7/5/2023 0 Comments 2018 ford focus hatchback![]() PERFORMANCE: After 6000 miles the car makes me grin every time I get in it. Remember, after 2018 there are no more Foci in the U.S. What was the cost-benefit analysis result that dictated deleting the CD player for one more year, and thus sticking a finger in every Boomer's eye, was A Good Thing. I sometimes really want to know who (or what) Ford has for marketing research. One disappointment is for 2018, Ford deleted the CD player. ![]() The ST1's entertainment system is easy to use and easily hooks up to my phone and playlist. TECHNOLOGY - As I said, I am over 65, and can remember car radios that had vacuum tubes that required warming up. Even though I am over 65 years old, track days are part of my retirement. WEIGHT - all the items in the extra packages, especially the sunroof, add weight and don't enhance the performance. I really wanted heated seats, but unless I move to Minnesota, the cloth trim of the base seats are cozy enough. Ford must think an "average driver" is 5' 6" and … weighs less than 110 pounds. SEATS - I tried the Recaro seats in an ST2, and no way. I settled on the Focus ST base model (ST1), for the following reasons: Stand-alone options include dark gray 18-inch alloy wheels with red-painted brake calipers, high-performance all-season tires and the navigation system (requires the ST2 package).Īfter retiring, I wanted a performance hatchback, mostly for fun, but also for utility, room for my three grandsons, and acceptable gas mileage. The ST3 package (aka the 402A Equipment Group) adds all ST2 items but also tacks on heated mirrors, a keyless entry keypad, full leather upholstery, heated front Recaro seats (with eight-way power adjustments for the driver), a heated steering wheel, a rear center armrest, multicolor ambient interior lighting, carbon-fiber interior accents and a navigation system. The ST2 package (aka the 401A Equipment Group) adds xenon headlights, a sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, cloth and leather upholstery, Recaro front sport seats, the Sync 3 infotainment interface with an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone app integration, and a 10-speaker Sony sound system with HD radio, a CD player, satellite radio and dual USB ports. Standard equipment includes 18-inch alloy wheels, summer tires, performance brakes, an electronic limited-slip differential, hill start assist, automatic headlights, foglights, LED daytime running lights, an integrated blind-spot mirror, keyless entry and ignition, air-conditioning, cloth upholstery, front sport seats (with driver height adjustment), 60/40-split folding rear seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, MyKey parental controls, a rearview camera, a 4.2-inch central display, Bluetooth, Sync voice controls, and a six-speaker sound system with a USB port. It was great five years ago and it's still great today. In total, though, the 2018 Focus ST needs to be on the shopping list for anyone looking for a powerful, charismatic car with plenty of practicality at a reasonable price. Those grippy Recaro seats may also be too confining for drivers of above-average size. Cabin quality also isn't as impressive as it once was and is overshadowed by the Volkswagen and Honda competition. The rear seating is cramped, and the base tech interface is behind the times. ![]() Yes, it's fun to go quickly in a straight line, but the ST has corners licked, too.Īs for downsides, the ST's relate mostly to those inherent to the regular Focus' design. Then there's the ST's entertaining steering and handling. We also love the six-speed manual transmission, though acknowledge that the availability of a dual-clutch automatic (such as Volkswagen's DSG transmission) would widen its audience. All that power goes through the front wheels only, making it a bit unruly at times, but that's all part of the fun. First and foremost, its 252-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine continues to be a hoot, thrusting you into the ST's Recaro sport seats to the tune of a deep warble. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |