Ford Focus ST170: Spotted
Humbled though it may have been by what came after it, there are still things to like about the ST170
Looking back, Ford didn't do the ST170 many favours. It was clear to everyone at the time that the exceptionally nice-to-drive first generation of Focus was deserving of a performance variant, and still its maker insisted on waiting four years to deliver one. Then, when it eventually came in 2002, it neglected to give it a fighting chance; the car doomed from the start by the always-fatal combination of too little power and too much weight.
It was also hamstrung in good part because Ford had already endeavoured to make a much better job of it elsewhere. The RS model followed the ST170 into production in the same calendar year, and immediately entered the running for the title of best front-drive hot hatch ever. It too had its foibles - torque steer notoriously among them - but it was festooned with trick components as well, alongside the 212hp which had been liberated from the now turbocharged 2.0-litre engine.
So the RS went - and more importantly, cornered - like a Thomson's gazelle, and the ST170 didn't, and that was rather it for its reputation in the long run. Today, you can expect even a high-mileage example of the RS to set you back more than £10k; the ST170, meanwhile, has found itself a featured Shed on more than one occasion.
Is that entirely fair? Probably not. The model was (and is) inferior to its more famous sibling, but it was priced that way, too - and while it may have ultimately condemned its breathed-on 2.0-litre Zetec engine to ignominy via a turgid six-speed Getrag manual 'box - there was something to be said at least for the ST170's way of doing things.
For a start, it did rather look the part. Easy now to forget the impact crater created by the Focus's New Edge styling language, but, at the time, it was unquestionably Lily Collins to the Escort's Phil and it's not unreasonable to think that the ST170 - rather than the RS - represented the Mk1 at its eye-pleasing peak. Certainly it was nicer (or at least, more subtle) inside where you got an understated half-leather colour scheme instead of the garish blue on black.
It was obviously toned down in the driving, too, but not to the detriment of the Focus's free-flowing chassis, which did a fine job of harnessing its Control Blade suspension to full effect. The sophisticated quality of its damping dovetailed nicely with the feedback-happy steering, ensuring that the car delivered an oily sort of satisfaction to the driver even with the stodgy gearchange.
It was enough at any rate to furnish the ST170 with a respectable fanbase, and in 2005 howmanyleft reckons there was more than 12,500 registered in the UK. Now there's a lot less than half that, which goes someway to explaining how the asking price of today's Spotted has crept up to an optimistic £4,250. Low mileage, three doors and the best colour help to fill out the dealer's thinking, although it's worth pointing out that the same budget buys you an equally well looked after - and much quicker - EP3 Civic Type R. Which, of course, was high among the ST170's issues the first time around...
SPECIFICATION - FORD FOCUS ST170
Engine: 1,988cc, 4-cyl
Transmission: 6-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 172@7,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 145@5,500rpm
MPG: 39
CO2: 218g/km
Year registered: 2004
Recorded mileage: 54,000
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £4,250
See the orginal advert here.
For £1-2k, I would have thought that they would be a good very used buy.
It’s pretty reliable. It’s had one MOT advisory in the last ten years and that was for a gash in a tyre sidewall.
It’s fuel economy is pretty bad around town. It isn’t quick. The clutch is pretty heavy (I live in London) and the ride is pretty firm. The gearbox isn’t that bad. I still think the mk1 Focus is a very elegant looking car.
I’ve driven a straight 2.0l and to be frank, it felt as fast and nicer to drive without the bigger wheels, heavy clutch, industrial gearbox and hard ride. In my opinion the ST is not a great car and never was. It kinda ruins a great car.
The dealer is really taking the urine with that price.
But smash it through the box like a teenager and it feels great think as a track car it would come into its own.
Chassis well it’s a Ford Focus was ace! But that gearbox wtf did they do I’ll never know. Has zero redeeming qualities and ruins the drive tbh.
A flawed car indeed.
What annoyed me was the EML. Mine ate two inlet runner manifold control boxes and quite a few sensors. In the 18 months I had it is guess the EML was on for about 50% of the time.
SK04 BTT. I still see it about occasionally.
Cars like my old one with the custom and comfort pack fitted feel more special. Heated leather recaro's, Xenon lamps, factory fitted subwoofer, climate control and a heated windscreen make it feel worth the money. Base spec cars don't feel much different to a standard Focus Zetec to sit in.
Never really felt like a 'hot hatch' though, mainly due to the overly tall gearing in the lower gears. It could hit 45mph in 1st and 70mph in 2nd which might sound impressive, but the reality is that it blunts acceleration. Also mine seemed to bottom out too often on bumpy roads, which put you off pushing the car hard on roads where a hot hatch should shine.
Average car, daft price.
2001 Focus Zetec TDI 90bhp
2002 Focus LX TDCI 115bhp
2002 Focus Zetec TDCI 115bhp
2003 Focus ST170
2003 Focus Zetec TDCI 115bhp
The one I rated the least would be the ST170
The ST bottomed out on spirited drives, the standard Zetec cars had great suspension
The mpg was about 25, for a car with such poor performance that was terrible, I had a 98 Impreza Turbo that did that!
The engine was gutless
It did look good and was finished better than the normal cars but that didn't make up for it and I only kept it 4 months and traded it for another 115bhp TDCI Zetec.
I actually recall trading in my 115bhp TDCI for it and within 20 miles of driving the ST170 home I was considering taking it back to see if they could reverse the deal!
For £1-2k, I would have thought that they would be a good very used buy.
The total lack of fuel economy when plodding along or using the car in town was what made me move it on. Not sure if mine was broken (I bought it new) but a friends RS used far less petrol.
I remember following a Silver 5dr one, rather spirited infact in my then Fiesta Mk7 ST and it just seemed to flow from bend to bend and was pretty brisk enough. I’am guessing he was absolutely ragging the hell out of it though!
aaron_2000I do have to giggle when people say "Oh but you have to thrash the engine to make it go". So that's a bad thing in a Focus but, if it had a Honda badge on its rump, people would be tugging themselves silly over having to rev the cock off it to make it move. Well that makes sense...
Is it the greatest hot hatch ever? Nope, but it's a Focus (which is a blinkin' brilliant car), with a bit more power, better brakes and better handling. If you get one with a few options (Recaro seats especially), it's probably not a bad car at all. I think I'd probably take one over an EP3 Type-R in many ways. Yes the Honda is faster but, as a daily, the empty bean tin feel of it would wear pretty thin after a while I think.
Over £4k is silly money but, for shed money, you could do a lot worse.
ked up 
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