First Drive Review: Ford Focus ST-3 TDCi Wagon 2015

In the 12 years that Ford has been building the Focus ST, they’ve never thought to put a diesel engine under the bonnet.

Now, thanks to rivals from the likes of the Volkswagen Golf GTD and Skoda Octavia vRS TDI, they’ve been left with little choice but to add an oil-burner to the line up.

That means the new Focus ST might be able to appeal to business user-choosers as well as petrol-head private buyers, but does the diesel take focus away from the, er, Focus?

Choosing the estate model (or Wagon, as Ford insist on calling it) and parking it side-by-side with the traditionally powered ST model, there is nothing to differentiate the two.

There’s no unfortunate ST-D badging, no droopy exhaust and no less a quantity of spoilers, diffusers and skirts. They even wear the same 18-inch wheels. It looks every inch an ST which, if that’s your thing, is a very good thing indeed.

Step inside and you’re presented with a more driver focussed interior, with figure hugging Recaro seats gripping you tight and, on a slightly more ample frame such as my own, pushing bits in to areas they’re not normally intended to be.

Wriggle around and you soon get comfortable, reassured that the side bolsters will hold you in position as you tackle the twisty roads ahead.

Find the right Focus ST Estate deal for your business

Up front, there’s a flat-bottomed leather steering wheel, some special ST pedals, gear lever and dials, and a trio of gauges bolted on top of the dashboard to let you know about boost pressure and oil temperature and pressures.

In the rear, it remains similar to the usual Focus, with some extra coloured fabrics on the seats that look a little too flat, while the boot remains the same as normal - that’s 476 litres, or somewhat less than the Octavia’s 590.

No price difference

Prices for the diesel match the petrol pound-for-pound, so that means an entry-level ST-1 will set you back £23,295 OTR, rising to £27,095 for the ST-3 with its 8-inch SYNC2 touchscreen, voice control, sat-nav, heated leather seats, cruise control and painted brake calipers.

CO2 emissions of 110g/km place it in band B for car tax, currently just £20 per year, while company car drivers will face a BIK burden of just 18%.

That’s all very well, but the Focus ST is meant to be a hot hatch (or estate in this case) so the key bit is how it drives.

It’s a positive start that Ford hasn’t chosen to soften the diesel version, leaving the basic set-up of the car the same. Once you’ve arrived at a couple of corners, and put the diesel rattle at start up out of your mind, you soon realise that the Focus ST is a well sorted vehicle.

Turn the wheel, geared tighter than the standard model, and the front end darts towards the apex of the corner sharply, the accuracy of the system enabling you to be incredibly precise with your positioning.

It’s a shame there’s not a huge amount of feel through the wheel, the power steering almost acting like the force feedback on a PlayStation wheel, but it’s light and easy.

It does tend to get a bit messy on the exit of a corner though. As you put your foot down and unwind some lock, the 400Nm of torque is released and the front wheels, despite all the electronic torque vectoring wizardry and Enhanced Transitional Stability systems, just can’t quite cope. The steering wheel is pulled from one side to another as the systems struggle to control the power - it eventually does this successfully, so you’ll not end up wiggling your way down the road, but it’s not a relaxing experience.

Personal leasing deals for the Focus ST Estate start at £270.13

That torque is accessible from 1,500 rpm all the way up to 4,000rpm, when a quick change of gear ratios through the very slick six-speed box is required. That smooth change also means you can short-shift up to the next gear, helping to keep the front end in check on the twisty bits.

On the straight and narrow, the car doesn’t settle down. There is a constant rumble from the engine (a false sound that for once adds to the atmosphere by masking the diesel clatter) that doesn’t subside at motorway speeds, while the ride quality suffers as small undulations constantly make themselves felt through the seat.

But that’s soon forgiven once you find some more curves, at which point the suspension makes perfect sense. It is stiff and unforgiving, but it doesn’t half hold the car on the road at points way beyond most drivers’ bravery.

Verdict

It’s not quite as quick as its petrol powered sibling, but with lower taxes and promised 67.3mpg economy, there are strong financial reasons for choosing the diesel. The fact that it handles the difficult bits every bit as well as the ‘proper’ ST speaks volumes about how Ford’s new Performance division see the ST.

If motorway miles are important to you, then look elsewhere, but if motoring smiles are what’s required, while keeping a check on costs, then the single-minded purpose of the car shines through.

Focus ST Estate at a glance:

Top speed: 135 mph
0-62 mph: 8.3 seconds
Official combined economy: 67.3 mpg
CO2 emissions: 110 g/km
VED band: B / £20 per year
Insurance group: 26E
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel
Power: 182 bhp (185 PS)
Torque: 295 ft-lb (400 Nm)
Kerb weight: 1,488 kg
OTR price: £27,095

Prices and data correct as of January 2015