Ford Focus

It’s all been a bit of a blur! That’s the best way to describe my 12 months with the Focus ST. The fast Ford has had a hectic year at Auto Express, racking up nearly 18,000 miles, completing several group tests and track battles with supercars along the way.

But has it kept me smiling? Most definitely. I raved about the ST’s 222bhp 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo in my first report (Issue 921), and if there’s one memory that will stay with me, it’s the engine.

With an offbeat warble under hard acceleration and heaps of performance, the punchy unit gave the Focus huge appeal. The handling impressed, too. Despite battling against a group of motors that included a Porsche 911 Turbo and Lamborghini Gallardo, EK06OHF held its own at our Greatest Drives feature. Our test team loved its communicative steering, front-end grip and brilliant poise.

However, while dry traction was good, it suffered in the wet, as 320Nm of torque struggled to reach the tarmac. Speed bumps and potholes easily messed with the wheel alignment, too.

Tyre wear wasn’t too bad, though. Despite a hard life, the original front Continental Sport Contact 2s lasted 12,000 miles. And when it came to a service 500 miles later, I was pleased with the reasonable bill of £223 and the efficiency of dealer Dagenham Motors in Highbury, north London.

Other costs included a new rear window, after the ST was the victim of a break-in, and quite a lot of fuel receipts – we averaged 23.5mpg.

The result was a range of barely 220 miles, which limited the ST’s otherwise excellent long-distance ability. Further gripes include the lack of steering lock, which made manoeuvring frustrating, and a cabin that never felt really special.

However, options such as sat-nav and a Bluetooth phone connection were easy to operate, while the five-door body is practical. Overall, the ST is hard to beat. Not many cars can match its character, performance and comfort.
It will be sorely missed...