If you buy into all the hype surrounding the new Ford Focus ST, it’s the greatest thing to hit the hot hatch segment since the debut of the original VW GTI some 35 years ago. Comparisons to others in the segment, such as the Mazda Mazdaspeed 3 and the VW GTI, are inevitable, and (on paper, anyway) the Focus looks like a front-runner for best in category.
Or does it? As this video from Edmunds illustrates, the Focus ST has its strong points (handling, lateral grip), but it has its weak points as well (0-60 time, for example). While we’d certainly recommend shopping the Focus ST alongside others in the category, we’d reserve throwing cash down on one until you have the opportunity to compare all side by side.
Also, don’t forget that you can get discounted new car pricing with a free quote through qualified local dealer partners.
Also, we know this is semantics, but testing a car in a parking lot isn’t our idea of “track testing.” Sure, you can generate data on a lot of variables, but what enthusiasts really want to know is how quickly a car can lap a given racetrack. With a budget like that of Edmunds’, we’d think a side by side comparison of the Focus ST, Mazdaspeed 3 and VW GTI at a racetrack of its choosing would be even more informative.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
