Test Car Specifications
Model: 2025 Ford Focus ST Edition
Price: ST Edition from £42,905 (£44,105 as tested)
Engine: 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine
Transmission: six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power: 280hp
Torque: 420Nm
Emissions: 185g/km
Economy: 34.9mpg
0-62mph: 5.7 seconds
Top speed: 155mph
Boot space: 373-1,250 litres
Styling
On the face of it, the ST Edition is just another Focus ST, but then you look closely and the differences shine through. For starters, adjustable coilover suspension means it sits 10mm closer to the road than a standard ST (and customers can lower it by a further 20mm if they so wish), while the alloy wheels are bespoke and are made using a flow-forming process taken from the aerospace industry. Bright red Brembo front brakes lurk behind those wheels, too, contrasting sharply with the Azura Blue paint that's standard to all ST Edition models. Combine all that with big exhausts, a big wing and a sporty bodykit, some of which is finished in gloss black, and the ST Edition feels sufficiently elevated above both the standard Focus and the standard ST.
Interior
As with the exterior, the basic design of the ST Edition’s cabin is the same as that of the standard Focus, with a big touchscreen and a digital instrument display. That means the interior has many of the same limitations and advantages as that of the conventional Focus. Quality, for example, is acceptable without being exceptional, and the decision to delegate key functions to the massive touchscreen has ergonomic knock-on effects.
That said, the touchscreen technology is pretty good, with sharp graphics, well-designed menus and plenty of functionality, leaving the whole car feeling modern and high-tech. The digital instrument cluster is similarly competent, making it easy for the driver to see the information quickly and clearly.
But the ST Edition gets a few upgrades, including a B&O sound system, a heated steering wheel and a heated windscreen, which make it feel that bit more user-friendly and a bit more upmarket. You get the same bucket seats as the standard car, too, which means you’re firmly pinned into your seat – and pinned in with surprising comfort.
Practicality
Alongside the likes of the VW Golf GTI, the Focus ST has always struggled slightly on the practicality front. These days, things are a bit better – the 375-litre boot is only about six litres smaller than that of the VW – but it still isn’t as roomy as a Honda Civic Type R, which offers more luggage space and more cabin space. Still, the Focus ST is practical enough for a family of four, with enough room for shopping, two kids and their school bags. But if you’ve come to the ST Edition hoping for an Estate version, you’re doomed to disappointment. Only the ‘standard’ ST is available in more practical five-door wagon guise.
Performance
The Focus ST Edition has the same basic 2.3-litre 'EcoBoost' turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine as the standard ST, complete with 280hp and a six-speed manual gearbox. All that power goes to the front wheels, and with the high-performance Pirelli P Zero tyres wrapped around those alloys, it'll take the car from 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 155mph.
That's perfectly ample performance, but the numbers don't do justice to the acceleration or the mechanical feel of that manual gearbox. It's a brilliant transmission, with an accurate throw and a neat, economical movement that makes you feel more at one with the car. Wringing its neck is enormously good fun, and the noise of that meaty engine helps to make it feel even more engaging.
Unfortunately, however, it isn't especially economical. Officially, the Focus ST Edition does about 35mpg, which isn't too bad, but it's hardly the efficiency you expect from a family hatchback. But given your average family hatchback is neither as fast as the Focus on the straights, nor as fast as the Focus in the corners, it doesn't feel like too bad a trade-off.
Ride & Handling
The Focus ST has always been one of the most exciting hot hatches to drive, and Ford has promised yet more from this ST Edition. Not only does it get the hyper-effective Brembo brakes, but the adjustable suspension allows customers to tune it for circuit use, with twelve settings for ‘jounce’ – the upward damper movement allowed when the wheel hits a bump – and 16 rebound settings that control how quickly the damper returns to its original position.
That’s all accompanied by some recommendations for various scenarios, including specific settings for the Nürburgring Nordschleife, so customers can easily find the right set-up for their needs.
But the truth is that many customers won’t want, need or use any of that, because the Focus ST Edition is brilliant right out of the box. Yes, it’s firm, and it can be quite uncomfortable on really broken road surfaces, but it’s just about tolerable. And the trade-off for that is spectacular cornering.
The steering is brilliant, if a little overly assisted, but it’s precise and direct, which makes the car feel really responsive. And despite all the power going to the front wheels, you really have to be pushing very hard indeed before the nose will wash away from the apex of a corner. And with remarkable body control, unholy amounts of grip and this lovely sense of feel and immediacy, that means you’re going to absolutely love driving the ST Edition.
Value
With prices starting at just under £43,000, the ST Edition is not a cheap car. But then nor is anything else. A Golf GTI Clubsport, for example, comes in at much the same price these days, and the ST Edition is only about £5,000 more expensive than a basic Focus ST.
So while the Focus ST Edition doesn't necessarily represent staggering value, it isn't a rip-off, either. Especially given the amount of extra kit included. Not only do you get the adjustable suspension, Brembo brakes and more powerful engine, but you also get the most popular Focus ST options as standard. The Driver Assist Pack, with cruise control, lane centring and blind-spot information is thrown in, along with a B&O premium sound system. You also get the Winter Pack with a heated windscreen and heated steering wheel, both of which are great on a frosty morning.
And all that comes on top of the more conventional stuff, including two-zone climate control,a reversing camera and the massive central touchscreen, as well as the digital instrument display, wireless phone charging and keyless entry and start. You get six-way power-adjustable front seats, too, as well as seat heating, privacy glass and front and rear parking sensors.
Verdict
The Focus ST has always been one of our favourite hot hatchbacks, and the Edition is about as good as it has ever been. Ford is perhaps over-egging things with its talk of track days – we’d rather have the old Focus RS for that – but don’t let that detract from what is a very worthy rival to the VW Golf GTI Clubsport, and arguably a superior car overall. We’re going to miss the Focus when it’s gone.
