The popular Ford Focus ST has made a facelifted return to the South African market. The updated ST offers updated tech, better handling dynamics and a wider choice of colours to go with its visual upgrade.

What’s new?

The front end is visibly different especially around the headlight area where the lights are smoother with a more slanted shape. The effect makes the front-end look more like a shark nose and more aggressive. The rear-end has also had a nip and tuck with a flatter bootlid being the most noticeable improvement.

Economy from the 2-Litre turbo has been improved mostly thanks to start/stop implementation and a more aerodynamic body design. Ford claims 6.8L/100km on the combined run, but the more important figure is probably the 6.5 seconds it takes the Focus ST to sprint to 100kph. The engine isotherwise unchanged, delivering the same 184 kW and 360 Nm of torque.

Changes to the electronic stability programme and a strengthened body structure are said to have made the Focus ST a more dynamic and more responsive vehicle to drive.

The favourite Tangerine Scream (orange) colour is now available on both the entry level ST1 as well as the ST3. Ford has also included two new colours for the Focus ST called Stealth (shiny grey) and Deep Impact Blue.

What’s it like to drive?

The Focus ST has always tried to play in a middle ground between being an all-out track toy (Renault Megane RS) and a comfortable performance hatch (Golf GTI). This facelifted Focus ST plays the same tune, but is even more fun to drive than the pre-facelift version.

Tiny tweaks to the chassis have made the STmore rigid and the turn-in response in particular has improved. It has a rear-end that can be playful at times, but which remainseasy to control once it steps out of line. During our track session that took place on a wet Dezzi Raceway in Port Shepstone, the Focus ST handled the conditions and track with aplomb. It makes you eager to push on, but doesn’t scare you with its speed and is forgiving if you get it a bit wrong. Admittedly the torque steer that hampered the pre-facelift model is still evident, but to a lesser extent.

Torque strength is very impressive and the Focus ST pulls strongly from low down in the rev range. It still sounds throaty and growls all the way up to the redline. The six-speed manual gearbox is fast shifting and very precise and adds to the vehicle’s fun factor. Despite much of the South African hot hatch buyers opting for DSG gearboxes in their Golf GTIs, Ford only has the manual gearbox for now, but a Powershift dual-clutch auto is not entirely out of the question in the future.

Ford Focus ST Pricing

Pricing has always been a strong part of the Focus ST’s appeal but a bludgeoned Rand has meant that the best deal Ford South Africa could work was to get the ST1 in at R381900 and the higher specced ST3 at R421900. It comes standard with a 4-year/120 000km warranty and a 4-year/80 000km service plan.

For a list of the full specs and pricing check out our link here.