Thinking about a Ford Focus ST. Your thoughts?

[smackababy]

Wait for the Subaru BRZ Wagon to become available.

http://jalopnik.com/the-subaru-cross-sport-design-is-the-brz-shooting-brake-1468157285

Got to CVT and stopped reading. No thanks.

 

[slugg]

Well I test drove one on Tuesday, and I must say, I'm underwhelmed. The Focus ST is not for me.

The gas pedal placement is just stupid. It's way too low. Heel-toe is only possible if you mash the breaks, at least with my feet. Let it be known that I have no problem doing it with any Mazda, BMW, Honda, or Toyota I've ever driven. The brakes are also way too touchy for everyday driving. The combination of the "electronic differential," tight steering ratio, and torque steer equals the inability to drive in a straight line under heavy acceleration. The body also rolls quite a bit. Lift-oversteer is extremely prevalent, too. The shifter throw is just too long for this kind of car, if you ask me.

I'll pass.

I think I'm going to keep the Miata, sell the BMW, and buy a pre-clown face Mazda 3 hatchback. There aren't a lot of hatchbacks to choose from here in the USA. The 2014 mazda 3 is nothing short of badass, but $20k for an economy hatch is just plain stupid.

 

[Fritzo]

Well I test drove one on Tuesday, and I must say, I'm underwhelmed. The Focus ST is not for me.

The gas pedal placement is just stupid. It's way too low. Heel-toe is only possible if you mash the breaks, at least with my feet. Let it be known that I have no problem doing it with any Mazda, BMW, Honda, or Toyota I've ever driven. The brakes are also way too touchy for everyday driving. The combination of the "electronic differential," tight steering ratio, and torque steer equals the inability to drive in a straight line under heavy acceleration. The body also rolls quite a bit. Lift-oversteer is extremely prevalent, too. The shifter throw is just too long for this kind of car, if you ask me.

I'll pass.

I think I'm going to keep the Miata, sell the BMW, and buy a pre-clown face Mazda 3 hatchback. There aren't a lot of hatchbacks to choose from here in the USA. The 2014 mazda 3 is nothing short of badass, but $20k for an economy hatch is just plain stupid.

:hmm:...are you sure you drove the ST? The suspension in that car is solid, so I don't know where your body roll was coming from. The pedal placement is similar to most modern compact cars, and it has very little torque steer for being FWD with a stong engine.

The Mazda 3 is good too, but $20-$25K is what an eco car costs these days. Not much you can do there.

 

[vi edit]

Yeah I'm not sure on the body roll thing. Even my base hatch SE is pretty taunt. If there is any word I'd use to describe the steering as...it would be...twitchy. The slightest little move of the wheel and the car wants to dart in that direction. Even the action of shifting and your bodies natural reaction to that movement will cause the car to swerve a bit. The electronic steering is a bit overboosted for my liking.

 

[Fritzo]

Yeah I'm not sure on the body roll thing. Even my base hatch SE is pretty taunt. If there is any word I'd use to describe the steering as...it would be...twitchy. The slightest little move of the wheel and the car wants to dart in that direction. Even the action of shifting and your bodies natural reaction to that movement will cause the car to swerve a bit. The electronic steering is a bit overboosted for my liking.

Yep, that's how I would describe the steering- twitchy. I think it needs a bigger deadzone, which is something that should be adjustable with software since it's electric steering. If I'm not mistaken there are software mods out there for the car that tweak issues like that.

 

[slugg]

Yeah I'm not sure on the body roll thing. Even my base hatch SE is pretty taunt. If there is any word I'd use to describe the steering as...it would be...twitchy. The slightest little move of the wheel and the car wants to dart in that direction. Even the action of shifting and your bodies natural reaction to that movement will cause the car to swerve a bit. The electronic steering is a bit overboosted for my liking.

Yea, I think you're right. Not so much body roll, but the effects seem amplified due to the twitchy steering. Which, by the way, felt like crap to me.

I don't know what it is, I just don't like it. It's a shame, because on paper, I loved the car. Looks freaking cool, too. I just don't like the way it drives, and that's that. Oh well.