My rental car for a day last week was a brand new Focus ST. It only had 41 miles on it when I checked it out. I had an hour and a half drive each way from the airport to my assignment so I had a reasonable amount of time with it. I would love to have it on a track instead of city streets and interstates. My first impression wasn't all that great, but as the engine began to loosen up it really came to life.
It is a torque steer monster, part of the fun of a lot of power going through the front wheels.
The power is strong throughout the rpm range. No hint at all of turbo lag. Downshifting for passing not needed, plenty of power without working hard to get it.
Six speed manual shifts nice enough but it does seem to be a bit stiff. Not bad though, just firm.
Additional gauges on the top of the dash for boost, engine temperature, and oil pressure. A nice touch. Waste gate seems to be set at 15 lbs boost.
Seating is comfortable with good lateral support.
I never needed to attempt a panic stop, but the brakes seemed very healthy. It appears that the front rotors are larger than a basic focus.
The one fly in the ointment for me is the extremely firm suspension. That would be enough for me to not want the car as a daily driver. Everything else was both entertaining and enjoyable.
I was very pleasantly surprised to have it as a rental. It was nearly as much fun as the 5.0 Mustang I had about a year ago.
It is a torque steer monster, part of the fun of a lot of power going through the front wheels.
The power is strong throughout the rpm range. No hint at all of turbo lag. Downshifting for passing not needed, plenty of power without working hard to get it.
Six speed manual shifts nice enough but it does seem to be a bit stiff. Not bad though, just firm.
Additional gauges on the top of the dash for boost, engine temperature, and oil pressure. A nice touch. Waste gate seems to be set at 15 lbs boost.
Seating is comfortable with good lateral support.
I never needed to attempt a panic stop, but the brakes seemed very healthy. It appears that the front rotors are larger than a basic focus.
The one fly in the ointment for me is the extremely firm suspension. That would be enough for me to not want the car as a daily driver. Everything else was both entertaining and enjoyable.
I was very pleasantly surprised to have it as a rental. It was nearly as much fun as the 5.0 Mustang I had about a year ago.