Car Review Ford Focus ST
I’m just going to say this from the start: Man, I love this car. I love its sportiness, its composure and its practicality. I could end this review right here, but then it would be a little useless, wouldn’t it? So here are the details.
Design
The most notable change to the exterior of the new Ford Focus ST is the front where there are more angled headlamps and the familial face of the refreshed Ford range. The interior has also been given a slight upgrade and now comes with a new multimedia interface and some tweaks to the HVAC controls. The bucket seats offer great support (although my elderly grandmother didn’t like it one bit) while the flat bottomed steering wheel adds to the overall sporty interior.
How does it go?
Powering the feistiest Focus is the same unit that does duty in the previous version, and I’m ok with that. This 2,0-litre EcoBoost unit has a more than satisfactory 184 kW available at 5 500 r/min and plenty of shove with 360 N.m of torque from as low as 2 000 r/min. Sending all of this to the front wheels is a slick six-speed manual ‘box.
the Ford Focus ST is the type of car that you push through the corners and attempt the claimed sprint time. In that order, the cornering is great with tight steering and grippy tyres, and while I didn’t really chase the zero-100km/h time of 6,5 seconds, I did do some quick pull-aways (in an area where it was safe to do so) and noticed some torque steer that could unsettle some. Other than that, the Focus and its four-pot engine is a fun, sporty drive.
Other figures to take note of include a top speed of 248 km/h, fuel consumption of 5,7 litres/100 km and an emissions figure of 159 g/100km.
Specifications
Standard on this ST3 version (an ST1 is also available) are power adjustable, heated exterior mirrors, dual air-con, ST-branded floor mats, a Sony audio system with nine speakers and an 8-inch touchscreen that is powered by Ford’s Sync2 technology that allows for Bluetooth phone connectivity and voice control. Standard on both ST1 and ST3 are features such as auxiliary input, USB inputs, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, and a leather steering wheel. Safety features include dual front, side, passenger and curtain airbags, ABS, ESP, hill assist, EBA and more.
Verdict
I said it at the start and I will say it again. This is a great driver’s car. It has great performance and can be the pocket rocket you need it to be, but it can also reel it in and be a practical people mover if you wish thanks to its composed nature, lengthy list of standard features and five-doors. I want one.
Words: Kelly Lodewyks