Focus Films: Diesel Hot Hatch? Is That A Thing? - Carfection

To see our latest film before it's on KZbin: www.carfection.com
Our Focus ST has a diesel engine. Does that detract from its hot hatchness?
Subscribe for more Carfection videos: bit.ly/1V1yFYX
Join the Carfection community...
Like on Facebook: on. 1RvTdL4
Follow on Twitter: bit.ly/1JUAgiI

[@TheHydraccana]

What you have is not a hot hatch, but a warm wagon

[@RoelfvanderMerwe]

Haha. Awesome comment

[@martinallenuk]

Warm Wagon is now my new term for cars like this!

[@StephenButlerOne]

@@martinallenuk I've been using the term warm hatches too. Anything over 150bhp in a hatch or a wagon is 'warm' once to break 250bhp its hot hatch. But I think a wagon has to be 300 plus to be really hot.

[@Sophar01]

My new ST will be coming at the end of June. It will be a Tangerine Scream TDCI wagon with 19" alloys, a dual clutch Powershift and it will be tuned +212 HP/ +450 Nm. I cant wait to play with this diesel ;-)!!!! Until then, I'll play this movie in a loop.... (male, 44, 2 children, a wife: everybody happy)

[@H8XME]

Sophar01 how's the St D? I've just ordered mine?!?!? :)

[@ICcreepers]

but its a wagon. not a hatchback.

[@lgliam]

+ICcreepers Actually, it's an estate.

[@ICcreepers]

+lgliam wagon, stationwagon, estate, avant, shootingbreak... all mean the same :)

[@thehurt33]

+ICcreepers Shootingbrake is not even in the same ball field

[@ICcreepers]

+Willy D ur right :D

[@MonsterHunter104]

+ICcreepers A shooting break is not even close.

[@sahiel5]

love your videos they are so good and informative

[@jordanjames6273]

The first gen Seat Leon Cupra 1.9 TDi was pretty damn quick. Huge wedge of torque pinning you to the seat. I'd love one.

[@ShampooWow]

Awesome video! I like it

[@mumraa1980]

What everyone forgets is hows will it drives, great price and fuel economy is superb, i do love golf gtis but they look to sensible for me, this car is great fun!.

[@johnimg]

there has been Diesel racing class for years.. great fun

[@iEnzoPL]

Could you review the Ibiza Cupra for me? I just bought it, waiting for collection in two month so you could help me kill that time :)

[@jo05dk]

Yeah.. I'd love to have one of those :)

[@NormanCanton]

We need that in the us omg that's exactly what I need!!!!!

[@H8XME]

Just ordered a st3 D :)

[@FPSdaybreaK]

imagine an RS wagon

[@DustyShedGarage]

+daybreaK that needs to be a thing omg

[@IdiotsOnPCOnAKillingSpree1337]

Audi RS 4 or RS6 maybe?

[@NicolasCageisGod]

+AllAspectPlay I think he's talking about Renault's RS department

[@IdiotsOnPCOnAKillingSpree1337]

Oh i'm sry but how ever, why not to buy our german ,,Hot Hatches"? :D

[@freibier]

+daybreaK You can buy a Golf R wagon, that actually is a thing.

[@d0718]

As a Mk7 Golf GTD owner I can confirm that diesel hot hatches are possible, although I'd rather refer to them as "warm" hatches.. Because even mine 7.5 sec 0-60 isn't particularly fast. And just personally I prefer to see such cars as economical cars which aren't annoyingly slow. Like my friend in a Prius manages similar mpg as I do in Golf, although his car takes a few decades to reach 60 mph. And mine accelerates just fine.

[@TomHenksYT]

So, 8.3s from 0-60 is what we call a hot hatch these days? In that case, my modded Mk 3 Golf Diesel with 140ish hp would also be a hot hatch because it'll accelerate every bit at quickly.

[@MConeyworth]

I drove the petrol & diesel ST last week back to back. the diesel was first, it was okay, but it felt no quicker than my 1.6 fiesta metal (134ps) that's considered a warm hatch, so in comparison i'd say the focus st tdci is a warm hatch. it also didn't really have any character, it was just a bit plain to drive. The petrol in comparison was instant, relentless and far faster. bags of character. I understand why people buy diesel "hot" hatches, but they're not my cup of tea. i'm more of a smiles per gallon kinda guy.

[@trendkill777]

Focus wagon is good looker, shame we don't have them in straya.

[@MrAndersie91]

What about a comparison of the following cars Ford Focus ST Diesel v SEAT Leon ST FR TDI v VW Golf GTD

[@hyungwoo0312]

"Well, that..." Is this video cut short or was it supposed to end there? Anyway, great review and I'm impressed that a hot hatch can have a diesel engine in it.

[@JohnnyWrong]

+hyungwoo0312 Not very bright, are you?

[@paulhooley6869]

disgraceland uk internet warrior

[@benanderson89]

You can put a Diesel engine in a hot hatchback and have it fly like a mad-man. My brother has a Leon FR with a Diesel and with a tuning box its pushing 230hp with an ungodly amount of torque that is actually quite terrifying when you stomp the go pedal. The problem with the Focus ST Diesel and Golf GTi is that, well, 180bhp is pretty shitty for a hot hatchback these days. 200hp at minimum else its a warm hatch.

[@StephenButlerOne]

I have a 2015 GTC SRI 2l deisel 166bhp 270ft torque. And with its wider chassis, hypastrut suspension, electric sterling direct to the rack, it is a great handling car with tons of power when you 'on it'. It's also very hard to go slow, you just don't notice the speed creeping up, in slow areas. In fact 30s if the road us empty you can hit 60 with out noticing. I Now use 'here Maps' , always as it has built in speed limits and warns you of you go over, set it to 0%,5% and so on. Only Issue is mpg. the GM lump in it sucks fuel hard. I've averaged 33mpg in my 8k[fun] miles from new. A lot of motorway miles in there too. So it's not like I'm always on the country lanes. Edit 2 years on, now covered 42k miles. Now I'm getting a massive 36mpg. Loved it, but it's being swapped for a leon ST FR 2l tsi.

[@sush3450]

For some reason it looks bigger than the gas version, is that true?

[@FreeForAllFreak]

So you're perfectly ok with saying "it's not a not a compromise, it's just different." I am confused on how you put this thing on such a high pedestal but still manage to scoff at the mustang ecoboost.

[@Stichting-AAP]

Where is the drifting? Burnouts..? Street race against a golf GTD and GTI and Focus ST petrol? I know, im such a child xD

[@hyder404]

+TurboDifferent TopGear is gone my friend.

[@CarToneHK]

If I was rich, I'd buy all my friends one just so I could say I've given them a STD

[@2cflame]

Give them an sti instead

[@CarToneHK]

+2cflame I'm not that nice to my friends

[@amygal1000]

+MTC0316 No shit

[@2cflame]

+MTC0316 how bout an sti (° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@amygal1000]

+MTC0316 Keep dreaming rent boy :)

[@Sumdumdad]

I want a Fiesta version of this with the gas 1.6

[@rossgoodwin2700]

Great review! Sounds like a great car , here's the thing......the Skoda octavia vrs combi has the same recipe and is probably a little bit more reliable. Is it the better Diesel estate?

[@niklasnevesrensen5679]

It is an awesome car. But what about the Seat Leon ST FR TDI? Isn't it in the same class as the Focus ST? It is not the complete range topper like the RS or Cupra

[@ApurtureSci]

+Niklas Neve Sørensen I was thinking that, the Leon TDI 184 isn't billed as a hot hatch but is faster than this Focus.

[@ksalveta]

they made a new version of the svt just a ton more torque

[@stelswhere5074]

We have a mk7 GTD Golf DSG and it is not as good as the Performance Pack GTi Mk7. The throttle response is way off, the nose is too heavy and it is a lot slower. The DSG gearbox never seems to be in the right gear and it sounds awful. Diesel hot hatches are getting closer but still a way to go yet.

[@justplayen4070]

I wish this thing was in Canada

[@scottnwendy]

agreed :-(

[@Dluger123]

ST diesel is a great car

[@jony5702]

I've ordered one of these in blue and petrol it's taking ages.

[@eamoman651]

Hope you got it by now 😉

[@JamesRussoMillas]

Dat torque

[@theneil007]

A wonderful car that will never be seen in the US.

[@OmegaEGGY]

The Jalops are all over this one. The last thing they need for this to be complete is a beige paintjob.

[@SonOfTamriel]

Another nice wagon we can't get in Canada. I'd love to have this thing

[@thebesttheworst2277]

Can you get the Golf R Estate in Canada as an alternative, albeit a more expensive one ?

[@SonOfTamriel]

thebesttheworst I haven't seen them come in yet, I'm not so sure about that one. Another one I'd love though!

[@hartsickdisciple]

That's a wagon, not a hatchback. Also, can't be a hot hatch with 180hp, weighing about 3200-3300 lbs. 0-60 in 8.3 seconds is unacceptable for a hot hatch nowadays. It's not quick. The gas version has massive torque in the low end and midrange too, due to the small, quick-spooling turbo.

[@martinallenuk]

Why didn't they call it the STD?

[@Phillz91]

To me, personally, it is more of a wagon than a hatch, traditionally. This appears to be not so much for the pure hot hatch market, but the range topper demographic. The people who have enough money to buy the top line model in this line up; want the badge, luxuries and just enough sportiness (which the extra torque really helps with that feeling) but also want it more practical and economical. As it appears along side the petrol ST there is nothing inherently wrong with that, it broadens their market. I don't believe 'Hot Hatch' accurately describes it in the traditional sense of the word, but as long as the petrol variant stays alongside this it is really just an individual choice between whether you want the emphasis on sporty or the range-topping benefits.

[@dasspr]

Bring this to the US and it prob wont sell good, but ill probably consider it

[@RichardFanders]

OK, I agree it's fast and efficient. But where is the soul, the sound... it will get you from A to B quickly and comfortably. Bring back the old hot hatches which were more fun and made 50 feel like 80.

[@gabrielwong1991]

my bmw 120d has 177bhp and 7.6 secs 0-60mph. tops out at 140mph. most importantly it is RWD and it handles like a dream

[@msimrow]

That looks way longer that the standard hatch.

[@SticklesMickles]

I recently sold my old MG ZS180 as it was getting a bit too long in the tooth (owned for around 8 years, amazing drivers car) and picked up a 61 plate Audi A3 tdi black edition, to be fair, while the A3 tdi is a pleasant enough place to drive, i miss the feel of the old car, with its lighter weight, old school steering, and general tactile driver feel, yes the modern stuff is much nicer when plodding about, and much nicer to sit inside, the VAG TDI lump is ok when on the boil, but its shitty electric steering absolutely ruins everything, it feels heavy IMO and a bit lardy. I do have a ZX9R motorbike to keep the thrill level up when needed, but on a sweet road, in that MG (or my old impreza) i used to have the "moments" when you just love it (even when owning motorbikes) and i simply dont get that with the A3, it just does not feel alive. Neither did the A4 i test drove, or the Mondeo, maybe the focus would have been a better bet..

[@SticklesMickles]

Actually, i can perfectly sum it up, i prefer to look at the audi rather than drive it, and i suspect i would prefer to do this with most modern "warm hatch diesels"

[@BurtSampson]

Great diesel wagon, can't wait for me mum to take me grocery shopping in hers. After we're done maybe we'll race some lorries, hopefully they don't win by too much.

[@steve9107]

BMW 335d is the diesel that's actually genuinely quick

[@andrewkennan8812]

Cannot compare it with the st petrol as petrol has more horsepower, remap the diesel to stage 1 and the petrol would struggle

[@TheAegisClaw]

Sooo... It's slower than a 520d, a car which is bigger, heavier, has the same sized engine and doesn't make any sporty claims.

[@swanblake]

um crash standards bring weight. Not heated seats

[@geraldobrien8408]

Where was this filmed?

[@utubeballbag]

+Gerald O'Brien looks like wales

[@geraldobrien8408]

+utubeballbag ya I'm an Irishman living near London and I'm during to find some nice driving roads. the Surrey hills just ain't doing it for me anymore haha.

[@utubeballbag]

i sused to live over there myself , if you have a chance wales is lovely especially north wales and round the coast - would remind you of the west of ireland , apart from that the lake district or up to the highlands . All of those places are a right spin from london though

[@dyingangelo]

it's a mini van

[@inkno701]

So he says that it's nice to drive and the engine is good, but never shows him driving it spiritedly or accelerating fast at all nor the tachometer so we could watch it rev (let alone any good engine noise).

[@johnjackson12]

+Vegaspsycho Its not fast at all, i have a diesel ibiza at 197bhp and 360lb/ft and was embarrassing! Left it no sweat at all. Thing is the Focus zetec S which is a 180bhp petrol is MUCH cheaper to buy and a little bit faster. The diesel ST is just for company drivers who think they are getting a hot hatch because it says ST on it.

[@Alex-lm1uc]

i ordered benzine, wagon cause i need more space. way much better then diesel

[@RicardoPestana]

meh.... might as well get the one with the 1.6 ecoboost engine

[@slanahesh]

When the top range deisel Mondeo is more powerful and faster than the Focus ST, you know you have a problem. 182 bhp in an ST should not be allowed even if it's deisel, they could have at least popped the 207bhp deisel from the mondeo in it to get the 0-60 time under 8 seconds.

[@clairebannister4749]

so in reality it will do 50mpg - diesels have done that for 20 years(VW TDi).

[@Paco_Burrito_Suave]

Can Ford please bring this to Canada?

[@toerklintv4185]

I like diesel engines...

[@vivalaphill]

+ToerklinTV i love my 3.0 tdi aswell. it sounds a bit like the R18.

[@2cflame]

+vivalaphill I love my golf diesel and the black trail of smoke that follows

[@vivalaphill]

2cflame good stuff

[@DanM012324]

Filthy, filthy things..

[@HexaSquirrel]

+2cflame Nothing quite beats the smell of cancer...

[@wonderwall135]

that's a station wagon

[@Hellndegenerates]

I've used £150 of fuel in 10 days with my focus st mk 2, time for ☝

[@kenshinmoriame3624]

they should have called it the Ford Focus STD, get it ha

[@gordon238]

Looks more like an estate than a hatchback.

[@blarkdexture8899]

Lol do they ever say anything negative?

[@NicolasCageisGod]

Tbf they were negative about the Alfa 4c but on a whole, they really do dickride every manufacturer lol

[@graemewright3574]

Surely that depends on the paymaster!

[@TomHenksYT]

It's not a hot hatch. Not because it's a diesel, but because it's not fast enough. A Golf GTI these days will do 0-60mph in about 6 seconds, this takes 8.3 seconds. Anything that gets beaten by a Bmw 320i is not a hot hatch in my eyes. Today we have cars like the Ford Focus RS with 350hp, the Mercedes A45 AMG with 360hp, the Audi RS3 with 370hp and other really really fast hatchbacks. THOSE are what we should call hot hatchbacks, not a 2.0 diesel with just about 180hp. We should adjust our standards for what is and what isn't a hot hatch, rather than invent new terms like "super hatch" or "hyper hatch" or what have you.

[@TheAegisClaw]

It's the first Tesla that's a really great looking car. They won't be able to make then fast enough

[@leevardy852]

Bmw 125d is defo a oil burning drift hot hatch

[@aftastosk6016]

Golf MkI didn't weight "nothing", it was heavier than a R5 Turbo or an Uno Turbo it's not nice to fool people like that

[@easycompany979]

Std

[@nikb6528]

Yes in a way and no in a way. Yes to the torque and consumption, no to the non-eager to rev and boring sounding engine.

[@thierryvt]

soooo it's an STD then?

[@amurogundam2012]

I think all car journalist should really take into account the diesel emission problem, when making a comparison to a same model but petrol counterpart. It is no secret that diesel produces far worst pollutants compared to petrol. People seem to have forgotten about the VW scandal and the reality of diesel powered cars. I am all for driving fun and the enjoyment it brings, but it is simply foolish and ignorance to completely neglect the effect of diesel, yet the media is constantly avoiding to talk about the real emission, hence people are still buying diesel cars. Just thought I should rant it off here. Have a good day guys!

[@mynameisphil401]

Jeremy Clarkson was right a few years ago: Ford had an STD on the making!! :D

[@lungulet]

Since when the fuel consumption is a problem in modern 2.0 litres hot hatch cars? And that torque is the same as in most new HH (Astra OPC, Leon Cupra, Civic Type R) Not a good video!

[@thefleas]

Glad they didn't call it STD

[@wtfdididolastnight]

my daily 1.9 tdi pumps out around 230 hp, more than enough to beat this sucker. would always prefer a GTD over this 👍

[@ImCrooky]

It's not a 'wagon', it's an estate.

[@PandaEatsPlanetEarth]

No difference

[@triciahall6078]

Not really a hot hatch is it? more a warmish hatch

[@TheDustyaman]

This does not deserve a st badge.

[@JohnnyWrong]

+TheDustyaman And yet it has one, so I guess you're gonna have to grab a tissue and dry your tears, Dorothy.

[@TheDustyaman]

+disgraceland uk i really dont care becuase i dont like fords. i just dont see why it has one. But to each his own i guess. So hold to the tissues for someone else.

[@JohnnyWrong]

+TheDustyaman Well grab yourself a fresh tampon anyway. ;)

[@TheDustyaman]

+disgraceland uk Dude your trolling is so bad. Try to be more original bud. Dam must really suck to be bad at doing things.

[@JohnnyWrong]

+TheDustyaman And yet there you are, raging. Job done.

[@MotorsportbyMario]

Hell no.

[@macarronewitchis]

This is not even a hatch

[@ksalveta]

eveyone that likes focuses they want the station wagon st in america

[@Memories-_]

Doesn't he realise its an estate? 😂😂😂 Not a hatchback.

[@mark-1rc502]

When you consider the extra weight from the Diesel engine , you only end up with a 15 ft/lbs in terms of power to weight over the petrol car , coupled with its higher bhp and low rpm delivery all the waffle about the torque is 💩. On road the petrol ST will grill the STD , it does so for the golf GTD which is a tad quicker than STD. And the Diesel fan boys saying I'll have it remapped 🤣 go on then then make the Petrol an MR300 and see what happens . Or cheaper still just bung a cheap bluefin in the petrol and any difference is again negated .

[@HarrisonUK1988]

Mark C wow you’re so clever of course the petrol would piss the Diesel you moron, you don’t buy the diesel to race it do you, like you don’t buy the petrol ST to race it either, you’d buy the RS for that, educate yourself you mong

[@lukasvjohansson]

That's a wagon... So obvious.

[@p1eased0nteatme]

I like diesels. *Fast* diesels. 0-60 in 8 seconds for a fast car? :/ I know it's meant to be a driver's car but the EP3 Civic Type-R does 0-60 in about 6 and a half seconds :I

[@Cornwall1888]

They feel faster due to the torque though the golf gtd feels really quick

[@Cornwall1888]

It feels fast though because of the torque the golf gtd feels really quick

[@p1eased0nteatme]

Cornwall1888 I guess but it isn't the same acceleration as in a petrol. f.e. We had a 2007 Citroen C6 that had bucketloads of torque yet not much power, it was the 2.7 HDi. It went like stink, but 0-60 was only listed at 8.9 seconds. As you say, acceleration is mostly about torque. We now have a Volvo V70R ('03) and 0-60 is in 5.9 seconds, and feels so much better than any diesel I've ever been in (been in diesels much quicker than the Citroen). The GTD that you have (MK7?) delivers its power more like a petrol engine from what I've heard. The reason a diesel car is different is due to the torque curve; it tends to be very flat, with maximum torque being spread out over a large rev range. This is excellent for towing and activities like that, but for a performance car it can be quite hard to utilise. Not trying to start an argument btw, just saying :)

[@Cornwall1888]

P1eased0nteatme I own a BMW z4 3.0, petrol obviously, I was just using the gtd as an example of a quick feeling diesel hot hatch, that has a 0-60 of 7.5 seconds I think, I've driven the 2.0 tdi even that has a bit of kick, diesels aren't for me though sound like tractors and have short gears Actually some of the twin turbo diesel BMW's are incredibly fast the 640d has a 0-60 of around 4 seconds

[@p1eased0nteatme]

Cornwall1888 Oh right, just assumed you owned a GTD 'cos you exemplified it haha. Z4 is a great car too, my dad considered it when looking for his next car. About the Golf, the 0-60 is 7.9 seconds which isn't bad as such, just not earth-shattering. As you say diesels tend to sound like 4-cyls, notably I4s haha. The 640 is quite a respectable car, seen a few of them on the roads and can guarantee that they are quick :D

[@andipajeroking]

2.0 large engine you say? Ha.

[@BakedPrawns]

Are you guys sponsored by ford? I agree a diesel car can be quick and sporty but not with a lame 180bhp. There are plenty of German cars with proper Diesel engines, and proper performance figures. This car with that power can never be described as 'hot'

[@illitero]

I would adore the chance to own this. But I live in the US, which has the absolute worst car market on the planet concerning variety and emotion. Everything is so dull and boring and cheap and abysmal. Plus nothing but automatics everywhere. Also: an estate, not a hatch. I mean, it HAS a hatch, but that's not what this is haha.

[@guifrakss]

+illitero You have no idea whay you're saying, the US has a great variety of cars, specially if compared to developing countries. Here in Brazil it's illegal to own a diesel passanger car, like they do in Europe or the US. Though I'm not sure if it's possible to import one.

[@illitero]

guifrakss I know exactly what I'm talking about. The US isn't a developing country, so there's no comparison. But when compared to other developed countries/regions like Europe/Japan/Australia it's garbage.

[@guifrakss]

illitero Re-reading my comment, I realize how rude I sound. Sorry about that. But still, the US could be a lot worse in terms of variety.

[@illitero]

guifrakss No worries :) While I DEFINITELY understand where you're coming from and feel bad for those passionate about cars that don't get much at all in developing countries, my issue is that there's no reason why the USA should have so little availability in choice. Almost every manufacturer's decision on a model is based on projected sales numbers. If their market data shows that a car isn't going to sell a zillion units, then they axe it for import or manufacture. Even if the car is ALREADY DEVELOPED like the estate version of the Focus. Their numbers show that it won't sell as well in America, so they don't even bother making it available. The cars that sell the best are boring mid-sized sedans, so that's all they really try to sell. To add to that, there's a notion that's been getting worse and worse over the last couple decades that manufacturers can only sell one model per vehicle class. All of this equates to a boring availability with no spirit because MONEY. The USDM is kind of like a more colorful Soviet era car market, only less for the people and more for the corporations. Same build quality in most cases, too hahaha

[@CodfatherYT]

it's too slow to 60

[@scotia4429]

English MPG ? Wtf is that ?

[@pgoindi]

+Scott Irons As opposed to US mpg...

[@scotia4429]

+pete g doesn't he mean British ? Or is he just ignorant that drivers in Great Britain use imperial uk gallons ?

[@pgoindi]

+Scott Irons English, British and Imperial all mean the same thing for units of measure, don't they? I suspect if you are talking about cultural things, there's an important distinction, but surely not for MPG?

[@pgoindi]

+Scott Irons Many viewers in the US don't realise there are gallons other than US.

[@scotia4429]

+pete g my point that your missing is why use the phrase "English " , British is the word your looking for , being a Scot I find it offensive that when people talk about something being English when they actually mean British .

[@mishview]

This is some sick shit.... Ugliest car(wagon) ever and then ..a diesel :((( wtf is wrong with the industry

[@isoconfused8744]

This is a revelation? or is it because the have stuck a ST badge on it lol? I have a 53 reg Fabia vrs, Cost £2000, spent under £1000, I have a car that is 190bhp, 5 door family car that driven hard returns 45 mpg, and on long motor way runs can deliver over 60mpg. My car has been remapped, with hybrid turbo, fmic, poly bushed all around, uprated bilstein suspension, with audi tt bigger brakes. I would argue handles better and is quicker than this car that is nothing new re inventing the wheel, cars like this have been around for 15 years, what exactly have Ford done here that is innovative? A list of said cars that as a car journalist i would expect you to know, or are you drumming up business for ford via sponsorship aka paid for video? BMW 123d, Renaultsport Megane dCi,Leon FR TDi, Golf GT TDi, ASTRA 888, ibiza cupra FR

[@vivalaphill]

purists will prefer a N/A diesel.

[@winzfeld1]

You only drive torque if you don't know how to use a gearbox

[@Phen0mable]

Petrol has no future

[@w-james9277]

Purists coming in 3... 2... 1...

[@user-uq7lk1xr7u]

Should be named ST-Line D for how slow and shit it is...

[@THEREAL_GZUS]

This channel went downhill

[@AJMediaSco]

Another dumb Carfection video...this isn't a hot hatch! Really Carfection...XCAR whatever...