The Focus ST once held its own against the Golf GTI, but does it have the edge on your second-hand shortlist?
At its launch in 2012, the Ford Focus 2.0T ST-3 was around £1000 cheaper than the Volkswagen Golf GTI manual that arrived the following year. Used examples now cost up to £2000 less than the Volkswagen.Which one has the edge? The Focus, with 247bhp, or the Golf, with 217bhp? In the opinion of Autocar’s road testers, the Ford was a four-and-a-half-star car while the Volkswagen scored four stars, and the team praised the fast Ford’s poised, interactive handling and responsive and flexible engine.It was offered in multiple guises: five-door hatch and estate, a choice of 2.0-litre Ecoboost turbo petrol or, from 2015, 182bhp 2.0-litre TDCi diesel engines, and in three trims, called ST-1, -2 and -3. Here, we’re zeroing in on the petrol hatch.Before anyone got their hands on the new ST, there were unflattering comparisons made between its turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine and the 2.5-litre five-cylinder unit that powered its Mk2 predecessor. But once behind the wheel, critics were soon won over.Apart from its slight reluctance to begin spinning at low revs, the engine impressed our testers with its performance as well as its noise, which is piped into the cabin. It’s also more economical than the 2.5, in Autocar’s hands returning 40mpg on a touring run.Indeed, low running costs were one of Ford’s goals with the Mk3 ST. Others were to design a hot hatch for weekdays and not just weekends and persuade buyers to accept one designed for world markets rather than just for Europe. We judged the firm had succeeded on both counts.The ST rides 10mm lower than regular Focus models and has uprated dampers and anti-roll bars. It also has extremely quick and direct steering. Despite all 247bhp being directed through its front wheels, the ST doesn’t suffer unduly from torque steer. Certainly our testers had no complaints, but in the wrong hands and in the wrong conditions, it can be a handful.Looks-wise, the ST is certainly no lairy Vauxhall Astra GTC VXR, but it does have a sporty bodykit with a rear wing and centrally located exhausts. For more visual drama, you need the facelifted Mk3.5 from 2015, with its even lower stance, bigger alloys, narrowed headlights, larger grille and sharper creases. Under the skin, it has sportier shocks and new front springs.Inside, pre- and post-facelift cars build on the hot hatch theme with Recaro seats, a chunky wheel and a bank of gauges that includes boost pressure. It looks good, but a Golf GTI’s cabin is of a higher quality. At just 316 litres, the ST’s boot is quite small, too.Very few ST-1 cars exist, so let’s move on to ST-2. This trim level brings 18in alloys, dual-zone climate control, a heated windscreen, coloured seat panels and an uprated version of Ford’s Sync 2 infotainment system.With the 2015 facelift, Sync 2 was upgraded to Sync 3, offering better connectivity. ST-3 trim adds leather seat facings, bi-xenon lights, rear parking sensors and keyless entry, which is convenient but makes the car more stealable by relay theft – one reason why it’s in a higher insurance group than the GTI.The Focus ST and Golf GTI appeal to different buyers, but if you want that bit extra engagement and a trifle more visual impact (Tangerine Scream, anyone?) a facelifted 2.0T ST is the way to go.
