2013 Ford Focus ST
We’re at Roebling Road Raceway near Savannah, Georgia, to find out if the 2013 Ford Focus ST does indeed deliver world-class performance for bargain basement prices. So let’s download the data before we dive in to that.
Starting under the hood, you’ll find Ford’s now very familiar 2.0-liter EcoBoost I4 engine, but it’s a high output version for the ST with an over-boost function that bumps horsepower up to 252. Torque remains the same at a very vigorous 270 lb-ft. Transmission is a 6-speed manual only and also gets specific ST updates.
The chassis adds some additional firming, while suspension and steering have all been re-calibrated. The ST rides almost half an inch lower than its more pedestrian siblings.
Atop all of that hardware, sits a 5-door hatchback body that gets a muscly makeover that transforms this compact from kitty cat to rip roaring' tiger. Specifics include a wide open, one piece, black trapezoidal grille, rocker extensions, and a diffuser-style rear bumper with venting and a cutout for the center-mounted dual exhaust. It wouldn’t be a hot hatchback without a prominent spoiler up top.
18-inch alloy wheels sport Good Year Eagle F1 rubber, with the two up front handling both steering and power distribution, as rally-car like all-wheel-drive is not on the menu. Manual transmission and hatchback only? Sure sounds European! ST, created by Ford of Europe’s Sports Technology division, is a true Euro-style performance car following in the path of the Volkswagen Golf R. And much like the Golf R, at the track, it ate up asphalt like few other front drivers can do. It was super easy to find the ST’s limits and push them right to that point corner after corner.
The front strut suspension and control blade independent rear have been perfectly stiffened, and the ST comes with unobtrusive stability control that can be disabled, and Torque Vectoring Control which uses selective braking to tighten turns. Steering is nice and direct, and while speed sapping front drive understeer is still an issue, a little lift-off-the-throttle oversteer counters it nicely.
As for complaints, if you’re not used to slinging compact, hot hatches around the track, you’ll feel like you’re sitting right on top of the front wheels, and the Sound Symposer which pumps engine noise into the cabin didn’t pump quite enough for track work. A little more exhaust note would go a long way in helping you stay off the rev limiter.
When driven in a straight line, the ST will spring to 60 in 5.9-seconds and complete the ¼ mile in 14.8-seconds at 95 miles-per-hour. Power builds quickly, so keep a hand on the shifter and be ready to move it up; meanwhile, keep a firm grip on the wheel with your other one as there’s plenty of torque steer to go around.
The Focus ST gets a thoroughly transformed interior as well, with a sporty two-tone theme that mirrors your exterior color of choice. Our favorite feature by far is the optional Recaro leather buckets up front, but the thick pedals, steering wheel, shifter, and dash top accessory gauge pack are not far behind. And hatchback versatility is always a plus with rear seats that fold to give you wagon-like cargo room of 44.8 cubic-ft.
Away from the track the ST feels surprisingly docile. The now easier to hear engine and exhaust make a sweet sporty sound when you want them to, and quiet down nicely when you don’t. While the suspension is tight, it’s not uncomfortably so over even rough pavement. Even far from its limits, the ST is a very fun car to drive.
And, it’s a clear winner in value as well, packing all this major performance into a very reasonable $24,495 price. The Recaros are part of a $2,500 package that includes a Sony stereo and dual auto climate and it’s well worth it.
So, the results are in and we feel the 2013 Ford Focus ST fully lives up to its promise by delivering an incredible amount of performance for an almost absurdly low price. With hints that an even more potent Focus RS is in the works, we sure hope Ford stays this global performance course and builds a lot of them.
Specifications
- Engine: 2.0-liter EcoBoost I4
- Horsepower: 252
- Torque: 270 lb-ft.
- 0-60 mph: 5.9 seconds
- 1/4 mile: 14.8 seconds @ 95 mph
2025 Subaru WRX tS
Subaru’s “World Rally eXperimental” Gets Tecnica-Tuned Tech
Building on its global rally heritage, WRX has been a standalone Subaru nameplate, marketed separately from garden variety Impreza, for two generations now. And while the current WRX still lacks the full STI treatment, this WRX tS serves up some of that high-performance spice we’ve been longing for.
Before we go flat out into our Track Test of this 2025 Subaru WRX tS, lets open the Subaru dictionary so we’re all on the same page. “tS” stands for “tuned by STI;” and “STI” is an acronym for “Subaru Tecnica International,” the brand’s high-performance sub-group best known for upgrading the WRX— oh, that stands for “World Rally eXperimental,” in case you didn’t know.
All that said, STI has been largely dormant for this WRX generation, but this tS sprinkles more of their engineering magic into the mix. No, that doesn’t mean extra power, but does mean significant chassis-related improvements.
First, electronically controlled dampers, adjustable through the 11.6-inch tablet-style infotainment screen. That meant a softer “comfort” mode on the 10+ hour commute to and from Savannah’s Roebling Road Raceway. But once we were there, it was the firmer “Sport+” setting all the way, heightening response from the WRX’s throttle and already quick dual-pinion power steering system. There’s still some body roll for rally-esque weight transfer, but it’s well sorted and provides the “toss-ability” you want in a WRX.
Though if you do autocross your tS, which we implore you to do, you might feel the six-piston front, two-piston rear Brembo brakes first. The bite is strong, giving good rotation in the corners and plenty of “halt” for this 3,400 lb. compact with minimal fade, keeping us on track all week…until some unfortunate winter weather passed overhead. No worries here, as Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive system got us to the track for some powdered deserts: Frosted donuts served up Michelin style, a set of winter tires different from the grippy Bridgestone Potenza S007 rubber the tS typically rides on. Some prior hot laps of California’s Sonoma Raceway gave credence to those Bridgestones, and showed us what this hot-compact can do in ideal conditions.
It’s well sorted and provides the “toss-ability” you want in a WRX.
Other tS enhancements are cabin-based, namely these beautiful blue Recaros. Most of our staff appreciated their moderately-aggressive bolstering on both street and track. And they’re even heated, too. Another tS-only appointment is this 12.3-inch digital gauge display. It mimics the standard analog gauges with some additional info, but can switch to a navigation mode for more convenient route guidance.
We do wish our tS came in the new Galaxy Purple or the trademark World Rally Blue, but this Crystal White paint wasn’t too shabby, contrasting its Cherry Blossom Red badging and blacked-out lip spoiler. Otherwise, the tS is like any other WRX, down to the hood scoop funneling air to the top-mounted intercooler.
Underneath is the same turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four in all other trims, boxing at 271 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. The freak winter weather stopped straight-line testing, but a 0-60 time estimate of 5.5 seconds is about as spry as you realistically need, pulling strong through most of the tach; though the 6,000 RPM redline required attentive shifting of the six-speed box, which the tS comes exclusively with. The throws are precise, if a little long, and the clutch is wonderfully weighted.
With discontinuation of the Base trim, pricing for the WRX now starts with Premium at $36,920. The tS is at the top of the lineup with the automatic-only GT, both starting at $46,875. All WRXs continue to be made in Gunma, Japan.
If you’re an enthusiast itching to do the tuning yourself, perhaps the 2025 Subaru WRX tS is not for you. But if you want a plug-and-play experience, this is it. While it won’t exactly bestow the loose-cannon, top-level driving skills exhibited by famous WRC drivers upon you, the tS moves this WRX’s game in a direction we’ve so desperately wanted Subaru to take.
Specifications
As Tested
- Engine: 2.4-liter flat-four
- Tranmission: 6-speed manual
- Horsepower: 271
- Torque: 258 lb-ft