Ford Focus ST (2012 – 2015) Review

Ford Focus ST (2012 – 2015) At A Glance

Fitted with impressive 250PS EcoBoost engine. Available as a hatchback or an estate. Great value for money compared to other hot hatches.

Despite 'symposer', engine may be too quiet for some hot hatch fans. Engine can develop a wiring problem.

Real MPG average for a Ford Focus ST (2012 – 2015)

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

Satisfaction Index

Reviews for Ford Focus ST (2012 – 2015)'s top 3 rivals

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Golf GTI performs well in every area, making it the consummate all-round hot hatch.

Audi S3

Powered by smooth 2.0 TFSI engine with 300PS. Quattro four-wheel drive means superb traction. Lighter...

Honda Civic

Engaging, enjoyable and exciting. Seriously fast thanks to 310PS turbocharged engine. Superb grip and...

Ask Honest John

Is it safe to have tyres with different profiles?

"On investigating a slow puncture I noticed that although on my Ford Focus ST has 4 Michelin sports, the front are 205/40 and the rear 205/45. Kwik Fit said they should all be identical but Bristol Street, from whom I bought the car said it was permissible. Who is right? Am I right though in thinking that if I buy two new rear tyres regardless of aspect they should be identical and the same make? As a single occupant and conservative driver is the load rating discretionary? One website tells me that speed ratings for replacement tyres must be equal to or higher than the ones supplied new and not discretionary which seems a bit nonsensical as I do not expect to drive at 193 mph, which that website states is for Y. I also see from the Ford spec on my particular car that the tyres I have 'inherited' are not those stated on the spec. The website I mentioned advises that this can invalidate my insurance? As a matter of interest do MoT inspectors compare each tyre for uniformity as well as wear?"

There are a lot of separate issues at play here, so we will try to deal with them in turn. Your front and rear tyres differ in aspect ratio, which is not desirable but neither is it dangerous. It is more important that your tyres are identical across an axle, and in terms of size (unless the manufacturer specification dictates otherwise) rather than the same make, although of course if you have uni-directional tyres then all four should be the same in this respect. The speed rating of a tyre not only reflects the maximum speed the tyre is safely capable of, but also its capability in respect of the vehicle performance in terms of cornering grip and traction, which is why high performance vehicles frequently have tyres rated higher than their maximum speed. It is not illegal to fit a tyre with a lower speed rating than recommended, but in the event of an accident your insurance company may check the tyre rating and subsequently not pay out on your claim. Ultimately it is your decision if you choose to fit a tyre with a speed rating lower than Y. As far as the MoT is concerned, testers are required to check that the speed rating is in accordance with the minimum requirements, but this is for the class of vehicle rather than the specific model. However, that does not mean an MoT tester will not fail a car if it has tyres which are substantially below the required speed rating.

Answered by David Ross

My Ford Focus ST needs an expensive repair for a known issue - can I claim the money from Ford?

"My 2013 Ford Focus ST experienced uneven engine running in December. A Ford dealer traced the problem to the engine wiring harness - a problem for which the car was recalled in the USA. The harness was repaired, at a cost to me of £200, as there was no UK recall code. In February, the car began displaying multiple problems - parasitic battery drain, alarm randomly going off and the power button failing to switch off the engine. My dealer has now told me the car needs a new engine wiring harness and body control module. The cost, including labour, will be £2260. The car is four years old, has only covered 20,900 miles, and has only ever been serviced by Ford dealers. Given the problems seem to be caused by substandard components, is there any hope of claiming some sort of goodwill from Ford UK for the cost of the repairs? If so, how might I go about that?"

Yes, take the matter to Small Claims against the supplying and servicing dealer citing the USA recall for exactly the same problem. First, tell the supplying dealer that is what you intend to do and he may go to Ford with a goodwill claim to avert the Small Claim. I have to warn you, if it goes to court you may not win, but a Small Claim is a relatively inexpensive legal process: https://www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money The Focus ST entry is here: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/ford/focus-st-2012/?section=good /

Answered by Honest John

Which petrol estate cars would you recommend for reliability, fuel economy and performance on a £12,000 budget?

"I want to buy a petrol estate car, manual, up to 5 years old on a budget of £12,000. I'm looking for something reliable and economic, but also fun to drive. The current short list is a 2012 - 2013 Ford Focus ST Estate 2.0 petrol, a 2014 SEAT Leon ST Estate 1.4 TSI 138, a 2015 Peugeot 308 SW estate 1.2 130 and a 2014 Honda Civic Tourer 1.8. Which cars would you recommend?"

Nothing wrong with the Honda Civic 1.8 i-VTEC Tourer apart from looks, and the strongest engine here. Should do more than 40mpg as well (I got 48). The 1.2 Puretech 130 in the Peugeot 308 is excellent. 230Nm makes is punchy up hills and I averaged 49mpg over 12,000 miles in one. No reports of any problems with this engine as yet. The 1.4 TSI in the SEAT Leon depends on whether it is chain or belt cam because the quality of the chains turned out to be variable and unpredictable. The Ford Focus ST has Ford's tough old chain cam 2.0 litre engine with a turbo good for 250PS (and good enough fore the Jaguar XE) but on the early ST models the behaviour of the electronic diff was so inconsistent we switched it off.

Answered by Honest John

Best way to sell a Focus ST3 Estate?

"I am looking to sell my 2012 Ford Focus ST3 Estate, which would be the best way to sell for the best price with the least hassle?"

"Best price with least hassle" is contradictory. If you want to get the "best price" then you have to work very hard at it: clean the car perfectly, advertise on Autotrader and Motors.co.uk, pitch your price right, take calls in the middle of the night, be prepared to talk nicely to a lot of idiots, be accommodating to anyone who is interested, insure the car for them to test drive it, take their money only in cash, in a bank. If you want "least hassle", sell it to webuyanycar.com.

Answered by Honest John

More Questions

Inside of the Ford Focus ST (2012 – 2015)

• Boot space is 316–1215 litres
• Euro NCAP rating of five stars

The ST’s cabin architecture follows closely with that of the top spec Focus, with a high quality feel and finish throughout. The dashboard features soft touch materials and there are plenty of smooth lines and curves to please the eye. The digital display on the dash top adds to the upmarket feel and all of the buttons and knobs feel like they’ve been put together with some purpose.

To inject some sporty razzmatazz, Ford has added a leather gear knob, alloy pedals and a scattering of ST logos; it’s an understated approach to a hot hatch interior, but one that works in our view.

There’s also a set of Recaro sports seats, which are comfortable and offer plenty of support. If you specify the mid-level ST2 trim the seats get upgraded to partial leather, while ST3 buyers get the full leather Recaro treatment in the front and back. 

As with much of the ST interior, the dashboard and steering wheel are almost identical to the standard Focus, with an intelligent layout and a set of easy to read dials. The ST does get an additional instrument cluster on top of the dash to show turbo boost, oil pressure and oil temperature though, which is good for hot hatch enthusiasts, but will be little more than a novelty for most other drivers. 

A Sony infotainment system is fitted as standard on ST2 and ST3 models, with steering wheel mounted controls and voice activated commands, along with navigation and Bluetooth connectivity. All of the systems are simple to understand and we had little trouble connecting our MP3 player and mobile phone, although Sony's scattergun approach to button layout leaves a lot to be desired as it clutters up the overall impression of the dashboard. 

The 2015 update saw Ford reduce the number of buttons on the dash board, which gives the Focus ST interior a cleaner, clutter free appearance. Improvements were also made the seating material and interior trim, although quality isn't as high as you would expect at this level. For example, on our test car, the seats rubbed against the centre arm rest and we also noticed a few rattles, with loose bit of plastic. 

Like the standard model, the ST has an abundance of space and it’ll happily accommodate four adults or double up as transport for the school run. It also boasts plenty of luggage space, with 316 litres in the hatchback and 476 litres for the estate version, which will cope with everything a family can throw at it. The boot floor is practical and accessible, with a square boot floor with a wide opening with a small lip, which makes loading and unloading easy. The back seats fold down really easily too, which again adds to the ST's practical nature. 

Child seats that fit a Ford Focus ST (2012 – 2015)

Our unique Car Seat Chooser shows you which child car seats will fit this car and which seat positions that they will fit, so that you don't have to check every car seat manufacturer's website for compatibility.

Which car seat will suit you?

Driving Ford Focus ST (2012 – 2015)

• Readers report Real MPG to be between 23–37 mpg

The Focus ST has two engines to choose from - a 2.0 EcoBoost petrol with 250PS or a 2.0 turbodiesel, with 185PS.

The 2.0 EcoBoost engine is a big improvement over the previous Volvo sourced 2.5-litre powerplant, which would provide great speed, but drink fuel in equal amounts. In comparison, the EcoBoost is much more frugal; returning almost 10mpg more, which isn’t bad when you consider it is more powerful than the outgoing five-cylinder engine. On the road the Focus ST gives a quick and spirited drive. The 0-62mph sprint takes 6.5 seconds and the ST will easily exceed 150mph, if unchecked.

However, for all its plaudits, the EcoBoost engine is a lot quieter than the old 2.5-litre unit and lacks the throaty revs that gave the old car so much character. That said the four-cylinder engine is smooth and refined, with a nice turbo flow and 360Nm of torque. Most of the power comes through in the mid-rev range, but there’s also plenty of low-level torque, with the Focus ST happy to sit in high gears in town without objection.

The 2.0 TDCI has les power, but boasts more torque, with 400Nm compared to the EcoBoost’s 360Nm. Economy is also better for the diesel, with a claimed 67.3mpg and 110g/km of CO2, which lowers the Focus ST's BiK rate by a considerable margin.

However, the 185PS diesel is considerably slower than the 250PS EcoBoost, which means the 0-62mph sprint takes 8.1 seconds. Power is also limited, with the torque expiring around 4000rpm, which means the six-speed 'box needs considerable work. Thankfully, the ST's nimble handling remains, which means the driver gets a meaningful connection with what's happening between the wheels and the road. 

Unlike some rivals - the Vauxhall Astra VXR and Renault Megane Renaultsport - the Ford doesn’t have a limited slip differential. Instead the Focus ST uses an electronic compensator, which feeds back into the power steering to counter any torque steer.

Obviously, forcing up to 250PS into the front wheels is going to present some handling issues, but for the most part the electronic system copes well and it’ll take a fair amount of abuse in the corners before it’ll give up its hold of the road. 

The upgraded sports suspension stiffens the ride, but doesn't make it overly harsh and even heavy potholes can be skipped over in relative comfort. We took our test car on a number of long trips and were impressed with its manners and refinement.

Admittedly, things get a tad hairy on wet or slippery surfaces and you'll need your wits about you if want to drive hard and stay out of trouble. The Focus ST isn’t best suited to winter roads and we found ourselves fighting the wheel to keep control under hard acceleration, in both the petrol and diesel versions. Clearly this car has some issues with torque steer and its limitations are magnified when the going gets tough, with a wet drain cover or puddle all that's needed to jolt the front wheels off their indented course.

For some drivers the viscous levels of torque steer will be a bit too much - especially in the wet - but we actually enjoyed the experience. In our view, hot hatches should be a lively and fun experience and the Focus ST provides this by the bucket load. 

Ford Focus ST (2012 – 2015) Models and Specs

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What to watch out for

Model History

• October 2010: Ford revealed details of the new Focus ST
• May 2012: Focus ST goes on sale