Ford Focus ST estate - worthy competitor to Octy vRS estate?

[meta55]

Never mind the st, will have a new edition to the company fleet the morn to play with, still a focus but a rs model. Oh happy days ahead.

[Bullit]

I'm sorry but that is not the usual ST 'looks' in my opinion it looks like a Japanese/korean estate from 5 years ago, just not good enough.

Did the designer get bored or did he have to design it in an hour before he finished for the day?

Edited 13 June, 2012 by Bullit

[stever750]

I'm not convinced by the Focus, neither the previous version which looked better imo, plus a couple of friends / colleagues that had them found them to be typically unreliable. Since I had my Octy remapped, I would consider it almost mandatory with nay new forced induction car that would be a personal purchase, and would have to be a pretty special (read Italian) engine to consider as a normally aspirated alternative. I don't think the insurance issue is complicated, and with a little bit of extra effort (i.e. using the phone instead of just a website) will yield similar results, at least did in my case anyway. I would also never even consider buying a car less than 2 years old, when you run the cost models even factoring in additional warranty / service / repair costs it's likely to make no financial sense to buy new.

[jlwah]

Got to say I quite like the ST Estate and might add it to my list of replacements for my current vRS estate.

The main thing that would put me off is the interior design - I'm sure the material quality is fine, but the layout (and that of pretty much all modern Fords) seems designed for people who were born with a Nokia attached to their hand. For an "old git" like me, I prefer a more sober look (drab?) and hence get drawn to VW/Audi interiors.

[marcevo1]

Where was that price from? I have no idea how long they last but the front discs sell on-line for £150 a pair which is pretty normal I would have thought.

That's for the standard two peice semi floating Brembos on a vxr insignia. If you can get them for £150 a pair buy all of them

[silver1011]

I don't think this bloke has any complaints about the reliability of Ford...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2159100/Taxi-driver-Brian-Holmes-clocks-1m-miles-16-year-old-Ford.html

[Statto]

Got to say I quite like the ST Estate and might add it to my list of replacements for my current vRS estate.

The main thing that would put me off is the interior design - I'm sure the material quality is fine, but the layout (and that of pretty much all modern Fords) seems designed for people who were born with a Nokia attached to their hand. For an "old git" like me, I prefer a more sober look (drab?) and hence get drawn to VW/Audi interiors.

The Nokia-esque entertainment thingamebob is easily rectified by speccing the Sony DAB navigation system with rear view camera, Bluetooth and USB. A snip at £750, especially when compared to the Octy's Columbus option at only twice the price with less functionality at £1545. I'm beginning to wonder if Skoda actually think they've replaced Audi at the premium end of VAG family charging that silly price. Oh, sorry, you're meant to deduct 20% off that price. Bargain.

[Bullit]

There is a review of the new ST in AutoExpress this week, it's apparently still a thirsty beast with 25mpg. It wins the test with the usual handling quotes but is slower and less economical than Golf,Megane and the new Astra VXR. Price wise it looks good value though in comparison to them how've even AE say the interior is a mess.