Al Suttie embraces his inner boy racer and takes the Ford Focus ST for a weeklong spin.

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Ford Focus ST 6spd

List price (BiK): £35,855 (37%) CO2: 183g/km Economy: 35.3mpg Test efficiency: 33.5mpg

Monday

There was no missing this week’s test car as it rolled up to the house thanks to the Ford Focus ST’s Mean Green paint. An £825 option, it certainly makes the 280hp hot hatch stand out in a crowd. It also suits the Focus, to my unartistic eye, and the kids love it too when they come back from school and find the ‘Kermit car’ sitting on the drive. A more wry neighbour remarks that I’ve finally embraced the green revolution…

Tuesday

With 35.3mpg combined economy and 183g/km CO2 emissions, the Focus ST hatch with six-speed manual gearbox is never going to win on environmental grounds. Just as well, then, that it nips off 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds and feels suitably rapid on this morning errands. This includes a trip on the sort of swoopy A-roads this car was designed for and relishes thanks to its poise, forgiving suspension and quick-shifting gearbox.

Wednesday

I’m hard-pressed to remember the last time I took a car for a drive simply for the pleasure of it, but the Focus has persuaded me this afternoon. An hour of fun sees the fuel economy take a bit of a dip, but a more relaxed jaunt to ferry my son to football training returns it to reasonable levels. It’s also telling that my son’s mates all give the Focus a positive response.

Thursday

A very different task for the Focus ST this afternoon as I head to London for work. A full tank gets me from home to halfway along the M40 before refuelling. That’s an average of 33.5mpg on the trip meter, so not bad for a steady 70mph with the air conditioning working to keep the chill off and windows clear. I also have the toasty heated seat and steering wheel engaged to warm my cockles.

Friday

Parking up for a work event in a London underground car park usually reveals some interesting cars stashed away. This morning is no different as I park next to a very distant relative of the Focus ST’s, an AC Cobra continuation. This is the real deal, not a replica, and looks surprisingly dainty next to the high-performance modern hatch. Even with the chill in the air, I’d be tempted to head home in the Cobra, given half a chance.

Saturday

More work driving today with another couple of meetings in the Midlands, so it’s an early start for me and the Focus ST. It sounds very chipper in the cold morning air but without any of the fake exhaust rumble that some hot hatches produce in a bid to sound quick. If you want more crackle to the ST’s engine and exhaust notes, the track mode offers this up. In reality, I just leave the car in Normal and get on with quick cross-country progress.

Sunday

Home late last night and the Focus has not put a wheel wrong over more than a thousand work miles in three days. Comfortable, quiet and relaxed on the motorway, it’s also been a hoot on back roads. The Mean Green paint gets a bit of attention, but it all seems positive and there’s clearly still a lot of love for this type of hot hatch. It’s not the cheapest company choice, but it’s nonetheless very tempting while this sort of car still exists.