After a testing bevy of SUVs in recent weeks, David Thomson is pleased to get behind the wheel of a sporty hatchback, the new Ford Focus ST.
What’s new?
The fourth-generation Ford Focus hatchback made its debut here in 2019 with an initial line-up comprising three models, all featuring 134kW/240Nm 1.5 litre three-cylinder turbo engines and power delivery via eight-stage continuously variable transmissions.
Attractively styled, roomy, comfortable, dynamically accomplished and reasonably peppy, these first arrivals represented a strong start for the new Focus hatchback in New Zealand.
The ST model has now joined the line-up.
We always knew a new ST was coming — there was a sporty ST in the last generation, mustering 184kW/360Nm of punch from a 2.0 litre engine.
The new ST features a 2.3 litre turbo and has peak outputs of 206kW and 420Nm. So, as well as offering 50% more power and 75% more torque than the standard fourth-generation Focus, it promises roughly 10% more power and 15% more torque that its sporty predecessor.
There’s another crucial drivetrain change, too: the previous ST deployed an old-school six-speed manual gearbox to deliver power to the front wheels, whereas the new ST has a seven-speed automatic transmission.
The latest Focus is slightly bigger than the model it replaces and the ST is heavier, too. Even so, it boasts a superior power-to-weight ratio.
A price tag of $59,490 for the ST is competitive in the hot-hatch world, although VW’s soon-to-be-replaced Golf GTI lists for $2500 less and the Hyundai i30 N is something of a performance steal at $54,990. The Honda Civic Type R and Renault Megane RS both carry a $59,990 tag.
What comes as standard?
Standard features include keyless entry and push-button start, dual-zone climate control, multicolour interior LED lighting, wireless phone charging, a six-speaker sound system, adaptive auto-dipping headlights and adaptive front fog lights.
Bluetooth and hard-wired USB connectivity is provided (though with just two USB ports) along with full smartphone mirroring. Ford’s new and very user-friendly SNYC3 infotainment system, which incorporates the satellite navigation, speed sign recognition and voice control among other key functions, is also first-rate.
Active safety features include adaptive radar cruise control, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert and parking sensors, plus a 180-degree split-view rear camera.
The ST’s suspension is fitted with active damping, the brakes are heavily upgraded and there is an electronically controlled mechanical limited slips differential to apportion power delivery between the front wheels as efficiently as possible.
What does it look like?
Even in standard form, the new Focus is an attractive machine.
Pop it on 19-inch 10-spoke alloys shod with 235/35 tyres, add in all-round LED lights and a sports body kit, and the ST is a visual treat. The Race Red paint scheme of the car supplied for appraisal by Ford New Zealand was very smart, too.
Time spent photographing the test car brought the point home; the Focus ST looks good from just about any angle, which is true of relatively few cars.
What’s it like inside?
As with the standard Focus, there’s a roomier boot than with the previous model, albeit with the practicality of its 375-litre capacity diminished by the tailgate’s high load lip, and rear seats that fold forward to provide a stepped rather than flat extended boot floor when extra cargo space is required.
The back seats provide reasonable passenger space, but everyone’s ideal is going to be sitting up front in one of the ST-embossed Recaro sports seats.
Trimmed with artificial leather bolsters and dark suede cushions, the front seats are heated and power-adjusting, and are form-hugging and super comfortable for longer trips.
Dark trim features throughout, including for the cabin uppers as well as the dash and below-waistline trim. Clean-lined and angular, and topped by an eight-inch centre touchscreen, even the dashboard’s main highlighting strip, while patterned, is dark. There is some bright metal highlighting, but its use is very restrained. There are plenty of soft-touch surfaces to provide a pleasant feel, though some of the interior panels feel flimsy.
ST badging on the seats and steering wheel, Ford Performance scuff plates and contrast stitching provide a visual lift. There is also a standard sunroof that brings plenty of light into the cabin.
The centre console includes a lidded armrest and integrated storage bin, twin cupholders and the wireless charging tray under the dash. It’s also home to the gear selector, which, as with the standard Focus, is a knob that is rotated to shift from park through reverse, neutral and drive. Pushing a button on top of the knob engages manual mode, which hands gear control to the driver via paddle shift controls mounted on the steering column.
What’s it like to drive?
Let’s get the dynamic downsides out of the way first: even in its comfort-oriented drive setting (called normal), the ST’s ride is joltingly firm on poorly surfaced urban roads and there is significant road noise on coarse-chip surfaces at highway speeds.
Both these negatives are par for the course with any hot hatch, whatever badge it carries. Potential buyers are likely to care not a jot, considering a few sacrifices in refinement an acceptable trade-off for performance and handling prowess.
Sport mode was the default drive setting for the test car, which was just as well, as flicking between the ST’s various drive modes via two buttons on the steering wheel was a trifle cumbersome. I braved the button mash nonetheless, both to flick down into wet weather and normal modes and, more importantly, to sample the most extreme dynamic option — track mode.
Accompanied by a throaty soundtrack that includes some artificial enhancement, the engine is especially strong through the mid-range, free-revving to the redline, and possessed of excellent throttle response. Although the steering can be a little light under hard acceleration, torque steer that might easily have resulted from delivering so much power and torque through the front wheels is largely contained in centre differential setup. At least in the dry.
There’s no need to fret about the impact of that automatic gearbox on acceleration. The new auto ST can knock off the 0-100kmh dash in 5.7 seconds. That’s a full second quicker than the manual ST of old. Yes, a stick-shift manual would certainly offer a more tactile type of mechanical control but tapping through the gears via the paddle shift controls on the auto ST is a blast, especially in manual shift mode.
Combine that shifting with a few twists and turns (the tighter the better, I reckon), and the ST really starts to shine.
Its steering has a very quick 11.6:1 ratio and, especially in track mode, the front of the ST responds quickly and with pin-point accuracy. Running on Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres, the test car exhibited high levels of grip when cornering and under braking. Perhaps the most impressive dynamic aspects of the test car were the excellence of its chassis and ability of its suspension to contain pitch and roll as lateral forces built through faster bends and during sudden changes of direction.
Verdict
Practically packaged and possessing heaps of character, the new ST is an impressive addition to the Focus range and the array of hot hatches on offer in 2020. Objectively quick in both a straight line and through demanding bends, it is subjectively a delight, inspiring confidence while also impressing for its agility and responsiveness.
PHOTOS: DAVID THOMSON
