Item: Ford Focus ST
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

This is our pick of the Focus engine range, and comes with mild-hybrid tech that improves efficiency and acceleration.

1.0 EcoBoost Hybrid mHEV

Hatchback

Ford builds some of the most popular cars in the UK, including the Fiesta and Focus hatchbacks.

This success is partly down to longevity and the fact that there’s a Ford dealer around every corner. However, it’s also because Fords tend to offer good value and be among the best cars in their respective classes to drive.

The company’s huge range also helps; it offers everything from the small – but surprisingly practical – Ka+ to the large and lavishly equipped Edge SUV.

Meanwhile, other highlights of the range include the S-Max and Galaxy people carriers, the Mondeo executive car and the Ranger pick-up.

FORD

FOCUS

Titanium is our favourite Focus trim. It adds LED rear lights, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, and a much larger 13.2in touchscreen infotainment system with upgraded built-in sat-nav, DAB radio, Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone mirroring.

Titanium

1.0 EcoBoost Titanium 5dr

10-ecoboost-titanium-5dr

Abarth 595

Audi RS3

Audi S3

BMW M135i

Cupra Leon

Ford Fiesta ST

Ford Focus ST

Honda Civic Type R

Hyundai i20N

Hyundai i30N

Mercedes A35 AMG

Mercedes AMG A45

Peugeot 308 GTi

Renault Megane RS

Skoda Octavia vRS

Suzuki Swift Sport

Toyota GR Yaris

Vauxhall Corsa VXR

Volkswagen Golf GTD

Volkswagen Golf GTI

Volkswagen Golf R

Volkswagen Polo GTI

Volkswagen Up GTI

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The standard Ford Focus ST hatchback isn’t badly priced compared with its rivals, and only the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/cupra/leon/hatchback/review/n22098">Cupra Leon</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/octavia/hatchback/review/n17187">Skoda Octavia vRS</a> start lower.

There’s a hefty premium to be paid for the ST Edition, but it still undercuts the similarly quick <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-volkswagen-golf-gti-clubsport-review-price-specs-and-release-date/n22753">Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport</a> by several thousand pounds. If you equip a Focus ST to a similar level to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/i30n/hatchback/review/n183">Hyundai i30N</a> it starts to look a bit pricey.

That’s not to say that the Focus ST is badly equipped. <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/make/ford">Ford</a> gives you plenty of kit as standard, including adaptive cruise control, keyless entry, privacy glass, power-folding door mirrors, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel.

You don’t buy a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/hot-hatch">hot hatch</a> if you’re hoping for record fuel economy, but the petrol version can officially manage an average of around 35mpg while the diesels push that to over 50mpg. In our tests, which included a mix of roads to give a real-world average, we managed just 32.1mpg for a petrol ST (it's even less economical with an automatic gearbox fitted).&nbsp;

As for safety, the Focus fared very well in its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/top-10-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n20301">Euro NCAP</a> appraisal, scoring five stars overall. You get traffic sign recognition and automatic emergency braking <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">(AEB)</a> as standard, while blind-spot monitoring is on the options list.

The regular <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/focus/hatchback/review/n37">Ford Focus</a> finished well in our 2021 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-what-car-reliability-survey-brands/n23418">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>&nbsp;but&nbsp;Ford&nbsp;came&nbsp;a rather poor 27th place, behind Toyota, Hyundai, Volkswagen and Skoda.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter<a href="https://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html"> here</a>

The great news is that the Ford Focus ST is an enjoyable <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/hot-hatch">hot hatch</a> for the road. However, it’s not up with the ultra-nimble&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/gr-yaris/hatchback/review/n22315">Toyota GR Yaris</a> as a fully-focused machine for road and track alike.

It’s an easy car to keep centred in a lane on motorways, and the steering gives you lots of feel when you swap to twisting, sinewy back roads, but the weighting of the regular ST is inconsistent&nbsp;so it's not as predictable and accurate as it should be. The saving grace is the ST Edition, which <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/ford">Ford</a> has made&nbsp;far more consistent, especially in its Sport and Race driving modes.

The regular ST also lacks the balance, grip and poise of the GR Yaris. Compared with other rivals, though – including the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/i30n/hatchback/review/n183">Hyundai i30N</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/cupra/leon/hatchback/review/n22098">Cupra Leon</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;it offers greater agility, playfulness and, ultimately, a higher fun factor. The ST Edition’s lowered suspension and lighter wheels make it feel even more nimble.

That said, if you’re all about playfulness, have a drive of the manic&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/megane-rs/hatchback/review/n17168">Renault Megane RS</a>. While the Focus ST will tighten its line nicely into hairpins when you lift off the accelerator, it won't swing its rear-end round like a shopping trolley as the Megane does.

With optional adaptive suspension fitted, you can definitely feel bumps as they pass beneath the car, but it makes the ST more comfortable and a more usable proposition than the ever-agitated Megane RS. It's still a tad angsty when you hit particularly sharp ridges, though. If compliancy is what you’re after, the easy-to-live-with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf-gti/hatchback/review/n149">Volkswagen Golf GTI</a> is the one to go for because of its greater comfort levels.

Adding the Performance Pack to the Focus ST gives you the option of knocking the adaptive suspension into Sport or Track mode, but both settings feel too firm for some of the UK's brutally calloused roads. The ST Edition is far better judged, providing enough cushion from harsh bumps to remain just on the right side of firm.

What about the non-adaptive suspension, though? Well, it's the only suspension option you can have with the estate model and it’s fine to live with. In either body style, the lighter petrol-engined model rides slightly better than the heavier diesel one.

Few cars fire you out of bends quite like the four-wheel-drive GR Yaris, but the Focus ST's limited-slip differential (LSD) does a good job of magnifying the traction available at its front, driven wheels. Even with plenty of steering lock applied out of tight turns, you can get hard on the power without masses of wheelspin causing a plume of smoke in its wake.

The Megane’s LSD is more aggressive, which results in&nbsp;greater torque steer – a phenomenon where the steering wheel is tugged left and then right under power as each tyre grips then breaks traction. You get some of that in the Focus ST, too, but not enough to spoil the driving experience. There's less torque steer in the diesel, partly because it doesn’t have the LSD and also because it has less power.

In terms of outright pace, the petrol Focus ST gets from 0-62mph in 5.7sec, but, ultimately, it's not as fast as the GR Yaris, and doesn’t rev out so enthusiastically. It’s quick enough to live with other rivals in a straight line, though, including the i30N, Megane RS and Golf GTI. The Focus ST's augmented engine note gives you some entertaining exhaust note theatrics.

The diesel is significantly slower (0-62mph takes 7.6sec) and has a narrower, less enjoyable power delivery. There’s a bigger surge at low revs but it diminishes considerably after 3,500rpm. To mask its underwhelming diesel engine note, you get even more fake noise pumped into the interior than you do in the petrol version.&nbsp;

All Focus STs come with a crisp six-speed manual gearbox as standard. It’s light and slick, making it a delight to use. An optional seven-speed automatic is available with the petrol but it’s not a good fit. We found it less responsive than the dual-clutch automatic 'boxes available with some rival cars. The Focus ST’s brakes provide solid stopping power with a reassuring pedal feel.&nbsp;

The optional Performance Pack also gives you a Track mode. That gives you even more aggressive settings for the engine, steering weight, automatic gearbox (where fitted) and suspension. It also allows you to choose the stiffness of the suspension yourself, rather than leaving the car’s electronic brain to tune it automatically according to specific computer maps.

The Performance Pack and ST Edition add a light that indicates when you need to change up a gear, and rev-matching to help you change down smoothly (with the manual gearbox only). There’s also a launch control system that helps you to make perfect getaways.

In turbulent times, it’s good to know that the Ford Focus ST remains a constant – at least in the hot-hatch sector.

You see, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/ford">Ford</a> has an immense and enviable legacy of building great high-performance hatchbacks (including the excellent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/fiesta/hatchback/review/n140">Ford Fiesta ST</a>), and there's been a sizzling ST version of all four generations of the Focus.&nbsp;As with the previous-generation model, you can order this latest Focus ST with a petrol or diesel engine&nbsp;and&nbsp;either a hatchback or estate body.

Power peaks at 187bhp for the diesel and a heady 276bhp for the petrol and,&nbsp;for your daily piece&nbsp;of trivia, the petrol engine is a detuned version of turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/focus-rs/hatchback/used-review/n17887">2016-2018 Ford&nbsp;Focus RS</a>.&nbsp;That lends&nbsp;it a dash of pedigree to go with that&nbsp;healthy dollop of performance.&nbsp;

To keep all its vigour channelling straight to the road, there’s an electronically-controlled limited-slip differential fitted as standard to the petrol versions. It&nbsp;helps minimise wheel spin and prevent the nose from running wide as you power out of corners.

You get bigger brakes than on the standard <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/focus/hatchback/review/n37">Ford Focus</a>&nbsp;to scrub off speed more effectively, and the steering and suspension are also bespoke and tuned for&nbsp;increased agility.&nbsp;This mechanical makeover has been taken one step further with enthusiast-focused ST Edition, which has fancy coilover suspension that’s adjustable with a spanner set in the boot.

The big question, then, is whether the Ford Focus ST is the&nbsp;king of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/hot-hatch">hot hatch category</a>. We'll let you know over the next few pages of&nbsp;this review.

We'll also compare it with its rivals, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/cupra/leon/hatchback/review/n22098">Cupra Leon</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/i30n/hatchback/review/n183">Hyundai i30N</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/megane-rs/hatchback/review/n17168">Renault Megane RS</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/gr-yaris/hatchback/review/n22315">Toyota GR Yaris</a>. Oh yes, and let's not forget the original hot hatchback, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf-gti/hatchback/review/n149">Volkswagen Golf GTI</a>.&nbsp;

If you’d like to buy a new ST – or any other make and model&nbsp;that suits your needs – you could save thousand if you search&nbsp;our free&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">What Car? New Car Buying service</a>&nbsp;for the lowest&nbsp;prices. It's a good place to find the best <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/ford/focus/hatchback/deals?trim=st">Ford Focus ST deals</a>.

The minute you open the Ford Focus ST’s driver's door, a pair of unique (to the ST) heavily bolstered, part-leather front seats from Recaro immediately differentiate it from lesser <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/focus/hatchback/review/n37">Ford Focus</a> models. They adjust electrically in multiple ways and grip you tightly around the midriff.

They enhance what’s already a great driving position. Every Focus comes with loads of adjustment for its steering wheel, along with well-aligned pedals and a dashboard that's pretty simple to use.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The quality of the interior materials is a little iffy, though, with plenty of hard plastics on show. However, the detailing, such as the alloy pedals and ST-engraved stainless steel scuff plates on the sills, adds a smidgen of sporting panache and charm.

Visibility is generally good, with thinnish windscreen pillars that provide largely unobstructed forward vision. The thicker rear pillars are less helpful, but you get a reversing camera and parking sensors at the front and rear. There are also adaptive LED headlights that illuminate your route through the gloom brilliantly.&nbsp;

The Focus ST comes with the latest <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/ford">Ford</a> Sync 3 infotainment system. It's not&nbsp;the best infotainment system on the market (the iDrive found in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-bmw-128ti-review-price-specs-and-release-date/n22726">BMW 128ti</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/1-series/hatchback/review/n20208">BMW M135i</a>&nbsp;is one of the best), but it’s better than the system you get in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/megane-rs/hatchback/review/n17168">Renault Megane RS</a>.

The infotainment is made up of an 8.0in touchscreen with built-in sat-nav, plus Apple CarPlay/Android Auto if you prefer using your phone’s navigation and apps through the screen instead. Then there’s the stereo: a Bang &amp; Olufsen system that pipes a healthy 675 watts through its 10 speakers.

This is a nicer hot hatch to drive than the regular Focus ST due to its trick suspension - you just need to roll up your sleeves if you want to alter the suspension settings.

ST Edition

A well-priced, well-equipped hot hatch that combines performance with family-friendly practicality

Unsurprisingly, the ST is the same as any other Ford Focus when it comes to passenger space. That makes it one of the roomiest <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/hot-hatch">hot hatches</a> you can buy.

There’s plenty of space in the front, and the hatchback version has more head and leg room in the rear than many rivals, including the<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/i30n/hatchback/review/n183"> Hyundai i30N</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/megane-rs/hatchback/review/n17168">Renault Megane RS</a>. In estate form, the Focus ST is right up there with its closest competitor for space, the estate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/cupra/leon/hatchback/review/n22098">Cupra Leon</a>.

Boot space in the hatchback Focus ST is roughly on a par with the i30N and Megane, but you’ll fit more suitcases or shopping in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/octavia/hatchback/review/n17187">Skoda Octavia vRS</a>. The estate ST version obviously has a bigger boot, but it’s still not on par with the capacious Octavia vRS Estate’s.

For more detail on how the Focus stacks up in this area, check out our specific reviews of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/focus/hatchback/review/n37">Ford Focus hatchback</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/focus/estate/review/n8">Ford Focus Estate</a>.

The Ford Focus ST is not as fun to drive as the Renault Megane RS or (if you can find one) Toyota GR Yaris, but it is well priced and well equipped against its major competitors. Plus, it's just as practical as the regular Focus, making it perfect for performance-hungry families. Ignore the diesel, though.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Engaging handling </li> <li>Thrilling performance </li> <li>A characterful engine with an enticing soundtrack </li> <li>Reasonable running costs </li> <li>Not hard to live with day to day</li></ul>

A popular choice with UK buyers since the days of the original Volkswagen Golf GTI, the hot hatchback mixes everyday practicality with higher performance and the sort of handling and agility that’s ideally suited to British roads. A good hot hatch should be fun and, since it’s likely to be your daily drive, it should also deliver respectable running costs.

The Golf GTI remains one of the best hot hatches on the market, along with its main competitor,&nbsp;the&nbsp;equally as responsive and cheaper to buy Hyundai i30 N. But there are some terrific options for even less money than both of these cars. We're big fans of the Ford Fiesta ST, which is definitely one of the best hot hatches ever and certainly one of the most fun to drive. It's full of character and its engaging handling makes it a bit of a hoot at all speeds.&nbsp;

If you’ve got a bit more money to spare, there are even faster cars available, such as the Honda Civic Type R. This latest version is sublime to drive, either on road or on a track, as it's so sweetly balanced. It's also incredibly quick in a straight line&nbsp;and round a corner, and yet it's as practical as a regular Civic.&nbsp;

Hot hatch

Ford Focus ST review

Fill out our 2022 Reliability Survey - and win a prize!

Alfa Romeo Giulia

Volvo XC60

Nissan Ariya

Fiat 500

Hyundai Ioniq 5

Honda HR-V

Dacia Jogger

/news/complete-the-2022-what-car-reliability-survey-for-the-chance-to-win-a-prize/n15554

New car deals >>

site ribbon config

Buying advice for the Ford Focus ST covering running costs, MPG, Fuel Economy, Reliability and Safety, from the expert What Car? review team.

The standard Ford Focus ST hatchback isn’t badly priced compared with its rivals, and only the Cupra Leon and Skoda Octavia vRS start lower.,There’s a hefty premium to be paid for the ST Edition, but it still undercuts the similarly quick Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport by several thousand pounds. If you equip a Focus ST to a similar level to the Hyundai i30N it starts to look a bit pricey.,That’s not to say that the Focus ST is badly equipped. Ford gives you plenty of kit as standard, including adaptive cruise control, keyless entry, privacy glass, power-folding door mirrors, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel.You don’t buy a hot hatch if you’re hoping for record fuel economy, but the petrol version can officially manage an average of around 35mpg while the diesels push that to over 50mpg. In our tests, which included a mix of roads to give a real-world average, we managed just 32.1mpg for a petrol ST (it's even less economical with an automatic gearbox fitted). As for safety, the Focus fared very well in its Euro NCAP appraisal, scoring five stars overall. You get traffic sign recognition and automatic emergency braking (AEB) as standard, while blind-spot monitoring is on the options list.,The regular Ford Focus finished well in our 2021 What Car? Reliability Survey but Ford came a rather poor 27th place, behind Toyota, Hyundai, Volkswagen and Skoda.,For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here

New car deals >>

Ford Focus ST review

Toyota GR Yaris

Honda Civic Type R

Costs & verdict

Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is

What Car? has a buying service

Quick search

Tools & services

Legal bits

Information