Ford‘s Focus facelift of early ’08 has made its way to the hot ST, the crowning performance version of the fleet favourite – at least until the supercar-baiting RS arrives next spring.
All the things that make the car great are still present – fantastic noise and stunning performance from the 225PS 2.5-litre turbocharged engine plus all the practicality of a standard Focus. It even rides well enough despite the bigger wheels.
The ST’s problems are also still present, though. Fuel consumption is pretty horrendous and, more importantly, so is the range – it’s almost a pipe dream to get 300 miles out of a tank. Emissions put the ST in the 32% benefit-in-kind bracket, too, although there’s compensation in the sub-£20,000 P11D. It’s not enough, however, because 57.5ppm is still a little tough to swallow.
Verdict: A brilliant car – if you can afford to fuel it
