16th Mar 2004, 02:56
Are you suggesting that the interiors of sports cars are drab?
What a ridiculous notion!
Surely the sports model is among the uppermost models in the range and as such, benefits from additional styling cues like alcantara, leather, aluminium and carbon trims, etc, etc.
Exactly what planet are you on mister?
24th Mar 2004, 13:52
Calm down guys, there only cars. Anyway I bet my daewoo could outdo the pair of ya! (only joking)
6th Apr 2004, 02:11
You want to know what the reviewer does for a living? Well whatever it is, it doesn't involve spending as much time on this website as you son! It took you long enough to spot - I just got carried away reviewing my car, sometimes it happens, mind you, you wouldn't know anything about cars would you seeing as you probably get the train to work!
Adios Pedro!
18th Apr 2004, 20:30
I can really admire your Passion and Attitude towards the Brotherness of Competition. If everyone agreed we'd never challenge. I am from the US and can honestly say that the Euro market Focus gets the treatment! The US Focus is better than it was before, yet we have no other Sport so to say than the SVT. To see the comments of those here testing off the lot Hot Mod Fords without having to go to a Custom shop to get one fitted, hats off to you.
US Ford is all about cheap unless you special order, then again the Wagon comes with some nice fittings, but there is no ST 170 option.
I own the Wagon and am longing for a pure Power Experience.
Bring it Stateside!
20th Apr 2004, 08:56
I may well be getting the train to work at the moment, but when my brand new Lotus Elise arrives from the junket showroom, you'll be eating my rubber as I burn some dust.
1st Jul 2004, 05:20
I've sat (not driven) in ST170 and the RS Focus and I just though that it was like getting into my diesel Focus. Didn't look like they put much effort into in the interior to make it that bit different.
Still the Focus is a cracking motor (I've sold mine now, but I miss the handling) and maybe the drive makes up for the lack of imagination in the interior.
15th Nov 2004, 15:41
Sounds to me like theres a few kids messing around on here who have no car at all, lotus elise arriving soon????ha!!
The st170 is a warm-hot hatch, and a nice looking car with great handling (as with most/all focus's).
Its only a review from an owner though!!!
20th Nov 2004, 13:17
Just brought my ST170 for under 15k with the comfort pack (Xenons, Climate Control and heated front windscreen) met black paint, supaguard and GAP.
Roll on next week!
21st Jan 2005, 15:36
Well got my second st170 on thursday and all ready its back with the dealer a week later. The car was new and has a number of faults, but the most annoying ones are the dash board lights keep flickering, and a huge lack of power in first and second gear. But still happy with the car overall.
10th Feb 2005, 19:42
I am a new owner of the ST170, in the past I have owned a Renault 5 turbo, Astra GTE, Fiesta XR2 and a Citroen Saxo VTR. The ST170 is a great car and the best handling car out of all the above. The ST170 is low on power in the early gears, but try taking it to 6000 revs were the car comes into its own. Quality machine for the bucks in my honest opinion.
25th Feb 2005, 14:14
I don't understand why the Focus ST170 isn't quicker than it is to be honest. It's closer to the RS in power output terms than it is to the standard 2.0 Zetec, yet is much closer to the Zetec in terms of performance. The RS is an absolute missile (figured as low as 5.7 seconds 0-60 and nearly 150 flat out) and has "just" 40 PS more.
That said, I had my local Ford dealer's demo ST170 for a day when my own Focus was in for service last year and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Once you accept it's a bit slower than its rivals, it's a blinding car. Cars like the Civic Type R and Seat Leon are massively quick, and grip well, but chassis wise are about as fun as the shopping cars they're based on. The Focus underpinnings are class leading to begin with so its no surprise the ST is such a laugh.
Just my fourpenneth.
17th Nov 2005, 07:40
Really? How come Ford cars are always ahead of VW in the reliability tables? I know of Golf GTI owners who wish they had the st170 build!!
21st Nov 2005, 03:56
Having never owned or driven a Focus ST170, I can't comment on that car, but I can't believe people still fall for the VW reliability / quality myth!! Just take a look through the last few years customer surveys such as JD Power and Top Gear for the truth. Also take a look at the VW reviews on this site.
I've just sold my Passat TDI PD 130 Sport. On first acquaintance it was a classy, good looking, beautifully finished bit of engineering. After three years and 51,000 miles it was on its second clutch (known fault according to dealer), had to have its interior completely stripped out on two occasions to find and repair two separate water leaks (both known faults according to dealer), had the turbo pipework "pop off" leaving the car with about 30 bhp (known fault according to dealer), had to have the alarm horn / control box unit replaced due to water ingress (known fault according to dealer), the central locking module replaced, and an electric window motor replaced.
Overpriced rubbish.
27th Nov 2005, 10:24
Just bought my ST and kicked the living daylights out of 3 'fast' VW's (GTi's). OK the car has been uprated, but not by much. VW's are over-priced, over-hyped, and over-rated.
12th Dec 2005, 21:16
Unfortunately you will never see a cossie variant, as they have gone bust, ha ha.
14th Dec 2005, 19:40
I would gladly swap my heap of junk 2003 Golf Gti 1.8t 180 for a focus ST170. The Golf has a wonderful interior and (and a nice image in my opinion) looks good, but the drive is awful. Devoid of any feel and a complete rattle box. the Golf has POOR quality in terms of fit and finish, but the materials you see are more attractive and more expensive looking - this does not mean it is better quality though!!
Really disappointed after my Focus 2.0 ESP it replaced - I no longer bother going on a drive down my favourite roads just for the hell of it. Wish I'd gone for the Focus ST170, can't wait untill March 2006 when I can replace... Golf Gti or Focus ST, it's a toughie.
11th Dec 2003, 05:43
Very true my friend - It is always good to compare models like for like.
I, also have driven the Focus RS and the Golf and yes the Focus leaves the Golf for dead every time. True the interior is quite drab in the Focus, but then again you have bought a Sports car - what do you expect?