Ford Focus ST (2015 – 2018) Review

Ford Focus ST (2015 – 2018) At A Glance

Fast and affordable for daily use. Available as a hatch or estate. Diesel engine is the same price as petrol. More refined than previous models.

Handling can be unpredictable in the wet. Diesel is economical, but lacks top end gunt. Boot space is small compared to rivals.

Real MPG average for a Ford Focus ST (2015 – 2018)

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

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Ask Honest John

Does the Ford Focus ST use a timing chain or cam belt?

"I have a Ford Focus ST estate first registered on 1 February 2017. Can you please advise whether it has a timing chain or belt and the relevant replacement period? "

The 2.0 petrol uses a chain and the 2.0 diesel uses a belt that should be replaced every five years or 60,000 miles (whichever comes first).

Answered by Dan Powell

My son's car has an oil leak that's being investigated. What is the likely cause?

"A year ago, my son’s 2015 Ford Focus ST EcoBoost had an engine failure when the oil sump developed a hole. He then had a reconditioned engine put in. At the recent MOT, he was told there was an oil leak “somewhere”. He’s booked the car in to have it checked out, but we’re now really worried that the same thing will happen again. Can you advise us what the garage should be looking out for and also whether he should maybe sell the car as he’s lost all trust in it now? Your advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Kind regards."

I'm sorry to read about the problems your son has experienced with his car. Ford replaced the Focus ST in 2015 with an all-new model (offered with petrol and diesel engines) so I am not 100% sure which model we are talking about here. But I have never heard of a hole developing in the sump on a Focus ST before. It's possible the sump plug (which lets you drain the oil out) has become loose. This would be my first point of investigation (it's a simple fix). I would be concerned about the replacement engine. What paperwork and history were provided with the engine? It should have a service book from the donor car that shows its age, mileage and full-service history. If it doesn't have this important paperwork then the engine may be older or higher mileage than the seller advertised. Selling the car would be a good idea, but you will need to disclose the replacement engine and this will sadly impact the price of the car quite heavily if the recon engine doesn't have any known history.

Answered by Dan Powell

Will disabling the keyless entry through the menu in a car and using the keyfob manually make any difference to security?

"Will disabling the keyless entry through the menu in a car and using the keyfob manually make any difference to security in my 2018 Focus ST?"

Disabling the keyless entry system should make a big difference. But, if you want our honest opinion, the Focus ST is one of the cars that thieves target. If we had one, we'd probably also get something like the Autowatch Ghost Immobiliser or another immobiliser system to make it harder to steal. This obviously depends on where you live, if you park on the street etc. You could also go for a tracker from Tracker or the Nano Tracker that we reviewed from Rewire Security (it just won our Car Security Award, too): https://kit.honestjohn.co.uk/reviews/review-spytrack-nano-tracker/

Answered by Georgia Petrie

Does chipping a car give it better economy and power?

"Are chips any good at giving more economy and power?"

I think you must mean plug-ins like Superchips Bluefin. The benefit is that in the event of an insurance or a warranty claim they can be removed and leave no 'ghosting' in the ECU. Varies from car to car, but I have driven an Audi A4 and a Focus ST that had been Bluefinned and the improvement in torque at low speeds was particularly pronounced in the Audi. This meant it could be upshifted earlier so used less fuel.

Answered by Honest John

More Questions

On the inside of an Ford Focus ST (2015 – 2018)

• Boot space is 316–1502 litres
• Euro NCAP rating of five stars

The Focus ST’s interior is a significant improvement over the old model, with the messy, button laden centre stack gone in favour of a smarter and cleaner layout. We’d recommend upgrading to Sync2, which adds an eight-inch touchscreen and DAB audio. Not only does this cull the button count even further, but it also allows the driver to operate the media and heating controls via the large and easy to use colour screen.

None of the ST trims include navigation as standard though and some of the interior plastics do feel a little cheap and flimsy. The centre stack is also prone to emitting the odd creak and groan as you travel over rough roads, which raise some concerns over interior build quality.

We also dislike the steering-wheel mounted controls. There are far too many buttons on the wheel and the voice control switch is annoyingly located between the volume buttons, which makes it all too easy to activate it by mistake. 

The interior is comfortable though and there's more than enough space for a family of four, although the 316 litre of boot for the hatchback is on the small side, especially when compared to the 380 litres you get in the Volkswagen Golf GTI. The Focus ST estate fixes this though, extending storage to 476 litres.

All models get Recaro sports seats as standard, which are extremely comfortable, with lots of back support. This makes them superb for long distance driving, although you'll have to spec up to ST3 to get powered adjustment. Aside from the ST branding and front seats, the cabin is pretty much identical to the highest-trim Focus and six footers will have little trouble fitting into the rear seats.  

Standard Equipment

ST 1 gets 18-inch ST alloy wheels, Thatcham Cat 1 alarm, ST design full bodykit, rear spoiler, manual air conditioning, Ford Sync, with Bluetooth and voice control, colour 4.2-inch TFT display, keyless start, ST leather gear knob, ST front scuff plates and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

ST-2 adds: Recaro sports seats, heated windscreen, LED daytime running lights, automatic headlights, rain sensitive windscreen wipers, auto dimming rear view mirror, dual automatic temperature control plus front and rear carpet mats.

ST-3 includes Rock metallic 18-inch ST alloy wheels, zenon headlights, with adaptive front lighting, red brake callipers, rear parking sensors, sync2 with eight-inch touchscreen infotainment, Recaro heated front sports seats, with leather seat facing, driver and passenger eight way power adjustable seats, cruise control, Ford keyfree system and powerfold door mirrors. 

Child seats that fit a Ford Focus ST (2015 – 2018)

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 (2015 – 2018)

• Engines range from 2.0 TDCi 185 to 2.0T EcoBoost 250 Estate
• Readers report Real MPG to be between 22–57 mpg

There are two four-cylinder engines to choose from, but it's the excellent 250PS 2.0-litre petrol that strikes the best balance between performance and value. Capable of covering 0-62mph in 6.5 seconds, the high-revving four-cylinder unit provides effortless performance and will easily surpass 150mph on track. It will also return meaningful fuel economy, with Ford claiming 41.5mpg and 159g/km of CO2. 

If you favour fuel economy over performance then you can specify the Focus ST with diesel power, but we wouldn't recommend it. The 185PS four-cylinder unit does boast more torque than the petrol version, but lacks the free-revving nature that make the Focus ST so likable.

In comparison the diesel delivers all of its power at around 3000rpm, causing unintentional wheel spin as you attempt to leave junctions quickly and resulting in lots of frustration. Keep your foot planted you'll discover that the power fades away at 3500rpm, leaving the Focus feeling rather gutless. 

Both the petrol and diesel engines are linked to a short-shifting six-speed manual gearbox as standard. There is no automatic option and Ford has no plans to introduce one either, arguing that it dilutes the involving nature of the Focus ST. 

Ford also decided against giving the Focus ST a mechanical limited-slip differential. Instead it uses a torque vectoring system that electronically manages the power delivery to the front-wheels.

For the most part, this system works fine, but it does struggle in wet or less than perfect road conditions. As a result the Focus ST has a tendency to tug at the steering wheel under hard acceleration, as it struggles for traction or attempts to follow the camber of the road.

However, in the dry or under moderate power, the Focus ST is easy to drive and hugely rewarding with a sharp turn in and lots of grip in the corners. Both the hatch and estate benefit from superb steering, which increases the feedback with each turn of the wheel. The electronic stability system can also be switched to sport mode, which gives fuller control over engine torque while reducing computerised brake interventions.

Ford Focus ST (2015 – 2018) Models and Specs

On sale until November 2018

On sale until May 2017

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Bad

What to watch out for

Model History

• June 2014: Ford revealed new Focus ST