Americans never managed to fall in love with compacts, so Ford had to pull the Focus from its U.S. lineup. But for the past year or so, Europe has enjoyed a new Focus ST hot hatch that we wish was available Stateside, a worthy adversary to the GTI.
Many buyers consider the Focus to be the sportiest hatchback on sale, but does that translate well to the ST model? Thankfully, Ford tried to stuff as much of its DNA into this product, creating a cross between a cheap shopping car and a Mustang.
A Mustang? Yes. The Focus ST is now powered by the familiar 2.3-liter EcoBoost, the same one that you get in the pony, as well as the base Bronco. Even though this four-cylinder isn't really taken seriously in bigger Fords, it has quite the impact on a hot hatch. In a segment where nearly all its rivals have a 2.0-liter displacement, this might even seem a tad exotic.
The official ratings for this 2021 Focus ST is 276 hp (280 PS) and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm), so basically the same as a cheap Bronco, but down 34 hp and 29.5 lb-ft (40 Nm) compared to an American Mustang. Ford probably could have offered more power, were it not for recent emissions regulations.
The video below, shot by the popular YouTube channel AutoTopNL, is one of the first to show the Mk4 Focus ST being pushed all the way to its top speed. Reaching 155 mph (250 km/h) on public roads is something that's only really possible on the German Autobahn network. You may also notice that car is equipped with an automatic gearbox and has a much more premium interior than its predecessor. Again, it's a shame they don't offer it in America.
Sadly, the Autobahn run doesn't tell you if the Focus ST is actually good or not. All its direct rivals can reach 155 mph. For a better sampling of its performance, check out this earlier drag race video from Carwow. Spoiler alert: it loses to the new GTI.
A Mustang? Yes. The Focus ST is now powered by the familiar 2.3-liter EcoBoost, the same one that you get in the pony, as well as the base Bronco. Even though this four-cylinder isn't really taken seriously in bigger Fords, it has quite the impact on a hot hatch. In a segment where nearly all its rivals have a 2.0-liter displacement, this might even seem a tad exotic.
The official ratings for this 2021 Focus ST is 276 hp (280 PS) and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm), so basically the same as a cheap Bronco, but down 34 hp and 29.5 lb-ft (40 Nm) compared to an American Mustang. Ford probably could have offered more power, were it not for recent emissions regulations.
The video below, shot by the popular YouTube channel AutoTopNL, is one of the first to show the Mk4 Focus ST being pushed all the way to its top speed. Reaching 155 mph (250 km/h) on public roads is something that's only really possible on the German Autobahn network. You may also notice that car is equipped with an automatic gearbox and has a much more premium interior than its predecessor. Again, it's a shame they don't offer it in America.
Sadly, the Autobahn run doesn't tell you if the Focus ST is actually good or not. All its direct rivals can reach 155 mph. For a better sampling of its performance, check out this earlier drag race video from Carwow. Spoiler alert: it loses to the new GTI.