First 2020 Ford Focus ST Reviews Say It's Expensive, Too Complex

Old Fords used to be bad family cars and brilliant hot hatchbacks. Still, the Focus ST never got the same attention as the Golf GTI or Megane RS. Just to be safe, it seems Ford Performance wanted to tick every box imaginable, and this may have changed the car for the worse.

We found two initial reviews from a driving event in Spain which say pretty much the same thing. One major problem is the price. While older models were affordable, this one is on the same level as the Civic Type R and is seriously undercut by the Hyundai i30 N.

Another big problem is the level of sophistication, which either good or bad, depending on how you look at it. You're dealing with multiple drive modes, a rev-matching function, complex road-scanning dampers, an anti-lag system, fake exhaust sounds and even a semi-autonomous mode that does a bad job of keeping you in the lane. Most hot hatch buyers say they don't want any of that.

Of course, we don't think sophistication is all that bad. The Focus ST seems better put together than ever, and quite pleasantly styled. The fact that they left torque steer despite installing a LSD is interesting. But maybe a progressive rack, like in a GTI, would have been better.

With a giant 2.3-liter turbo under its hood, buying a new Focus ST could be the start of a great project car. However, the community isn't there to back it up, as in the case of Renault or VW Group. Did Ford get it wrong? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.