2005 Ford Focus ZX4 ST Quick Spin

With good looks, a comfortable interior and a decent price, it seems that the 2005 Ford Focus has a lot going for it. Driving this economy sedan will only solidify that impression.

Good times abounded while the 2005 Ford Focus ZX4 ST was visiting our offices. With 151 horsepower and 154 lb.-ft. of torque, the 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engine exhibited good throttle response and respectable highway passing ability, all while returning 23.9 mpg. Rowing through the gears of the five-speed manual transmission is like running a hot knife through butter. Yes, that’s an exaggeration, but the gearbox is tight, the short-throw shifts are a cinch to execute, and creeping along in clogged traffic isn’t a big deal thanks to the light effort of the clutch. Drivers won’t likely win any drag races, but spinning the tachometer between stoplights should prove to be sufficiently entertaining.

Ford says that the suspension bolted onto the ZX4 ST is “SVT-inspired,” referring to the company’s Special Vehicle Team and its now defunct SVT Focus, a 170-horsepower road rocket based on the ZX3 hatchback. That’s like saying the artwork sold at Wal-Mart is inspired by Picasso. On the surface they may look the same, but as they say, “the devil is in the details.” For normal city driving or playing a bit in the corners, the suspension does its job quite well. Bumps and road abnormalities are typically taken in stride. Push it a bit harder, though, and the body begins to roll and the Pirelli tires lose interest in gripping the road. The result is a car that tends to drift through high-speed maneuvers, rather than hold a tight line along the intended route. Steering is firm with good road feel, although the ST’s tires hunted on grooved road surfaces. The ZX4 ST is the only Focus model with standard four-wheel disc, antilock brakes, a setup that provides excellent pedal feel, modulation and response. Even after a bout of aggressive driving, braking power was not diminished.