By Autoreviewman
Ford’s Focus ST is truly a star amongst the hot hatchback segment. Aggressively styled, superbly engineered; it offers trueperformance enthusiast driving experiences for every inner would-be racecar driver. It all starts- obviously with exterior. Our 5 -door ST hatchback tester arrived with a menacing crouching stance highlighted by a body kit that includes side sills, special aerodynamic fascia’s, a rear hatch spoiler and Twin hexagonal tailpipes. 18-inch premium painted wheels with All-season tires completes the low- down hunkered look.
Powered by Fords torqeuy 2.0 L Ecoboost engine hooked up to slick six spee manual transmission. Base priced from $33,498. The ST arrived with the Technology package offering the Sony 10 speaker audio system, Fords updated SYNC3 entertainment and info system, dual zone climate control and a cool- looking carbon fibre interior accent package. Options on our tester included the stunning Triple Yellow paint ($550), Charcoal black leather Recaro seats Voice activated navigations and 18-inch machined aluminum wheels. Total price with options, delivery and destination came to $37,198.
The Focus ST interior has a sporty theme, with a neat functional cabin. Most Prominent up front is the performance driver cockpit with excellent, intuitive ergonomics, large, easy to read gauges and well placed switchgear and controls. The special Italian Recaro sports seats are Phenomenal in terms of support and comfort. The rear cabin is also well apportioned with decent enough room and foldable seats to allow extra versatility when carrying long loads
On the road, out and about in the urban grind and rural twisting roads is where the Focus ST really shines as a performance orientated car. The willing, fire breathing engine and sweet, fast six speed transmission work in perfect harmony to deliver fast acceleration and delightful up and downshift availability. However performance does not come at the expense of fuel economy and the 2015 Ford Focus ST delivers Fuel economy figures of (litres/100 km): 10.2 (city); 7.3 (hwy) Enthusiast will also appreciate the ST’s leech-like grip, tight handling and control through the corners thanks to new springs, stiffer tuned shocks allaround, and retuned steering. With its quick reflexes its is easy to see where the ST’s rally sport DNA comes as it makes short work of taking corners d transitions from smooth to Rough road surfaces. Nothing to complain about really. It is a sports compact that will really be only justified if you enjoy the cut and thrust of driving a quick manual and is not really a car for the uninvolved driver. The 2017 Ford Focus ST is real performance car for enthusiasts everywhere.
2017 Ford Focus ST 5-Door Hatchback Base priced from $33,498. Price as tested: $37,198.