Help me pick a new car!!

[Dave_in_Jax]

Hello everyone, I just wanted to post and get some comments on what everyone thinks of some of the options that I have for my next car. First a little history on me so that we can put everything into perspective. I am married with 2 small children 4 yrs and 8 months so everyone needs to be able to fit with all of their gear. I work a 9-5 office job with the federal government with a 20-25 minute commute. I like to drive and the hot hatch area seems to be where I keep coming back to. I have done some research over the past couple of months and listed below is my short list of cars that I like. Please give me some pros and cons or just advice and ideas of these cars or any other cars that you think should be given consideration. Price matters to a point but most of these will be in the range that I can afford. Thank you for your help in advance. P.S. I live in Florida so snow and ice are nonexistent.

Ford Fiesta ST
Ford Focus ST
Mazdaspeed 3
VW GTI
Subaru WRX

 

[rooSTer]

Hey man welcome, I'm 5 hours south of you.

How long do you plan on keeping this car and will it be used as a commuter only or family hauler too?

For commuting only without a doubt get the Fiesta ST, you'll be amaze at the fuel efficiency and performance. If its going to act a family hauler then get the Focus ST as you'll get a bit more leg room in the back.

 

[rodmoe]

Welcome..
Still need to use a car seat facing backwards ?? if so then the Fiesta may be a tight fit though you can do it I am not sure how much gear you need to carry. We have used ours as well as out Honda Fit to carry our kids and gear. Most recently we did a 2 hr road trip to see family with a 6 foot 200 lb 15 yr old and our 10 year old as well as myself and my wife in the car and the usual day trip stuff plus belated holiday goodies to share.. no issues. I think if MPG is a concern the wrx and Speed 3 are at the bottom. if you want more room then toss a coin for the Gti and FoST though i have seen NEW Focus ST prices near or at Fiesta ST prices so that may be the bargain of the year for bang for the buck and comfort hauling family... then again these are only my thoughts... (not a bad car on the list)

 

[MKVIIST]

Welcome to the forum. I echo the same opinions as rooster and Rod.

There are some other factors that you might consider as well. Such as how tall you are and how much leg room you require in the front. We have a three year old son and we use the Diono RadianRXT chair in the car and have no issues with leg room as long as its installed on the passenger side, my wife is only 5'6". When it's installed on my side, my son tends to kick my chair which can be annoying at times.

I'm also 6' tall so leg room for an adult that sits behind me is really tight unless I scoot my chair more forward, but for kids its going to be comfortable. Either way I think you will be happy with either of the cars you posted. Bang for the buck you can't beat the price and performance of the Fiesta ST.

 

[Perry]

I've recently driven the Focus and Fiesta STs, and purchased the Fiesta ST. I also drove the WRX about a month ago. Have not been in a Mazdaspeed 3 recently. Looked at, did not drive VW GTI. In both cases, it was purely the looks that drove me away first, although the extra cost was a factor, too. I find the GTI downright ugly, and the MS3 is trying too hard and has that awful front grill that looks like a doofus smile along with the air scoop that, in combination, made the car look unfinished to me. The WRX was nice--I drove the Limited, not the STI--but not nearly nice enough to warrant paying almost $10K+ more, and I've never liked its looks, either.

For me, the Fiesta ST is the best-looking of the bunch from the outside, and the inside fit & finish is impressive, esp. considering the pricing. It's not the most powerful, but it's very capable and a blast to drive. It feels very sports-car-ish to me. The WRX missed on the squishy side there, as did the Focus. I don't much care for the Focus' styling, either.

In my eyes, the cars you've listed are actually very different from each other. I'd put the VW GTI and Fiesta ST perhaps in the same group, with the ST winning easily there, and if we put the WRX, Focus ST, and Mazdaspeed 3 all together, I guess I'd probably go toward the Mazda, but I'd probably be looking around for other options. That all said, if I had two young children to strap in the back seat, I'd probably be looking for something in which it's a little easier to negotiate in and out of the back seat than the smaller vehicles. Perhaps the Focus. But then again, back when I had young kids, I was driving a Volvo sedan. Dunno if any of this helps, but you got more than a nickel's worth out of me.

 

[jariten]

We have a GTI and a Fiesta ST. I really think the choice would come down to what (and if) you use as a second car. The Fiesta is a size smaller than the other cars you've listed. I would find the Fiesta to be too small to be the primary family car for four folks. It's perfectly sized as a second parent commuter/fun car and it would work fine for trips to restaurants/museums/zoos whatever (if you get seats that fit), but it would not be good for overnight road trips, or really anything with luggage.

Really, the GTI would be stretching it too as a primary family hauler for larger trips/overnights. Strollers plus luggage plus luggage plus two car seats is quite a tight fit. Doable for sure, but I'd personally go with something like a Jetta TDI or TSX wagon for the extra room.

Short version: if you have another vehicle the Fiesta is a good choice, if you don't I'd step up a size or two.

When I got the FiST I tested all the cars you listed (and more) and frankly they're all really good vehicles...you can't really go wrong so get out there and drive them and pick the one that ticks your personal intangibles.

 

[Dave_in_Jax]

Hey man welcome, I'm 5 hours south of you.

How long do you plan on keeping this car and will it be used as a commuter only or family hauler too?

For commuting only without a doubt get the Fiesta ST, you'll be amaze at the fuel efficiency and performance. If its going to act a family hauler then get the Focus ST as you'll get a bit more leg room in the back.

I plan on keeping the car for a few years at least and although it will mainly be a daily commuter the wife has advised me that it would have to do double duty as a family hauler as well.

 

[Dave_in_Jax]

Welcome..
Still need to use a car seat facing backwards ?? if so then the Fiesta may be a tight fit though you can do it I am not sure how much gear you need to carry. We have used ours as well as out Honda Fit to carry our kids and gear. Most recently we did a 2 hr road trip to see family with a 6 foot 200 lb 15 yr old and our 10 year old as well as myself and my wife in the car and the usual day trip stuff plus belated holiday goodies to share.. no issues. I think if MPG is a concern the wrx and Speed 3 are at the bottom. if you want more room then toss a coin for the Gti and FoST though i have seen NEW Focus ST prices near or at Fiesta ST prices so that may be the bargain of the year for bang for the buck and comfort hauling family... then again these are only my thoughts... (not a bad car on the list)

Yes, we are still using a backwards facing car seat and they require a good bit of room. I have driven the GTI and although it is down on power it had the best shifting manual I have put my hands on. I feel as though the FoST is more lively and fun to drive than the GTI though.

 

[Dave_in_Jax]

We have a GTI and a Fiesta ST. I really think the choice would come down to what (and if) you use as a second car. The Fiesta is a size smaller than the other cars you've listed. I would find the Fiesta to be too small to be the primary family car for four folks. It's perfectly sized as a second parent commuter/fun car and it would work fine for trips to restaurants/museums/zoos whatever (if you get seats that fit), but it would not be good for overnight road trips, or really anything with luggage.

Really, the GTI would be stretching it too as a primary family hauler for larger trips/overnights. Strollers plus luggage plus luggage plus two car seats is quite a tight fit. Doable for sure, but I'd personally go with something like a Jetta TDI or TSX wagon for the extra room.

Short version: if you have another vehicle the Fiesta is a good choice, if you don't I'd step up a size or two.

When I got the FiST I tested all the cars you listed (and more) and frankly they're all really good vehicles...you can't really go wrong so get out there and drive them and pick the one that ticks your personal intangibles.

Hello, thank you for the advice my wife drives a Durango and that is the vehicle that we drive when we take the kids anywhere and basically when we go anywhere. Her concern is that if something happens to the Durango that she would be able to hall the kids around in it. I drive an 06' Jetta now and it is completely uninspiring to drive even though it has enough room for everyone. I'm in my early 30s and don't feel as though my life is over and I have to drive boring cars that are not fun.

 

[STooge]

I think the biggest size difference between the FiST and FoST or maybe any other larger hatch, is gonna be the cargo space. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE this car, see that, all caps. However it does suffer from a lack of "junk in the truck". It is less than half the size of the FoST cargo space. Partially due to the fact that the spare tire cover sits so high, this also does allow for some storage below (blankets, 72 hour pack that kinda stuff), but it really is tiny, I don't think it will even fit our Full size stroller, a small one yes, not a large one.

Check the Cargo

 

[rodmoe]

I think the biggest size difference between the FiST and FoST or maybe any other larger hatch, is gonna be the cargo space. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE this car, see that, all caps. However it does suffer from a lack of "junk in the truck". It is less than half the size of the FoST cargo space. Partially due to the fact that the spare tire cover sits so high, this also does allow for some storage below (blankets, 72 hour pack that kinda stuff), but it really is tiny, I don't think it will even fit our Full size stroller, a small one yes, not a large one.

Check the Cargo

I LOVE this car too but it is SMALL compared to our Honda Fit inside very noticeable and when you lay the rear seat down they lay flat not so much with the FiST.. Aside from that the Fiesta beats the Fit every way from sunday.... But then again the honda is a 09 and tech impaired as well as low on the food chain for power to weight .... lovin me some BOOST