The new Focus ST - Is it worth the upgrade?

Let me set the scene for you..

I'll be the first to admit, when my father told me he was replacing his 2018 Focus ST with ANOTHER Ford Focus, I was a little unsure if he had lost the plot. The MK2 Focus ST is one of my personal favourite 'family hot hatches' on the road today, and there wasn't really anything wrong with his current car (other than the lease was coming to an end) - cue numerous discussions pondering the topic of potential replacements and floating a few ideas. Numerous options came to mind, such as going back to BMW (a previous spell with a 1-series saw us fall in love with the marque) an Audi S3, or perhaps going a little left-field and going for something such as a Cupra Leon, but nothing really grabbed us, shook us by the shoulders and said 'buy me.'. We had a mooch around a few showrooms and sat in a few cars, but again were left feeling a little lost as to what the Focus' replacement should be.

Several weeks passed, and a BMW 2 series was specced and mulled over, at one point even getting to the point of submitting an order, before backing out at the last minute. I then got a text, with an order confirmation for a brand-new Focus ST (with the performance pack, naturally!) and an estimated delivery date. So that was it, the beloved Focus ST was being replaced... by ANOTHER Focus ST. I therefore decided that I had to join him for the collection day, to see if the upgrade had been worth it.

First Impressions:

The delivery date rolls around and we set eyes on the new car as we roll up to the Ford showroom. I have to say, these new Focus' look far, far better in person than they do in pictures. Whereas previously I thought they had gone too 'soft' with the styling (I still think they are less aggressive than the previous generation) in person they look staunch and almost purposeful. The gunmetal wheel choice sits nicely against the body colour, with the all-important Red brake calipers offering a nice pop of contrast - which is mirrored in the red 'ST' stitching and accents within the cabin.

Familiarisation:

Once all the paperwork was complete and taken care off (and numerous cups of complimentary tea had been consumed) the dealer took us out to do a brief familiarisation with the new Focus. My first surprise moment was upon startup - with the active exhaust (courtesy of the performance pack) the car emits a deep, purposeful growl upon cold start; Enough to give a hint at the performance of the car, without being too much to annoy neighbours with early morning journeys - a fine balance in suburban Surrey!

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There are all sorts of features that you would expect on a high-specced performance hatch; Apple Carplay / Android Auto connectivity, hands-free, voice activation etc, so the spec box has been firmly ticked. The seats are comfortable even in the rear, though they don't 'hug' you in the same way the seats in the MK2 Focus ST did. Space is also surprising, with plenty of legroom even in the rear - extra points towards the 'family friendly' aspect of the Focus. The cabin itself is spacious and airy, with the redesigned dash making the front two seats in particular feel far more open than in the previous generation. One odd omission of the Focus ST is the lack of a digital dash, something that other hot hatches (such as the S3 and A45) have in their latest generations. My only other gripe is the infotainment screen; In the previous model it was built into the centre console, whereas in the latest generation it follows the all-too-common trend of it seemingly being 'plonked' on top of the dash, ruining the otherwise very nice flowing lines.

Below is a comparison between the two: The first image is of the 2020 (MK3) Focus ST, showing the more conventional centre console design (complete with annoying screen placement), whilst the second image shows the bright accents and sweeping centre console design of the MK2 which, although looked better, did reduce the feeling of space in the front of the car considerably.

A few more shots of the cabin:

On the road:

Since this was collected with sub-40 miles on the clock, we couldn't explore the full performance of the ST's engine or chassis (the joy of running in periods, eh?) however we did take it the long way home to explore it's characteristics as much as possible.

Even on such as brief journey, the ST feels like it wants to run. Put it into S mode through the conveniently placed button on the wheel, and the active exhaust valves open and make themselves known, transforming the car from a civilised city or family car into something much more visceral. The car surges forward with a mere tickle of the throttle and it takes a few moments to register that you're still in the same car that wafts around the city barely making itself known. Allegedly the car will burble on over-run in this mode, however we didn't want to push the engine until it is run in, so that's something to explore another day.

Ride quality is exactly as you'd expect in a Focus, with bumps and undulations in the road dismissed as you glide across them in all modes other than S (or track, which I have to say seems a little excessive!) - switch into either of the sport modes however and the suspension stiffens up, auto-rev matching is enabled and launch control is available should you ever feel the need to use it. The stiffer suspension naturally transmits more vibration into the car and you feel the road far more than in other modes, however it never becomes uncomfortable or annoying. The seats hold you firmly as you flow through twisting corners, though I can't help but think the higher level of side support in the previous model did a better job in these situations. The new model is far easier to get in and out of however, so it is a give/take situation.

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Conclusion:

With such a short journey - around 20 miles total - from the dealer home (via a quick photo stop, naturally!) it is tricky to draw a thorough conclusion, especially from the passenger seat. That having been said however, there are certain comparisons I can draw.

The newer model certainly feels better 'screwed together' - yes the previous one was 2 years old, but the fit and finish on the MK3 just feels better. The materials used for the interior are of a higher quality, and the half-alcantara seats add a touch of motorsport luxury. Technologically, the MK3 is leaps and bounds ahead of the previous generation, but this does come at the cost of a smattering of new buttons and controls across the cabin - not really an issue for most, but it can be off-putting or annoying for some.

Yes, the styling is somewhat less 'in your face' than the previous generation was, and it has lost some of its' childish charm in the new design language; But it makes up for this with trick sport/track modes and the various other goodies that come with the performance pack.

Overall, I have to say I'm thoroughly impressed. Ford has once again managed to strike the increasingly fine balance between practicality and performance, family-friendly and fun. In the words of the ever-wise Ferris Bueller: "It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up" - top marks Ford.

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