Some manufacturers are still content to offer hot hatchbacks in a small number of forms. With the Focus ST, Ford has adopted a different approach. A choice of petrol or diesel engines, hatchback or estate body styles and three trim levels means there are no fewer than twelve versions to pick from. That’s before you even think about investigating the list of optional extras.
The car we're looking at here is the TDCi diesel hatch in range-topping ST-3 specification. At 182bhp, its maximum power output is well short of the alternative turbo petrol EcoBoost's 247bhp. However, the diesel produces its power at just 3,500rpm, and it's just over 10 per cent stronger at 2,000rpm than the EcoBoost is.
This diesel engine, therefore, has driveability on its side, though that doesn't alter the fact that the petrol car is substantially quicker. The TDCi is 1.6 seconds slower from a standstill to 62mph at 8.1 seconds. If top speed is important to you, it might come as an unpleasant surprise to discover that the diesel tops out at 135mph while the EcoBoost can keep going to 154mph.
Combined fuel economy is 67.3mpg, which sounds great. However, during this test, in which over 500 miles were devoted to long-distance cruising and only a small fraction had anything to do with performance driving, the ST-3 averaged less than 50mpg. On the plus side, that's still a lot better than the EcoBoost manages on the official EU test, and much better still than it's likely to achieve in real life.
The ST-3 specification (which is worth £26,295 regardless of engine) naturally includes several items not available as standard on the cheaper versions. This includes bi-xenon headlights, heated and folding door mirrors, keyless entry and start, cruise control and rear parking sensors. There’s also eight-way power adjustment, heating and full leather facings for the Recaro seats.
Those seats don't appeal to everyone, but they may be my favourite part of the car. They are, to say the least, form-hugging, and hold you in position nearly as well as a proper race seat would. The inference, when you first sit in one, is that they will let your body withstand tremendous forces as you hurtle through corners.
This, however, is unlikely to happen. Like other fast Fords of recent years, the Focus ST has soft suspension which is inadequate for both the weight of the engine and the aggressive sidewalls of the low-profile tyres. It is therefore both too wallowy and too firm at the same time, and that does nothing for either the ride or the handling.
Simply driving along a motorway is a jiggly experience, while you quickly learn not to push the accelerator hard until the car is pointing reasonably straight. If you do, the increase in turbo boost pressure quickly leads to understeer.
With a few tweaks the ST could be so much better as a driver's car. It's already pretty good in some respects - the steering action is lovely, though there isn't much of it, so manoeuvring in tight spaces can be tricky. The gearshift is excellent and the clutch action is very smooth.
Seamless gear changes are quite easy as a result, though slow getaways can be tricky since the engine seems to want to shut down just when it would be most inconvenient for it to do so. The problem does not arise in faster starts.
In many ways the Focus ST TDCi isn't a bad car, and it's a reasonable alternative to the EcoBoost thanks to its less spectacular but still useful performance and its lower running costs. But it does need a rethink of the suspension set-up in order to become a more appealing choice of hot hatch.
