BUYERS of European hot hatches have never had it better.
From the desolate wasteland that was the Australian scene in the 1980s and 90s (aside from the iconic Peugeot 205 GTI), the small, affordable performance runabout is now the must-have staple for any C-segment small-car offering seeking a keen driver’s stamp of approval.
That’s so true that Holden has relaunched the Astra only as a three-door hatch, topped by a VXR performance flagship.
And while a far more mundane reason sees the new and improved ST flagship precede the more pedestrian versions of the facelifted Focus (the German factory has come on steam months before the Thailand version), the fact that Ford is bothering in the first place is testament to its hot-hatch ambitions.
Indeed, the Blue Oval is looking at busting the Volkswagen Golf GTI’s sales stronghold in a segment that also includes notables such as the Subaru WRX and Renault Megane RS – the latter making Australia its second-biggest market on the planet after France.
Is Ford dreaming?
There wasn’t a whole lot wrong with the last LW Focus ST (for Sport Technologies), launched in Australia at the tail end of 2012 as the replacement for the previous-generation LV-series XR5 Turbo.
In LZ guise, it gains a different nose treatment with sharper headlights, a more prominent trapezoidal grille and aggressive-looking bonnet, restyled bumpers with reshaped air intakes, and larger fog-light housings, while the tail-lights are slimmer, the tailgate valance is smoother and the fog-lights have been made more rectangular out back.
The now-softer touch dashboard’s multitude of buttons have been banished for a simpler approach, featuring a much larger, 8.0-inch touchscreen, redesigned climate control system, more intuitive voice-control, a restyled flat-bottomed steering wheel, relocated switchgear, and a repositioned hand brake, among other alterations.
Additionally, the front seats remain sporty Recaros with gaudy colour inserts, the scuff plates by the doors have illuminated ST insignias, there is special ambient lighting, and metallic surfaces pepper the pedals, as part of a host of hot-hatch visual touchstones inside.
What’s the damage then? Jumping $700 over the old car to $38,990, the Focus ST matches the top-selling WRX but undercuts other important rivals, such as the Astra VXR by $2000, Golf GTI by $3000, and Megane RS265 Cup by $5000.
Furthermore, the Ford helps balance the extra ask by now including idle-stop technology (saving 0.1L/100km in the process, taking the combined average down to 7.3L/100km), adaptive bi-Xenon headlights, and an upgraded multimedia voice-control platform known as Sync2.
If buyers choose the $2000 Technology Pack they also gain rear cross-traffic alert to help make reversing safer as well as an improved autonomous emergency braking system that now works at speeds of up to 50km/h, on top of the regular adaptive cruise control, lane-change departure, blind-spot warning, and anti-fatigue monitoring driver-assistance systems.
Under that reprofiled bonnet there is little that has changed, however, with the same 2.0-litre twin-cam direct-injection four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine.
Dubbed EcoBoost in Ford-speak, it pumps out 184kW of power at 5500rpm and 360Nm of torque from 2000-4500rpm. While the Focus ST still comfortably outpunches the Golf GTI (162kW/350Nm), it remains behind the WRX (197kW/350Nm) and Astra VXR (206kW/400Nm).
Another area where the Ford may not quite match the competition is with the availability of an automatic transmission option to the standard six-speed manual gearbox. Both the Golf and Subaru have made real headway in what has long been a no-go zone with their respective DSG dual-clutch and CVT self-shifters. It will be interesting to see if others follow suit.
To help make the ride softer as well as to cut noise, vibration and harshness properties, the MacPherson strut front and multi-link independent rear suspension systems brandish revised springs and shock absorbers, as well as stiffer bushes on the lower front control arms and rear spring links.
Also coming in for a tweak has been the fully electric rack and pinion steering set-up, recalibrating the control systems for what Ford calls more “specific sporting requirements” of the ST – meaning a crisper and more natural feel. To that end, the electronic stability control system comes with an ‘enhanced transitional stability’ (known as ETS) tune to help maintain better traction during quick directional changes.
Finally, Ford has fitted new-look 18-inch alloy wheel designs with red callipers for a more aggressive hot-hatch look.
Minor, but worthwhile changes, to a model that keeps Ford’s performance small-car heritage alive and kicking.
But has the Blue Oval done enough to tempt buyers out of a WRX or GTI?
Byron Mathioudakis GoAuto.com.au
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