Ford Focus ST estate: practical hot hatch
What the motoring press is saying about Ford Focus ST estate

A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Price: £23,295 - £27,095
Pros: Fun and engaging to drivePowerful and responsive engineMore subtle and practical than hatchback
Cons: Ride is quite firmNot suitable for towingBigger estates are available
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
4.5/5 Car Buyer "Until recently, fast estate cars tended to be very expensive high-end models from brands like Audi and Mercedes. But in the last couple of years, more affordable options have popped up for drivers who want power and capable handling to go along with their luggage and passenger space. The Ford Focus ST estate is one of the strongest contenders in this class, going up against the likes of Skoda Octavia vRS estate, SEAT Leon ST Cupra and Volkswagen Golf GTD estate. Central to its appeal is the choice of either a 247bhp 2.0-litre petrol or 182bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine. The petrol's EcoBoost turbocharging technology means that it's suprisingly efficient for such a powerful motor, but the diesel is more economical still, offering superbly low running costs for a performance car. Of course, the Focus ST estate is also a very practical choice, with a 476-litre boot. It looks good, too – modern and stylish, yet not so over-the-top that it comes across as a boy racer's car. The final factors counting in the Focus ST's favour (whether you go for the hatchback or estate) are its generous standard equipment and good-value price, which undercuts most key rivals."
5/5, Auto Express "Mixes the sharp handling and turbo performance of the Ford Focus ST hot hatch with the versatility of an estate-car body."
4/4, Evo "The ST feels a great deal sharper and more responsive than before. The revisions made to the steering haven't eroded any of the previous model's feel and feedback."
4/5, Parker's "It ticks all the family estate boxes, looks great and even drives well."
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
-
What to know when filing a hurricane insurance claim
The Explainer A step-by-step to figure out what insurance will cover and what else you can do beyond filing a claim
By Becca Stanek Published
-
How fees impact your investment portfolio — and how to save on them
The Explainer Even seemingly small fees can take a big bite out of returns
By Becca Stanek Published
-
Enemy without
Cartoons
By The Week Staff Published
-
Black Atlantic: Power, People, Resistance review
The Week Recommends Fitzwilliam Museum exhibition features lives affected by the Atlantic slave trade
By The Week Staff Published
-
Private Lives review: a 'witty' revival of Noël Coward's classic comedy
The Week Recommends Patricia Hodge and Nigel Havers play the warring exes in this 'delicious retro treat'
By The Week Staff Published
-
Wilderness review: a soapy drama set in the American southwest
The Week Recommends Amazon series starring Jenna Coleman and Oliver Jackson-Cohen is 'full of twists'
By The Week Staff Published
-
Volkswagen ID.5 review: what the car critics say
Feature The ID.4's 'sportier, more stylish twin' – but 'don't believe the hype'
By The Week Staff Published
-
Jamaica Inn review: a small patch of Caribbean heaven
The Week Recommends Guests will feel like one of the family at this boutique beach resort in Ocho Rios
By Natasha Langan Published
-
Scottish Women Artists review
The Week Recommends Exhibition uncovers the work of female artists long hidden in 'historical obscurity'
By The Week Staff Published
-
Dracula: Mina's Reckoning review
The Week Recommends A groundbreaking and distinctively Scottish retelling of Bram Stoker's classic novel
By The Week Staff Published
-
Top Boy review: a fitting finale to the gangland drama
The Week Recommends This brilliant show is bowing out at exactly the right time – at the top
By The Week Staff Published