One of the greatest hot hatches of all time, the Ford Focus ST combines family car practicality with track-bred enhancements. Al Suttie heads out with the recently launched, uprated Edition for some fun.

Ford Focus ST Edition

List price (BiK): £41,755 (37%) CO2: 185g/km Economy: 34.9mpg Test efficiency: 30.1mpg

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Monday

Always partial to a hot hatch, this morning’s arrival was good news for me as a Ford Focus ST Edition pitched up. There’s no missing this car in its standard and unique Azura Blue paint, plus the new lightweight alloy wheels finished in black. I’m not normally a fan of black wheels, but these look the business and set the tone for what promises to be a very enjoyable, if thirsty, week ahead.

Tuesday

The Edition version of the Focus ST comes with the Track Package included, which brings adjustable KW shock absorbers into the mix. This lowers the suspension by 10mm compared to a standard ST, yet the ride of the Edition is more supple and controlled. You could lower the car by as much as 20mm more, but it’s hard to see the point for normal driving as the ST is such good fun on the road.

Wednesday

One of the other upgrades for the Edition are larger front brakes that work in conjunction with the sticky Pirelli tyres to give superb stopping power. Although the Edition has no more engine power – it’s got the same 280hp 2.3-litre turbo motor – you can make more of it thanks to the stronger braking. Track days are where this would show up best, but it’s amazing how much confidence this set-up offers for road driving.

Thursday

One of the great joys of the Focus ST is its six-speed manual gearbox. Where so many performance cars have gone over to autos, the pleasure of whipping between gears yourself and changing down with a heel-and-toe action turns almost every drive into an event. With little practice, it’s possible to do this even with the family onboard and blissfully unaware of me indulging in a bit of fun.

Friday

If there is a downside to this latest Ford Focus ST, it’s the mandatory safety nets of lane keep assist and speed warning. It doesn’t take long to disable both, but it’s still a chore and bore, especially when the speed limit warning is often wrong-footed on the roads round my way. On several stretches, the system is convinced we are in a 40 limit when it’s clearly signposted as a 50 or 60.

Saturday

As a Focus, the ST does all the family stuff with ease. The boot is a decent size and shape, the infotainment is simple enough to operate and decently responsive, and comfort is fine – excellent heated seats fend off the early spring chill. There’s a little less room in the back compared to a normal Focus due to the ST’s sports chairs upfront, but it’s not cramped for my kids.

Sunday

Given I have enjoyed the Focus ST Edition as much as possible on every occasion, I was expecting to be thumped by its fuel consumption. However, 30.1mpg is acceptable in my book for the performance on offer – 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds is brisk in anyone’s book – versus the official 34.9mpg. The 185g/km CO2 emissions, however, might make fleet drivers think twice.