This is the most BMW butt hurting comments I've ever seen on a video.

Just bought an 03 M3 six speed manual with 68k miles for $15k So damn happy.

You're one of the only guys in car journalism brave enough to expose the myth that cars with better numbers are always faster on real roads. Everything you said is spot on, especially the part about amateurs rarely being skilled enough to extract any of the extra performance that higher-caliber cars have. That's why in real life you see guys in $10k rice-rockets eating up Porches and Corvettes in the mountains as often as you see the reverse.

"BMW drivers." "My Audi s4." Lolwut? Audi drivers are the most pugnacious, self absorbed, inferiority complex having people on the road....

I love how people are trying to compare this Fiesta to Ken Block's rally Fiesta. Not the best to compare since they are so different. But as for the video, it would be a tough call for me. But I love the E46 so I couldn't complain. Fiesta definitely has miata syndrome in my eyes (aside from the FWD) it feels fast and it's fun.

But the E46 is SOOOOO Sexy.

Cracks me up that people think Matt's in the tank with Ford. He's not the only one who thinks the Fiesta ST is incredible. Pretty much every automotive journalist does. Be thankful that high performance is coming in small affordable packages, folks. This used to be a rich man's game.

iPod connectivity can be had for $250. All navigation systems suck, you end up using gmaps anyway, and for voice prompts, see previous point. As for the douchebags, this is a valid point. On the other hand, all cars cost a lot of money to maintain and it isn't like Ford is generous with their warranty coverage. Anyway, a well sorted M3 beats anything it its price range by a huge margin, stock. Source: I have owned two e46 M3s, and current have an e39 M5. We have a Focus ST for the wife. Great car, but certainly not an M car.

you dont need a nav, phone and shit when you have a sweet inline 6 with 330 hp

It's amazing that sports cars have progressed this much in 12 years. Imagine in 2002 if someone said a Fiesta would be as fun as an M3. Now cars like the 2014 M3 are faster than the exotics of 2002.

After having read all the comments I cannot be "quiet" anymore because I really cannot understand why some of you are bashing around so much against the Fiesta ST. So, I've posessed and driven a lot of cars and - as being german, so as having every day experience on driving on no-limit-motorways (yes, it's allowed to go faster than 300 km/h if your car permits it) - really am able to say a lot about having fun behind the steering wheel. Some cars I got were the Porsche 944 S2 (211 hp), Mini Cooper John Cooper Works (R56; 211 hp), BMW M3 (E36 and E46; 286 hp and 343 hp), Porsche 911 (993; 280 PS), BMW Z3 Coupé (193 hp), Renault Clio RS Phase II (179 hp but only 900 kg), Mini Cooper Clubman S (R56, 174 hp), Ford Focus ST (250 hp), BMW 123d (204 hp), BMW 130i (265 hp), BMW Z4 Coupé (265 hp), Lancia Delta Integrale (212 hp), Ford Focus RS (315 hp). After having seen such a lot of reviews of british, american, austrialian, german, french, spain, italian car magazines which nearly ALL conclude in having SUCH a lot of fun with the Fiesta ST, I tried about more than 6 months finding one to drive for some hours. At least - it really was not easy to find one - they gave me one with 182 hp in red and I went out for my first drive on german b-roads. What to say? I really could not believe it, but the fun the car brought me was not comparible to any other car I had driven before. Yes, the Fiesta ST may not be the fastest but on my favourite b-roads you don't notice this and - more important - it's completely not important. The car simply does all I want it to do and does it every time. I must say that no other car suceeded leaving me with this smile on my face during the hole time of the test drive. I could not believe it but it was - really - so much fun that I could have spent days in this little car. Some of you write that it's not a "real" car and that you could not compare a Fiesta to an BMW M3, but - for me - the only thing that counts is the fun I have behind the steering wheel, completely independent to size, brand, styling or status the car delivers. If yout put all the cars, I've ever driven, in a row and let me choose only one, I'd go - believe it or not - for the Fiesta ST!! Yes, it's not the most beautiful car, yes, the material's quality at the inside could be much better, yes, it may not be the most potential car and may not have as much style or status as a BMW, Mercedes or Porsche and a lot of "yeses" more, but the only thing that counts and the only thing that I have to admit is the smiling on my face and - for me, that's a fact - referring to this, the Fiesta ST left me completely happy. So happy that some days ago I selled 3 of my acutal cars and went for the brand new Fiesta ST200 which hits me end of august 2016.

"Reving it out isn`t really a adventure" Maybe your M3 was fucked up but there arent many cars where reving out is more of an "adventure" then in a S54 Engine when it hits 8000 rpm redline.

The BMW was 11 years old and worth $25,000. Nice. I will buy that same Fiesta 11 years from now at a dealer-only auction for right around $1400 and turn around and sell it on one of my lots for "maybe" $2800 best-case-scenario. And that's ONLY if it's been taken care of... but then people who can only afford to buy the cheap, new cars (like this Fiesta) aren't exactly known for their skills in taking care of their cars. So I have very low expectations for the Fiesta to still be in as good of condition as the BMW is at 11 years old.

I honestly would take the Fiesta any day. It's probably going to be my next car purchase. Such a fun little car.

How, just HOW is this even a comparison? I mean, seriously? I thought maybe it's april fools vid or something. This is a joke... Oh, and "I'd rather be driving a car that feels fast rather than one that is fast." What!?

not CSL wheels, they are Apex Arc 8.

A lot of butt hurt people in this comment section. Can't take the fact a "little ford" can compete with the beloved M3. The fiesta is a fucking blast.

I've owned BMW's for over fifteen years. My last was an E36 M3 with a Bilstein PSS-9 coil over suspension, Turner sway bars, Mehle control arms, Rogue Engineering rear control arms, camber plates, etc. I tracked it many times at Watkins Glen, Lime Rock, and Loudon. It was great fun. Excellent torque, brakes, handling, and stability. I now own a Fiesta ST. It has excellent torque, brakes, handling, and stability, and is an absolute blast to drive. Mine weighs a little over 2600 pounds, and has about the same power to weight ratio as the original E30 M3. I didn't upgrade to an E46 for two reasons: 1) the E36 was too much fun and 2) E36 and E46 require lots of maintenance to keep them going now. I'm tired of lying under a car. The FiST should hold up well for five years or so, and then I'll sell it to some kid who wants to have fun with an extremely nimble and tossable ride.

Fast forward 10 years... The m3 is worth $5k more, the fiesta is worth $15k less

I completely agree with you on the "driveability" factor.. Useable power vs power you can only utilize on a track. I might actually consider a Fiesta after seeing this video. Looks like it would be a really fun daily driver and extremely low cost of ownership.

Oh first gen Mr2!

I love Ford, But really a Fiesta over an M3? Not even a question to ask!

you do not need all of these fancy gadgets in a E46 M3, LMAO #bimmer

I test drove the ST yesterday. if you love cars, you owe it to yourself to test drive one (i own an F30 335i msport)

There is no way that ANY FWD car can ever be better than a good rwd car.. EVER..

These are..... these are quite possibly some of the funniest comments I've ever read. TheSmokingTire should just review two incomparable cars just to get a rise out of people. Could we see the F12 Berlinetta vs the Golf Gti, next?

Seems like people don't get this! Tst is comparing the two cars that happened to be at the same price. The answer to "which to buy?" like they said is whatever fits your life style. Understand he is not straight out comparing both cars.

LOL You sounded like George Costanza at 7:53 "There is NO WAY that front wheel drive is better, Jerry! NO WAY!"

I would still get the BMW it just looks amazing.

The problem for me is just look at the ST.... I don't think I would find myself walking into the garage at night just to look at it. Probably have to keep the lights off until I got in so I wouldn't see what it looks like.

So many unnecessary haters in the motoring scenes... just let the guy enjoy and film some damn cars!

"when anything in a BMW breaks, it's 1500 dollars" this guy must read KZfaq comments specifically KZfaq comments

The "M" letter is not just an "m"... it's an ICON, something special, much more unique than ANYTHING!

m3 will keep its price much much better than this fiesta...

after all the reviews I've seen on the ST....I ended up buying a 2016. loving it. I also love the e46's..

25k for a e46 m3? You got bamboozled.

You could have a valid argument for each of these cars, spin it to your opinions in a variety of ways. You can't argue that the E46 M3 is a legend and a revered sports coupe. The Fiesta ST is a hot hatch which has much newer tech and is fun to drive. It comes down to personal opinion. So in a couple years when the E90 M3 is around 25,000 grand, let's grab this Fiesta ST and do a test on those two.

I dont hate the ST. But in my opinion the M3 is way better and a lot more fun and can also be used as a daily driver. You don't always have to be a madman with it. The M3 looks better and sounds better than the ST in my opinion. You can easily find an M3 like this for 15K or less. My cousin bought 1 used for 9K with not too many miles on it and it runs great. They are also reliable and you don't have to "sell an organ" when something does go wrong because they are not difficult to repair. Also i driven the ST and when i floored it, i smirked and was thinking this thing is fast, But when i floored the M3, it just brought the biggest smile out of me. Also the "M" is not is not just a normal M, its a icon and something very unique and very special. I actually heard a joke about the ST saying it stand for Sanitary Towel. But yea anyways if it was me who had the money and had to choose between the M3 or ST, i would buy the M3 in a heartbeat. The M3 is just the better car in my opinion.

its weird how time can change your perspective on a video. 2 years ago i watched this praising for the m3 to win because i loved that car. today after driving the fiesta, im watching this hopping the fiesta wins...

the fiesta is supposed to be a small car but is the same fucking size as the BMW

#Ford vs. #BMW LOL

'The fiesta is a fast car' 'Ten years on the BMW doesn't feel that fast' HA! What a load of rubbish!!

I have wanted an M3 E46 for years but after watching this and driving the ST I decided the ST was the go for an everyday driver. Just picked a black one up today and it is pure fun in the Gold Coast hinterland (AU). Thanks for this video as it provided me the info to make a the right choice at this point in time.

the #1 thing you have to understand is that you're not REALLY getting the BMW for only $22k... From my past experiences, it's so much more than that. BMWs drink fuel like college kids drink Svedka at a frat party, and insurance is super high, when something breaks it costs what seems infinite amounts to repair. $22k is just the beginning. Going to trade in my '08 BMW 528i for a brand new Fiesta ST because I would have to pay $12k through BMW to repair its problems.

I would prefer the M3, but I've had the chance to drive a Focus ST, and that car was brilliant to drive. If the Fiesta is just as good, I wouldn't blame anyone for choosing it over the E46, especially at this price point.

Ford will depreciate way faster, if you wanna sell both cars after 3 years, you will get way more of your money back selling BMW

Fiesta ST for the goddamned win. Drive one.

The reason why the Fiesta feels quicker out of the corner than the M3, isn't because the Fiesta has power and torque more for it down low/middle, but that you are not in the right gear in the M3 going out of the corner. Put sport mode on, and that extra throttle sensitivity makes it so good. Leave the car in 3rd gear most of the time, allowing it to stay within the 5000-8000rpm range, and the E46 M3 with sport mode will give you plenty of torque and power through a basic mountain road corner.

Well you know what they say about used German cars (especially performance versions): "If you couldn't afford it when it was new, then you can't afford the maintenance on it when it's used".

Having owned the very same BMW, I'd go with the Fiesta over the used German. After 6 Bimmers in a row, I got sick of all the service issues, and bought a Boss 302. Thank goodness the BMW's were all under warranty. I'm looking forward to what FoMoCo can do with the S550 as I consider my next car.

that E46 in this condition today would be worth north of 40K, wow

Those are not CSL wheels.

reading a lot of these comments, I see what he means about bmw owners being dbags.

Is this video some kinda joke? A BMW E46 M3 vs Ford Fiesta ST?!!! It does not matter what you put under the bonnet, or how much you kit the car out, the Ford Fiesta ST will always be a piece of shit.

Just the idea of buying a car called "Fiesta" should make a car guy puke! Would a computer guy buy a laptop called "Piniata"?

Thanks, Matt! You helped me to decide to buy my 2015 FiST, and I love it! I have not even 400 miles on the odo, and I've already added a Cobb rear engine mount plus rear sway bar, a front strut tower brace, and some light weight 17x7.5 wheels with 215/40/17 light weight performance tires. RIOT!

Americans finally discovered hot hatchbacks...only 30 years after the rest of the world, but at least it finally happened and you now realize that they're not pieces of shit just because they small. These are two typical German cars (yes, Fiesta is 100% German, so is the Focus ST its big brother) that are great to drive. But this is still a comparison of a car more than 10 years old to a brand new car.... and if you know anything about hot hatches, you know how fast they are even compared to NEW sports car. Just consider the fact that some hot hatches such as Renault Megane RS and Seat Leon FR have 265 and 280hp respectively, are FWD, and are faster around the track than pretty much every 400hp+ RWD sports car on the market, Porshces, Astons, Jaguars, Mercs, BMW's included...faster than BMW M3 E92, faster than the 1M, faster than C63 AMG, faster than Porsche Boxter S, faster than Nissan 370Z Nismo, etc. FWD cars when done properly (and the french do it best) can be more fun to drive than any other layout. Why? Simply because they can be trashed like no other layout and you always have full control. The only thing they cant do is powerslides. They can still drift and let their back sides slide, but obviously no donuts or powerslides. Other than that, they're sharper, more responsive, they can put power to the ground VERY WELL at the corner exit with limited slip diffs, and you never have to worry about the rear end going out when you dont want to, and even if it does, its much easier to correct it, even when your slip angle is extreme, close to 90 degrees, you can still easily save it. That way you can really trash the car with confidence, whereas in a RWD car you always have that fear in the back of your mind that the rear end might snap and you'll wrap yourself around the tree. And since this is an american channel, and most people who comment here are americans, I will dismiss any reply as irrelevant because I'm 100% that not a single one of you ever laid their hands on a hot hatchback. (or an M3 for that matter)

Heh...one day, driving on I35 in Austin, TX, some dude in a an ST thought he'd have some fun with me in my 335i... Boy did he get a wake up call when he disappeared in my rear view mirror.

What he's saying is the fiesta has power in the mid band rpm , so it feels quite punchy at lower rpm., where as yes the BMW would be quicker but since the power isn't delivered on the lower Rpms it feels like it has less grunt,. Much like a Turbo diesel vs petrol the Td has a big dollop of torque and it fools you into thinking your car is faster than it is. But the fiesta is slow its party piece is a 0-60 sprint after its done .0-125mph 200kph is about 30 seconds so rather slow really

Fiesta or M3? Let me think... If you can afford the running costs of the BMW its no contest. That is a big "if" for most people though. Alternatively if you want something as fast as the ST for only 5k go get a Civic Type R EP3. No mod cons but it does have the speed / build quality / fun factor.

Driving feel in EU Fords is just superb imo. They have something I can't put my finger on. It just feels like it wants to turn, every car I drove after that, even more expensive ones, didn't feel even close to what most Fords do for fraction of the cost. Suspension setup is just great, feedback you get when driving is unparalleled for the cost, and how you feel the limits of the grip when you push it hard. It's predictable and that makes it great fun to drive if you ask me. I'm a big fan of Beemers, but like I said driving feel and feedback you get in Fords is right up there with best of beemers if not better in some cases.

*cough* ford commercial *cough* ford paid for this *cough* sorry i got a weird cough

Is it just me or did anyone else laugh out loud at his opening line? LOL

I seriously feel bad for all the close minded keyoard warriors in the comments section. My father owns an e46 m3 and it's one of the most involving and overall best cars i've ever driven. But the Fiesta ST seems like a pure fun machine i would wanna thrash the hell out of on these Ozark backroads. Great video!

how much is ford paying you to do this video?

Holy shit I would take the M3 without a question... Even in terms of an investment the e46 will probably be worth something in the future.

I have the 2014 with 54,000 miles, I’m on my 4th set of tires I drive it so hard, every time I hit that Sport mode button, it puts the biggest Smile on my face. I have intake & 3” exhaust and many Visual mods, I embrace a lot of people in the Twisties with it. I just put a set of Mitchlen Pilot Sport A/S 3-+ there the best tires I’ve ever had, Matt’s one of the reasons I got my Fiesta ST, best bang for the Buck.

I like how every video that BMW "loses" theres always a lot of dislikes haha

M3 hands down. One of the most beautiful cars I've ever seen IMO.

25k for a 10 year old used car tthats been beat to shit with no warranty... sounds like fun

"The fiesta feels quicker out of the corner".... - Wow... just wow.......

bmw e46 m3 one the best drivers cars ever made lets compare it to a fiesta

E46 M3s are not really "under $25k"... they are actually quite easily found in good running ondition for under $15k. $12-15k will get you a solid E46 M3.

I think this comparison, as an M3 owner, is moderating annoying for a couple reasons: 1) The overarching reason given for preferring the fiesta is you can have more fun with it at more reasonable speeds. Which may indeed by true. But, that's not an argument against the M3-- that's an argument for the fiesta over EVERY semi modern sports car. Corvettes, GT3s, ferarris, whatever-- all of them are less exciting when driven at semi reasonable speeds than a fiesta. 2) Complaints about the S54B32 not having torque at low RPM. That's not just writing off the M3, that's writing off miatas, S2000s, BRZs, lotuses, GT3s, every non turbo M (other than the e39), ferraris, etc. Having to work over the engine to get the most of it is part of the experience that makes the car involving. Yes, it's slower if you leave it in high gear. So, heal toe downshift and be fast! If you make a list of the best drivers cars, 90% of them have that type of engine, exactly because it makes the more involving to drive. 3) Tech/side bolstering. Nav, bluetooth, and iPod interface (Matt's 3 specific complaints) were all factory options. All can be easily retrofitted today. Adjustable side bolstering was also available. My car has all of the above :P 4) Long term cost. Since 5 years was mentioned, let's go from that. In 5 years time, the Fiesta will have depreciated $10-15,000. The M3 will likely be worth the same as it is today, or close to it. Repairs to the Fiesta will be free, because of the warranty. But will repairs to the M3 cost $10-$15,000? VERY unlikely. 5) Did he actually say that the only benefit of rwd is drifting? Umm...

He throws off the weight of every car he gets into.

Not had the luxury of driving a new fiesta, but having driven the M3 with a SMG2 gearbox, I'm bewildered as to how he can state that the M3 doesn't feel fast it pins you to the back of the seat until you are going speeds that will get you much more than a slap on the wrist. also if your going to make such a bold comparison at least do it with a unmolested example of the older car

M3 for life!

Ford definitely did something right with the ST lineup. You EU guys been enjoying this. Us US drivers are just now experiencing this. SVT need to give all of their future project to ST guys lol. Europeans definitely know how to make a fwd car turn!

I'm thinking about getting either a Fiesta ST2 or a BMW e92 2.0D as my 2nd car. anyone have any suggestions? Currently driving a mk7 Fiesta 1.4tdci and I love it!

My favorite part is the explaining about drifting😂😂😂. "Chris Harris likes drifting".

I had a 2006 BMW M3 for a short while, it was unbelievable fun to drive! Yet I didn't feel the build quality that great, the cupholder mechanism that comes out of the dashboard broke and the resistor/motor went for the heater/aircon which is a hell of a lot of money to get fixed, when my old 2001 Focus needed a new heater motor it costed me £15 and I fitted it myself. I now have a 2006 Focus, UK one of course, none of your facelifted cheap Mk1 Focuses you have in the US. Build quality seems on par with the BM but I do miss the way it drove, so fast, you could throw it into corners and it would just grip so well.

Every repair on the BMW is $1500? Learn to turn a wrench.

"You know those people, I know those people, we've seen those people" "Some people like drifting, I like drifting, Chris Harris likes drifting" I am still laughing about those two sentences even this was the XX times I have watched this video.

Fiesta vs M3...?? ill take any Bmw over that Fiesta....

Other than the current cost, there really isn't comparable between the 2 cars. The M3 wins.

I wouldn't piss on that Fiesta if it was on fire

I got bored so I rewatched this and you got a couple things wrong. 1) the wheels are actually Apex Arc-8 2) the seats are great but the leather makes you slip 3) actually getting to the top of the revs gives you more VANOS!!! 4) you could have got nav and a phone

I used to be a RWD only, talk poorly about FWD until I drove and bought a Fiesta ST. It'll completely change your mind on FWD. You can absolutely powerslide it and it's VERY controllable on some nitto neo gen tires.

I would purposely wrap a Fiesta around a telephone pole because it's trash. How can you compare it to an E46. tsk tsk.

m3 anyday. the maintenance might be more but the depreciation on the fiesta will offset that.

Saw this exact M3 with the same NJ plates this morning on the way to work. NYC midtown, meatpacking district. Lol I was so giddy, feels like I saw a celebrity :)

Great video! Really made me rethink buying an e46. Probably still getting it tho xD

Why does Matt give such awesome reviews!?! This is my 3rd time watching this and i think I'm just going to go out and buy me a fiesta st!

I don't think Matt was on fords side he was being bold and honest. I've owned a E46 M3 and get what he is saying. Can't deny new cars now a days especially ST Fiesta or Focus are great bang for the buck new cars. Its great to have options new or used.

Independently of makers and models, I'd always rather have a fast car than a new one.

Who the fuck would buy a Ford Fiesta instead of 3.2l 6 cylinder BMW M3 E46 ?

I made it 1 minute in... A ford fiesta is not as fun as a e46 m3 ... I honestly can't believe I even had to say it.... That's just fuckin bananas

With the E46 M3 being one of my favorite cars, I do agree that you can perhaps have more fun in the Fiesta ST on the road and will be able to use it more. Very different cars, but I can definitely see what Matt is trying to say here. Great video.

lmfao. is this a joke.

Lmao "especially insatgram because I post dope pictures " these videos are just fun , your by far the best car reviewer on KZfaq