Can someone please enlighten me as to the performance of a Focus ST170. I would be interested to know how it compares to an Octy vRS in standard mode or re-mapped octy.

Has anyone ever duelled with one on a track or elsewhere?

How did your octy fair against it?

I'm guessing, and only guessing. But I reckon the ST170 has far superior handling, but the Octy is quicker in a straight line.

However, being a n/a car, the Focus is definitely harder to tune.

Just my tuppence worth.

Editted to say only in standard Octy form. A remapped Octy, perhaps with improved suspension will be far superior to the ST170 on the track!

I'm guessing' date=' and only guessing. But I reckon the ST170 has far superior handling, but the Octy is quicker in a straight line.

However, being a n/a car, the Focus is definitely harder to tune.

Just my tuppence worth.

Editted to say only in standard Octy form. A remapped Octy, perhaps with improved suspension will be far superior to the ST170 on the track![/quote']

I would agree with the handling wholeheartedly. I used to have a Focus 1.6 Zetec and it handled fantastically.

From what i have seen the ST170 doesn't have a lot of torque. I have also heard varying figures for 0-60 times.

My mate had one to replace his Leon 1.8T, he wasn't impressed as it was slower than the leon. He did semi rate the handling of it. I think he kept it for 2 months before get rid of it.

My mates brother has an ST170. Nice looking car outside. Inside feels cheap, engine unresponsive under 5k, handling is ok, but just that. Fuel economy is poor, insurance is high, and my diesel shopping trolley will see it off both on standing start, and top speed.

The build quality/handling are just my opinion. Cant see what all the fuss is about with the old Focus, a vast improvement on the escort clearly, but overhyped.

And no disrespect, the 1.6 handles ok because it has no power whatsoever. Had one as a courtesy car while my citroen Xsar coupe was having a new engine, which was also a 1.6. Focus was utterly hopeless. Did a 600+ mile round trip into darkest scotland in it.

Enjoyed the focus I once had as a higher car very impressed with the way it handled itself. But a mate with a st170 was disgusted with it so much he traded it for a tdci which he said run rings around it. He rekoned the st170 was a boy racer marketing ploy and probably was. Seems an octy would be a far better car

My mate had one and performance wise it wasn't great my Standard 1.8T Ibiza was alot better in a straight line and that is only 156bhp, but I would have thought in the bends it would be more than a match for alot of standard cars.

Enjoyed the focus I once had as a higher car very impressed with the way it handled itself. But a mate with a st170 was disgusted with it so much he traded it for a tdci which he said run rings around it. He rekoned the st170 was a boy racer marketing ploy and probably was. Seems an octy would be a far better car

Funny you should say that, as my mates bro had the tdci before the st (company car) and it was as a package, much much better all round.

Interested in a look at the new st though, that looks like a performance car rather than a gimmick. I think its the orange paint that makes me want to look. Reminds me of Fiat's Racing Orange, and the vehicles it used to adorn.

Drove my bosses car for a day as had to go to Nottingham from London. It was GUTLESS below 4500rpm then it took off. Found I was up & down the box to get a proper move on & it pushed straight on when on limit of tyres. More enjoyable when traction control was not on!

Conclusion: tiring car to drive hard but lots of fun due to predicable handling, more of an A road trasher than motorway blaster.

Pete

Focus was utterly hopeless. Did a 600+ mile round trip into darkest scotland in it.

don't think you can really lay the blame for having to visit jockland on the focus...

A remapped Octy, perhaps with improved suspension will be far superior to the ST170 on the track!

if you're going non-standard, you could always turbo the ST for 291BHp and 284Ft/Lbs, or just get an RS - the press cars had a "tighter" diff and more agressive map, hence the silly torque-steer

He rekoned the st170 was a boy racer marketing ploy and probably was.

I dont agree.

The Focus is too soft compared to rivals from Honda and Renault.

The ST170 looks nice, but apparently isnt much faster than a 2.0... in fact my old 112 bhp Golf had no problems keeping up with one.

ST will leave the vrs in the corners everyday of the week, but it just doesn't have the grunt too keep up on faster straights with rivals like CTR Vrs LC

As for reliability focus wins

(i work in a parts store and the focus is probobly the rarest main stream car that requires parts on regular basis even though its sold 10x the amount as an octy that says alot when the escort is one of the most popular for bits)

comfort both are on par but maybe octy slightly softer due to 50 profile tyres

My personal opinion the skoda is the better choice for the most practical car with comfort and performance combined with good looks to match

Always gonna be a tough one this as any Focus owner will bang on about "class leading handling". Thats what I always did when I owned my 2.0 Zetec. (Although the ESP on it could get seriously annoying at times if you drove anything over 20mph round an adverse camber.) That aside the handling was great and made it a fun car to drive, add to that the engine that revved pretty high giving fair torque at the top end. However, the Octy is better built by miles, is backed by much better dealers (that don't treat you like "just another focus owner"), far more practical with a huge boot, better spec'd and more reliable (always had issues with electrics). Oh and goes like a rocket. In a nutshell.....

It does what it says on the tin.

That said, the new ST looks interesting... but thats another conversation

ST 170 is nice looking but it doesn't have the effortless grunt. A guy at work has one in grey and I do like the look of it, new Focus ST in that colour :rubchin:

The ST170 can'tt keep up with a Furby in a straight line, so an Octy should embarrass one!

I can't comment on the ST170 but I had a Focus 1.6 LX for 3 years and in my opinion the handling was superb. Yes it did understeer on corners in the wet, but it was very predictable and the steering felt sharper than my Octavia vRS.

on a tight B road with little or no decent straights the focus is going to leave the octy without too much trouble. on any other road theres no comparison really. the octy is going to eat it all day long.

yes the focus has a revving engine, and yes it looks the part and handles well but the vRS is in a different class to be honest, end of !

on a tight B road with little or no decent straights the focus is going to leave the octy without too much trouble.

I'm not sure about this really, people always bang on about one car leaving another on the twisties without any trouble. Not sure about this really - I've driven a Focus (not the ST170 a standard Zetec). I've also had my fair share of cars that handle, as well as ones that dont, and I have to say, generally speaking, in terms of outright speed, there wouldnt be much difference on the twisties, and to pull away without too much trouble, you'd need a VERY good driver behind the wheel. The Octy's even as standard can be hustled around at a fair rate.

Remember as well, even though the Octy might not have as good handling, its still got more power to make up for it.

Handling is not really about roadholding, and I guess most people seem to confuse the two.

Having previously owned a 2.0 Zetec with ESP (a relatively cheap, fun car that never went wrong!) and now an Octavia,

I can say that for the first couple of weeks the Octavia's steering felt a bit 'slow', ie. the rack is geared lower than the Focus. The Octavia may also not be quite as stiff in the front end as the Focus.

Having said this, the Octavia feels more composed/stable around bends & under braking. Added to the torque of the 1.8T, it's a pleasure to drive.

Handling is not really about roadholding, and I guess most people seem to confuse the two.

:iagree: