2015 Ford Focus ST

The Ford Focus ST is a really good car. I want to make that point crystal clear. But I wouldn't buy one. As far as Blue Oval hot hatches go, my money is on the smaller, cheaper Fiesta ST. I honestly find the Fiesta more fun to drive, and not just by a little bit. It's more nimble, doesn't fight you as much, and from behind the wheel, I just feel more comfortable and locked in to what the car is doing. The Focus ST is a riot, but for everyday use, it's sometimes a bit too "Jane, stop this crazy thing!" On paper, the idea of a more powerful, front-wheel-drive Focus ST doesn't really do much for me, because the last thing this car needs is more oomph. The folks at Mountune now offer a power pack that adds 23 horsepower and 26 pound-feet of torque to the Focus ST's 2.0-liter turbo-four, bringing output totals to 275 hp and 296 lb-ft. That's all done thanks to different ECU programming, not to mention a new induction kit and an intercooler. It's a $1,900 upgrade, but on its own, I could really take it or leave it. What piques my interest, however, is the Mountune upgrade when packaged with a slew of thoughtful Ford Performance add-ons. There's a new short-throw shifter, torque-biasing differential, front strut tower brace, lowering springs, and a special cat-back exhaust system – all in, $3,132. Rather than just becoming a faster Focus, these accessories make for a more tactile hot hatch than before. With power, you need poise. And this car has it. Driving Notes As far as the power boost is concerned, you don't really notice the 23 hp. What you can feel is the torque, especially right off the bat. Instead of hitting you after initial throttle tip-in, this car's acceleration feels more linear, and more balanced on the low end. It'll happily rev high and play nice in third and fourth gears during spirited, backroad driving, but that initial push is much smoother than in the standard car. The short-throw shifter works well and feels great. But I never really had a problem with the Focus ST's standard shifter, so it's not a life-changing upgrade. Generally, I don't really like lowering springs on most performance cars, because they can often ruin the ride and throw off overall proportions, depending on the car's wheel/tire package. But that isn't the case here. In fact, I find that the ride quality is actually improved compared to the stock ST, and several of my colleagues agree. I don't know how Ford did it, but the lowered setup is actually better in day-to-day driving scenarios. Bravo. The steering is unchanged, which is fine, though torque steer is still present. (I don't care how sophisticated the front diff is – routing 275 hp and 296 lb-ft through the front two wheels is a challenge, period.) This Focus ST feels flatter in corners, but only just – the difference is minor, …
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