The 2013 Ford Focus ST picks up where the SVT version left off after the 2004 model year by transforming the pedestrian Focus--a nice but otherwise serviceable car--into a true enthusiast's ride, stuffing a high-output engine underhood, installing a sport suspension underfoot, dressing the interior with some serious seats and equipment and generally giving a performance nod to every aspect of the car.
Where your regular Focus models make do with a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-banger turning out 160 hp and 146 lb-ft of torque, the ST model gets the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine with all of its accompanying tech features: high-pressure direct fuel injection, turbocharging and twin independent variable camshaft timing. All of that adds up to 252 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque, with a trick overboost feature that allows for extending that peak torque for 15 seconds at a time.
Enthusiasts have more reason to rejoice: Every ST also gets the requisite six-speed manual gearbox; there are no automatic or dual-clutch transmission options available. And every ST sold in North America will be the five-door. European markets will get the option of a wagon but nowhere will the Focus ST be built as a sedan.
The suspension sees some serious revisions, too, from its stiffer springs and shocks to a beefed-up antiroll bar. The ride height has been lowered by 0.4 inch. But the bigger news is with the steering system, which gets completely redone for the ST and sports a variable-ratio steering rack. The setup reduces sensitivity when driving in a straight line, but quickens up nicely when cornering.
Standard across the ST lineup are a host of electronic features we particularly appreciated, including a stability control system with three levels of intervention (including completely off!), a torque-vectoring control system that acts like an electronic limited-slip differential and a cornering understeer control system that does exactly what its name implies.
The design really plays up the car's performance credentials, too, with revised front and rear fascias featuring more aggressive details, from the one-piece grille to the single center tailpipe. Below the front bumper the splitter dips lower and sweeps around the corners, with fog lamps inset deep and wide. The ST also gets unique 19-inch alloy wheels and an integrated roof spoiler.
Inside, all STs gets larger, thicker steering wheels, unique shifters and pedals and a dark headliner, as well as a unique gauge cluster for turbo boost, oil pressure and oil temperature. Up-trim ST2 cars add some nicely bolstered part-leather Recaro sport seats, dual-zone climate controls and an upgraded Sony audio system. ST3 models get full-leather, eight-way power-adjustable and heated Recaros, HID headlamps and a navigation system.
All of that extra oomph is apparent right off the bat. But unlike a car such as the Volkswagen Golf R--which, despite its slightly lower output is a faster car--the power delivery feels linear and smooth, not peaky, which gives the car a bit of a flying-under-the-radar feel. There's plenty of torque to pull you out of corners and up steep mountain passes without pause, and to propel you headlong down the freeway at up to triple-digit speeds in a blink, but there's never a whoosh! moment where you feel the turbo kick in. It's also a much more refined ride than the likes of a Mazda Mazdaspeed 3, which itself offers plenty of performance fun but in a rougher-around-the-edges package and without all of the near-luxury features available on the Focus ST.
The variable-rate steering works well, too, making easy work of tight, winding switchbacks, though the car's turning radius is abominable. At one point during our drive, an otherwise routine U-turn required three back-and-forths to complete the 180, making the compact Focus ST feel as big as an Expedition.
The shifter works well, even if the placement feels a bit far from the hand. Throws aren't too long, and even aggressive shifts never got hung up--a frequent problem in the Mazdaspeed 3. The ride is a bit rough--the frequent traffic-calming speed bumps we encountered attested to that--but it never reached the fatiguing point, even after 250 miles of driving. And the Recaro seats, though heavily bolstered and not particularly cushy, were nonetheless a comfortable place in which to spend a whole day.
Our test car also came with a host of safety features including blind-spot and lane-departure warnings. While we found the blind-spot system fairly unobtrusive, the lane-keeping assist was downright annoying, even with the sensitivity and intensity of its vibrating warning dialed way down.
The sound of the Focus ST just might be the most satisfying part of the driving experience. At low rpm the cabin is a fairly quiet space, but jump on the gas pedal and a specially designed active sound tube amplifies the throaty notes of the engine's intake and channels them into the cabin. It gives the engine a distinctive growl that enthusiasts should enjoy.
Ford's first truly global performance product exceeds our expectations, if not just in 0-to-60-mph times, then for the how little said 0-60 will cost you. Stickers for the Focus ST start at just $24,495; mid-level ST2 cars tack on $2,385, with top-of-the-line ST3 trims starting at $28,930. Compared with the five-door VW Golf R, which starts at $36,860, the Focus ST is a steal, delivering 90 percent of the performance, more features, better styling and a more refined package for more than $12,000 less. The five-door GTI aligns almost exactly on price but is down 52 hp and 63 lb-ft of torque and doesn't offer the same level of on-road chops as the ST. Even the Mazdaspeed 3, perhaps the most natural comparison, feels instantly dated next to the sharply styled and wonderfully refined Focus ST.
For now, the car to beat in the compact hot-hatch segment for all-around value and performance is the 2013 Ford Focus ST, hands down.