Ford Focus ST Edition 2025 review – a worthy alternative to the Honda Civic Type R?

Despite its strong stats, the fourth-generation Focus ST has never quite garnered the same excellent reputation as its smaller (and now-defunct) Fiesta sibling. A sharpened ‘Edition’ variant designed to bring it in-line with more accomplished rivals was first launched in 2021, and while it has since gone through numerous (and admittedly confusing) name changes, the car we see here is a familiar proposition.

Now costing from £42,905, a £5200 premium over the standard ST, Ford’s Track Package comes as standard on the Edition, bringing adjustable KW coilovers, lightweight wheels and uprated brakes to the equation. Its 2.3-litre four-cylinder powerplant remains unchanged over the standard ST at 276bhp, but given more power wasn’t something it needed, this isn’t a deal breaker.

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Available only in bold Azura blue and with those new flow-formed wheels, there’s no missing an ST Edition. Combine this with a 10mm drop in ride height (which can be increased by another 20mm after the fact), aggressive camber and black detailing, it looks a purposeful machine up-close – it still lacks the outright presence of the likes of a Honda Civic Type R or Mercedes-AMG A45 S, but it elevates the somewhat ordinary-looking ST to another level. 

While this Focus generation (and Focus as a whole) is now nearing the end of its life, the ST Edition feels surprisingly robust inside, with thoughtful useability touches, a quick 13.2-inch infotainment display and, thanks to tactile physical steering wheel controls, a relatively easy-to-navigate 12.3-inch digital dash. The standard Ford Performance seats are the kind you get in the ordinary ST, but they’re impressive nonetheless, with positioning and support you’d usually expect from a car with a much higher price tag. Materials aren’t particularly premium but, faux-carbonfibre trim aside, intelligent design, strong build quality and good ergonomics make it a pleasant place to be. 

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As we saw in the ST Track Pack that came before it, uprated Brembo front brakes come as standard, with four-pot calipers gripping 363mm discs (up from 330mm as standard) and a bespoke Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyre. Add these to the KWs, with their 12-click bump and 16-click rebound adjustment, the 10 percent lighter 19-inch wheels and the ST’s boisterous 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine and electronically controlled limited-slip differential, and you can see where the Edition gains its extra focus.

With its lower ride height and 50 per cent stiffer spring rates, it’s no surprise that the Edition is firmer than the standard car. While damping is of good quality and rarely crashy, it can become a little tiresome for everyday, low-speed runs, especially if you need to carry passengers who might be less sympathetic to the ride:handling trade-off. Increase the pace, though, and ride improves markedly, with the ST Edition comfortably covering hundreds of motorway miles during our test.

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The real positive of the suspension changes is just how connected to the road the ST now feels, more eager to turn into a corner and more adjustable once you’re partway through the curve. The Focus Edition encourages you to drive with real flair. It’s not all for show either, with the Focus ST Track Pack (essentially the same car, on paper), achieving competitive lap times at Cadwell Park for evo’s 2024 Track Car of the Year group test. The judges even placed it ahead of the class-leading Honda Civic Type R in terms of outright thrills (though the Civic’s best lap was around 1.7 seconds quicker). The uprated brakes inspire great confidence, too, with excellent stopping power and a progressive pedal that’s easy to modulate. 

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What hasn’t changed are two key flaws that have always blighted this ST: the engine’s characteristics and the steering. Taking the EcoBoost motor first, it’s certainly not short on urge, as its 276bhp, 310lb ft and the 0-62mph time of 5.7sec that it delivers all attest. But the calibration feels all wrong for a hot hatch, the bias very much towards torque; there seems little point in revving much past 5000rpm, and the sudden rush of boost at low revs is difficult to modulate. A tight, precise gearshift is one saving grace, with the auto-blip function also a nice to have, but its powerplant simply can’t match the very best. 

Combine this with a hypersensitive quick-rack steering set-up, at just two turns lock-to-lock, and you end up with a nervous, pointy sort of car – one that can be hard to string a series of corners together in smoothly, and that torque-steers more than most of its rivals, particularly in inclement conditions. Off-centre response is excellent and this character is addictive when the time is right, but it can be a little much for when it’s not.

There’s plenty to like about the ST Edition, and given its performance in 2024’s evo Track Car of the Year, these changes have made it devastatingly effective. Now priced from an even higher £42,905 price tag than its predecessor, it’s hardly a cheap option, but with the manual-equipped front-drive hot hatch limited to the even more expensive £50,050 Honda Civic Type R, we should savour it while it lasts.

2025 Ford Focus ST Edition specs