It may be fast and fun, but the day-to-day cost of enjoying the Focus ST shouldn’t be too high. The petrol model returns decent economy figures and the diesel option is incredibly frugal (when driven gently, of course).

The new 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine returns a 41.5mpg economy and emits 159g/km of CO2 – both improvements over the pre-facelift model thanks to the addition of a stop-start system. However, these improvements still can't quite match those of the Golf GTI, which returns 47.1mpg and emits 139g/km.

The diesel Focus ST fares better, though, delivering 67.3mpg and 110g/km CO2 emissions – identical figures to a VW Golf GTD fitted with a manual gearbox. That means you have a potential range of over 850 miles on its 60-litre tank, if you can resist the urge to put your foot down. The Ford falls into the G tax group, so you’ll pay £180 per year for the petrol model. The frugal diesel is in band B, which means that after a free first year, you’ll pay just £20 annually.

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Insurance groups

Insurance has long been the bugbear for hot hatch drivers, yet the Focus ST is competitive, with the turbodiesel version being most cost-effective at group 24-26, depending on specification. Petrol models are significantly quicker off the mark, and the quid pro quo is a hefty insurance hike. The basic Focus ST with petrol power starts at group 34, rising to group 36 for the top-spec ST-3. That compares to the petrol-powered 2.0-litre Golf GTI in group 29, and the Renaultsport Megane range, which spans groups 36 to 40.

Depreciation

Depreciation is where Ford always falls down, and the Focus ST is no different. Residual values are alarming for potential buyers, as our experts predict that the petrol ST will struggle to hold onto 40 per cent of its new value after three years. The diesel version should fare better, however, with industry analyst CAP predicting it will be worth more than the Golf GTD.