Ford Focus ST

Let’s get the schoolboy humour out of the way first, shall we? When Ford first announced that it would be launching a Focus ST diesel, the STD acronym predictably made an appearance. But it’s simply named as the ST TDCi by Ford and forms part of the company’s masterplan to bring back a series of more dynamic and exciting products into the line-up, with 12 different models set to arrive by 2020. The new Ford Performance brand has three tiers Enhanced Technology, High performance and Ultra High Performance. The GT that was unveiled at the Detroit motor show falls under the last category, the upcoming Focus RS under the middle one, and this Focus ST comes under the umbrella of Enhanced Technology, where affordable and accessible sports cars can be utilised on a daily basis.

Visually, there’s no difference between the petrol edition of the Focus ST and this diesel powered version. Both models feature an aggressive looking bodykit, lowered suspension, and twin centrally mounted exhaust tailpipes. Inside, there’s recaro seats as standard, and the additional bank of three gauges on the central binnacle. One shows turbocharger boost pressure, the second oil temperature and the final one for oil pressure. A sporty flat-bottomed steering wheel, aluminium pedals and metal gear knob complete the dynamic look and feel. Our test car came with the heavily bolstered half leather seats which proved incredibly supportive through the bends.

It’s so easy to get a great driving position in the Focus, thanks to lots of available adjustment to both the steering wheel and chairs, with the relationship between the pedals, steering and gear lever as close to perfection as it gets. The domed dials are clear and easy to read, and the new touchscreen is ideally positioned so that you don’t spend time with your eyes off the road. Forward visibility is pretty good, however, over the shoulder and rearward visibility is hampered by cluttered side pillars and a small rear window. You’ll need to choose the rear parking sensors if you regularly need to engage in tight manoeuvres. Thankfully they are standard on ST-3 versions and optional on ST-2 for a reasonable £225. Space up front is pretty good, with decent head and legroom, and in the rear, you’ll not hear any complaints from passengers, though three adults will need to be good friends to squeeze across the rear bench. Boot space is smaller than its major competitors at 363 litres, though this can be extended by flipping the seat base up and folding the chairs down flat. All of the materials have been enhanced compared to the previous generation Focus, with climate controls in particular that feel more solid and nicely crafted. Oddment space is well catered for, with a handy area ahead of the gear lever, a couple of cupholders located under a roller blind in the centre console and a decently sized glovebox and door pockets.

It’s clear from the first turn of the key that Ford has designed for this ST-badged model to be usable every day, rather than a stripped out racer. The 2.0-litre TDCi engine is nicely refined and smooth, though has a tendancy to get boomy with the pedal buried in the footwell. There’s a jot of wind noise at motorway speeds, but tyre and road noise is nicely contained. The steering has a nice agile and precise feel to it, with really good feedback, making the Focus entertaining to pilot on backroads. Body control is sensational, with very little lean through bends, and thanks to excellent grip, you can really motor. The slick six-speed manual gearbox is lovely and smooth, with third gear a true delight, and feels like you could drive everywhere using that single ratio. And yet the beauty of this engine is that it is utterly at home trickling along in a high gear at moderate speeds, too. Ride comfort is sportily firm and can get bumpy at lower speeds, but up the pace on a motorway and it settles down nicely.

The pricing of the new Focus ST diesel is pretty keen, costing exactly the same as the 247bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol ST, and falling somewhere between the SEAT Leon FR 2.0 TDI and the Volkswagen Golf GTD. With a choice of three trim levels to suit all tastes – ST-1, ST-2, ST-3 – 85 per cent of buyers are expected to opt for the hatchback version, with the remaining 15 per cent expected to pay the £1,100 price premium for added versatility by choosing the estate edition. Ford management are expecting the split between diesel and petrol sales to be 50:50, but as it’s the first time that a diesel Focus wearing the ST badge has been sold, that prediction could slide in either direction. Our opinion is that Ford has underestimated the demand for such a vehicle, and the diesel edition will end up accounting for a whole lot more.

Model tested : ST-2 2.0 TDCi
Price : £23,695
Configuration : 5-door hatchback, 5-seats, front-wheel-drive
Drivetrain : 1997cc, 4-cylinder, 16-valve, turbocharged diesel with stop-start
Transmission : 6-speed manual
Power output :  182bhp @ 3,500rpm
Maximum torque :  295lb ft @ 2,000-2,750rpm
Top speed : /0-62mph  135mph/8.1 secs
CO2  emissions : (tax band)  110g/km (B) Euro 6
Economy : (urban/extra urban/combined) 56.5/74.3/67.3mpg
Fuel tank size/range : 60 litres/888 miles
Insurance group/BIK rate : 24/18%
Size : (length/width with mirrors)  4,362/2,010mm
Boot space : (minimum/maximum)  363/1,262 litres
Kerb/max towing weight : 1,464/0kg
On sale :  Now
In showrooms : Now
Prices : £22,195 to £27,095
Bodystyles :  5-door hatchback and 5-door estate
Engines : 2.0 (182bhp)
Trim levels : ST-1, ST-2, ST-3
Also consider : SEAT Leon FR 2.0TDI, Volkswagen Golf GTD 2.0 TDI