Ford Focus Zetec S 1.6 Ecoboost

Fast Fords enjoy a special place in the hearts of the British public, but is the Zetec S about to become the latest in a long line of legendary hatches? Or will fans have to wait until the full-blooded ST arrives next summer for their hot hatch kicks?

Well, the jury is still out on the styling of the Zetec S. The Focus is hardly a looker in standard form, and the new model has been decked out with a full bodykit, which does it few favours.

From its low chin at the front to its ground-hugging skirts at the back, it looks as if it has been styled by a group of boy racers. Zetec S trim also includes a set of multispoke alloy wheels and LED tail-lamps. More restraint has been shown inside, where the sports pedals, supportive seats and push-button start are the only items to set the Zetec S apart from lesser models.

You don’t get many luxuries, though. DAB radio and Bluetooth are included, but cruise control is a £200 extra (it’s standard on the other cars here) and you don’t even get electric rear windows – they’re part of the £275 City Pack.

The rest of the Focus package is familiar, so you get a decent amount of space in the rear and a 316-litre boot – the smallest on test. The Ford is available with a range of petrol and diesel engines, but the new 1.6-litre EcoBoost is unique to the Zetec S. It’s the same turbo petrol engine that’s available elsewhere in the range, but uprated to produce 178bhp instead of 148bhp.

That’s enough to eclipse the 158bhp Golf, but still some way short of the potent 209bhp Leon. The raw numbers tell only half the story, though, as this smooth-revving engine is a gem. It pulls strongly from low in the range and revs happily to its 5,700rpm red line. Plus, its purposeful noise hints at the car’s extra power. It pulls off the neat trick of being quiet at cruising speeds yet having a throaty soundtrack under hard acceleration.

From a standing start, the Ford is outclassed here. The SEAT was quickest off the line, but the VW accelerated from 0-60mph three tenths of a second faster than the Focus, which took 8.6 seconds. Once the Ford is up and running, it’s a different story. The Leon still sets the benchmark for in-gear pace, but the Zetec S outdragged the Golf GT in our third and fifth-gear tests.

Neither the VW nor the SEAT has an answer to the Focus when it comes to driver appeal. Ford has established itself as the class leader for handling thanks to a succession of brilliant models, and the Zetec S showcases this expertise once again.

Its suspension was specially developed for UK roads and suits the car perfectly. With firmer dampers and stiffened springs, we feared the worst, but the enhanced set-up strikes a great compromise between ride comfort and handling ability.

It soaks up the worst bumps at high speed and filters out smaller imperfections around town effectively, yet serves up even sharper responses than before.Thread our trio down a twisty country road and the Ford is the most engaging, confidence-inspiring and comfortable choice.

This isn’t all down to the suspension – the electric power-steering is perfectly weighted and the gearshift is slick. The strong  and progressive brakes are also perfectly judged and not as over-sensitive as those fitted to the SEAT and VW.

This all makes the Ford the best car here to drive. Through a sequence of bends, its agility and composure mark it out as something special, and its balanced chassis makes up for any straight-line performance shortfall compared to the SEAT.

The Zetec S also features a host of fuel-saving technologies, including stop-start, a gearshift indicator, active aerodynamics and regenerative battery charging.

It returned 26.8mpg with us, putting it just behind the VW and comfortably ahead of the SEAT. And the Focus leads the way when it comes to CO2 emissions with its low 139g/km output.

Fans of the ST can only hope for more of the same when it arrives in the summer, as the Zetec S suggests it will be worth the wait. For now, the new model sets a high standard for the Golf GT and Leon FR+ to beat here.

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Chart position: 1WHY: Ford has taken nearly a year to give enthusiasts a Focus to get excited about. Has the Zetec S been worth the wait, and does it bode well for the forthcoming flagship ST?