By Otsile Kadiege

Yes, locally the Ford Focus range was discontinued many moons ago however, it’s still being sold in a few other markets and we thought you would like to know what the famous blue oval automaker has in store its customers abroad. The new Focus ST boasts a refreshed exterior styling, many new technologies and a potent yet frugal EcoBoost engine. 

Exterior
The new Ford Focus ST features a bold exterior thanks to a grille with honeycomb a structure flanked by slimmer LED headlights now with integrated fog light functionality. It also features high-series LED taillights featuring a new internal design with a darker central section and an eye-catching new loop light pattern. 

Interior

A prominent change to the interior is the rather large 13.2-inch central touchscreen with Ford’s SYNC 4 infotainment system which uses a sophisticated machine learning algorithm to learn from drivers’ behaviour and deliver more accurate suggestions and search results over time. The ST features fourteen-way power seat adjustment, including four-way adjustable lumbar support sport seats which the automaker claims have been designed to provide high levels of support and comfort. 

Driver assistance systems 

The new Focus also adds to its comprehensive suite of advanced driver assistance technologies like Blind Spot Assist, Intersection Assist, Local Hazard Information, Rear Occupant Alert, Adaptive Cruise Control, Sign Recognition and Lane Centring to name a few. 

Powertrains 

Powering the refreshed Ford Focus ST is a 2.3-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, delivering 206 kW of power (280 Ps) and 420 Nm of torque supported by a twin-scroll turbocharger with anti-lag technology. A 6-speed manual gearbox is standard with rev-matching technology when specified with the optional X Pack for smoother, more consistent down-shifts. A 7-speed automatic with paddle shifters is also available. 

High-performance driving technologies include an electronic limited-slip differential and Continuously Controlled Damping. ST models equipped with the upgraded X pack feature Dynamic Pixel LED headlights, 19-inch alloy wheels and an additional Track mode within the selectable Drive Modes, for optimised EPAS feedback, a more aggressive throttle tuning and greater leeway from the ESC system.

As mentioned above, the Focus has been discontinued in SA however, we hope the car manufacturer will one day reintroduce the performance hatchback to give its established a run for their money.