2013 Ford Focus ST Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.com

2013 Ford Focus ST Long-Term Road Test

This car could be capable of better fuel economy but it's just too much fun to drive.

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quadricycle

Well at least the ball is in the drivers court. Wake up one day wanting to go fast and its got enough power to do so, or if you want it to get decent fuel economy then baby it. Its nice to have choices right? This is why I really want to see manufacturers cut weight from cars, because in that case, the car can accelerate faster with less power (better efficiency) and you get handling gains too. That's the best of three worlds!

legacygt

The beauty of a nice turbo in a relatively light car. You can get around just fine with respectable fuel economy but then have the power of a larger engine when you need it (albeit with a significant hit to fuel economy). It's nice for consumers.

However, we've seen that this model doesn't really work in heavier vehicles like the Explorer with the 2L turbo. When the vehicle is too heavy for the engine to accelerate without digging deep into the turbo you end up using the turbo all the time (even for moderate acceleration) and burning as much or more fuel as a larger engine would.

greenpony

I've put on a little over 2,800 miles on my ST. Even while having fun (i.e. hard acceleration, high speeds) my average fuel economy is 31.9, worst 26.9, best 34.7. The only difference I can see is that most of my rather lengthy commute is county highways with speed limits ranging from 40 to 55, allowing me to cruise between about 1500-2200 rpm in 6th. . . . . I'm getting lighter rims and narrower tires for winter driving, so I can let you know how that affects it if you want. Did the Readers' Rides section disappear?

gloss

@greenpony Your driving style is certainly conducive to better gas mileage. Adopt a traffic-filled city commute and watch that average drop like a rock.

wdrauch

My daily commute is pretty much all interstate highway with only moderate traffic. Posted speed limits are 70 mph, but here in Detroit that's more like a speed minimum. If I stick to 75 mph + ac running, I'll get around 29 mpg.

wdrauch

I do wish the car had an instant fuel economy reading. Seems silly that it doesn't.

gloss

@wdrauch True. I use it all the time on my wife's CX-5 as a way of keeping me aware of exactly how heavy my foot is.

splicevw

I have a Focus ST. It REALLY depends on how you drive it. If I drive really conservatively (shift when it tells me to, don't fly out of lights), I can actually get close to 30 mpg CITY. If I don't.. it can be under 20 mpg. With great power comes great responsibility.

splicevw

I have a Focus ST. It REALLY depends on how you drive it. If I drive really conservatively (shift when it tells me to, don't fly out of lights), I can actually get close to 30 mpg CITY. If I don't.. it can be under 20 mpg. With great power comes great responsibility.

noburgers

greenpony, RR disappeared when Inside Line became extinct.

agentorange

Once you get past a certain power to weight ratio, economy is all down to the right foot of the driver.

sacamano

How's the small tank working out for you? A sub-300 mi./tank range seems out of place these days. Interested in your take on it. Thx.

greenpony

sacamano, I am averaging exactly 318 miles per tank in my ST. That's the high end of what my old Mustang used to get ('02 GT), where I'd be pleased to even break 300. So it's all relative. For driving like these guys do, they probably don't even notice.