pumps, cooling system and the gearboxes stalling in reverse gear, to smaller issues like reduced power normally caused by a carbon build up in the cylinders. None of these jobs are cheap! Timing chain is $4000 at a Mini dealer and a lot of non dealer mechanics won't touch it. Fuel pump is $1200-$1500, new gear box is $3000-$4000, carbon build up is $500 to get those all cleaned out - not many places have that facility. For a daily driver I would prefer the Mini cooper s, it feels more quality sitting inside it and that's where I would be all of the time. It also looks a lot more expensive on the outside. More prestige. But would I ever buy another one? NO I would not. I owned 5 of them and 3 were horrid reliability wise. They are far too expensive for what you get and you don't want to buy a secondhand one because you have no idea what you are getting into. I'd buy the ST at 2 to 3 years old, it will be good for 150k miles but I wouldn't pay 20k for a new one. You'd lose your shirt in the first 2 years. Spend a grand on it and you could upgrade the performance on this a fair amount, not massive but it would keep up with gti golfs no problem. My choice for a hot hatch - either the Golf R or Mercedes A class Amg.

Should’ve got a manual Cooper S

A Mini Cooper S Convertible/JCW costs almost $100,000 USD here in India!😂

no need for two parts or any of these comparisons. just the stupid circular thing in the middle of the mini's dash would be enough. I couldn't live with that...

Wrong Mini the 2018 lost it's pops and bangs.

Mini Cooper S owner here. I'm about to lose like 5 grand to trade it in for a Fiesta ST. If you know what's good for your sanity, NEVER get a Mini product. It will break again, and again. It's just endless.

They are both great cars, it comes down to image really , the fiesta is more for young men who

The mini is a much better car

Wouldn't a JCW be a more equivalent rival to the Fiesta ST?

Fiesta st seats dig into you also reports of oil leaks issues not a good car

Mini cooper s all day long! Fiesta looks like a learner driver car. If the mini had the sport mode option then you'll get all the pops and bangs, quicker response and excellent cornering control. Mini is a go kart feeling track car, Fiesta is a high Street school boy racer car and looks cheesy 😂

How about comparing EV cars?

The ST is definitely the better option, the unpainted plastic around the wheel arches on the mini looks cheap and terrible and are even present on the top JCW model.

We have a Fiesta ST but I think the Cooper S feels better without a doubt the Cooper S is better👍

Bouncy enough suspension in the ST ? That old Dagenham Dustbin with a silly little 1.5 3 pot will shake itself to bits lol.

Mini engine will last longer if tuned, the ford will probably not be on the drive in the morning.stolen

I don’t like the brand Ford and I don’t like the style of the Fiesta so I would choose the Mini instead

Fiesta ST is a wee lassies motor

MINI Cooper S is definitely better

Only flaw here is The fiesta is a Ford... it loses automatically

If you love life please don't Buy a Ford you deserve better

The fiesta is light years ahead in looks, much more practical, safer, more comfortable, more economical, more powerful, more fun, better sounding for 5000 pounds less then the mini. Also i cant get over how ugly the mini is.

Yeah, but seriously a 3-cylinder? Nope.

Ford Fiesta is so damn ugly tho

This bald guy is on the side of the Ford but the Cooper S is much better!