Why should I want it?

Ford has historically been at the forefront of the hot hatch scene, which means the latest Focus ST was eagerly anticipated, especially given the success of its Fiesta ST little brother. The 2.3-litre turbocharged engine offers big performance, yet is clever enough to manage to do so without become frenetic and just spinning the front wheels. The steering, grip and body control all add up to an excellent performance hatch.

Why can’t I have it?

Emissions are pretty high at almost 180g/km and the boot space is well below that offered by rivals. It’s also a bit of a shame there’s not more of an interior upgrade.

Arguments to use on the fleet manager

The ST could slide neatly in under the radar on Ford single-badge policies, and it is a practical shape. Residuals of 37.6% are also high for a Focus.

Paul Barker

More fleety alternative

Looking almost identical and costing a couple of thousand pounds less, the Focus ST diesel makes a lot more fleet sense, even if it is something of an ‘ST lite’ to drive, thanks to it being 90hp and some clever technical bits down on the petrol version. However, it does only emit 125g/km, and in the estate body shape, is even more practical.