Ford Focus ST 2015 Review

Smoking tyres, stinky brakes, sweaty palms. These are the marks of a Focus ST and its pilot's working relationship growing closer, a relationship that delivers raised pulses and grins aplenty.

Despite the ST's price having risen by a several hundred dollars to just under $39,000, the changes Ford has made to the Focus ST make it even more engaging and possibly faster than before – if you count the 'seat-of-your-pants-o-meter' as an official measure.

Lump in a new design inside and out along with mechanical adjustments to the suspension, and the Focus ST's changes are more than skin deep.

But let's start with the interior. It looks cleaner, it feels good and the new SYNC 2 infotainment is more intuitive than before. A huge improvement on the previous system, which comprised a small screen and a bazillion buttons, updated Focus ST features a similar system to the Falcon, with a beautifully laid out (and much larger) touchscreen system.

Bluetooth everything? Easy. Audio diddling? Done. Satellite navigation? Just tell it where you want to go. And by reducing the amount of buttons and dials and replacing them with an instinctive touchscreen system, Ford's European designers have simultaneously cleaned up the dashboard and made the car feel significantly more high-tech.

Even the steering wheel buttons controlling audio, the trip computer, voice and cruise control have been improved. Again, they're more intuitive which makes operating the car more graceful. That the steering wheel buttons managed to gain a sentence in this review for their soft, supple, high-quality feel is telling.

"But it's $700 more!" the car spotters will say. Well, that 700 bucks buys you more than just one of the most intuitive and appealing infotainment systems going round. It also adds a sharper chassis, by way of suspension fine-tuning.

Take for example the Focus ST's front-end. It gets stiffer new springs, firmer shock absorbers and recalibrated front lower control arms. The result? A more decisive nose that paints a clearer picture of what's happening under the front hoops. The up-shot? It's a more satisfying full-tilt drive.

Ford's most powerful front-drive hot hatch – until the 257kW AWD Focus RS hits the scene in 2016 – also gets tweaked rear springs via stiffer suspension bushes, and the electric power steering rack has been recalibrated to improve response.

Together these chassis tweaks reduce body roll through fast corners, allowing the Focus ST to generate more grip when lateral g-forces build. And once the fiery EcoBoost engine is on song it powers out of corners with even more confidence than before.

It's an easy car to drive fast and undeniably enjoyable but there are always two sides to the coin, and the improved cornering dynamics result in a firmer ride. As we noted in the launch review, it won't rearrange your spine but if it's comfort you want – and it has to be a Ford Focus hottie – you may want to look at a used pre-facelift model, or maybe even the original Focus XR5 that dates back to early 2006.

The brakes are unchanged, no bad thing considering the 335mm front stoppers decelerate the car powerfully. The fat 225/40-series tyres shod to 18-inch alloys bite the road hard.

Likewise the engine is not new, but via the re-tuned chassis Ford's 184kW and 360Nm four-pot scorcher feels even more elastic than before. It's not the fastest hot hatch in its class – my best V-Box time 0-100km/h was 6.8sec – but it is one of the most visceral.

The way the wheel tugs to the right under full throttle (read: torque steer) adds character to the car, and gives it’s a muscular feel that few other hot hatches offer. It's got a bit of mongrel in it, and this only serves to make it a more involving car to drive hard.

It's true that you can't get power down in the wet – yes, a slippery diff would be nice – but it's still a ripper drive.

Because the steering is a little sharper now and the chassis tighter, the progressive inside wheel spin mid-corner doesn't upset the car's trajectory, it still goes where you point it. But it does make you giggle and want to do it again!

Shifting gears is a pleasant experience, and with so much squirt so low in the rev range, it's eminently satisfying to short shift into second at 15km/h from the traffic lights then slam it, the car charging ahead with vehemence. Even third gear is super tractable… So much joy!

The term 'overboost' is bandied about like a trending hashtag these days (#overboost), but in this case is properly warranted, this car is a belter. And if it's anything like the FPV GT F we had on the dyno, it may well pump out more torque than stated.

The lionhearted engine is a forceful unit, no doubt about it, but it can be frugal too if you're commuting between cities and off to the country. After three days of commuting within the inner-city, by Friday night I saw 10.4L/100km on the trip computer, which is alright considering I struggled not to gas it everywhere.

Ford claims the car achieves an average of 7.3L/100km, thanks in part to the new engine idle-stop system that turns off the motor when stationary, and although I got nowhere near that, after a weekend of thrills a figure of 10.7L/100km wasn't too bad.

Despite its new-found agility, the Focus ST has admittedly had a little nip and tuck, which results in a sharper exterior aesthetic. Things like the narrower headlight design, new look foglights and a tougher looking bonnet via new creases – not to mention epic new body and wheel colour combos – give the car a more ominous attitude.

More than just a ripping powertrain and a well-sorted suspension rig, the Focus ST does a lot of the little things well, which makes living with the car on a daily basis far more agreeable.

The Recaro seats are both supportive and comfortable, and they look schmicko too. The rear seats are likewise pretty comfy and roomy, and even the boot has plenty of depth. Incidental storage is very good, especially the front cup holders, and little things like the proximity key that you can leave in your pocket and just reach for the door for the auto unlock? Love it.

The trip computer is great, with lots of data cleanly presented, but the Sony stereo could be better and there's a bit of road noise on coarse chip roads.
With a more sophisticated cabin, sharper handling and a fiery personality, this updated model is an absolute pearler.

Granted, it might be getting a little long in the tooth, but the Focus ST is still one of the most satisfying hot hatches you can find for under $40k today. And for that reason, the rewarding drive experience, I'll be lobbying for its inclusion in Australia's Best Driver's Car 2016. Bring on ABDC!