Ford Focus ST Estate review

The Ford Focus ST Estate is the Ford Focus Estate’s sportier, better-looking cousin. It has a punchier engine, sportier suspension and angrier look, and takes on other hot estates like the Seat Leon ST Cupra and Skoda Octavia Estate vRS.

The Ford Focus ST Estate’s new look begins with unique alloy wheel designs, and revised upper and lower front grille designs for better engine cooling. Then there’s a larger, more steeply angled rear roof spoiler, twin tailpipes and aggressively styled rear diffuser, while you’ll also get red brake calipers if you specify the Performance Pack .

Two powerful engine options will be available. Firstly a 2.3-litre EcoBoost petrol that’s the most powerful ever offered for a Focus ST. It has 280hp and 420Nm of torque and, Ford says, will do 0-62mph in less than 6 seconds.

The other choice is a 190hp, 400Nm 2.0-litre diesel – this time the most powerful diesel engine ever offered for a Ford Focus. Ford Focus STs come with a six-speed manual as standard, or you can have an optional seven-speed automatic gearbox instead.

Hot estates offer very little compromise: they’re fast, yet family friendly. Ford has traditionally made some of the very best.

Underneath you’ll find lower and stiffer suspension, quicker steering, a limited-slip differential and torque vectoring, all designed to help the ST turn into corners better, lean less, grip harder and fire itself out the other side with more urgency.

Inside, expect a sports steering wheel, Recaro sports seats, an ST-embossed aluminium gear knob and scuff plates, alloy pedals, metallic hexagonal and satin silver trim highlights and metal grey stitching throughout.

And of course, this being the estate version of the ST rather than the hatchback, you get a larger, more practical boot. At 575 litres it’s smaller than an Octavia vRS’s, but about the same as a Leon ST Cupra’s.

Bookmark this page and come back for the full review. Until then, read our price, specs and release date story for more information.