What’s that?
Fairly presumably one in every of Britain’s rarest automobiles. It’s a Ford Focus ST – a reliable, participating and TG Award-winning scorching hatch – geared up with a seven-speed automated gearbox.
The ST accounts for 25 per cent of general Focus gross sales, which is fairly robust, however inside that, simply eight per cent might be an auto like this. So it’ll be a lot rarer than a DSG-equipped Golf GTI, for instance. Expertise – by way of a good few ‘holy crap that’s fast’ moments – has taught us that scorching hatches geared up with automated gearboxes could be helpful bits of equipment.
Is that this Ford Focus ST Auto a helpful little bit of equipment?
Not actually.
Why not?
Permit us to wend again to this evaluation by taking the scenic route. Ford’s seven-speeder isn’t a flowery dual-clutch setup like in these UberHatches, however as a substitute a easy torque converter. No drawback. Generally easy is good.
The setup is easy too. A rotary selector sits instead of the handbook, clearly, and you may cycle by means of a really cheap quantity of Modes (4) identical to within the handbook.
Outdoors of the brand new gearbox providing, the ST stays a compelling recipe: a 2.3-litre EcoBoost all-aluminium four-cylinder engine, delivering 276bhp and 310lb ft of torque to the entrance wheels.
And out in the true world, it’s decently fast, too. Ford quotes this Auto ST’s high velocity as 155mph – identical because the handbook – whereas it’ll do 0-62mph in six seconds flat.
So what’s it like then?
Throughout our long-term check of the handbook Focus ST, we concluded that it’s an extremely straightforward scorching hatch to dwell with. Rivals deal with the extra excessive edges of the new hatch circle, however the ST is simply so full. It stands to motive then, {that a} seven-speed auto ought to make it a really laid-back expertise. For once you need a number of ‘watch this’ moments, however you’re not likely that bothered.
Shifts are clean sufficient when it’s doing its personal factor and loping alongside, and although downshifts within the handbook mode (by way of a pair of paddles behind the wheel) are a tad lazier, upshifts are… simply OK.
So I should purchase one then?
Once more, no.
Please inform me why not.
It’s three tenths slower to 62mph than the six-speed handbook automotive, which does the benchmark dash in 5.7secs. It’s additionally £1,450 dearer, so that you’re actively paying to go slower in a automotive designed to, effectively, go fairly quick.
And when the handbook gearbox in a Focus ST is a pleasure to make use of, once more, you’re actively paying for a sub-optimal scorching hatch expertise. The gearbox isn’t transcendetally good, nor fast sufficient to warrant its place on board.
When the remainder of the expertise is so participating – candy steering, an agile chassis beneath you, a nice engine – and the possession proposition so full, why mar that by permitting an intruder on board whose solely function is to minimize your enjoyment?
Save your cash, cease being so lazy, and simply get a handbook.
Rating: 6/10
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