5 Likes and 5 Dislikes | My Ford Focus ST

Have I had to compromise changing my Golf GTI to my Focus ST?
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[@rufusgreenleaf2466]

"Not Chest Hair" 😂 and there's me thinking you'd gone for the Austin Powers look.

[@thomaselliot2257]

Amusing Ashley was at great pains to point it out. Known as the Streisand effect.😅

[@sb1056sb]

Well it does match his beard

[@sanfordcurtis8242]

I thought it was when the video started 😂

[@rufusgreenleaf2466]

@@sanfordcurtis8242 I think it's a wind shield for his mic. Still 🤔😅

[@paulsengupta971]

I was going to comment on the new chest wig until the banner came up in the video! 🙂

[@BoeingvsAirbus1578]

Great review here Ashley. My advice as an engineer - don’t be tempted to allow the torque of the car to drive it in too high a gear. 5th at 30mph is not healthy for the engine. Research Low Speed Pre Ignition, caused by a common driving error labouring direct injection turbocharged petrol engines. You do not want LSPI to kill your piston ringlands

[@Aaron-rr1gs]

My motorcycle instructor was also guilty of this. Constantly in 5th gear around town just because the torque allowed for it. You're labouring the engine unnecessarily and the difference in economy is neglible. Page 1 of every car manual is "don't labour the engine".

[@i3d3]

Exhaust sound being audible inside the car is a significant help with clutch control. I hardly ever look at my tachometer when manoeuvring (prefer to look around) and being able to hear if I gave it too much or too little gas is so helpful.

[@wrightwoodwork]

​@@Mk7adxm you feel the biting point not hear it

[@wrightwoodwork]

@@Mk7adxm you should still be able to feel the biting point without the load exhaust. Sitting on a hill with no loud exhaust or tachograph and hand brake on when you lift the clutch, you be able to feel the car rock or squat down at the rear. That's the biting point . The exhaust note is more useful knowing when to change gears

[@DjDolHaus86]

Does anyone look at the tach when manoeuvring? What are you expecting it to tell you?

[@carlhunt-gg5sm]

Pretty sure the exhaust sounds heard in the cabin are fake or artificially enhanced in both the Golf and Focus? In the Golf at least it literally plays a fake electronic exhaust noise through the speakers. Think I'd rather not be lied to by my car and get them deactivated! Just enjoy hearing the real thing..

[@Thb202]

I've just switched to a manual A4 and with it being so insulated the first week was really hard trying to find the biting point

[@harrisonhealey1679]

One thing to remember is the car is brand new and mpg consumption is always high in the first 2000 miles. My current 1l petrol took about 4,000 miles before I started getting decent mpg 45 - 50. My diesel car took 10,000 miles before I regularly started achieving 60 mpg average. When it was new I used to get 40mpg max.

[@OutlawJackC]

Hate how everyone is trying to use touch screens for everything now, putting tech where tech doesn't belong In my 2007 corsa I can change the radio volume, station, fan speed, temp, vents, and rear demister without taking an eye off the road, purely feeling where the buttons are

[@rufusgreenleaf2466]

Same with my 2016 Fiesta, the controls are fresh but still basic and i like it that way.

[@r3h4n786]

Same with my 2001 Toyota Mark II, alot more usable

[@WerdnaLiten]

And the screens are getting bigger - not good at all' some resemble tablets/PCs.

[@OkenWS]

@@WerdnaLiten Taking your eyes off the road to adjust GPS on a dashboard tablet - illegal... taking your eyes off the road to browse Spotify or fiddle with your a/c or driving modes (in something a bit posher like a Cupra)... perfectly legal. Makes no sense, does it? Irritating to have a government and MOT that is asleep at the wheel.

[@OutlawJackC]

@@OkenWS it's a bit more complex than that Im not aware of anything stating adjusting gps is illegal. You are allowed to use a phone or whatever while driving aslong as its in a proper mount and NOT hand held But dangerous driving, or driving without due care and attention is something to be worried about Depends on the situation

[@grahamnutt8958]

The colour is absolutely fine. Despite, thus far, a worse record for Fuel consumption Ashley can legitimately claim that his car is Green. Oooff - time to grab my coat 😂

[@artemkatelnytskyi]

I wasn't a fan of the colour initially, but it is growing on me. Also the styling of this car is excellent!

[@sibriers5254]

I have a new 2023 Focus ST Line X 1 litre 155 hp mild hybrid, its really nice to drive, looks just same inside as yours apart from the seats, took me time to get used to the touch screen, it's definitely distracting to have the climit controls on the screen and not physical buttons, Love the heated seats and heated steering wheel, I also keep it in normal mode most of the time. Wanted the same colour as yours but couldn't get it on the ST Line X so i chose the black. Really enjoyed watching your videos over the last year, it has really helped me to be a better driver. Look forward to see your review of the focus after owning it a while. All the best Ashley.

[@samstockley4588]

It blows my mind that there are learners learning on an ST - which is great, as it probably would have given me a bit of confidence opting for an ST over the Fiesta ST line I went for - and tend to use in Sport mode for a bit more punch out of the 1.0 Ecoboost. Just watched your video on smooth acceleration and look forward to applying learnings.

[@jonrellim]

Color is nice! I hate that a massive majority of cars is now white, black, or grey. Bring the colors back!

[@masonfuller7848]

imagine learning in a focus st :O had my 73 fiesta st for 2 months now, absolutely love it, some of the same gripes, the seats can be awkward although comfortable, and the economy isnt brilliant, but for such a well built drivers car theyre all small things that are easy to overlook when you really enjoy it.

[@blackwallstudios4123]

Thanks for this video. I'm looking to move on to a focus ST I currently have the Mk8 ST which, for a Ford seems to be be built well but I've heard Ford may have cut some costs in their newer models so thank you for this review!

[@Refrn]

Been watching you for a few years now driving a mk3 focus the whole time and it’s nice to see that you got a mk4. One thing I see that the mk4 doesn’t have that my mk3 does is the honestly very effective blind spot mirrors.

[@stevenjones1972]

Hi Ashley,great video,it is a nice colour,suits the car.another thing like with the ST is the digital Speedo,mine has digital and analogue Speedo but I do use the digital more as it's bigger.

[@davidhayes4777]

Great car Ashley,colour reminds me of the stuff I used to clean my hands with in a factory, Swarfega lol!

[@chrishughes62able]

Swarfega Green! 💚😂

[@sanchoodell6789]

Great review of your new motor Ashley but I had to recalibrate the colour saturation on my phone's screen to cope with the Focus's bright green colour!

[@steob20]

As a focus st line driving instructor I'm envious of your ST, however the price of that model here in Ireland puts it out of reach for most people. Not keen on the colour but I'm biased as I'm on my third white focus, keep up the great work, I'm picking up tips all the time, thanks.

[@Wheelgooddriving]

Im just waiting for a focus st line x in desert island blue. Was meant to be delivered to the showroom last week. Looking forward to it. I would suggest a full blown ST is a little eccentric for learners. Nice car though and i actually do like the green.

[@HillJamie17]

A lot of these ups and downs I can relate to my Fiesta ST too. I love the car but there are a few rattles in places which can be annoying but on a performance side, it doesn’t have the torque the Focus does but the actual torque delivery seems pretty similar. I like the fact I don’t have to work through the gearbox everytime I want to get going. I’m getting around 35-40mpg in mine which is a bit different to the Focus but obviously the Focus offers a lot more space 👍🏼

[@Mr330d]

Remap it 👌🏻

[@kevinmills5293]

I’ve a Puma ST in mean green and although not as much torque as the Focus, it is still very tractable and as he says, it reminds me of the torque from a diesel. The suspension is pretty firm which probably contributes to the rattles and creeks which are pretty annoying. I’ve had it over two years now and the economy has been around 38mpg. When new, it was considerably less and took about 8k miles to properly losen up.

[@jasoncrook1]

I own a MK 2 pre facelift Focus ST on a 06 plate and it’s a absolute dream of a car , with its 2.5 turbo 5 pot Volvo engine stage 2 mapped with KMS Thunderstorm exhaust, it performs and sounds amazing, and if the seats are Recaro you’re ST you don’t need to worry about the bolster mine are original on 70 thousand miles and are like new 🤘🏻😎🤘🏻

[@nickwragg]

I have owned 3 ford's mk2 Ka, mk5 fiesta and mk7 fiesta St and I have loved all of them.

[@RikAindow]

Some good points Ashley! I have a 2007 Mondeo Titanium X sport pack which has sport type seats. I'm also 6ft3 and 23 stone, was 25 at my heaviest. The car has done 223k and the seats still look perfect so don't rule out the seats in your Focus just yet. :) Mine is a diesel though so has very wide gearing to take advantage of the torque, so I'm only in 3rd at 30. 4th or higher at these speeds is actually bad for fuel economy and also the drive train. I know yours is petrol put I'd think 5th gear at 30mph may make fuel economy worse. The interior quality is pretty good. The worst I've found is some rattles caused by screws coming loose with age. Simply tightening them up solved most of it. If you remove trim panels, say, to fit a dash cam, ensure the panels are warmed as some of the plastic clips break easily. Finally. If you get any water ingress, I can highly recommend Fernox LSX as it is quick and easy to apply, and can be applied to wet parts (water helps it cure). It's about a fiver at Screwfix.. What happened with your Golf's exhaust? Did you put it back to stock before the car went back to the dealer?

[@ambiva]

I actually had all the driving lessons in a Ford Focus ST, my instructor has a white one probably previous generation. At the beginning I thought the car is too powerful for beginners but at the end, I kinda like the Focus ST, fun to drive with enough power to accelerate to speed limit in no time 😂

[@josephmarsh8235]

Your focus is fantastic Ashley! And yes I do like the colour you have. I was quite surprised to hear what you said about the rattles and the build quality being a bit bad. To be honest, I thought my Ford, which I bought used and is a 2017 model year and has over 55,000 miles, was rattly at the sides and wasn't built perfectly. It surprised me that even a new Ford could be similar. My Ford has bad plastics, piano black plastic, metal and leather as it's a vignale model, and by the way, my Ford is a Mondeo hatchback, and I love Mondeo cars a lot. My Mondeo is also quite powerful as it has a 2.0 diesel with 177hp and is AWD with a 6 speed automatic and to honest, I was concerned about the fuel economy going through the roof with AWD and an old auto gearbox. However, my fuel economy has been between 48 to 57mpg and great to drive. I should also say, even though new cars have so many controls through screens only nowadays, Mondeos have the controls through screen and through buttons, like my heated steering wheel is through the screen only, whereas things like my AC, volume, fan speed and some more can be done through both. I do love Ford cars, but it's sad to me how sadly we have to say goodbye to any new Mondeo, Focus and even the wonderful Fiesta. I'll never forget the time I passed my driving test for the first time in a Ford Fiesta.

[@GameWithViiP3R]

Hi Ashley my sister had one of these the only thing I'd watch out for is battery problems and also watch the gearbox not being the best my sister had her whole gearbox replaced under warranty and the tech said it was very common and they had 4 waiting for a gearbox

[@djiminitraveller]

I’ve had a number of Focus ST’s! My current one is the pre-face lift one, so I have the Recaro’s not Ford Performance seats. Also, I have the smaller Sync 3 Screen and therefore have buttons for climate control! In regards to economy, I use the power when needed, like slip roads on to motorways etc, or overtaking vehicles that are not driving to the speed limit and therefore have to take steps to pass them. So primarily drive in Normal mode (slippery when raining) and never in Track Mode! With all that said, I’m getting 35.6mpg! Yes I do a lot of motorway/dual carriageway driving, but also lots of round town! My mate has the same model as you and he said he was getting 22mpg but he said he rags it a little! Also, if you have learners I assume some rev a little more than normal drivers, which would drink a little more! I love my ST and for the money it’s one of the best hot hatches out there….great choice! 👍🏻😀

[@davidwright1605]

Not sure I'd go for green but really pleased its not the boring grey which seems so dominant at the moment. I drive an orange car FWIW.

[@88balloonsonthewall70]

The grey color does hide the dirt on the car a little better wich also keeps it nicer looking for longer.

[@TheMuddatrucker]

If there’s something specifically uncomfortable with the seats, there are specialists who can alter them and make them more comfortable. The same person will also re-stuff the worn bolsters and make good any wear & tear, say once every 12 months or so. Had new Subaru’s back in 2004 & 2006 both with Recaro seats, lower lumber was too much for me and non adjustable so had a firm alter them and the results were fantastic on both cars. I used them to refurb both front seats before selling and it made all the difference.

[@ibs5080]

Looking forward to watching this at the hotel later tonight. Greetings from Day 2 of 3 at the huge NEC Classic Car Show. Two halls done yesterday, four more to do over the next two days. Stopped off at the IAM Roadsmart booth yesterday, though haven't as yet signed up for the course with a view to taking the advanced test. But had a very interesting chat with two of their observers, one of which mistook my mum for my wife! Made her day, less so mine. I took it all in good humour and asked him "Hmm..so how's your observation skills, Mr. Observer". Anyhow, looking forward to seeing this latest video this evening Ash. Now back to this fabulous show. Hope everyone's having a great weekend. Stay safe folks.

[@thomaselliot2257]

A smooth operator 😊 BTW I was right , your mileage does go through the roof. One Hundred Thousand miles 😮

[@ibs5080]

@@thomaselliot2257 Now you have me wondering. Did I mistakenly write 100,000 miles for annual mileage driven? If so, I actually meant 10,000 miles. It's been quite an incredible 2 days at the show so far, with one more day to go. Mum and I have already covered around 4.5 halls, with one and a half halls to cover tomorrow Sunday plus a revisit to some desired areas. Fortunately the final hall is the smallest, though still quite large. Then Monday we go Birmingham Centre for the largest German Christmas market outside of Germany. Hope your weekend is going well.

[@thomaselliot2257]

@@ibs5080 you put 10,0000 🙂 get to sleep you'll be tired 😴

[@sha22276]

I love the colour, so many cars nowdays are a shade of grey, it's nice to be a bit different.

[@rufusgreenleaf2466]

I have a Fiesta that's a weird shade of blue, it stands right out when washed. Stands out too much to be honest.

[@user-ig1xo3om2x]

As general point I agree about touch screens and the loss of muscle memory controls. As a specific, I like the green but miss the old "ASBO Orange".

[@PaulGibbons13]

Hi Ashley great video it’s an unusual colour I like the colour of your car 😀👍

[@davespillane4968]

Love the colour. Different and fairly rare.

[@user-sf2wq4cz2p]

Hi Ashley I have the Mk4 focus st edition with 5000 miles on the clock and I am averaging 34 mpg which is roughly what it should be doing , I am sure yours will improve when you have done a few more miles, anyway good choice of car and colour

[@robloxfan4271]

2:00 i like the animations on the screen when you change drive modes

[@goltyx]

Seriously considering one of these, switching my m340i for the dreaded EV (bmw i4) but would love to have one of these as our other car in manual to still get some proper driving in, some good deals to be had on them also

[@Mattf121]

Thanks for the interesting video Ashley, but no, not too keen on the green colour, as you sked. Iwould have gone with either blue or black myself. Personal preference though...

[@steamhammer2k]

I had a focus then went to a golf, the lack of rattles, creaking, crashing suspension, squeaks was very refreshing

[@nowiplay2]

Not usually a fan of the fords, but this one is really nice. Enjoyed the video

[@alanpotter7988]

I had a ford puma which is very similar to yours, mine had a rattle coming from the top of the dash, on the forum it was thought to be a loose airbag bracket but the dealer said it was the instrument cluster, fords seem to have battery shut down messages with some flattening the batteries, I got rid of mine when it had a new engine fitted due to an unusual noise and the scarcity of the parts needed to fix it, it was quicker just to fit a complete engine ( according to ford) , I totally lost confidence in it and the dealer, nor ford , would warrant the engine other than the few weeks left on the original warranty, that said, they are lovely cars and I hope you have trouble free motoring for many years…

[@amandarussack8591]

My favourite colour for this car is the fantastic red.

[@smilerbob]

Having owned a few Ford vehicles (mostly 9+ years old) I can say the rattles are things that you get used to. I have found in my Focus Mk2 and also a C-Max with the same body design, the door rattles were the clips that hold the trim and window mechanism in place had a small amount of play. If you do ever have to pull the trim off, I found small elastic bands around non-moving clips reduced the noise One thing I do like about Ford cars is the repair bill, should anything need to be repalced, is a lot smaller than other makes and a lot of parts are OEM available. The economy will increase over time. The engine and drivetrain should last you well if looked after. My old diesel had over 250,000 miles before it became slightly smaller with a rear end shunt and my current 1.6 petrol has over 155,000. No leaks, original clutch (on both) and just the usual suspension parts that wear and tear over time like drop links and wishbones Happy motoring in your new car 👍 (And before I forget…that van didn’t move over as the driver couldn’t see you. The colour of your car makes it hard to see! 😉)

[@bastiaanvandenheuvel2890]

I just can't get used to the rattles, so whenever I hear one, I'll locate it and use some black fabric tape to solve it. Other than that they are great cars.

[@bofor3948]

Totally agree about the development of screen based controls. Give us switches and knobs. Can't use a mobile to call or text, but changing car settings? Will soon have to pull over to change them. Daft! I like the colour had a fiesta in Squeeze Green.

[@Dave-mv3xy]

💯

[@merseamoto3098]

I think that is a beautiful car you have there. Love the fact it’s green especially. Prefer that over a golf any day.

[@williamfence566]

Colour suits the car, and agree with the need for a car to make a sound. I've just changed from a 14 plate to a 69 plate , same manufacturer and the newer one has been back 3 times . I think money spent on safety tech meant a compromise on quality elsewhere to make the profits. Oh. Also my car has physical climate buttons. yes!!!!

[@richardeggett9432]

I had a VW fox until i needed motability van, it had no electronic devices everything was manuel i loved it. nothing to go wrong nothing went wrong, i drove over 30.000 miles in it not even a tyre change, serviced at every service schedule brilliant little car. had to get a mobility car or would of still had it. i only got got it because my focus was too big for the wife to drive.

[@twoshottino1991]

Hi Ashley, great video as always. Would you mind sharing the name of the insurance company you use? I’m a driving instructor myself and looking at getting an ST when I go independent next year.

[@robertsmith7423]

Hi Ashley, I think if we make to many comparisons to our previous cars we wouldn't change them. Fuel eco is better if you drive in Sports mode,mine is always in this mode and I get around 36/38 mpg every tank but also on a run I get 43mpg@ around 50mph and then the power outways the ride. Like others have said it will improve with miles. And my Mk4 2020 has NO rattles at all,but I am a retired fussy Mechanic.😂

[@chrishughes62able]

I think it's great seeing a fairly high spec car being driven so well! It just goes to show that if you've got a nice looking, sporty, fast car, you don't have to be a 🔔end! And you can still enjoy your driving! I think I do like the green colour too!

[@adamb9569]

I currently own a gti and seriously considering an st really put me in the mood 😂

[@RushfanUK]

I really like the colour, I have a Fiesta ST in the almost electric blue that Ford did and I like these out of the ordinary colours, one of the four Golf Gti's that I previously owned was yellow, my ST is a 14 plate and I only do essential milage in it as I am a full time carer for a family member, it's only done a squeeze under 22,400 miles, Ford got these cars right in terms of driving experience.

[@Wetthewhistle]

I agree with your interior review, I find fords interior plastics feel a bit cheap and have no rugged feel to them.

[@gordonnodrogthomson]

Ash, surely one does not purchase an ST and then worry about fuel economy. You can't have it both 😏

[@GuylikeJay]

I just got my first car a focus 2015, really fun car to drive

[@RicardoPetrazzi]

Trade-off's trade-offs! some good positive points about the car for sure. I see what you mean about the seats though, that may get more irritating over time.? - And on the subjective subject of colour......I'm not a fan of that particular green, but each to their own 🙂 My own preference is that older blue they used to do, or perhaps black.

[@connor6585]

Hi Ashley, currently own a Focus mk3 1.6 petrol and its been bulletproof but really like the look of the BMW 1 series facelift (never owned BMW before) how does the Focus compare to BMW as you had a 1 series at the very start if i remember rightly? how is the automatic gearbox in them too? and overall would you ever go back to BMW after Ford and Volkswagen? thanks.

[@TheQuiQuestion]

I like that it's green.

[@jonfrench7133]

You have to change your technique for getting in and out with bolstered seats. Effectively lifting you weight over the side bolster and dropping into the seat, NOT sliding over the bolster. Lots of videos on this believe it or not, try the technique of left foot in, grip the steering wheel with your left hand and place your right hand on the sill so both arms have your weight whilst you position over the seat. Sounds complicated but it quickly becomes second nature. Harder to do for the passenger though…..

[@Diamus101]

Great vid, thanks. I have from new a 2020 Orange Fury mk4 ST with the Mountune M330 map. I wouldn't make the switch to the MK4.5 on account of the touchscreen and the air con controls losing buttons and knobs. So dangerous. Also they deleted the glasses holder where the rear view is. New to your channel and you say you use this to teach drivers, to pass their test first time? Very surprised at the choice of car if this is so. You got dual controls? No interior squeaks in mine, indeed I lost a squeak from the blind for the pan roof after a few months. I prefer the Orange Fury as that tradionally is the ST colour. I hate driving mine in normal so I don't, always in Sport mode. Used to get about 23mpg but now I am doing longer dual runouts so now getting about 27mpg. Looking forward to seeing you do a vid where you take yours over 3,000 rpm then you'll come back saying she is a different beast altogether compared to your GTI. 😉😁 Enjoy. 👍 I have subbed you so I get to see that vlog.

[@IDann1]

I did have an old ST and I found the seats very Supportive /comfortable,(but I’m not I’m driving instructor) and you’re getting about the same of fuel economy as my old Porsche, 996.

[@Chigleybus]

I do like those seats though, even with the figure-hugging bolsters. Nice car that. Modern fast hatches are great cars to drive. Turbos are now so responsive you'd be hard pushed to know it wasn't a NA engine, despite the turbo not revving as freely.

[@WillMorgan89]

Watch out for the window buttons. My 3 year old Active estate with only 12k miles have all cracked and falling apart. Quite a common issue. As soon as they crack, get a warranty claim in! I love the way my wagon drives and it ticks all the boxes as far as practicality is concerned, but the quality of the vehicle and some components definitely falls far from the mark!

[@Adamlllllllllllljjjljljjjjj]

An individual mode is a MUST HAVE for performance cars in the UK. Having dampers in sports mode in the UK is too firm (most performance cars). Also, some cars steering can feel weird with artificial weight in sport too.

[@gs188]

I know exactly what you mean. Traditionally performance cars had faster steering which makes it more direct with sharper feel but the tradeoff was it usally made the steering heavier, especially before the days of power steering - somehow this has now translated into manufacturers adding unnesisery weight to electric power steering in sport mode “because its sporty” whilst the speed and feel that you actually want remain as numb as before, if anything it makes what little feel you get be further masked as your just fighting the extra weight.

[@AUaudits]

I doing a car review on Tuesday, while my Fiat in Arnold Clark, having new discs & pads all round.

[@dmac2573]

I'm glad I have the Sync3 with physical climate controls.

[@hoagy_ytfc]

It needs an all-wheel drive mode too :) I didn't fully realise the benefits of AWD until I got the Yaris

[@tin2001]

😂 I went from a Subaru Outback to a Hyundai i20... And yep. You definitely miss it when you don't have it.

[@philmoffett366]

I’ve had my focus ST for 2 years after previously having the mk3 focus ST and hand on heart the quality of the mk4 isn’t quite as good as the mk3 which I had no issues with at all but this mk4 I’ve had 2 new front lights units one rear back light unit all fixing points snapped know idea why but was told by the ford technician it was due to the slamming of bonnet and boot🤷🏻all new window switches after they one by one snapped and a new catalytic converter!

[@Dave-mv3xy]

9:37 Agree with your point about electric cars. I have one at the moment and the performance is amazing but it just feels numb

[@keithhedley1392]

Have to agree with points 1/2 I've got a mk 4 and the only reason I haven't swapped it in for a 4.5 is the seats and the lack of buttons I struggle with moving radio stations on mine 😂 I'm getting 27 mpg on average now

[@da_great_mogul]

Try 8.5 GTD

[@sakina9648]

I like your videos ,explanations and wish to knew your channel before I passed driving test.But still watching and learning something.I passed my driving test 1month ago and never put P plate on car and my husband trying force me to do but as learner's time I know that when people see L plates they starting doing strange things as in red light standing very close even you are in normal speed they are trying to overtake ,even most of them show off themselves.CAN YOU PLEASE MAKE A VIDEO YOUR OPINION ABOUT PASSED P PLATES PLEASE. thanks to advance(sorry for poor English)

[@didley3211]

Ashley have you not looked at the Hyundai i30N you can customise the cars settings to your liking.

[@thomaselliot2257]

Before I even saw your question at the end, I was going to say one like for me is the colour. 🙂 Wonder if the emissions are ok . Saw the fumes from the exhaust just starting when you pulled the camera away. Never had an obsession with a loud exhaust myself. But that is just me.

[@thomaselliot2257]

I've heard conflicting stories that green can be either lucky or unlucky . I'll leave it to your superstition .🤔

[@shxdowplay_]

that exhaust clip sounded like a cold start, those fumes are most likely comprised of evaporated water

[@Manu-Official]

It kind of did look like a cold start indeed - all cars will smoke white in winter conditions until the car warms up.

[@kenbrown2808]

@@shxdowplay_ in the US, cars always have a tendency to let out a little steam. I think it has to do with our new fuel formulation, producing more water as a by-product.

[@bofor3948]

On the subject of the steering, I have a 2016 eco 2.0 TDCi CMax which is based on the focus chassis. Yes the steering is positive but the turning circle is huge. ( I think a ship could turn tighter🤣).There have been many occasions where I have had to perform a 3 -point where in my previous vauxhall or volvos a u-turn would work. Maybe the later focus or ST has a tighter steering geometry?

[@nDoornn]

Not sure if it on the ST Focus, but in my 3 cylinder 1.0L Focus it will rev up the engine to 1200 RPM when pulling up the clutch before the biting point is even close of being reached and it seems to disengage around 7-10 MPH. Seems the computer detects you want to get away from a stand still and it will provide some power to get away easier. Again not sure if that is on this ST as well, but it might be helping the students with getting away easier. It is a joy to use this system when parking the car or in traffic jams, no need to use the accelerator pedal.

[@OkenWS]

My Fiesta Active 140hp does this but sometimes I wonder if the 140hp 999c drivetrain didn't get as much development time as the others. At 1200rpm the turbo is either lagging or not in yet and the car tries to stall which causes the DMF to judder and rattle under high torque, not good for the car, so I always make sure to be on the gas now whereas I didn't in the early days.

[@user-kf3nd9qd9g]

I have the latest focus estate with sync 4 in titanium spec I have no issues with heater controls on the screen has they easy to reach and operate, car is a 155 bhp mild hybrid with dual clutch automatic and it a lovely drivers car but build quality not like the German stuff

[@reece005]

Looks nice like the colour it's abit diffirent

[@Richard_Barnes]

I miss the sound of my Subaru I will say that. I don't think my neighbours do though. I used to start her up in a garage at 5.20am in the morning! 😆That exhaust rumble was epic, I loved it. 8 superb years with that beast. It's just a shame I wasted £10k on modifications when 1/3 of that spent on driving courses would have made it much more fun and saved me a fortune! 😄 Nice car Ash' I do like the ST 👍🏻 I had my S3 gearbox remapped to keep it in 5th at 30mph as it was always hunting between 5th and 6th if the revs dipped. Launch control is fun, 😆I ain't used that in ages. I think I kinda miss a manual gearbox for fun driving as well but also can't beat the S3 power and 'flappy paddle' gearbox either.

[@Richard_Barnes]

On a totally boring 'anorak' note - over my 12 yrs (88,300 miles) of S3 ownership she's cost me £19,254 in V-Power and what used to be Nitro+ petrol 😆(yep, I really do have an Excel sheet going)

[@liam00]

I don't think many cars beat the Subaru on that front. But if I hear/see a Corsa making a racket I get slightly angry.

[@Richard_Barnes]

@@liam00 oh yeh, nothing quite like a Corsa with a bean can open exhaust on it 😆

[@jkd4568]

I got in my mother in laws 71 plate fiesta and the back windows were MANUALY winding.... that's honestly what id expect in a Citroen. I was a bit shocked.

[@OkenWS]

Totally agree on individual mode and the steering. Even worse, in the top spec Fiesta Active, Ford arbitrarily never put in the 'Sport' mode until they added the newer SYNC system and added the starter motor. Can't imagine why other than to give the ST-Line a unique selling point other than its boy racer look. The steering, on the one hand sometimes I want a completely unresponsive feel like my Civic, mainly for motorway driving. On the other hand, I love how much feel you get when you're on rural or bumpy roads. I know when my load distribution or tyre pressures are wrong because the steering either goes dynamically neutral/unstable (exacerbating deviations instead of smoothing them) or it 'follows' features such as utility trenches and potholes and causes swerving. But I can feel it all. In my Honda I would not have felt a thing, just the car jumping around. The Hybrid Focus (and Fiesta I'd imagine) is even more annoying, not having individual mode - the regen aggression is tied to the drive mode rather than being a customisable feature which IMO it should be on all hybrids, though I note I don't think the Mk4 Toyota CVT hybrids we see everywhere had them either.

[@jordanthompson9676]

The only thing I was super envious of in the MK4.5 was the interior of the 4.5 with the virtual cockpit and big infotainment but i am strongly against buttons on the screen so i think in that respect i prefer the MK4. I do think the 4.5 overall has a better interior than the 4

[@gav2759]

I'm beginning to think I'm not the typical British male driver. I have little invested in, what is my wife's car. I took as much interest in it's purchase as I did the tumble dryer. "I'm off to buy a car" she said "you coming?". "Nah, ye're fine" I said. A perfectly splendid conveyance it is too. Drives like a dodgem and it's quiet, which I like, because I hate the thought of unnecessary noise, intruding on others. From what I understand it's a bit of an up market fellow. it certainly has lots of buttons, that neither of us ever press, which collect dust efficiently enough. As for the colour, hold on I'll have a look outside.......Red.

[@J1mston]

I remember you looked at an i30N when you were shopping so I’ll run down you negatives and compare them with my Kona N which isn’t that much different. Seats, you’d probably have the same complaints. Should note that in the Kona N the seating position is high up so that may change things a little. There are proper buttons in the Hyundai! Hyundai has some really good customisation options. That being said, the ride is hard even on the softest. Fuel economy, mine gets worse than yours. I average 21 mpg. With you being a better driver I think you’d be able to match what you get in the focus. I think interior materials are probably comparable. I’ve had no issues with rattling/build quality other than a third party tray I’ve put in the centre console. I still think for your purposes that the ST is the better choice even if I like the Hyundais more.

[@step0601]

I had a MK3 Focus RS and although the ride was very firm it coped with speed bumps and pot holes very well. Ford are still creating great hot hatches after all these years but alas, not for much longer with the EV tidal wave approaching.

[@colinjones2505]

Same here. Got shut sadly, due to unwanted attention, especially by so many seemingly wanted to 'race' you all the time, especially at traffic lights. I deliberately drove away from them like Miss Daisy most of the time, oh, and nervousness of leaving unattended, and hence, lack of use. Such a shame, as I loved it. Your ST colour is great, and like you and many others I talk to, I hate all these disraction inducing touch screens

[@SilverShamrock71]

I swapped my leather for an Alcantara steering wheel, seemed like a good idea at the time

[@SilverShamrock71]

It may be worth adding that the Golf was an ex press fleet car which likely saw a fair bit of track duty and this was likely the cause of the reliability issues

[@user-sf7kl9uh7k]

I like it, nice low seating position, dark interior, high waistline. 😊 How many miles has it done, could the mpg improve as it loosens up?

[@ashley_neal]

Possibly, about 1K

[@user-sf7kl9uh7k]

@@ashley_neal It may improve still, I'd wait until it's done a few more miles than that. It's very nice, I especially like the dash, the best Focus IMO.

[@WolfmanWoody]

Boy Racer's colour that! 😅 Must admit, I really like my Ford Kuga diesel. Getting around 50 mpg, which is nice, and only two very minor complaints. 1) the hand brake light could have been in a better position because the steering wheel spoke covers it at times. And 2) the power socket below the gear stick should switch off with the engine, IMO, and it remains on meaning I can't leave the dash cam plugged in so I hardly use it now. 😡

[@jfergs.3302]

'Stuck with' sounded a little harsh, but colour-wise, yeah, nice.

[@leeh4722]

Looks a nice car. Fords are a so much better than they used to be….my 21 plate Ranger has now done 109000 and has only had a ad blue sensor fail so far

[@honeybadger3902]

Did they ever sort out the soldering issues behind the ICU? Ford used to be terrible with it as they don't use lead in their soldering so it's much more common for the connections to fail.

[@ugly_panda1837]

I have a MK2 focus st in electric orange and the only thing about this new MK4 is that it doesnt have recaro seats i know its petty but thats my only issue with it

[@stahlschorsch]

I will never get Ford's decision to link the design of the instrument cluster to the driving mode. Is that a thing you can change in the settings? I hate that all blue design when it is in normal, would be the main reason for me to drive in sport mode permanently. They probably tried to make it look sporty or something, but it just looks so much more sleek and elegant and also darker. Especially on night rides I don't see myself driving with this bright all-blue display in normal mode all the time. They have that in the current generation Fiesta as well. I'm so glad that I have the 2020 version with two actual gauges and only a small screen in between than that full screen instrument cluster.

[@sn1p4m4n]

You talked about steering wheel directness, how does it compare to the BMW you had?

[@geko7844]

I drive a Focus Active spec for work and often find that the clutch can be quite uncomfortable, especially when using it regularly such as in traffic, which isn’t a problem I get in any other car. Does that reflect your experience?

[@MrAspire82]

The rattles through the doors can be fixed . They can fit a baton between the door skins which makes it better

[@thefiftyfour]

So, wtf were the Ford development team doing?!? 🤨 Typical cheaply built chav box

[@MrAspire82]

@thefiftyfour wouldn't go as far to say chavbox.. but I'm sure there was definitely a conversation about "value engineering" 🙄

[@johnjackson2349]

The biggest gripe for me is the ground clearance, I can't clear speed bumps and is the only car I've had that can't, even my 340i had no issues, instead I have to slow to 3mph and straddle 1 wheel over the middle, bloody annoying! Also about fuel economy while overall better than my 3l 6cyl, on longer journeys its significantly worse, in my st I really struggle to hit 40mpg, even driving as careful as possible

[@billionbear]

I love that colour!

[@billionbear]

I commented before I saw your question at the end.

[@ogloftus]

It will have the same power in all the modes and with the seats get some covers

[@gs188]

How do you get on with the digital instruments brightness at night? I find the blue background quite fatiguing at night as its like someones shining a light in your eyes on unlit roads. I know its dimmable but on minimum its still very bright whilst the button illumination is dimmed to almost off - not very well matched. Sport mode helps as that has a black background but as you say you don’t always want to be driving in sport.

[@Pro_Blunder]

I got the pre facelift Focus ST Mk4. Agree with all of this except mine has buttons for climate control etc. love the green of yours tho and I can agree it does make going swiftly almost too easy 😅 Glad you’re enjoying it!

[@philipsmith9688]

I bought a 5 yr old fiesta a few years back and had a rattle on the door, off I took the door card and a coin drops out a 20 pence piece IIRC. Still had the rattle and I think it was a loose speaker. Strange when it came from a large used car supermarket and lived a former life for a solicitor firm. Colours like marmite and as I’ve said in previous videos it’s not for me. The yellow ford did is more me.

[@alexfirth]

I've always been a Ford fan. My parents recently swapped their top-spec Puma for a Cupra Formentor and, believe it or not, I miss driving the Puma, a lot. Ford have always dialled the handling which made the Puma fun to drive, the Cupra is just plain and the software is horrendous (same at a MK8 Golf). I think people nowadays are just buying V.A.G cars for the badge without considering if there are better options out there. I'll certainly be getting a Fiesta ST at some point after my experience with various Fords.