Road test: Ford Focus ST-Line X 1.0 mild-hybrid 155 CV: spicy and committed to the environment

Mobility is changing in leaps and bounds, but it is a transition that manufacturers know must be handled calmly. A clear example of this is Ford, a brand that offers a sustainable and varied range of products, with the Mustang Mach-E, the Kuga PHEV and the Ford Focus Mild-Hybrid representing this change that is already under way. But we wanted to find out first-hand whether these different sustainable mobility options are compatible with one another and whether they really benefit not only the environment but also our wallets.

To do so, we spent a week living with the Ford Focus ST-Line X 1.0 Mild-Hybrid 155 CV. This version of the German compact promises the perfect balance between performance, comfort and efficiency, but is that really the case, or is it merely a strategy to reduce overall emissions? Let’s find out.

A design capable of overshadowing the Ford Focus ST itself

But before we get stuck into unravelling all the ins and outs of this Focus’s mechanicals, let me tell you about its looks. The car that accompanied me for a week was equipped with the ST-Line X trim. What does that mean? Very generous equipment and a look with an extra dash of spice.

At the front, an imposing honeycomb-style grille stands out, complemented by a wide and sharper bumper. The side, meanwhile, boasts optional 18-inch alloy wheels and a fine, slender silhouette that leads into the rear end.

It is here that the Ford Focus in ST-Line X trim shows its spicy side, thanks to a pronounced spoiler and a diffuser housing a really good-looking twin exhaust outlet at the sides. The problem? There are not many visual differences between this trim and a regular Ford Focus ST, so it may not go down well with owners of the latter.

A pleasant and functional interior

But the fourth-generation Ford Focus doesn’t just offer a more stylish and modern look, but also a cabin in step with current technological trends. With this in mind, the American compact has a fresh, pleasant and, above all, functional interior, which is welcome given some of the fashions prevalent in the automotive sector.

The Blue Oval brand recently gave the Focus a light but well-judged facelift which, in addition to new engines, introduced a key element: the digital instrument cluster. The Ford Focus dashboard is now dominated by a fully digital instrument display delivered via a 12.3-inch screen. Its graphics are pleasant, easy to read and it runs more than smoothly; but on the downside, it doesn’t offer as much customisation as some of its European rivals.

At the same time, Ford continues to offer an 8-inch central screen housing the infotainment system via SYNC 3. It performs smoothly, nimbly and quickly, although its position is too far forward to take in all the information without turning your head.

But its virtues continue with connectivity to both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and, above all, with physical controls, something it seems unbelievable is being lost. The climate control also has this type of control and, in general, the dashboard has a soft and pleasant-to-the-touch area.

However, the centre console is short on soft-touch materials, leaving hard plastic, along with the rest of the cabin, as the main feature, albeit with good fit and finish. But Ford deserves a telling-off for the rear seats, where the doors have more hard plastics and there are neither air vents nor USB ports for the occupants, something most of its rivals do offer.

In terms of space, we find wide, comfortable outer rear seats with enough room for both head and legs, although be careful if you’re tall, since the steeply sloping C-pillar means you have to duck your head a little to get in. The middle seat is not especially wide and its backrest is not very soft, but the transmission tunnel is very shallow, so you can place your feet comfortably.

The boot in this mild-hybrid version is not compromised, since the battery is housed under the front passenger seat. As a result, we get 341 litres of capacity, a figure that sits roughly in the segment average and is backed up by a flat loading lip and very regular shapes.

Precise like few others

We know that three-cylinder engines are raising a lot of doubts and concerns -even fears- among today’s public, but Ford has wanted to change the reputation of this type of configuration. To that end, with this update of the Focus they have decided to include a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo engine which, supported by a mild-hybrid system, develops 155 CV and 235 Nm of torque.

The 155 CV arrive almost at the very end of the rev counter, at 6,000 rpm, while the 235 Nm of torque comes in early, at 2,000 rpm. As a result, we find an energetic three-cylinder engine that never hesitates and is capable of delivering a forceful push once past 2,000 rpm and, above all, well into 3,000.

And that is one of the most pleasant and advantageous aspects of this engine: its strength. It pulls eagerly and gracefully, almost completely masking its three-cylinder nature and leaving a very good impression. To manage it, Ford offers a six-speed manual gearbox with short throws, a pleasant feel and engagements with a certain mechanical flavour.

On the motorway the package is exemplary, letting us enjoy a good kick in practically any rev range and even in high gears. On the downside, the driving modes are very extreme relative to one another, with ECO mode “castrating” the engine too much and a very energetic Sport mode after adjusting engine and throttle response. The rest of the elements remain unchanged when we choose this mode.

This translates into a certain sluggishness when overtaking if we drive in ECO mode, for example. In terms of comfort, we find a car that is well insulated both acoustically and aerodynamically, although its suspension -which is well tuned- feels somewhat firm, making us notice road imperfections and urban speed bumps more readily than in some of its competitors. Given all this, during the motorway test we recorded a consumption of 6.5 litres per 100 km, which is not bad but seems somewhat high compared with rivals of the same type with one more cylinder.

If we decide to tackle the city, we will find a practical Ford Focus. Its compact dimensions invite us to wander the streets without too many problems, and its many driver aids will also help make our day-to-day easier. Its engine continues to show the same character -very aggressive in Sport mode, very sluggish in ECO mode and not as balanced as I would have liked in Normal mode- and the only negatives we can find in the city are, once again, somewhat firm suspension and rather high noise and vibration when the engine is idling.

Here we do enjoy lower consumption than expected thanks to the more frequent intervention of the mild-hybrid system. Its operation is shown in the instrument cluster by a cogwheel when it is providing energy and by a battery when it is recharging. It is true that it never acts on its own, but it provides assistance both under acceleration and deceleration, bringing average urban consumption to 7.8 litres per 100 km.

But the Ford Focus shines, above all, on the open road. In that environment we find a car with a delightful set-up. Its chassis lets us enjoy precise, sharp cornering, to which its suspension and its quick, precise though not very communicative steering also contribute. Nor should we forget its three-cylinder engine, which once again rewards us with that explosive character.

Conclusion

As I said at the start of this road test, mobility is changing. A clear example of this is the Ford Focus with this engine, which shows that changes are not always for the worse and that, despite them, we can still enjoy balanced, characterful cars despite their three-cylinder engines, which in my eyes are unfairly demonised.

On the negative side, we find a car with materials that could be better, especially in the rear seats, a barely configurable instrument cluster and somewhat firm suspension if we prioritise comfort above all. On the other hand, the American compact stands out for an energetic engine, a chassis with a very good set-up and a very balanced package in every respect.

At the same time, we must bear in mind a price of 33,000 euros once all the extras fitted to the test car are included. It is true that it seems a high price, but we must also consider more modest configurations equipped with the same engine, which is, after all, the crown jewel of this Ford Focus 1.0 mild-hybrid.

Technical specifications of this car

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