Meet Ford’s facelifted Focus ST.

As from 2022, Focus ST will be the only Focus model to survive a cull.

Updates include changes to exterior styling and alloy wheel designs, a new Mean Green paint option and all-new, and in-house developed Performance Seats.

Also updated is the infotainment system. SYNC 4 has embedded connected navigation and connected voice control with natural language understanding. And is displayed on a huge 13.2-inch tablet. 

Driver assistance now includes Blind Spot Assist, which applies steering to avoid lane changes if a car is in your blind spot.

Ford has dropped all other Focus models, leaving the ST and premium ST X. Demand for the Focus ST continues to grow, and with the addition of ST X, means hot hatch customers can choose the variant that best suits their needs.

The small car segment in Australia has declined significantly over the past seven years, from 21% of the total industry in 2014 to 12% in 2020. Over the same period, the percentage of hot hatch sales in that segment more than tripled.3

“As we focus our efforts in areas of future growth for Ford and the industry, we’re freshening and expanding our line-up across performance, commercial and family vehicles, including plans for at least five new electrified vehicles by the end of 2024,” said Andrew Birkic, President and CEO, Ford Australia.

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ABOVE: Facelift Focus ST 2021 – All Other Focus Models DROPPED

Modern, bold design

Inside, the Focus ST gets all-new Performance front seats, developed in-house by Ford Performance engineers. They come with Fourteen-way power seat adjustment, including four-way adjustable lumbar support.

Most notable outside are the 19-inch wheels on the premium Focus ST X model.

The new LED headlights include integrated fog lights. LED taillights feature a new internal design with a darker central section and an eye-catching new loop light pattern.

“The Focus has always been at the forefront of our ‘human-centric’ design philosophy, and now we have created a design that has even more personality,” said Amko Leenarts, director, Design, Ford of Europe.

Exciting performance

Focus ST has a 206kW/420Nm 2.3-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, with a twin-scroll turbocharger with anti-lag. A seven-speed automatic with paddle shifters is standard, while a six-speed manual gearbox is a no-cost option.

ST has an electronic limited-slip differential that enhances cornering performance and traction when accelerating, as well as Continuously Controlled Damping that monitors steering, braking, suspension and body inputs 500 times a second to adjust damping responses to deliver optimal ride comfort and cornering control. The feature-packed Focus ST X also features new Pixel LED headlights, along with 19-inch alloy wheels and an additional Track mode within the selectable Drive Modes, for optimised EPAS feedback, a more aggressive throttle tuning and greater leeway from the ESC system.

Technology to make life easier

Focus ST has the SYNC 4 infotainment system, has an all-new 13.2-inch central touchscreen. intuitive interface, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android AutoTM 

Advanced speech recognition allows occupants to use natural speech.

The FordPass app has a range of connected services accessed using a smartphone, allowing the customer to stay connected with their car from anywhere with a strong data signal and utilise features such as Vehicle Status – for checking fuel levels, odometer readings and more – and Remote Start.6

Focus ST vehicles with SYNC 4 benefit from complimentary trial access to Connected Navigation 7 and Connected Voice 7 subscriptions, which enables features such as live traffic, weather and parking information.7

The premium Focus ST X model will feature advanced lighting technologies, with Dynamic Pixel LED headlamps that offer:

  • Glare-Free High Beam 2which uses a front-mounted camera to detect oncoming traffic and create a “glare-free spot” within the beam pattern by blocking those rays that would otherwise shine in the eyes of other road-users
  • Camera-based Dynamic Bending,2which uses a forward-facing camera to read the road ahead and illuminate the inside of curves in the road, increasing the field of vision
  • Bad-Weather Light,2which changes the beam pattern for better visibility when windscreen wipers are activated
  • Sign-based Light,2which uses a forward-facing camera to detect road signs and use them as a cue to adjust the beam pattern and better illuminate cyclists and pedestrians at junctions and roundabouts

Other features include:

  • Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go,
  • Speed Sign Recognition and Lane Centring,.
  • Pre-Collision Assist with Active Braking
  • Rear Occupant Alert,

“The updated Focus is packed with new technologies and features that all deliver a tangible benefit to the driver or passengers in terms of comfort, convenience or safety,” said Glen Goold, Ford Focus vehicle line director. “Our customers expect to find the latest features when they step into a Ford and that they will blend seamlessly into their lives – this is what we have achieved with the new Focus.”

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