Bluecat hi, sorry to hear about your issues.
For trim difficult to say anything constructive other than suggest that you compare yours with another new ST. If it really has a ding then perhaps that has happened during transit and needs investigation?
Brakes I admit (on mine) there is a degree of additional travel, but other than that I can't fault them sharp (very sharp) and responsive.
Best give em a chance to bed in first. That said perhaps worth checking the brake fluid level just in case of an issue in build.
Since owing my ST and not unlike my old RS I always drive in Sport mode or sometime even in Track on a dry day and alway use E5 fuel. For fun I did try ECo mode on the motorway. But honestly just stick with Sport mode.
Have you checked (physically) the tyre pressures, so so important can't stress that enough. Get that wrong everything goes to pot, handling and braking. Dealerships never get it right. I use 34psi front and 29psi rear.
At first, say approx for the first 2k miles on mine I found the gear box alittle temperamental, sticky and on the odd occasion a missed gear change when not fully pressing the pedal.
Notwithstanding that, maybe it was me and or maybe it's just now worn in, I can't now fault it.
