Review: Jaguar XE Prestige; a RM340k wild cat

'Let's maul down the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes C-Class!' says Jaguar XE. The premium compact sedan, which made its premiere in Malaysia early last year, was one of the test car that this writer got his hands on at the recent Drive Luxury Edition by Carlist taking place at TPC Kuala Lumpur golf club. I was handed the entry level XE Prestige variant for the test drive.

It's a handsome looking sedan that dares you to provoke it. It's menacing looking bumper, sharp looking HID Xenon headlight with LED daytime running light and LED taillight speaks for itself. This family hauler isn't just a looker, but there's a beast lurking under that aluminium monocoque. 

It all started when I approached Jaguar's booth at TPC. I booked online in advance to test drive both the XE and the marque's SUV, the F-Pace. However, I was told by the people manning the booth each person was limited to just one car due to backlog of customers placing their test drive booking. After a brief moment of rumination, I decided to try out the XE instead. I came not to regret my decision.

I was led to the Bluefire XE Prestige waiting for me at the main lobby. There it was purring away as a gaggle of cars slipped past the dark blue compact sedan in a rainy day. 

Let's start off with the nitty gritty shall we? Dwelling under the XE Prestige bonnet is a 2.0 litre turbocharged inline 4 cylinder petrol, sending 200 PS and 280 Nm of torque to the rear wheels, enabling the XE Prestige to sprint from 0-100 kph in 7.7 seconds; top speed is rated at 237 kph. Mated to the mill is an 8 speed torque converter automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The mill achieves combined fuel consumption of 7.5L/100 km and emits 179 g/km of CO2. As you can see from the photo above, the '20t' emblem is its state of tune designation. Go one trim up (R-Sport) and you'll have '25t' emblem tacked on the tailgate of the XE signifying a higher output.

Ride and handling is taken care of by front double wishbone and rear integral link suspension. The setup theoretically endows the XE Prestige with sharper handling. Complementing the ride and handling section is Jaguar's torque vectoring by braking which gently brakes the inside rear wheel during cornering to limit wheel slip. At the helm of the steering is an Electric Power Steering.

Step inside the leaping cat, leather seat and multi-function steering wheel greet you with its cossetting touch. Optioning the Prestige trim proffers 2 interior colour choices: Jet with Siena Tan and Latte with Jet. The test car came with the former option. 

Serving as your command centre is Jaguar's proprietary InControl Touch which is an 8-inch touchscreen that displays information such as GPS navigation and front and rear parking distance. Media interface include AM/FM radio, bluetooth connectivity, iPod integration and AUX-IN audio.

Seat adjustment is possible thanks to electrically adjustable seat with memory setting. 

Taking the centre stage is Jaguar's rotary shifter, JaguarDrive Control which let's you choose between Dynamic, Normal, Eco and Winter mode, Electronic Parking Brake and Cruise Control.

There's also a decent fitment of safety features, made up by Hill Start Assist, Emergency Brake Assist, Dynamic Stability Control and Traction Control, airbags on the driver, front passenger side and side window curtain, and ISOFIX rear child seat anchor.

The Prestige trim rolls on standard 17-inch Turbine 10 spoke wheel, but oddly enough the test car I drove sports an optional 18-inch Templar 5 twin spoke wheel. Maybe to sell the cool perhaps?

On the pricing front, the XE Prestige carries with it a RM340k price tag (including GST but excluding road tax, registration, insurance, optional features and accessories). Without further delay, time to get the wheel rolling.

Setting off from TPC, the test drive followed a designated route as directed by Jaguar's marketing specialist accompanying me. 

At the beginning of the test drive, the car was already in dynamic mode (I guess the previous customer left it in dynamic so the next person in line can have a blast). Toggling drive modes change the instrument cluster's highlight, with dynamic changing it to red (looks MAD!!) as illustrated by the photo above. Selecting this mode makes the leaping cat even more badass which I will get to later.

Switching over to Normal, Eco and Winter morph the instrument cluster highlight to a more subdued tone. As explained to me by the marketing specialist on hand, Normal strikes a good balance between ride comfort and performance, good for those who prefer to leave the decision making to the car rather than fumbling around with the drive mode selector; Eco tones the cat down for luxurious feel and to cut down appointment with the gas station; Winter acts sort of like traction control when you're stuck in snow, limiting power to reduce wheel slip to keep you from marooning your cat in a thick blanket of snow as you navigate a snowy thoroughfare. 

Considering there's no winter in Malaysia, this mode can be regarded as redundant. I didn't try out Normal, Eco and Winter mode during the test drive though.

Back to the test drive. Being in dynamic mode, I could already feel the angry cat squirming in my hands. It was ballistic! Yet refine. Even over pockmarked Malaysian road, the XE Prestige just literally 'float' over the road imperfection. Kind of like a limo. Nevertheless, the engine response was savage.

The turn of speed would have you slack-jawed. It was remarkably rapid. It gets even more theatrical as the test drive took place under inclement weather. With brutal power delivery, it's very easy to provoke traction control. 

It was quite a hairy moment. I could vividly recall as I was slowing down for a U-turn, downshifting to 2nd gear (I was shifting with the paddle). As I arrived at the exit, I eased back onto the throttle and the next thing I realised, I had the most 'OH SHIT' moment of my driving experience when the back end briefly kicked out. In a split second, the traction control light flickered away on the instrument cluster signalling its intervention to save me from killing myself.

That was one heck of a cat to tame when you're driving around in dynamic mode. Despite that, it's still a livable cat to live with. Though the road was soaked, it still remains tractable as long you don't overreach your skill level and drive responsibly. 

Is Jaguar's compact sedan a comfortable car for highway cruising? Indeed it is. The suspension does a great job in filtering out the road imperfection to keep you from feeling nauseous. The leather seat ensconce you securely, exuding the premium feel associated with the brand from Coventry. I was in dynamic mode the entire time and yet I never felt sore after the test drive. 

With 455 litres of boot space, there's ample space to load it up with luggage for a comfortable trip to kampung or on a long family vacation. Thankfully, a space saver spare wheel is provided over a tyre repair kit that has caught up with a fair number of cars lately.

Is the Jaguar XE Prestige a good day-to-day driver? My initial impression from the short test drive suggests an affirmative. It's not too brutal nor too soulless. It's a perfectly well-balanced cat that can get you from point A to point B in relative comfort with unadulterated dynamism to boot. It's a win-win proposition in my humble opinion. 

        

Review: X253 Mercedes GLC 200 Exclusive - worth the saving?

This picture was taken at KLCC few months back

It was a pleasant Saturday afternoon at Desa ParkCity. The swanky property estate located in Kuala Lumpur played host to the recent Mercedes Benz Gallery which gave visitors opportunity to test drive a range of new tri-star models which include the X253 GLC 200 Exclusive, X156 GLA 250 4Matic AMG Line, W213 E350e AMG Line and W205 C200. A fitting backdrop to test drive cars from the premium brand.

I tested the GLC, GLA and E350e respectively, as each person was limited to just 3 cars. As per the article title, this piece will be a test drive review of the X253 GLC 200 Exclusive.

Stuttgart's compact SUV, formerly known as GLK before the company's introduction of the new nomenclature where the base name (GL- in this instance) is followed by the model hierarchy (A, B, C, E and S Class), was initially introduced in Boleh Land under the guise of the locally-assembled GLC 250 4Matic AMG Line. 

Then this August, the entry level locally-assembled GLC 200 Exclusive was unveiled to Malaysian public. Chief differences between the GLC 200 and GLC 250 4Matic is of course the former excludes the 4Matic all-wheel drive and deletion of AMG Line package. The exclusion marks the GLC 200 as a cheaper variant of the GLC range, retailing at RM288,888 (OTR without insurance). That translates to saving of RM37k from the higher spec GLC 250 4Matic AMG Line.

With that money, what do you get? More importantly, is it worth the saving from depriving it of the GLC 250's bells and whistles? Keep reading to find out.

Technical Specs

Lurking under the bonnet is the same M274 DE 20 2.0 litre turbocharged 4 cylinder petrol as found in the GLC 250, albeit with lower output figure in contrast to the latter. The GLC 200 makes 184 hp and 300 Nm of torque in comparison to the 211 hp and 350 Nm churns out by the GLC 250. Just like the GLC 250, the grunt is mediated by 9G-Tronic 9 speed automatic transmission, but unlike the GLC 250 which propels all four wheels, the GLC 200 sends all the engine's thrust to the rear wheels only. 

On paper, the lower output does impact its performance. The GLC 200 takes 8.7 seconds to sprint from 0-100 kph and tops out at 210 kph. The GLC 250, on the other hand, only takes 7.3 seconds to complete the century sprint and boasts a higher top speed of 222 kph. On the hindsight, this doesn't matter much as it's not build for outright performance. If all out performance is what you're looking for, the GLC 43 AMG 4Matic is in the crosshair.  

Without the AMG Line package, the GLC 200 now rides higher than the GLC 250, thanks to the fitment of Off-Road suspension. It still retains the Agility Control passive selective shock absorber though, as found on the updated GLC 250 (prior to the update, the latter had AMG sports suspension). 

Also, the SUV now rolls on 235/55 series run-flat tyres (which can cost RM2000 per piece!) wrapped around 19-inch 5-spoke wheels, as opposed to the GLC 250's 255/45 series rubber with a larger 20-inch multi-spoke AMG rim. As you can see from the photo above, the GLC 200 lost out on perforated disc brakes as fitted on the GLC 250, settling instead with solid disc brakes.

Exterior

The GLC 200 Exclusive is dressed in Off-Road exterior kit. Visual cues include the absence of the twin horizontal slat on the lower side air intake. Another visible cue is the chrome surround for the lower central air intake, chrome underguard and side steps. Lighting wise, out goes the Intelligent Light System and in goes the LED high performance headlight instead. 

At the back, the thicker chrome surround for the rear apron sets the GLC 200 Exclusive apart from the more upscale AMG Line GLC 250, whose rear apron is decked out by thinner chrome strip. 

Interior

Step inside the GLC 200 Exclusive, a round three-spoke multi-function steering wheel sits between the driver seat and instrument cluster instead of the AMG Line flat-bottomed steering wheel as found on the more expensive GLC 250. You'll also make do with lighter wood trim and rubber pedals over the AMG Line's darker wood trim and sports pedals.

The lighter wood trim also extends to the door panel, in place of darker wood found on the AMG Line GLC 250.

Despite the deletion of the AMG Line package, the Audio 20 CD infotainment system and 7-inch freestanding central display are still retained on the cheaper GLC, but without a 13-speaker 590 W sound system.

The entry level GLC 200 still comes with keyless start just like on the GLC 250. The start-stop button had been removed on the test car which gave this writer an exposure to the clever fail-safe mechanism in the event the start-stop button malfunctions. There are two ways to start the engine; either you hit the button as usual, or pull the button out and insert a conventional key fob. The latter can come in handy if the start-stop button is out of commission. Having a manual backup can save the day!

Buyers of the GLC 200 do miss out on features such as panoramic sunroof, surround view camera and keyless entry though.

Electronic Parking Brake can be disengaged automatically by the car after you have locked the car in either Reverse or Drive. Put the car in Park and the Parking Brake will engage by itself. This is unlike on majority of newer cars with Electronic Parking Brake that still requires the driver to manually pull the Parking Brake switch to engage and disengage it. 

More importantly, in an event of system fault, a manual Parking Brake switch is available as pictured above. The switch is located closer to the door and below the light switch. 

Standard features include brown, black or white man-made Artico leather upholstery, leather dashboard with three contrast topstitching colours, reverse camera, Thermotronic 3-zone automatic climate control, rear air-con vents, Parking Pilot with Parktronic, powered tailgate and powered adjustable front seats with lumbar support sans memory function.

Safety

In terms of safety features, much remains identical to the GLC 250, which includes seven airbags (including one for the driver's knee), Collision Prevention Assist Plus, Hill Hold Assist, Attention Assist, Pre-Safe system and ISOFIX rear child seat mounting.

Driving Experience

So, how does the on the budget GLC 200 feel behind the wheel? Does the shortage of kits neuter its talent? Well, since it's no fire breathing AMG, it isn't really an adrenaline pumping practice, but neither is it a boring piece of jacked up C Class-based SUV. I would say it hits the middle ground with appropriate dispatch.

Utilising the Dynamic Select - which lets you choose between Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual - enables me to distinguish the SUV's behaviour. I started off in Comfort mode and it doesn't really blunt engine response in any way. Pick up is brisk from idling speed. There's no hint of turbo lag, which translates to a linear, smooth engine response and in turn, an unflagging turn of speed.

Sport mode turns up the ante, sharpening the turbo 4 cylinder for greater forward thrust. However, the party officially begins in Sport+ though. Flick the Dynamic Select switch to Sport+ and every light prod of the throttle pedal is translated into a shoved-back-to-the-seat thrust. Further cranking up the powertrain proceedings, Sport+ holds onto the lower gear longer for even more potent acceleration.

I didn't try out Individual mode, but it basically lets you personalise the car's performance characteristics to tailor to your driving style. I didn't try out Eco mode, but as befitting the namesake, it turns down engine response to keep you from being a regular patron of gas station.

The 9G-Tronic transmission impeccably swaps through the 9 forward ratios with aplomb. There's no hesitation before it grabs the next ratio. Shifting with the paddles doesn't really make much difference to be honest, as the transmission's control unit does a superb job in ensuring a clean and timely gear change. I would personally let the computer takes care of the shifting duty.

Steering feel is not the GLC 200 forte; the Electronic Power Steering did a perfect job in blocking out the road texture from the thumb, endowing the steering with lighter effort, but numb feel. 

The SUV's suspension is well setup to absorb surface imperfection. I don't ever recall feeling unsettled as the compact SUV traversed the bump-riddled road. Seems like the Agility Control suspension is up to the task. The smaller 19-inch rim and higher profile sidewall may play a part in ensuring a jolt-free ride over the wave of bumps thrown in your path.

The boot space is decent at best, which can be further enlarged thanks to the 40:20:40 split rear seat. The setup, in this writer's humble opinion, creates a versatile boot space where Ikea shopping is concerned. If you're shopping for long-length furniture and still need at least 2 people sitting in the back in relative comfort, just fold up the two outer rear seats, but fold down the central seat and the long-length furniture easily slips through without compromising rear seating.

There's also a snap-in partitioning bracket which you can easily position along the outer edges of the luggage compartment, as illustrated in the picture above. 

If you need more boot space, but without having to fully fold down the rear seats, this rear seat stopper pictured above can take care of your needs.

Located underneath the rear seat latch to the extreme side of the boot, it will come into view after you have unlatched the rear seats. It is as simple as pulling up the latch until it's parallel with the seat latch.

With the stopper in the way, the rear seats will rest against the stopper instead of fully catching the seat latch. This will make the rear seats lean slightly forward instead of all the way back, netting an extra space for luggage while still allowing rear passengers to be seated comfortably. A clever trick indeed by Mercedes.

Conclusion

Should you put your money down on the GLC 200 Exclusive? In my humble opinion, you have nothing to lose despite the pared down equipment lists. Despite lacking the bells and whistles of the higher spec GLC 250 4Matic AMG Line, it's in no way a deal breaker.

From my initial impression of the short test drive, the lower power output doesn't adversely affect daily usable performance. Ride quality is also friendly to your back. Plus, its clever implementation of boot spacing gives you a flexible approach in managing your luggage needs. 

This writer believes the removal of equipment found on the GLC 250 is a welcomed compromise in this trying economic environment where netizens wrestle with the skyrocketing cost of living. Overall, the GLC 200 Exclusive ticks all the right boxes.

   

  

  

  

Review: Honda HRV

                                                       

On a hot Sunday afternoon not knowing what to do, I decided to go out for a test drive, which brought me to Honda Showroom in Bangi just across from Warta. Test drive what car I heard you asking. Well, it is the car in the above picture, the Honda HRV (Hi-rider Revolutionary Vehicle), a compact SUV smaller than the CRV. Is it really worth the test drive? You bet it is because the HRV made this writer go 'wow' in a delightful way. How so? Read further to find out.

As usual we will begin with the nitty-gritty. The HRV is available with 3 trim levels, starting with the entry-level S variant, followed by the mid-range E variant and finally ending with the range-topping V variant. 

The pricing is as followed: RM98,689.80 (S variant), RM108,026.50 (E variant) and RM118,228.50 (V variant), all with insurance and inclusive GST. 

Throw in the optional Honda Genuine Accessory and you will be treated to Modulo Exterior Accessories and Utility Package. The Exterior Accessories is made up of Sport Aero Package (Front and Rear Aero Bumper, Side Under Spoiler and Door Mirror Garnish for RM3,928.20 inclusive GST) and Tough Advance Package (Front and Rear Lower Garnish, Front and Rear Bumper Garnish and Running Board for RM3731.30 inclusive GST). 

The Utility Package includes Smart Utility Package (Auto Dim Rear View Mirror, Trunk Tray, Cargo Step Protector and Trunk Organiser for RM1,622.40 inclusive GST) and Urbane Utility Package (Door Visor, Front Foot Light, Illuminated Side Step and Sports Pedal for RM1,532.30 inclusive GST). 

Not related to the Modulo package is the CSE CONNEX SVR, which is an advanced security system that safeguard your vehicle's safety that includes 24/7 Secure Operating Centre (SOC) service that takes care of theft alerts, theft response and stolen vehicle tracking and recovery. The latter will set you off at RM2,960 inclusive GST. 

Onto the exterior. Standard across the range are Auto Headlights, Front and Rear Fog Lights, LED Rear Combi Lights and Shark Fin Antenna. 

Choose either the S or E variants you will be treated to Halogen Headlights, Halogen Daytime Running Lights (DRL) and Body Colour Outer Door Handle. The S variant will do without Side Mirrors with Turning Lights. 

Choose the V variant, LED Headlights, LED Daytime Running Lights and Chrome Outer Door Handle are yours to have. 

Unlike the S variant, the E and V variant will be specced with Side Mirrors with Turning Lights. 

Available colours are Modern Steel Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl, Taffeta White and Alabaster Silver Metallic. As you can see from the above photo, the rear door handle is integrated with the C-pillar across the range. 

As for the interior, standard across the range are Tilt and Telescopic Steering Wheel, ECON Mode, Day/Night Rear View Mirror, Intermittent Rear Wiper, Power Adjustable and Retractable Door Mirrors. 

Standard only on the V variant are Cruise Control, Multi-Angle Rearview Camera, Half Leather Upholstery, Leather Steering Wheel and Gear Knob and Vanity Mirror with Illumination (driver and co-driver side). 

Standard on both the E and V variants are the Smart Entry with Push Start Button which required that you have the key in hand to unlock the car and start the engine, and Single Auto Air Conditioning. 

Meanwhile, standard on both the S and E variants are Fabric Upholstery, Urethane Steering Wheel and Gear Knob and Vanity Mirror without Illumination. 

Standard only on the S variant are Keyless Entry and Manual Air Conditioning. 

Worry about cargo space? No worries as the rear seat is foldable. Moreover, the HRV boasts a decently capacious interior space that you won't feel cram whenever you're sitting in the car. Impressive indeed.

On the safety front, the S and E variants will make do with just 2 airbags, while the V variant comes with 6 airbags. Reverse Sensors, Emergency Stop Signal, One Touch Lane Change, Hill Start Assist, Vehicle Stability Assist, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Anti-Lock Brakes, Electric Parking Brake (in the first picture, notice the absence of conventional handbrake lever), Brake Assist, Automatic Brake Hold, Immobiliser, Security Alarm System with Ultrasonic Sensor, Rear Seat ISOFix, Front Seat Pretensioner Seatbelt with Double Load Limiter and 3 Point Rear Seatbelt with ELR (Emergency Locking Retractor) are standard across the range. 

Sitting under the bonnet of all 3 variants are Honda's fuel injected 1.8L 4 cylinders 16 valves SOHC i-VTEC with 10.6 compression ratio, pumping out 142 PS and 172 Nm of twist to the front wheels via Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), a 'gearless' automatic that utilises variable diameter pulley to infinitely adjust the ratio to keep the engine in its most optimum range for efficiency and performance. 

At the helm of the steering is a Rack and Pinion steering system with Electric Power Steering. 

The stopping task will be spearheaded by ventilated front disc brake and solid rear disc brake. 

Keeping you on the road are front Macpherson Strut and rear Torsion Beam suspension, rolling on

215/60 R16 tyres.

With all the boring bits out of the way, let's move on to the fun part: the test drive. The variant tested was a Modulo spec V variant (every Modulo spec HRV will have the Modulo badge emblazoned just behind the front wheels). 

Before getting behind the wheel I was briefed by the Sales Consultant about the car. Most salient of all is entering the car. No longer you need to fumble with your pocket to get the key. As long you have the key and standing at the door, just wrap your fingers around the door handle and press a tiny black button to unlock. Press the same button again to lock the car (only on E or V variant). Very neat indeed. 

After been shown here and there by the Sales Consultant, I slipped behind the wheel of the Honda HRV, with its steering replete with buttons for cruise control and the centre display (for volume control and channel switch), and off we went for the drive. 

So, what does this writer think of this second generation HRV? Let's see....it is impressive! The acceleration, even in ECON mode, literally took this writer's breath away. It accelerates with great alacrity that overtaking should be a cinch, with the CVT transmission and the 4 cylinders 1.8L i-VTEC engine ensuring you have the punch to make your way through traffic with ease. But it is the smoothness of the acceleration that rub off on me. It feels so smooth that you would not realise your speedometer just registered 3-digit figure unless you give it a quick glance. 

With powerful acceleration, comes the necessity to safeguard it with excellent braking power, and the HRV scores in this department. Press the middle pedal and it bites assertively, giving you the assurance that it is up to its task. 

On the handling department, it also scores, though nowhere near sports car-esque but decent enough for the daily grind. Chuck it around turns and it will not disappoint you. It feels so surefooted that it gives the drivers a sense of confidence in what it has up its sleeve, though the light Electric Power Steering seems to numb the feedback on what the tyres are doing. Nevertheless, the handling remains sharp and accurate. 

Considering we live in Malaysia with its pockmarked road, the state of our spine is of great importance and brilliantly, the HRV scores in ride comfort. It feels so smooth as if the car floats on bump. Its suspension filters out the shock with great aplomb, so kudos to the Honda engineers for tuning out the discomfort. 

In this writer's opinion, you cannot go wrong with this car. It is so well-balanced that it can potentially be a faithful servant for your daily driving needs. What more can you ask for?               

   

Review: Tur...tur...turbo BOOST!!! Ford Fiesta ST

I have always wondered how a turbocharged car would feel like. I have always wondered how it feels when it kicks in. I even wondered if the so called 'turbo lag' would spoil the fun of driving. My questions were eventually answered when I test drove the brand new Ford Fiesta ST.

The test drive happened to be conducted in conjunction with the Asia Klasika Motor Show taking place from 31st October-2nd November 2014 at Pullman Putrajaya. Seeing that this will be the first turbocharged car that I will lay my finger on, I thought "Just do it la! Cannot afford to squander this chance!".

Before I get to the test drive, let's cover the nitty gritty bits first. The ST is powered by a 1.6L 4 cylinder Ecoboost (Ford's speak for turbo and direct fuel injection) that outputs 182PS (180hp) at 5700rpm and 240Nm at 1600-5000rpm. All those grunts are channelled to the front wheels via the 6 speed manual transmission (no automatic options).

The ST's steering is electric power steering. Stopping power is taken care of by disc brake all-round, and it rolls on 205/40R17 tires on all four corners with alloy rim. A 15" mini spare wheel is also provided.

Testament to its ST badge, the exterior is decked out with sporty bodykit that includes dual chrome exhaust and rear spoiler. Also, it comes with rear parking sensors, front fog lights, auto headlights, rain sensing wipers, daytime running lights (DRL), power adjustable side mirror and halogen projector headlamps.

The interior niceties include sports alloy pedal covers, telescopic steering adjust, power windows, leather wrapped steering and gear lever, Recaro bucket seat, manually adjustable seat and the foldable rear seat that offers 60:40 split to increase cargo space.

On the safety front, ABS with EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution), ESP (Electronic Stability Program) with Brake Assists and Traction Control, front airbags, left hand and right hand side airbags plus driver's knee airbag and seat belt pretensioners for front seats take care of keeping you safe while you wring the neck of your ST.

The ST is priced at RM149,888 OTR with insurance.

   

With the nitty gritty out of the way, let's head to the test drive. As I stepped into the ST, I was greeted by the lovely bucket seat along with the multi function display flanked by the tachometer and speedometer and of course the lovely sports alloy pedal cover. The interior space is plentiful so you would not feel claustrophobic.

       

Everything set and done, the test drive started. My first impression, the gearbox is very smooth. A nice flick of the wrist is enough to hook it into gear. The clutch is nicely weighted and easy to use. 

Next impression, the acceleration. The moment I set off, the car behaved like a normally aspirated (no turbo) car. So, I was a bit put off initially. Once climbing up a steep slope outside PICC, I floored the throttle and BAM the turbo kicks in and the car literally fly. The acceleration once the turbo kicks in is just....mindblowingly crazy. The car transformed from a sedate cruiser to an absolute beast once you spool up the turbo. All this while from Pullman to the slope I was experiencing the so called 'turbo lag'! It turns out that the turbo kicks in at roughly around 3000rpm and I was below it before I got to the slope. 

Worry about all those power? Do not worry. The ST's brake is powerful enough to keep you from wrapping yourself around trees. 

As for the ride and handling, the ride is a smidge uncomfortable, most probably because of its firm sports suspension and low profile tires (they did not put the ST badge for nothing), but I do not find it jarring to the point of rattling your teeth. 

Once the test drive is over, I was completely over the moon about the car. Despite being a performance-oriented hatchback, I doubt this car will be an impractical family car. The interior space is impressively vast that it does not feel like a wardrobe on 4 wheels. 

Worry about cargo space? No worries, just fold the rear seat and voila your hot hatch becomes your loyal grocery getter. 

Overall the Fiesta ST is a decent car. It is fast, surefooted and capacious. Hats off to the blue oval.