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Ford Focus ST170

Back in 2002, Ford bosses wanted something to appeal to the hot-hatch market, what they did was take the highly praised Focus and pump it up a bit.

History lesson - But before we start; To truly understand the ST170, we must see what it started: This was the first-ever hot Focus, in the following years, Ford has continued to develop the ST and RS line ups creating a legacy rivalling those of the GTIs and Type-Rs. One of the hottest versions was the 2010 RS500, producing more than twice the amount of power of our car. In 2012, Ford released the latest version, returning to the 4-cylinder format.

Styling -- This one in estate guise looks understated and humble, but people in the know will be able to tell it apart from the standard car by the more aggressive body-kit, the 17" multi-spoke alloys and the classic fast-ford blue paint.

Interior and practicality -- The inside of the ST is equally subtle, but if you look closely, there are a few clues that perhaps hint that this Ford is in some way different: The Recaro seats are heavily bolstered holding you in place around corners, aluminium pedals, extra dials and a more sporty steering wheel all give a sporty feeling. As this is obviously based on a Focus, interior space is good front and back, equipment can only be called basic and the dash is best classed as functional, then again, this is a hatchback first launched in the late nineties, what can you expect? It does the job fine.

The advantage of this being an estate is that there's a healthy amount of boot space, 520L to be exact, and the seats can be folded down.

Performance and handling -- Ford decided to hand their 2.0L to Cosworth, what Cosworth did to the Duratec engine was add a high-flow cylinder head, a variable valve timing dual stage intake manifold and a house-built exhaust system and manifold. All this pushed output up to 170 BHP and 196 NM of torque, propelling the 1350 KGs of mass to sixty in just over 8 seconds, not exactly eye-watering but there's where the magic of the ST170 lies. The handling is what really makes it, the chassis balance is that of legendary status, thanks to perfect 50/50 weight distribution, the close ratio steering rack means precision and feel, the lowered and stiffened Nivomat suspension translates into minimum body roll and more control, the upgraded 300mm brake discs ensure impressive stopping power and the slick short-throw 6-speed manual further reinforces the 170's sporty credentials. All these contribute towards the confidence and joy this car brings to you; on the road, it really is as good as the ST name would suggest.

Buying and owning -- Fords are generally reliable and this generation Focus was classed as an overall solid car. The fact that you can easily pick up a sub £1k example represents excellent value for money.

Conclusion -- The ST170 doesn't look like much from a fact sheet, it's numbers do it a somewhat injustice: This car was not built for straight-line pace. For Ford, this was a handling exercise, surely the primordial quality that every hot-hatch should exude.