Ford Focus ST: Ferrari Testarossa On A Budget? - XCAR 

Love the honesty in this vid. "If you have an honest job, you'll never be able to afford one of these".

One of the best reviews i seen in ages. I love the ST

This was one of my first videos I watched before purchasing my 2014 ST (used 13,000 miles). I'm still smiling in 2021 😁

This guy is the best XCAR presenter, hope they use him more.

It's a great car. I bought one for a daily driver and have been loving it. :)

I love my new ST3 you drive with a smile on your face. When you make it growl your smile turns into a massive grin!!!

I'm never going to own a Lamborghini. Inspiration on a different level

Great vid guys, I really like the new face-lifted Focus ST, it's a lot more sharper & sleeker to look at. I love the paint job too, suits the car very well. Overall, a great fun little car & a great review, keep up the good work XCAR :)

This by far is the best and the most practical review on the Focus ST. Nice one 👍😝

This happens to be the first new car I've bought myself, and I have come to the same kind of conclusion. It may never be faster, and it certainly will never be as rare or beautiful, but I will bet any amount of money I'm having more fun in my little hot hatch then the guy with a Ferrari. I can drive mine, everyday, everywhere, with everyone. I can park anywhere, and the day somebody backs into me in a shopping center, sure I'll be upset, but I'll be thankful it wasn't a 1/300 Ferrari. Super Cars will always hold a very special place in my heart, but being afraid to use your car, makes it that much less fun to own. I think if nothing else though this car has really taught me there is no excuse for a gear/petrol head to buy something boring. Not as long as this blend of performance and practicality exists.

I love my Focus ST; its one of the most fun rides that ive ever driven and it's still bone-stock. I just hope the RS is affordable, because the only thing i'd change about the ST is to add AWD... If there's any hint of frost on the ground she doesnt want to play as much. And almost any trans will be better than a Subi's Glassbox.. That's right, i said it.

Lambo will break down after 5000 miles, this won't. And I ain't joking.

I totally agree with you Drew! If you can't afford a supercar car, you can have a feel of it by buying a cheaper yet more comfortable one. A Ferrari (or any supercar) is no doubt amazing to own, but if you don't run it on a race track/autobahn, you will never experience its true potential. Beside that, a 1 second 0-60 difference when you are in the 5 second range isn't noticeable on public roads.

Really high-quality produced video. Loved it. Thanks for all the good info and great footage of the Focus ST

Keep chasing ur dream people. U can achieve whatever u have ur mind set to. Never compromise in life!

Revisited this video because I had one of these years ago and I remember how well this review captured the balance between the needs of a family man and a petrol head super-car dreamer. What a shame that Ford, nor anyone else, is making anything like as good nowadays.

One of the best videos about focus st. I have st mk3 turnier and i love it. It is the best compromise betwen sport car and everyday useability.

I wish to have the new design with the old engine! The 5 cylinders sound gorgeous. There is better hot hatches but I've always loved the ST

Nice new guy, he's funny and concise. is he welsh or something? Nice review too!

I own a 2015 Fiesta ST, Love that car but wish I had more room for the kids. Should have gotten this car instead.

Excellent presentation of one of my favorite cars. Very insightful and nicely edited. Well done, mates! 👍

I own a 2014, and yes this car is a great balance of affordability and function...great video!

I want one even more now. Great video. The filming and editing keeps getting better!

This vid is a good consumer advice! I am not in the market for this car, much to the chagrin of my son. I cannot afford even a Ford Focus new. Let alone an ST. Besides that, I love comfy, soft, silent, superreliable cars that greet me in the morning and give me the feeling that, if I wished, I could drive it to Beijing and back. In all comfort and with no problem.

Well, this was depressing. If I live an honest life, I'll likely never be able to afford my automotive dreams. Keep on building us up, guys.

First time the term 'apex' has been used in a graphical context in a car review. Nice work.

1:31 - 1:38 "To get a car that does 0-60 in a second less than this car you'd have to spend twice the amount of money". No, you wouldn't. The Golf R is 1.5 seconds faster from 0-60 and it costs 8k more - which is about 35%, not 100%.

Nice job Drew. I'm by no means a Boy Racer, but wanted something faster (when needed) on a budget. Ordered an St-3 and I cannot wait to take delivery. It took me a long time to determine whether to go for an ST, but your video simply nailed it for me. Thank you.

When I was a little boy I wanted a first gen firebird, I now have a 69 firebird. Old school American muscle will always turn more heads than any lambo or ferrari.

I own a Focus ST3 as well as a Porsche Boxster and a Z51 Corvette Stingray and even though the ST is not a beast like the Vette, it's not meant to be and it sure didn't have the price tag either. What you do get is a lot of bang for the buck and a lot of smiles along the way. The ST is great for spirited driving and it delivers. I would recommend it and especially if you don't have wads of cash to throw around.

I drive a 2012 Focus Zetec S 1.6 Ecoboost 182 with the bigger 18 inch wheels in white and is a very good car and returns 39mpg on a 60 mile a day commute. Yes I could get a better return on mpg but it's the fun and smile factors with these cars. THis is a excellent review video of the Focus ST and I hope to get one very soon. Go on put that smile back on your face and get this or a Zetec S 182 to start with.

The Focus ST is such a fun car to drive. No, it's not a Lambo, but when a car makes you smile when you drive it? It's worth buying.

Good presenter!

If its anything like my Fiesta ST, it's good :)

Best ST review i've seen. Will buy my condo first and then ill park this there in about 2 years when the price is below 20k

Great review! Just bought a 2013 Focus ST and you said exactly what I was thinking before buying this car.

The 'daily driver' part was more important in my 2014 ST3 purchase than the non-exotic factor. If you want to have fun and need to stick a car seat and get groceries, yet still want power and european designing/quality, then I recommend the Focus ST. I get about 30 miles per gallon and can hit 60mph in under 6 seconds.

I love mine! Brilliant cars, these.

The best way to sum up the Focus ST XCAR excellent job

Very nice review guys. I like that you made the point about the law of diminishing return with cars. A lot of reviews compare the ST to other cars. Which when you think about it, is really comparing apples to oranges no matter how you slice it because different manufacturers design cars with different goals. The ST is designed to be a family car that, when you want, can give the thrill of a performance car. You point out how they balance that pretty well. Can't wait till you all get the chance to review the Focus RS when Ford finally releases it, either later this year, or next year. Hopefully not next year.

great looking stock wheels on this car too

The best bang for your buck here in the US is the Hyundai Genesis Coupe. RWD, 348HP V6, AND Brembo brakes for $33k? Hell yes. The ST is a close second, though.

I can watch this video again and again, waiting for the white ST3 with Sony sound system that will be mine in end of june.

I'm watching this video in 2023 wishing Ford could bring this back.

I bought a stealth grey ST-3 in 2015 based on this review. Still love it. If you're buying one make sure it's the ST-3. Buy the the moutune 275 package or similar to make it even better

I cannot disagree with any part of this video, really. Great job.

This is an excellent video

Excellent video!! Im new to watching videos made by you guys but I gotta say you guys make better videos than motortrend, car and driver and edmunds by a long shot. Great work. Im subscribing👍..

No this is the law of marginal utility. Econs 101. Diminishing returns relates to adding labour to fixed capital. But point taken and sweet car.

Yes sir . Bang for the Buck indeed !

excellent presentation....and good humour (subscribed)

Try out the Fiesta ST as well if you haven't already, Most say it's even more fun, despite being a bit lower in power, it's also a bit smaller/lighter!

From an US BMW driver: great work!

the greatest unspoken secret on earth is that driving with any car is fun.

My 2014 Focus with Sport package and manual transmission zips along pretty good for a small car and the easy handling is surprising; it's actually fun to drive! Currently have a K&N cold air intake to install in the Spring, but anyone really interested in acceleration should buy a 1000cc sport-bike for a lot less cost! The ST is a sweet ride though if anyone wants to spend the extra bucks. Btw those mega-buck exotic sports cars wouldn't last ten miles on the bumpy pot-holed roads around here lol!

If you've got money spare. Otherwise, stick with a Fiesta ST. On the upside, you can install a larger intercooler, larger turbo, and ECU reprogram for like just a few grand, and have HPs close to the Focus RS. Better fuel mileage, better for street use than a lambo; and if I personally received a lambo randomly, I'd sell it. Just not too fond of the final gear drive ratio. 3k RPM at 75MPH is just a tad too high in RPM. HWY RPM could easily be lowered by 20-25%.

Really having a hard time understanding the hate. All the people that come here and say "this is faster" or "this is faster". Did you not listen to the presentation??? The beautiful thing about this car and why I love mine so much is that it isn't the "best" at any one thing but is pretty good in all things. The car is not a track car, so while it has a firm ride, it's not bone jarring uncomfortable. It has great performance but also can be driven economically. And all this starting at around 22K (with incentives). But the fact that I get so much car (fun and practicality) in one package for such a reasonable price. This is the first car I have owned that I actually wake up looking forward to drive, and am kind of sad that my daily commute isn't a little longer

The facelift looks excellent!! I would really struggle to chose between this and the faster, more subtle Cupra.

He's right. Bang for buck, the Focus ST is great value for the performance. I drove my friends ST and it's loads of fun, although fighting the torque steer isn't fun as compared to my mustang 3.7 where it just puts the power down quick. I'd highly recommend test driving the ST if you can! Looking forward to the Focus RS, hope to get it to replace my Impreza :D.

Top presenter/reviewer. He is quality. Kudos.

At last a proper honest review, thank you !

Just replaced the stock catback on my '13 with an Injen, ST roars now!

Very well put imho. IT is about paid money/joy ratio. And customers are well aware of this (people have more informations than in past mostly due to technology progress for free). And these fast/hot hatches/wagons are simply great offers for normal guy. Look at megane GT (not RS) octavia RS or golf GTI or make a step higher with cupra ST, golf R, megane RS, peugeot GTi etc.

Nice but the newer Focus RS is THE focus now - 2.3 Turbo Litre EcoBoost engine, 315 bhp, 0 - 15 in under 5 sec, and importantly, 4WD. The Golf R is the other favourite of mine. I know that part of Barcelona, it's the twisty roads up around the Olympic Stadium. Barcelona is nice.

Used E46 M3 (get em while they're still affordable!), used Boxters, Elises... these'll all do fine for less, well, disregarding servicing and maintenance!

Don't sell yourself short mate. You can have a Lamborghini if you really really want it.

Good review, but i don't agree about the critisism about the steering feel. Drove one the other day, and i liked it a lot.

Nice job Drew, I particularly enjoyed the video editing.

love the newer shape and wheels on this makes it much more mean i want to trade my Fiesta st in for one

Very good review and the Focus ST is just a lovely package for the money. But when we talk of childhood dreams It's even better when you realize that for the half of the money you pay for the Focus you can get a real used supersaloon like an M5, M3, Merc AMG, Audi RS4 or RS6, Impreza STI, Mitsubishi Evo or even a Porsche 911 - the 996s are very cheap at the moment.

Nice video! I have a TS '13 and really like it! Not sure about the refresh; but then I have a stake in liking the old one... Both nice looking, the newer look is a bit more homogeneous, ie. WRX, Mercedes, but that seems to be the look of the day. The car is great fun to drive if you push it a bit, and great with the family of four and the dog for a trip to the coast. You're right, you could do far worse. A stellar ride for us mere mortals!

This might have been the most bang for your buck at the time, but I have a feeling the new RS package is even better!

in my country people like more Skoda then a ford and I couldnt understand this fact, RS in each brand is a sporty car of course but this car and the feeling you get driving a ford is not even the half exciting as Skoda just my sensation.

Golf R/Audi S3 DSG, 0-62 4.9 seconds but nowhere near double the cost!

This is the video that lead me to subscribe to XCar.

Great video guys with some good points put across - I can't wait to get a shot in one :)

If you've grown up and become practical, these cars are perfect. But for some the childhood dream never ends, and there will never be a substitute for that poster on the wall. With some hard work, clever saving and of course good luck, owning a Testarossa actually isn't as unreachable as one might imagine. Check out the for sale listings. There are TRs for sale in much of the developed world, and the prices are not beyond the reach of mortals........yet. But, as they say, the purchase price is only the beginning in exotic car ownership. However, if the Countach was your dream car, sorry. They are rare enough that prices have really run away. Buy a Testarossa and hope that someone will swap cars with you for a few hours. On paper, cars like the Focus ST are superior in every way. Modern hot hatches are capable and fun enough to make an old Italian supercar irrelevant for almost everyone. ......Almost.

I like the Focus, but my choice would be Seat Leon Cupra 280. It's more expensive but still reasonably priced. Facts are - it has 50HP more which is quite a difference and it's more practical. Now the stuff that divides opinions and that's the design and quality of the materials. Facelifted Focus cleared the center console and it looks better than before but the Leon has nicer materials and I like it's dials and interior layout more. From the outside Leon looks sharper and more serious and those LED headlights are really cool. Focus looks more like a hot hatch than the Leon and has that nice new grille and headlights but I prefer the Leon.

There is nothing wrong with offensively bright colors. Nothing. There's too much white, black, gray and silver in the world.

My 2014 Focus ST puts a smile on my face every day. But I don't agree with your assessment on the Recaro seats. I've driven my ST from Calgary, Canada to Los Angeles, California and back and found the seats to be comfortable the entire round trip, a distance of 5,000 Km. They're just as great on a long trip as on a drive in the city. Or perhaps my idea of what is a long drive is different from yours and I didn't drive far enough....

I wish mine had lumbar support..even a manual one standard would be great!

Nice work. I'd consider this car in the near future as my 07 GTI is getting a little long in the tooth. I'm passing on the GTI this time as it is made in Mexico. VW did not pass any of thief savings to the customers. I'm talking about the GTI for sale here in Canada. I'm sure the one sold in the UK is made in Germany.

I was looking forward for this car but not until the new Focus RS was announced.

Yes its nice that ST, looks good, sporty and contemporary - Though I would not dare to take it in that color even that I like it (kind of promises a little too much, with an RS it would be okay) would properly go for a White or Black, but thats subjective.

i love this channel

Great review, Drew. We don't have to settle for less - just meet the halfway point and get yourself a hot hatch! :D

Smiles per gallon. 😎👍

I have a suggestion, find and analyse the average price of a used car, at least in Europe, that is the best considering the cost of insurance and taxes. for the average family income.

Great Vid!!! Correction, you can and will afford a Lamborghini... Stay motivated, innovative, and driven..... Never take no for an answer....

PCP has made a mid to high end Range Rover Sport accessible to most peroxide blonde 50+'s. Cars are to dome extent, no longer a reflection of Net Worth.

Good video - I have a mark 2 ST225 (in electric orange) and I'd imagine I'd still choose it over the newer mark ST's, they don't seem to be quite as exciting and angry!

Still a great car an looks much better than the pre face lift

I like the headlight more than the previous gen.

Awesome Video! Kind of makes me want to have this car!

Looks the goods. I'll take mine in black please.

Technically, the Focus ST is the fastest Focus that Ford makes/sells......The RS is yet to be sold......

Would you choose the Ford instead of the Leon Cupra? I drove the Cupra and it was awsome, haven't drive the Ford. Maybe you can do a test between Focus ST, Golf GTI and Leon Cupra

Just because there seems to be some confusion about it, I'm actually Scottish, not Welsh, American, Irish or Canadian. I'm from Glasgow.

Hmmm, not sure I agree with your thesis. If it was just about the numbers, then perhaps. Could you afford to put a Ferrari in the Garage? Granted, it takes a novel approach, but mere mortals (me) can own one if they are willing to work for that "fair deal". Yes, my F355 was about the cost of 2 Focus ST's, but the driving experience of a Ferrari is worth more than the cost of 2 Focus ST's. I'm a normal guy and I have to do my own maintenance to own a Ferrari. Keep your dream...

I've heard a lot of reviewers praising the Fiesta ST, and less so the Focus ST. Is it the weight that makes the difference?