Ford Focus ST (Mk4)

The last and arguably best Focus ST

Unveiled in February 2019 and on sale in Europe that summer, the Mk4 Focus ST followed a hard act. Our catalogue covers the 2019-2022 car with a 2.3L turbocharged inline-4 petrol, 276 bhp, 420 Nm, 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds and a 250 km/h maximum, driving the front wheels. The later facelift and Track Pack notes below are beyond the catalogue window and are included as context for later examples, not as part of this 2019-2022 entry. We have not driven this model for this article. This is a desk-researched ownership guide built from the PistonHeads Mk4 ST used buying guide, Ford's Focus ST Edition release material and the DVSA recall service. As with many of these guides, the sources quote slightly different numbers: PistonHeads lists 280 hp, 310 lb ft, the same 5.7 second 0-62 mph time and a 155 mph top speed. The 280 hp and 276 bhp figures describe the same engine; the difference is rounding and market declaration, and 155 mph converts to roughly 249 km/h, so treat the catalogue and guide numbers as consistent rather than contradictory.

The Mk4 ST came as a five-door hatch or an estate, and a 190 hp diesel existed below the petrol car, but this guide concentrates on the 2.3 EcoBoost petrol. It was a more complete machine than its predecessor. The electronically controlled limited-slip differential on the petrol cars, a front-wheel-drive Ford first developed with Borg Warner and GKN, sent power to the wheel with grip instead of simply braking a spinning one. Continuously Controlled adaptive damping was standard on petrol STs from the start, the bespoke steering was 15 percent faster than the standard Focus rack, and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres gave the chassis a strong key into the road.

The 2.3 EcoBoost, gearbox and drive modes

The 2.3 twin-scroll turbo engine was closely related to the unit used in the Mustang. Timing is by chain, and PistonHeads is not aware of the head gasket problems that affected the previous Focus RS, noting that the ST used a Mustang-derived variant rather than the RS unit. That is reassurance, not a licence to skip checks; still, ask for evidence of correct oil changes and listen for cold-start rattle. Three drive modes were standard, with Sport reachable from a wheel-mounted button. The Performance Pack added launch control, rev-matching and a Track mode that gave finer control over the differential, dampers, stability control and sound enhancement. Ford GT-inspired anti-lag kept the turbo spinning after throttle lift, and with the right technique the car could be flat-foot shifted, changing up with the throttle open.

A seven-speed torque-converter automatic arrived in June 2020 at a premium, adding three tenths to the 0-62 mph time. PistonHeads found it smooth but not particularly urgent for an ST, so manual cars remain the driver's choice. Some cars suffered intermittent failures of the electronic sound enhancement system, and earlier cars carried more niggles than later ones. Recalls covered oil filler caps that could work loose and defective wiring looms on cars built between 2019 and March 2020. Some October 2019-build cars had faulty power distribution boxes, and very early cars from May to September 2019 had seat belt anchorage faults. Parts are cheap, but every recall should be closed out on paper.

Chassis, steering and the special editions

The Mk4 platform brought fully independent rear suspension and a 10 mm lower ride height, and the adaptive dampers give the standard car a well-judged blend of control and comfort. The steering rack, at two turns lock to lock, was the fastest ever fitted to a Ford ST model; some drivers find it heavy, but most adapt quickly. On the 2022 model year facelift, often called the Mk4.5, the car gained 19-inch wheels with Pirelli P-Zero tyres in place of the original 18-inch Michelins, slimmer LED matrix lights, Ford Performance seats, a digital dash and the Sync 4 touchscreen with wireless phone mirroring. Some testers considered the Pirelli switch a small step backwards in tyre noise and low-speed ride, and the deletion of physical climate buttons was not universally popular.

Two variants matter to collectors. The ST Edition of late 2021 came only as a manual hatch in Azura Blue with a black roof, KW-supplied coilover suspension tuned by Ford Performance, 10 percent larger brakes and 10 percent lighter wheels. It was effectively relaunched as the Track Pack in 2023 at a substantial premium. These are desirable but rare, and their suspension hardware should be inspected for track damage like any modified performance car.

Trim, electricals and body checks

Pre-facelift cars came well equipped: climate control, adaptive cruise, automatic emergency braking, keyless operation, LED lights, a rear-view camera, a 10-speaker B&O audio system and excellent heated Recaro seats. The optional head-up display was well rated. The less good news is trim robustness. More than a few owners reported rattling trim in the doors and dash, sometimes from delivery day. A Technical Service Bulletin covered window regulators on at least one September 2019 car, with sound-deadening foam as the fix, and buzzing from the B&O audio at moderate volumes has been reported even after trim parts were replaced. There was also a recall for the eCall emergency call system, with some owners going through repeated attempts to put it right before the campaign.

On the body, opinions on paint quality were mixed. Some owners complained, others found it chip resistant. Check the fuel filler cover alignment and bonnet fit, and remember that hard-driven cars biff things, so inspect the physical car and not just a history report: loose front-end parts or bent structures in the engine bay will not always appear on paper. Inside, the facelift's digital dash divided opinion, and the loss of climate buttons is a genuine ergonomic regression you should test on a drive.

Which one to buy

The Mk4 ST was cheaper than the equivalent Golf R and Leon when new, slightly dearer than the more powerful but less well equipped Civic Type R. As a used buy, petrol cars start around the high-teens in UK money for normal-mileage 2019 cars, estates command a small premium and are rarer, and the automatic is uncommon. Our advice is to prioritise a documented recall history, a trim-quiet cabin on a test drive, standard or well-engineered modifications, and a full-throttle check of the differential and dampers in Sport and Track modes. The 5.7 second catalogue sprint and the flexible 420 Nm make it genuinely fast, but the reason to buy one is the balance: this is a hot hatch that covers traffic days and track days with equal composure, provided the recall and trim gremlins have been properly put to bed.