Ford Focus 2008 (58) - 2.5 SIV ST-3 Hatchback 3dr Petrol Manual (224 g/km, 221 bhp)

Insurance Group 34, If you want a hot hatch with character then there are few cars to rival the Focus ST. Ford has a great heritage in making affordable, fun to drive and fast small cars and it shows. Turn the key and the 2.5-litre turbocharged engine rumbles into life with a deep growl - while a quick blip of the throttle is accompanied by a satisfying burble from the twin exhausts. Acceleration is effortless and feels never-ending but theres more to the Focus ST than just the excellent engine. It has superbly weighted and responsive steering, a perfectly balanced chassis and strong brakes which makes it enjoyable and rewarding to drive on twisting roads. Its comfortable too with a compliant ride, while around the town the ST is as easy to drive as any other Focus. The Focus scored the maximum five stars in Euro NCAP crash tests, and all STs come with six airbags. It is worth noting that pre-facelifted ST1 models lack the electronic stability control fitted to the ST2 and ST3. All facelift cars have ESP as standard though. Available in three and five-door configurations, the ST offers comparable standards of practicality to the rest of the Focus range. Theres a generously sized load area and rear seats offer the usual 60/40 split folding capability. It lacks the fold flat trickery of some rivals though but there are numerous storage areas front and rear including a front armrest with a cubbyhole. A new innovation for cars from 2008 is a system called Easyfuel which prevents you putting petrol into a diesel car and vice versa.The Focus ST is powered by a 2.5-litre turbocharged engine that is also used in several Volvo models. It has five-cylinders (as oppose to most hot hatch engines which have four) and this accounts for the unusual and distinctive sounds it emits, especially under hard acceleration, while the twin exhausts that burble away only add to the feelgood factor. It certainly has bags of character - plant your right foot and youre rewarded with long-legged performance and acceleration all the way up to maximum revs. Theres no sudden shove - instead the power is delivered predictably making it an easy car to drive quickly but smoothly. 0-60mph comes up in 6.8 seconds - thats marginally slower than alternatives like the Honda Civic Type-R and SEAT Leon Cupra but quicker than the Volkswagen Golf GTi. Plus the ST has more pulling power than so in-gear pace is superb. .8J x 18in 5-Spoke Alloy Wheels, Air Conditioning - Manual, Airbags - Front Side Impact and Side Curtain, Alarm - Thatcham (Category 1) Approved Perimeter and Volume Sensing, Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Bi-Xenon Headlights, Body Colour Bumpers, Centre Rear Seat Belt, Cigar Lighter, Drivers (8-Way) and Passengers Manual Seat Height and Fore/Aft Adjustment, Comfort Style, Drivers Airbag, Drivers Seat Side Manual Lumbar Adjustment, Electric Hydraulic Power Assisted Steering (EHPAS), Front and Rear Head Restraints, Front Passengers Airbag, Head Air Bags, Immobiliser, Power - Operated/Heated Door Mirrors w. Body Colour Housings and Approach Lights, Power Front Windows - One Touch Up/Down, Quickclear Heated Windscreen, Remote Central Locking, Seat - ISOFIX Anchorage Point, Side Protection Mouldings, Sony 6CD Audio System, Steering Column - Rake and Reach Adjustable, Upholstery - Recaro Mondus, Xenon Headlamps