Ford Focus ST 2020 Review

Priced at $44,690, the new Ford Focus ST is $6400 more expensive than its $38,990 predecessor. But like an amateur wrestler promoted to the WWE pro-wrestling circuit, the Focus ST has gained access to unlimited anabolic steroids and it's now rippling with the power of former pro-wrestler Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson.

Most people will buy this car because it's got a tweaked version of the bigger, stronger 2.3-litre turbo-petrol engine (206kW/420Nm) found in the legendary AWD Focus RS and rear-drive Ford Mustang.

And that's as good a reason as any, because the engine transplant gives the car astonishing straight-line speed and way more personality than its predecessor.

My initial thought after 30 minutes of frappage? "This is wild! This is a front-drive Focus RS".

The Ford Focus ST now has an absolute pearler of an engine, a rev-hungry entity that seems to exult in a good whipping.

Although it's hard to say without a direct comparison, this 206kW 2.3-litre piston-pumper feels good enough to outclass motors found in the Renault Megane RS (205kW), Hyundai i30N (202kW) and certainly the Golf GTI (180kW).

It could even take the fight to the Honda Civic Type R (228kW) and even the Mercedes-AMG A 35 (225kW).

The chunky new dual exhaust system that replaces the central-mount jobbie in the previous Focus ST sounds better too, popping and crackling between gearshifts at full tilt – although it's not quite as rambunctious in the automatic version.

The new Ford Focus ST’s price hike still sees it slot in $2000 below the best-seller in the hot hatch segment, the Volkswagen Golf GTI, but brings higher equipment levels and, for the first time, an automatic transmission with seven speeds and paddle shifters. Turns out that the auto isn't too shabby either, but more on that later.

Standard features on the Focus ST include an 8.0-inch touch-screen infotainment system with sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a large wireless phone charging pad, two USB ports, adaptive cornering LED headlights, LED tail-lights and dual-zone digital climate control.

Heated (but manually-adjustable) Recaro front sports seats are big and comfy and offer impressive side support, while useful driving aids like active lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control show a mature side to the car.

However, only automatic models get adaptive cruise control in Australia; manual versions get regular cruise control, so you're getting much better value with the automatic given both cars cost the same $44,690.

Adaptive cruise control also comes with a stop-go traffic function, which is great for those who drive in built-up areas regularly.

Other standard gear includes an electric park brake with auto-hold function which comes in handy around town, a flat-bottom leather steering wheel, an impressive Bang and Olufsen 10-speaker stereo with subwoofer and plenty of exterior eye-candy and mechanical gubbins as well.

Think 19-inch alloy wheels shod with grippy Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres, a sports body kit with roof spoiler, performance brakes, an electronic LSD, twin exhaust outlets and the bigger engine which delivers a 5.7-second 0-100km/h sprint time for the manual.

Ford Focus ST buyers also get membership to the Ford Performance Club which comprises a welcome pack (let's assume a hat of some sort) and other unique benefits, which in the past have included free track sessions at circuits like Tailem Bend.

A space-saver spare tyre is included and there are only two optional extras: a panoramic glass sunroof ($2500) and prestige paint ($650). There are seven paint colours including the Orange Fury, the hero colour.

Interior space has improved for front and rear seat occupants and the boot is bigger too, with 375 litres of space – significantly more than the 317 litres of the previous Focus ST. Cargo space opens to 1250 litres with the rear seats folded and it comes with three top-tether and four ISOFIX child seat anchorage points.

Overall it’s a big improvement on its predecessor and the price rise doesn't seem like Ford is gouging when you compare rivals price and spec.

The Ford Focus ST has a five-star ANCAP safety rating thanks to a full complement of airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring with cross traffic alert, a reversing camera and traffic sign (speed limit) detection.

The lane centring system (autonomous steering) is so-so, attempting to keep the car in its lane on the freeway. It works fine when the road is straight but compared to other systems, especially Volkswagen's, it struggles to navigate gentle bends on the highway.

The 8.0-inch multi-media system works well but is nothing to write home about and doesn't look as nice as some infotainment screens, namely the Golf GTI's. The interior design is a bit anodyne but I like that the wireless phone charging pad is big enough to fit pretty much any smartphone. Maybe even a phablet.

The eLSD (electronically-controlled limited-slip differential) is neat chunk of powertrain tech designed to improve traction and cornering grip by reducing wheelspin when lots of torque hits the front axle.

Supplied by Borg-Warner, the eLSD works its magic both in a straight line and around corners and while it’s not fool-proof, with some mild tugging (torque-steer) on the steering wheel when you nail the gas, it does an amazing job considering the engine has so much thrust. But to be honest, I kind of like the fact there's a hint of torque steer – it adds character.

"It's the most advanced slip control you can do on a front-drive car – most expensive and most advanced," said Ford Performance Europe boss Stefan Meunzinger.

"It is a mechanical device that is electronically controlled. It has a clutch inside and it can be locked anywhere between zero and 100 per cent," he explained.

Torque vectoring also works on top of the eLSD to help smooth out the power flow when cornering and the CCD (continuously controlled damper) system – or adaptive suspension – is also very impressive.

It has two settings – normal and sport. Normal delivers pretty good ride comfort, especially given the low-profile 19-inch high-performance tyres, while in sport or track mode the suspension firms up significantly… to put it mildly.

It reduces body roll on tighter, faster corners but unless you're driving on relatively new asphalt or bitumen or a new racetrack, the normal setting works well.

While the chassis is very, very good for a front-wheel drive hot hatch, the engine is without doubt the hero of this vehicle. As Meunzinger explained, the donk powering the Focus ST is not the same 2.3-litre turbo engine (257kW/440Nm) from the Focus RS, but is based on the same architecture.

Pumping out 206kW at 5500rpm and 420Nm over 3000-5000rpm, the 2261cc engine feels incredibly potent under full throttle and far punchier than its 2.0-litre turbo-petrol predecessor (184kW/360Nm).

Meunzinger reckons the new model feels as powerful as the RS, and this is because the Focus ST is "a lighter car than the old RS, it has better aero, less friction and anti-lag turbo technology".

Europe's Ford Performance chief said that in-gear acceleration is faster than the Focus RS and I believe him. Mostly because he measured it, but also in the way it picks up speed, which is like few other hot hatches in this segment.

Six-speed manual versions can dispatch the 0-100km/h sprint in 5.7 seconds according to Ford, while the slightly heavier automatic version takes around six seconds flat, which is still pretty good in this segment.

The six-speed manual has a flat-upshift feature and rev-matching on the downshifts in sport and track mode. The latter switches off in normal and slippery modes, and given that normal mode is actually pretty good for hard driving, purists who want to heel-and-toe can still do their thing.

The seven-speed automatic transmission works surprisingly well for a conventional epicyclic (torque-convertor) system, with fast upshifts and decent downshifts. It feels weird using the dial to engage drive and while the paddle shifters are more involving it can't match the car/driver connection the six-speed manual brings.

Another thing I observed was that the auto didn't seem to elicit the pop and crackle from its exhaust as much as the manual, so you get more of the synthesised engine note.

Fitted with big 330mm front and 302mm rear brake discs with twin-piston callipers, the Focus ST has serious (and nicely modulated) stopping power. The chunky anchors are reassuring and easily mollify the German-made car’s mad propulsion.

I had a lot of fun driving the Ford Focus ST. It’s not as involving to drive as the Focus RS, with its rear-biased AWD system, but it's way more entertaining than I anticipated.

Not only does it punch out of corners with a ferociousness that would make the 'Muscles from Brussels' Jean-Claude Van Damme step back, but it maintains a kung-fu grip on the road that suggests it'll be a weapon on the racetrack.

The new Focus ST behaves very predictably mid-corner, thanks in large part to the eLSD and the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres (235/35 R19). With a little help from the impressively dialled-in suspension which drops the body 10mm lower, they make wipe open and super-tight corners very enticing.

While there's little meaningful feedback from the ultra-light steering, which is probably the car's weakest dynamic attribute, the new Focus ST is still a hugely entertaining hot hatch to blast around in.

I like that there’s a bit of torque steer (not as much as a Mazda3 MPS), as it reminds you how fiery and feral this machine is. But as we found when we drove the ST at its international launch last year, the steering's assertive self-centring in sport mode is weird. The electronic assisted power steering system adds an oddly artificial feel.

But the more I drove it over the course of a week, the more I liked it. Little things like keyless entry, wireless phone charging and the capless fuel filler help save time. Even bopping around the suburbs, it’s a riot – just chuck it in sport mode and enjoy the exhaust crackles.

The Ford Focus ST comes with a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty and will accept 95 or 98 RON premium fuel. Claimed fuel consumption for the manual is 8.1L/100km but the best I could manage was 10.1L/100km.

The Ford Focus ST has evolved and now joins the Fiesta ST and Focus RS as genuine hot hatch heroes.

With sharp pricing, high levels of equipment, a ludicrously powerful engine and a seven-speed automatic as standard, Ford's latest hot hatch has plenty of showroom appeal.

The new Ford Focus ST is unlikely to challenge the sales dominance of Volkswagen Golf GTI or the all-round goodness of the Hyundai i30N. But what the Ford Focus ST will do is upset the balance of power in the hot hatch segment.

With bigger muscles and more torque than the current heavy-hitters, such as the Honda Civic Type R and Mercedes-AMG A 35, buyers seeking bang for their buck should look no further.

How much does the 2020 Ford Focus ST cost?
Price: $44,690 (plus on-road costs)
Available: June
Engine: 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 206kW/420Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual and seven-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.1L/100km (man), 8.8L/100km (auto)
CO2: 188g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2018)