Are you sure you're talking about the Fiesta ST? The prices you quoted look more like those for the Focus. Ford's website has the base Fiesta ST MSRP listed as $21,400 w/o destination fees. Add the Recaro package and it's up to nearly $23,400. Pile everything on and the car can exceed $26K, which is enough for a decently spec'd out 3. I know they're completely different cars but for the same price each offers advantages. The Fiesta is small, relatively fuel-efficient, and sporty while the 3 is larger, has better fuel economy, but is less sporty. There's also some brand loyalty with Mazda.