[Test Drive Experience] Three-door hatchback, 182 horsepower, 6-speed, RECARO seat, sports-adjusted, 15mm-lower body, electronic stability program with sports mode that can be completely closed, eTVC intelligent distribution system for cornering torque, 17-inch wheel hub, unilateral double exhaust … I am trying very hard to control my emotions, and I will list these words for you that just make my heart beat faster. ST is coming, it’s coming in its original flavor.

　　Yesterday, before I touched the car, Ford held a press conference to announce that Carnival ST was officially listed in the form of import, with a price of 185,900 yuan. For this price, netizens have mixed comments: some people say that it is expensive and feel that there are many better choices at the same price; Others say it is not expensive, and think that the value of this car has already surpassed its competitors.

　　When people choose a family car, they can often choose the right model by looking at the appearance, parameters and configuration, and combining with the price. However, I don’t think this car selection method is suitable for all models, especially performance cars that emphasize the fun of handling. You have to get in the car and drive crazily for a while before you can really realize whether you have fallen in love with it.

● The powertrain has not shrunk or compromised to the market.

　　You don’t need to choose between high and low power versions of the engine, because Ford only offers one option. The 1.6L EcoBoost engine was squeezed out with a maximum power of 182 HP, and the maximum torque of 240 Nm continued from 1600rpm to 5000rpm. Also optional is a 6-speed manual gearbox that is good at making driving fun, and a three-door body structure. In the future, when car owners see riders on the street, please put away your shyness and come forward to say hello, because the other person is likely to be a passionate performance car advocate like you.

● Short contact, wanting more.

　　I once imagined myself driving the Carnival ST on the mountain road and cutting corners in the track, but when I came to the test drive site, the scene in front of me dragged me back to reality mercilessly. This is a track made of piles and barrels, and it only takes more than 30 seconds to run. This, will it work? I have a whisper in my heart.

　　Let’s get familiar with the venue first. The seemingly complicated route can actually be divided into four parts, namely, linear acceleration, long curve, snake-shaped pile winding and S curve. You can’t push the vehicle too fast here, and I regret that you can’t experience the dynamic performance of Carnival ST well, but fortunately, there are enough places to experience steering and control.

　　The most important thing in linear acceleration is a shift in the middle. The 6-speed manual gearbox of Carnival ST is as excellent as that of Fox ST, and the metallic gear handle has a short stroke, and the gear is clear and crisp. After cutting into the second gear, the clutch quickly bounced off, and the 205mm wide Bridgestone skyclan tire made a short tire sound, and the ST ran towards a higher speed. The exhaust sound of this small steel gun is deep and powerful, not grandiose or unassuming. At the end of the straight road, one foot braked heavily, and the cement with insufficient adhesion affected the braking performance. Thanks to the credit of ABS, the vehicle still achieved quite good deceleration. Then there was a sharp turn to the right, and we went for a long turn.

　　Maneuverability has been tested here. You can rush along the inside of the curve with your throttle on. It is very important to make good use of the width of the curve. I don’t know whether the suspension is well adjusted or the eTVC intelligent torque distribution system has achieved remarkable results. I passed the long bend very smoothly. I seem to feel that Carnival ST is trying to tell me that its limit is far from being reached with its calm body posture and completely in line with the expected driving trajectory.

　　Next is the familiar snake-shaped pile winding, which is different from the usual 18-meter pile winding. Here, the distance between the two piles is 15 meters. There is a right-angle bend in front of the snake-shaped pile, so the speed of entering the pile is not fast. You can hold the throttle for the first two piles. Carnival ST’s electric power steering mechanism provides uniform steering force and ultra-high pointing accuracy. This "little" body is extremely flexible, and its figure shuttling between piles and buckets is like a carp swimming in the water. Look at its fish face …

　　Around the end of the pile site, there is a small depression in the ground. Every time it passes, the front of the car will jump slightly, and the adjustment of the front suspension is still a little soft. For carnival ST, this is not a good thing. Is it out of consideration for comfort? Maybe.

　　Finally, we enter the S-bend. This is a sharp continuous curve, first a left turn, and then a right turn. You need to slow down the speed before entering. Carnival ST allows you to make mistakes. As long as you don’t drive it like a rear-wheel drive in an attempt to drift at a fixed point, it will try to control the front of the car, and the phenomenon of understeer has been improved to some extent. Although the steering ratio of carnival ST is small, it is not as extreme as "Brother Fu". When turning around, you still need to quickly reverse your hand and hit more than two laps.

　　After three laps of experience, although I can appreciate the charm of this small steel gun different from that of ordinary family cars, I know very well in my heart that this is far from its full strength. If I go back like this, how can I face my folks (generally referring to colleagues and leaders)? So I went straight to the coach and applied to continue the experience. As you have guessed, he agreed.

● I won’t get off until I get off.

　　After the first few laps of practice, I know this small "track" like the back of my hand, and my courage has increased. Starting and accelerating, I quickly finished the straight line and came to the long bend. Come on, little carp, show me something. With the throttle on, I broke into the corner in an attempt to push the limit of ST. This car started to communicate with me. You can feel the slight linear increase of steering resistance, and you can also notice something from the feedback force given by the thick lateral package of RECARO seat. They seem to help you count: 85%, 90%, 95% …

　　When you feel that you are approaching the top, "Little Carp" really took the next step. It unceremoniously flicked its tail outward, which led me to quickly correct the direction. Four tires immediately grabbed the ground again. The whole process happened in an instant, and then the "limit counting" started again: 85%, 90% … This feeling was really wonderful!

　　After a lap of parking, the coach came forward to pull my door, and I quickly begged: coach, please let me try again, it’s really fun. So, I ran round and round. "Little Carp" is always happy to communicate with me. The more so, the more I want to push the car to the limit edge close to "99%", and it also stirs my nerves from time to time with its swaying tail. Compared with understeer, this front-drive small steel gun is more keen on oversteer, and its flexible body and restless rear make people linger.

　　I can’t count how many times I opened it, and the more I opened it, the more addictive it became. Such a small venue was not enough for it to play, but this experience was enough for me to fall in love with it. Finally, I got off the bus and looked back. Suddenly, I didn’t think it looked like a small carp. Maybe it was more like a … small shark. That’s right! Look at that fierce eyes and that maw, it is simply a shark. People always wear colored glasses inadvertently, don’t they?