Ford Focus ST OUR CARS
Final verdict on life with the hot hatch
FINAL REPORT MILEAGE 12,201
WHY WE RAN IT
In the absence of a new RS, is the latest Focus ST good enough to be considered a credible flagship fast Ford hatchback?
What is it about the colour orange? A recent Twitter poll seemed to suggest it’s a magnet for trafficlight Lewis Hamiltons and teen racers, whether the car in question is a supercar or a hot hatch. Having spent the past few months in the latter, I don’t disagree. Wherever I went in it, the Focus ST was never short on attention – not all of it good. Had our now-departed long-termer been delivered in a different hue, I’m convinced the otherwise subtle visual upgrades over the standard car would have let it f ly under most people’s radars. The £800 expense is one I’d leave off the options list.
Admittedly, it’s up for debate whether the ability to drive incognito at times should be a prerequisite for a hot hatch, and in many respects the Focus is one of the more restrained cars in its class. Personally, I like that the larger alloys, tweaked bodykit and neatly integrated rear spoiler don’t demand constant attention, in the same way the uber-aggressive Honda Civic Type R or decal-laden BMW 128ti do. The twin exhausts might give the game away, but they aren’t the loudest pipes around.
Colour aside, then, the ST fulfilled its brief brilliantly throughout its time with us. Under first custodian Andrew Frankel, it covered the bulk of its 10,000-plus miles and claimed a number of scalps. We decreed it more entertaining on a British B-road than a Honda NSX; it even held its own against the Mustang Bullitt, as you can use more of its power reserves more of the time than you can with the V8 muscle coupé.
Crucially, it also scored a big win over the Mk8 Volkswagen Golf GTI. In making its latest hot hatch effort firmer and more aggressive, VW has lost some of what made previous generations so special – while the Ford simply delivers more of what made older STS such fun to drive.
The ST really does come alive on the right road. Ford’s signature quick steering response makes a return, the shift action of the six-speed manual ’box is delightfully smooth and the Recaro seats keep you firmly in place when scything through corners, without the backache afterwards. The optional Ford Performance Pack, which added adaptive damping as well as rev-matching and a trackspecific driving mode, was well worth having for the former alone.
The 2.3-litre engine is the star of the show, giving the car its own character distinct from the crowd of four-pot alternatives. It delivers alarming mid-range punch and an eagerness to chase the redline that could always put a smile on my face.
The synthetic soundtrack is a little overdone, especially in the racier driving modes, but that’s true of just about every hot hatch right now. I’d have loved a custom setting that gave individual control over the sound, steering and throttle response, as each is at its best in a different mode.
Elsewhere, it was a comfortable and practical daily driver, with ample room for rear passengers, a boot that could swallow a week’s worth of family luggage and fuel economy that was decent (if not outstanding) on longer motorway journeys.
The interior was arguably its weakest point, with Ford’s parts-bin approach meaning there was little to elevate it beyond the standard Focus, or indeed the considerably cheaper Fiesta. The use of cheaper plastics put it behind similarly priced rivals, although we appreciated not having to constantly rely on a touchscreen. (Having physical buttons to operate most of the settings will always be a win in our book.)
The only major issue was caused by a nasty pothole encounter, which managed to bend the rim of one of the 19in alloys. It necessitated an entirely new wheel as well as a replacement Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyre, at a cost of £550 for the pair.
Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system also took a disliking to my phone, with Android Auto sometimes freezing to the extent that an engineoff reboot was required to bring it back to life. I noticed a few glitches when testing a different car recently, so my handset might have been at fault rather than the car, but it was still an irritating experience when relying on the phone for navigation.
Ultimately, it was painful to hand back the keys: the Focus ST brilliantly blends performance and dynamism with everyday capability, in a way
❝ The Focus ST brilliantly blends performance and dynamism with everyday capability ❞
very few rivals can. It hasn’t morphed into a track-day monster, but nor has it been neutered in pursuit of ride comfort. There’s a goldilocks level of performance and usability here that suited my wants and needs perfectly.
Now that Ford has mothballed the RS badge and doesn’t have a truly lairy flagship hot hatch, there was a danger the Mk4 ST would turn things up a notch too far with the aim of being all things to all people. The firm has resisted the urge, and produced an exceptionally well-rounded car. And yes, that’s true even if you insist on Orange Fury colours.