Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options

2013 Ford Focus ST Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.comEdmunds.com Member, Administrator, Moderator Posts: 10,315
edited September 2014 in Ford

image2013 Ford Focus ST Long-Term Road Test

Examining some cabin elements that make the drive less than epic in Edmunds.com's 2013 Ford Focus ST long-term road test.

Read the full story here


Tagged:

Comments

  • Options
    glossgloss Member Posts: 150
    The ST's interior design was absolutely my biggest problem with the car, and the reason I probably won't end up getting one.

    I'm hoping that the Fiesta ST's interior is a little more accommodating.
  • Options
    zcalvertzcalvert Member Posts: 76
    This is one of the reasons the GTI has been successful for so long - it gets the basics right first and then moves on to the other stuff.
  • Options
    nedmundonedmundo Member Posts: 33
    I've taken two test drives in the ST, and the interior was the biggest issue for me as well. I think I'd get used to the seats, but I was put off by the claustrophobic feel created by the looming, ill-shaped dash. I agree the FR-S provides a more natural fit. Even so, if my TSX disappeared tomorrow and I had to buy a new car, it would probably be a Focus ST. Apart from the interior's shortcomings, I loved it.
  • Options
    bc1960bc1960 Member Posts: 171
    "the yellow fabric seat inserts hurt the eyes"

    Apparently people like you are why people like me now have to drive cars where every trace of color has been eliminated from the interior (some manufacturers are working hard on the exteriors as well). I probably wouldn't pick this shade, but you can also have grey even with the Tangerine Scream exterior, or black if you get the all-leather Recaros (or don't get the Recaros at all), or blue with some other exterior colors. Which is a lot more choice than you find in a lot of cars today.
  • Options
    bankerdannybankerdanny Member Posts: 1,021
    Personally I would just as soon you pay attention to the road rather than the bass/trebel levels anyway.
  • Options
    cotakcotak Member Posts: 89
    The show car they had at the Toronto auto show had some serious interior fit and finish issue as well.

    1) Left twitter speaker had a 2 mm gap between it and the door panel, right speaker no gap

    2) Interior door handle fit and finish was bad. You can squeeze it lightly and feel the plastic move.

    And I am not a big person at 5' 6 and I find the seats not comfortable.

    And I agree with the comments about the general design. It's trying hard to be modern but comes across as plasticky in a targeted at teens sort of way.

    Overall the interior design and fit and finish it's not the strongest suit in the car I saw. Then again it was quite close to the BMW booth so maybe we were just a bit spoiled after sitting in BMWs and Minis.
  • Options
    bassrockerxbassrockerx Member Posts: 24
    the visabillity is what keeps me away from the focus especially the hatchback. it just has too many blind spots and even the entry level focus made me claustrophobic for this reason alone. also for being a hatchback it does not seem to have that much space for cargo if it were my cash i would be looking at a mustang/challenger/camaro similer mpgs and similer performance and you don't give up that much utility
  • Options
    agentorangeagentorange Member Posts: 893
    Dan, when I went from a Volvo S60 to a Jag I had to completely change my driving position to get comfortable especially the seat height for some reason. Now I have it fixed I am nearly as comfortable for long periods as I was in the Volvo, but then Volvo seats are the best. As for the ST interior, Jeremy Clarkson said it was nasty on UK Top Gear, and he is usually a big fan of Fords. I had a ride in a rented Fiesta and it also seemed to have a high dash and console to cocoon the front occupants. I guess when cocooning becomes claustrophobic is down to the individual. @bassrockerx Visibility is an issue in all new cars. You can thank ever more demanding safety standards for that.
  • Options
    socal_ericsocal_eric Member Posts: 189
    The Focus is still an economy car in North America and while not perfect, if you compare it to others in the segment and then look back at the previous generation and other econo cars of just five to ten years ago it really isn’t too bad quality and material wise. The seats can be an issue for some but there’s always the ST1 model without the Recaro seats if you otherwise like the driving dynamics. The interior seems a little cramped but it’s not terrible on actual usable space and has some nice storage bins and features, even if the design looks busy and masks that this generation of the Focus grew quite a bit.

    The exterior styling of the ST isn’t my favorite thing about the car and neither is the newer Focus interior, but I recall a decade ago when we first got the Focus comments on the odd shapes and “sagging booby” dash and those cars ended up aging reasonably well. This Focus interior might be polarizing but at least has a little style and it isn’t a cookie cutter interior although there’s always room for improvements.
  • Options
    sb_aldrichsb_aldrich Member Posts: 1
    I didn't like the Recaro seats either, nor the touchscreen -- so I just got the standard ST without them....
Sign In or Register to comment.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles