Depending on how cynical you are, you can look at Ford’s new ST-Line trim, previously known as Zetec S, in two different ways.

You can see it as the inevitable cash-in on the success of the ST and RS hot hatches, or you can look at in more benign terms: a car for folks who really like Ford’s sportier offerings but who can’t justify the considerable compromises of a proper performance car.

Whatever you think, there’s no denying it does look cool. With angrier front and rear ends, puffed-out side skirts and lowered sports suspension, it’s certainly a dead ringer for a hot hatch. So what’s it like to drive?

Performance

Along with the name change and the new looks, the ST-Line Focus also gets a slightly different engine line-up than before. Included now is a 1.5-litre diesel, while there’s now also a trio of petrol EcoBoost motors available.

There’s a 123bhp 1.0-litre, along with the larger 1.5-litre unit which comes with a choice of 148bhp or 180bhp. Of those, it’s the 148bhp version we tested, but it’s probably not the one we’d go for.

It’s frisky enough and performs reasonably well: 0-62mph will take you 8.9 seconds and the car will top out at 130mph, but given the Focus’ porky kerb weight there doesn’t feel like there’s an awful lot of oomph in it.

Back when this trim was still known as Zetec S, it was looked at as the half-way house between the full ST hot hatch and a regular Focus: enough power to be exciting but without the prohibitively high running costs.

With that in mind, we’d go for the more powerful 180bhp EcoBoost engine in the range, the closest you’ll get to the full-bore 247bhp ST. Otherwise, it’s got the looks but it doesn’t quite have the muscle to back them up.

Ride and Handling

It might come as a bit of a disappointment to anybody hoping to ape the proper hot hatch experience for a bit less money.

Of course, the ST-Line package brings a bit more than an angrier-looking bumper. It’s also got retuned suspension that’s stiffer for a sportier, more planted ride and which mean that all ST-Line cars sit a full 10mm closer to the tarmac than the regular versions. Don’t think that it’ll be back-breakingly stiff like the sort of setup you’d get in the ST or the RS, though. In fact, aside from a couple of extra vibrations that creep into the cabin it’s quite hard to tell the difference between the ST-Line suspension and the standard Focus, even after driving them back to back. Is that likely to faze anyone? Well, it might come as a bit of a disappointment to anybody hoping to ape the proper hot hatch experience for a bit less money, but it does feel nicely judged for British roads. Of course, the Focus has always been one of the better-driving cars in its class anyway, so to be honest it doesn’t matter all that much. Composed and comfortable, it’s also got well-weighted steering that’ll inspire confidence in anyone punting it up a country lane at a decent lick. Back when we reviewed the ST-Line version of the Mondeo, we reckoned that the suspension tweaks are both best suited to, and most noticeable in, the Fiesta. We’d still agree with that assessment, but the Focus ST-Line does offer just a bit more excitement than your standard model.

Interior and Equipment

With the more powerful 180bhp EcoBoost engine, the Focus ST-Line is both more powerful and faster than the Focus ST170, the first ever hot Focus.

On the inside, the ST-Line trim also adds a few extra sporty appointments like front sports seats, alloy pedals and a grippy leather steering wheel in addition to contrasting red stitching. It’s not as brazenly sporting as the ST or RS, but it’s enough to make it feel that bit cheekier than your average hatchback and the sculpted sports seats are comfortable, hugging your sides well and keeping you secure. There’s the same ergonomic interior layout as with the regular Focus, along with the essential appointments like a Ford SYNC infotainment system, air conditioning, DAB digital radio and sat-nav. Five doors as standard means easy access for all the family, though the car’s 316-litre boot can’t compare with the best in class. If you need more space, there is the option of an estate version, which increases boot capacity to 476 litres with the rear seats up, and 1,500 litres with them down.

Cost

It’s affordable for anybody who wants hot hatch looks on a tight budget

Pricing for the Focus ST-Line kicks off from £20,845, which makes it just £1,750 more expensive than the entry-level Zetec trim. As a result, it’s affordable for anybody who wants hot hatch looks on a tight budget. Consider that the ST is at least £4,000 more expensive and it starts to make a lot of sense. The fact that the 148bhp 1.5-litre EcoBoost can return up to 51.1mpg on the combined cycle with 127g/km of CO2 means that it’ll surely be a lot cheaper to run than the ST, and cheaper to insure too. If efficiency is your bag, you’ll want the 1.5-litre diesel, which can return 74.3mpg with 99g/km.

Our Verdict

If we put our overly-critical hat on, we might say that the Focus ST-Line isn’t different enough from the regular Focus or that the ST-Line name is just a bit of marketing spin. But we can’t deny that if you want something that’s a little more sporting than your average Focus, but you’re not sure a hot hatch is for you or you don’t think you can live with the compromises of one, then the ST-Line is a great option. We’d just avoid the middling 148bhp and go straight for the more powerful 180bhp for the proper ST-lite experience, or alternatively opt for the diesel if you want the looks but also want minimum running costs.