FIRST DRIVES
2 1 AUGUST 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23
@simondavisnz
Despite its strongly disciplined body control, the Focus ST remains viable as a car for everyday use on UK roads
Shape and material of the seats set a go-faster theme inside the well-equipped cabin
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It’s hard not to be impressed by the gazelle-
like levels of agility this car can conjure up
a
already provides a fantastic basis
for a family hatch with heightened
le v e l s of r e s p on s e a nd a g i l it y. T he
ST treatment amplifies this athletic
disposition to levels that are really
quite remarkable.
It’s the immediacy of the steering
you notice first. Turn the wheel and
the response from the ST’s front end
i s s o s udde n a nd d r a m at ic t h at it c a n
take a moment or two to properly
become attuned to. Once dialled in,
though, it’s hard not to be impressed
b y t he ga z e l le -l i k e le v e l s of a g i l it y t he
car is capable of conjuring up.
A steering knuckle geometry that
moves the rod attachment point
9mm forward and 6.5mm higher
than that of the standard car is a key
contributor to this electric response,
while its Michelin tyres and diff
work hard to provide effective,
tenacious grip and incision through
particularly tight corners.
Were t his v ivacious ha ndling
complemented by a rock-hard ride,
the Focus ST might come over as
being too serious for enjoyable
use on the road. Thankfully, Fordhasn’t quite pulled a Renault in this
instance, so unlike Cup chassis-
equipped versions of the Mégane
RS, the Focus is far more forgiving.
Admittedly, the ride is firm and can
be a touch animated and reactive,
even with the dampers set to Normal,
but you absolutely do not need to be
a masochist to entertain the idea of
living with one.
T h at e n g i ne i s s w e e t , t o o. It s
impressive torque lends the Focus
serious mid-range punch and it
spins happily to the redline without
running short of breath – all the
while accompanied by a suitably
aggressive, if a little overtly synthetic,
soundtrack. The quality of the
gearchange, meanwhile, is slick and
well oiled enough, with a throw that’s
apparently 7% shorter than that of
the standard car.
Still, despite this readily
identifiable competency, there were
times when I found it difficult to
warm to the Focus ST. Even with
the immediacy of its handling, the
effectiveness with which it sticks
to the road and its commendable
pace, there was an aloofness about
its character that I found tricky to
ignore. I could well be in a minority
on t h i s but , for w h at e v e r r e a s on , itdidn’t get under my skin quite to the
extent I hoped it would.
But for its £31,995 asking price,
this is still a very impressive hot
hatch. It might not quite offer the
incisiveness, pace and composure
of the Civic Type R, the mad-dog
a gg r e s sion of t he Mé ga ne R S
Trophy or the everyday polish of the
Volkswagen Golf GTI, but its ability
to draw on aspects of all three of
TESTER’S NOTE
I didn’t find the
spacing between the
brake and throttle
pedals particularly
conducive to
comfortable heel-
and-toe gearshifts.
Good thing there’s a
rev-match feature to
fall back on. SD
Price £31,995
Engine 4 cyls, 2261cc,
turbocharged, petrol
Power 276bhp at 5500rpm
Torque 310lb ft at 3000-4000rpm
Gearbox 6-spd manual
Kerb weight 1468kg
0-62mph 5.7sec
Top speed 155mph
Economy 34.4mpg
CO 2 , tax band 179g/km, 37%
RIVALS Honda Civic Type R, Renault
Mégane RS, VW Golf GTI
FORD FOCUS ST
Latest Focus ST blends impressive
dynamism and performance with
easy-going everyday usabilityAAAAB
these similarly priced rivals and
combine them into a package you
could easily envisage living with
demands applause.
Ma k e no m i s t a k e: t he r e ’s a
cracking hot hatch here. I’m just not
sure it’s the hot hatch for me.
SIMON DAVIS