Ford Focus ST | High Mile Club
Something of a forgotten fast Focus, the final one is now on offer for £10k
While it’s hard to imagine now, with the hot hatch sector as sparsely populated as it is, the fourth (and final, it seems) Ford Focus ST launched into a packed marketplace in 2019. The Hyundai i30 N was fun and great value, the Megane had returned as a handsome five-door, the Golf GTI was as good as ever in Mk7.5 form - as were the related Octavia and Leon - the 308 GTI was still soldiering on with some old school appeal… Buyers were spoilt for choice. And so it was hard to stand out. With the Fiesta surely ranking as everyone’s favourite fast Ford, the Focus was maybe forgotten about just a tad.
The demise of the RS was a disappointment, and perhaps the Focus looked a tad plain as well. But underneath was another great Blue Oval hot hatch, engaging and capable chassis hooked up to a stout turbo four in the nose. It was fun as all Focuses should be, with a welcome dash of extra sophistication on top. When we pitched a Mk4 ST against the Golf, Megane and i30 N, the Ford came out on top - it really was that good. With the estate option as well, for proof that fast wagons existed beyond the Golf R.
It just kept getting better, too, as much like the Fiesta, the Focus gained an Edition model with flow-formed wheels and coilovers; as well as introducing a funky new colour, the Edition made for an even grippier, better riding Focus ST. Mountune’s upgrades didn’t overwhelm the car, either.
But all that was quite a few years ago now, sadly, and with times moving as fast as they are, the Ford-badged hatchback with a manual gearbox and 2.3 litre engine isn’t something we’ll see again. Still, the benefit of passing years is more affordable used examples. The ST always looked competitively priced, as is the fast Ford way, and now the first examples are beginning to dip below £10k. As with so many cars, it’s probably taken a little longer than expected; such is the way of used cars in the 2020s.
This 2019 ST manual has the Performance Pack, bringing in a Track mode, shift lights and red calipers; if white isn’t the best colour for one then it’s not the worst either. What’s especially interesting about this one, though, is that it’s already covered 133,000 miles; not perhaps mega mileage, but still a fair return for a seven-year-old performance car. Those miles have all been accrued with one owner as well, which is reasonably encouraging. Check out the bolsters on those famously chunky Recaros, too: someone has been careful getting in or out. Or, more likely, only done big journeys that haven’t needed much entering or exiting.
Frustratingly, there’s not a mention of history, though the MOT is flawless and there are at least three Continentals on the wheels. Nothing about the condition in the pics would suggest it’s some high-mile hack, instead something that’s been used more than average and cared for accordingly. Now at £9,981, there’s all sorts of potential for the second owner: carry on in a similar fashion and enjoy a great modern hot hatch for less than the rest, refresh a few bits to bring it back to its best, or perhaps upgrade for occasional track use. For those who had forgotten about the Focus, this one looks like a great reminder.
Assuming the worst.
Goodbye, and may your god not bless you.
Actually, I reckon it looks pretty good and packs quite a punch with 276 bhp.
Assuming the worst.
Goodbye, and may your god not bless you.
Actually, I reckon it looks pretty good and packs quite a punch with 276 bhp.
He had the earlier 2.0 Focus ST before but was always a bit concerned about the engine problems they can have, these seem a lot more robust.
I'll just summarise some of the things I didn't like:
1) Woeful engine. Feels rough to rev out and nothing like the claimed 280bhp. Delivers all the grunt down low then seems to taper off massively over 3000rpm. It'll rev out to over 6000rpm but feels like it's got nothing to give up top. Doesn't sound bad (per se) but doesn't sound great either. Ford have really dropped the ball on this element. They're playing with more displacement than the competition and yet still find themselves outgunned. Tiny fuel tank for the consumption means you're forever filling it up. However I did like the fact that you don't have to unscrew a petrol cap to fuel these, a handy book since you'll be doing it so much.
2) Crapola automatic gearbox. Slow and clunky compared to the competition. Not even fit to be mentioned in the same breath as a VW DSG or ZF 8 speed. The ring selector looked cool but was never as useful as stick.
3) Dreadful interior. Poor refinement, noisy. Seats not particularly comfortable. Clunky, slow, crap infotainment screens. No physical heater controls.
4) The front end grip and feedback on the factory fit tyres (Kumho?) was pretty poor. Very vague in the wet but improved massively on Goodyear F1 Asymmetric 6's. On decent tyres, much better handling could be had. The turn-in then was great, I never found it 'nervous' or 'pointy' like some reviewers said but the steering feel was pretty poor and the rubbery, artificial weight of the steering in 'S' mode was unwelcome.
5) I generally liked the brakes but on two occasions, our ST suffered some unusual electric fault where all the warning lights would flash at once and it would report a critical fault of some sort. When it happened to me, I was trundling along at about 20mph and noticed that all the servo-assistance on the brake was gone. I was only a minute away from home so luckily I managed to get back and park up. The fault was gone when I switched it on again. A friend of mine was driving the same car and had the same happen, ultimately refusing to drive it again after that. It hasn't happened to me since and that was probably 25,000 miles ago. Hair-raising all the same.
6) Doesn't look particularly great but not really bad looking either, just a bit bland in a world of better looking competitors.
The real mystery to me is the pace. A 245bhp Octavia vRS feels much more urgent and quicker all-round. A contemporary i30N or Golf GTi is just better in every respect. Even something like a Superb 280, being bigger, heavier and with slightly less power, just feels much, much faster than the Focus ST, and I don't think the ST has enough positives to recommend it in any respect.
I'll just summarise some of the things I didn't like:
1) Woeful engine. Feels rough to rev out and nothing like the claimed 280bhp. Delivers all the grunt down low then seems to taper off massively over 3000rpm. It'll rev out to over 6000rpm but feels like it's got nothing to give up top. Doesn't sound bad (per se) but doesn't sound great either. Ford have really dropped the ball on this element. They're playing with more displacement than the competition and yet still find themselves outgunned. Tiny fuel tank for the consumption means you're forever filling it up. However I did like the fact that you don't have to unscrew a petrol cap to fuel these, a handy book since you'll be doing it so much.
2) Crapola automatic gearbox. Slow and clunky compared to the competition. Not even fit to be mentioned in the same breath as a VW DSG or ZF 8 speed. The ring selector looked cool but was never as useful as stick.
3) Dreadful interior. Poor refinement, noisy. Seats not particularly comfortable. Clunky, slow, crap infotainment screens. No physical heater controls.
4) The front end grip and feedback on the factory fit tyres (Kumho?) was pretty poor. Very vague in the wet but improved massively on Goodyear F1 Asymmetric 6's. On decent tyres, much better handling could be had. The turn-in then was great, I never found it 'nervous' or 'pointy' like some reviewers said but the steering feel was pretty poor and the rubbery, artificial weight of the steering in 'S' mode was unwelcome.
5) I generally liked the brakes but on two occasions, our ST suffered some unusual electric fault where all the warning lights would flash at once and it would report a critical fault of some sort. When it happened to me, I was trundling along at about 20mph and noticed that all the servo-assistance on the brake was gone. I was only a minute away from home so luckily I managed to get back and park up. The fault was gone when I switched it on again. A friend of mine was driving the same car and had the same happen, ultimately refusing to drive it again after that. It hasn't happened to me since and that was probably 25,000 miles ago. Hair-raising all the same.
6) Doesn't look particularly great but not really bad looking either, just a bit bland in a world of better looking competitors.
The real mystery to me is the pace. A 245bhp Octavia vRS feels much more urgent and quicker all-round. A contemporary i30N or Golf GTi is just better in every respect. Even something like a Superb 280, being bigger, heavier and with slightly less power, just feels much, much faster than the Focus ST, and I don't think the ST has enough positives to recommend it in any respect.
The engine is great, and its hardly outgunned in terms of performance and engine. Much quicker in-gear than a mk3 Focus RS or GTi/i30n for instance (manual) and if one is into modding cars - these engines and platforms are capable of big power and impressive pace round a track or twisty road.
Factory tyres were Pilot Sport 4S btw.
Miles would put me off I think, but with it being 1 owner, and likely used for longer journeys, I could possibly take a punt. Maybe spend another grand or so on fluids, check over and new springs and dampers... Would probably last another 100k.
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