[Closed] Anyone got a Focus ST?

Had one for about three years now.
If you're looking for something a bit more frugal than your Dico this might not be the car for you.I get on average(according to the readout)22/23 miles to the gallon and if you have a heavy right foot it can drop to as low as 18.
Not particularly comfy imo but had no problems with it while i've owned it.

On the upside the back seats fold flat and you can get your bike in with the front wheel out. 😀

As above crazy thirsty but very quick.

The new one is not as thirsty as the previous one.
Take a look on Pistonheads as they have an estate as a long term test car at the mo and I think they quite like it.

[url= http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=27891 ]Pistonheads link[/url]

you will love it for 6 months, then you will hate taking it anywhere/putting fuel in it all the time....

If you want fast and frugal get a TT - easily do 40+ to a gallon in the 2.0 TFSi

I get free fuel from work anyway, its just the £500 per month in repairs that's smarting a bit at the moment.

Watch for slipping clutches in the early ones , they where borderline at standard power outputs , if it's been tuned then they start to slip. Cured by fitting an RS Focus clutch and flywheel , pricey job though.

honkiebikedude - Member

Watch for slipping clutches in the early ones , they where borderline at standard power outputs , if it's been tuned then they start to slip. Cured by fitting an RS Focus clutch and flywheel , pricey job though.

that's the old shape

I had a 225 when they first came out and I thought it was an amazing car. Nice and quick, but still comfy and very easy to drive day to day.

I ended up selling mine as it was unbelievably thirsty of fuel.

I changed it for an Astra VXR which easily did 10mpg more than the Focus in day to day driving.

The Focus was a much nicer car to live with, but the Astra was more fun to drive.

The new one is mean't to be much better on fuel though.

Unless I needed a 5 door hatchback, I'd possibly be looking at the new Fiesta ST as it seems to be getting great reviews.

As above, girl in my office had one until recently - 22MPG was the norm...

BMW 130i, better mpg, better sound, faster, RWD.

but the Astra was more fun to drive.

Quite fancy the new shape estate. Need to wait a little while though as I can't afford a brand new one

I thought my V6 4Motion Golf was thirsty, but that was better than 22mpg by some way even with a 2.8l lump under the bonnet.

If mpg is a concern then don't, if it's not then look at all sorts, but TypeR and R32's would be on my list 🙂

Brother had a Focus ST-2 WR300 (through Wolfracing in Germany). Brilliant fun but a sobering experience at the pumps. Surprisingly comfy ride.

He's just swapped it for a 330d (Estate) and saves 200 pounds a month on fuel.

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Only driven one once, wasn't impressed at all, slow throttle response, and well, just like any other Focus.

So i would recommend there normal diesel, cheaper to buy, cheaper to insure, and will do everything just as well.

but even if work pay for fuel, the more you use the higher the tax will be?

I'd go for either a Gold GTD or a BMW 125D, the latter will stay with ST all day long and easily return 55mpg on the days you want to drive like normal. Plus it'll be worth something after a few years. Any £29K Ford won't hold it's value.

johndoh - Member
but the Astra was more fun to drive.

Until you tried to go around a corner at anything above 'Continental Drift' pace?

That's why it was more fun!!! 😆

I bought them to try and get off bikes, so I think the VXR's character suited me more.

If I had to choose between the ST and the VXR as an everyday car though, it would be the ST everytime. I just had a lot more fun in the VXR.

The ST's are very popular cars and as far as I'm aware our ST traffic cars in work have been trouble free.

I know that there are numerous fast and powerful diesels around, but after driving a fast diesel golf and Mondeo ST tdci; I found they didn't have the character of a petrol. They were nice and fast, but I personally missed the engine noise. The 5 pot pot of the ST225 sounds gorgeous, especially on the overrun.

Ford even fitted a sound symposer device to amplify the sound of the engine on the new shape Focus ST to make it sound better when in the cabin.

That's why it was more fun!!!

I had the SRi for a while and I remember one particular time trying to go around a corner (that I know very well) a little bit racily and very nearly parked it into the traffic coming the other way. Not so much 'under-steer' as 'didn't-steer'. 😯

I do think they are a great looking car though (in the coupe version with upgraded wheels).

retro83 - Member

honkiebikedude - Member

Watch for slipping clutches in the early ones , they where borderline at standard power outputs , if it's been tuned then they start to slip. Cured by fitting an RS Focus clutch and flywheel , pricey job though.

that's the old shape

Correct as per the model shown in makecoldplayhistorys post .

johndoh - Member
That's why it was more fun!!!

I had the SRi for a while and I remember one particular time trying to go around a corner (that I know very well) a little bit racily and very nearly parked it into the traffic coming the other way. Not so much 'under-steer' as 'didn't-steer'.

I do think they are a great looking car though (in the coupe version with upgraded wheels).

😆

I certainly got more attached to my VXR purely down to it's character. I had to purposefully steer right when accelerating with any purpose.

Having said all that, I eventually sold the VXR and went back to bikes which was a million times more fun.

I had to purposefully steer right when accelerating with any purpose.

amplebrew - Member
I know that there are numerous fast and powerful diesels around, but after driving a fast diesel golf and Mondeo ST tdci; I found they didn't have the character of a petrol. They were nice and fast, but I personally missed the engine noise. The 5 pot pot of the ST225 sounds gorgeous, especially on the overrun.

Not really a fair comparison, over 50bhp difference between the diesels & the ST

Not sure id even call them 'fast' diesels, just normal by modern standards

If you enjoy driving get a Toyota GT86 / Subaru BRZ . . . smile every time I get in mine.

timc - Member
amplebrew - Member
I know that there are numerous fast and powerful diesels around, but after driving a fast diesel golf and Mondeo ST tdci; I found they didn't have the character of a petrol. They were nice and fast, but I personally missed the engine noise. The 5 pot pot of the ST225 sounds gorgeous, especially on the overrun.
Not really a fair comparison, over 50bhp difference between the diesels & the ST

Not sure id even call them 'fast' diesels, just normal by modern standards

Definitely didn't have any issue with the performance of the diesels, they just lacked a nice engine noise which I think adds to the whole experience.

Waiting on my Alfa arriving 😆

The latest shape ST is OK. Nothing as good as the Volvo 5 cyl engined version. Mate took one for a test drive and came back totally uninspired by it. Panel gap between the bonnet and bumper you could loose kids in. 4 cyl engine, really not in the same league as the 5 cyl. Fuel economy better ? Er, not really. I believe from owners that 26 to 27 mpg is an average, which is what I get on an earlier 5cyl ST I have with 300 bhp. Will be interesting on what Mountune pull out the bag when it happends. Seats look very nice compared to mine, but the dash looks like someone has got a mouthful of switches and buttons and vomited everywhere. Silly exhaust, meaning no towbar just for looks, although mine wont fit a towbar, but why do it on the estate too? Loose practicality for this. Lucky my Thule rack goes on my Volvo and I use roof bars for the bike duties on the ST if I need to.

He's just swapped it for a 330d (Estate) and saves 200 pounds a month on fuel.

I'm sure he does, probably saves some of that because its so full in comparison that he'll never bother taking it for a drive

what does that mean legend?

amplebrew, no you wont be found wanting in general, but they are a level below an ST performance wise really...

2013 ST3 Estate averages 28 MPG, that's including fun driving. Bike will fit in the boot with 1 seat down, so two seat bit can stay up. Very rewarding to drive, corners feel good. Sound and acceleration are very good and quite addictive, motorway cruising is easy in 6th, a quick right foot and it surges forward with urgency, picking up speed very rapidly. There's a fair bit of torque steer that takes a bit of getting used to in first gear.
Good looking car, very practical, interior is recaro.

what does that mean legend?

I've driven 330d's, they are obviously fast (although the diesel power delivery kills that feeling) but also incredibly boring compared to the likes of an ST

can't have it all though can you...

Nope bit you can get close.

Legend - wee shouty quick car + bike van 😉

reckon you can come closer than an st thats for sure... 130i for example

anyway what car/van combo you got?

djglover - Member
BMW 130i, better mpg, better sound, faster, RWD.

FOR GODS SAKE! Every time I see one of these threads I think "ooh! That could replace my 10yo 330i" but no. 22mph? Christ I average 29.5 out of mine and its paid for. It's going to be with me forever 😐

I have a 225 07 version and I get 29/30 mpg, and I wouldn't say I am a slow driver! Great car.

Dad has the new ST, its a sleeker car but from being in it a few times the smaller engine makes it less growly although it is faster.

Had an auto 330 , it drove me mad, nice car, but the power delivery was soooooooo, lazy somehow
Had an st which was a great car but 23 mpg on average was not good, so sold it for a diesel golf, which lasted 6 months.

I have a 2010 ST3 which I get 29-31 normally. I don't do much town driving which tends to hammer the consumption.
I think it's a great car, all the benefits of a 5 door hatch, relatively cheap to run, fast when you want it to be!