Here are the cars the 2020 Ford Focus ST has to beat

Ford’s new Focus range now has a proper performance hero, with the arrival of the 2020 Ford Focus ST.

Touted as “the most Jekyll and Hyde” Focus ST yet, the new hot hatch employs the 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine from the outgoing Focus RS, albeit with more front-wheel-drive-friendly 206kW and 420Nm outputs.

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Those figures got us thinking.

In our most recent hot hatch megatest, the current-gen Focus ST mustered a fairly plain 7th place in the running order.

But with a 22kW power bump over last time, and the long overdue addition of an electronic limited-slip diff, we think this new Focus ST is thrust right back into the thick of the competition.

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So let’s take a look at the hot hatch rivals it will face once it arrives locally, and determine whether the new Focus ST has what it takes to lead the pack.

HYUNDAI i30 N – 202kW/363Nm

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Chief among all, the supremely capable Hyundai i30 N is the big one to beat. In fact, the introduction of the Hyundai i30 N spawned the idea for our first hot hatch megatest, and even ended up being the champion, with the team praising its zero-to-hero debut. It netted the fastest time around the Haunted Hills circuit and its all-round ability and sharp price point were major factors of its first place finish.

HONDA CIVIC TYPE R – 228kW/400Nm

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If driving for the sake of driving was the aim of the game, the razor-sharp Honda Civic Type R should be at the top of the hot hatch tree. Our testers revelled in how the Honda lights up no matter where the tacho needle is pointing; how the chassis “is so hooked up in the rear”; and finally, how planted and non-floaty it feels for a front-driver. But this deft performance does come at a cost, with the entry price north of $50k leaving a great big hole for the Focus ST to fit under with its $44,690 pricetag.

Peugeot 308 GTi 270 – 200kW/330Nm

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While the Peugeot 308 GTi may present as a bit of an underdog among some of the hot hatch giants, our megatest proved it was still well worthy of being at the pointy-end of the group. The lightweight package was praised for its beautiful ride and braking ability, and even managed to best the all-wheel drive Volkswagen Golf R and Subaru WRX STI’s times around the hill climb. Where it was let down was its innate French-ness, in its occasional ergonomic glitches and annoying trim rattles.

RENAULT MEGANE RS – 205kW/390Nm

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The much applauded previous generation was a cult-hero, and this generation ushers in some big changes for the Gallic-brand. Having similar performance numbers to the incoming Focus ST, we wonder whether Megane RS’s time has passed, making way for a new king of the hot hatches.

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI – 180kW/370Nm

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Mentioning hot hatches without a reference to the Volkswagen Golf GTI will never fly. A tried-and-tested go-to for so many, it’s the designated benchmark for the entire segment. Testers during our Megatest regarded the Mk7.5 GTI as “thrillingly quick yet incredibly composed and arrestingly refined when it needs to be, a more complete hot-hatch for the money just doesn’t exist right now.”

Accolades don’t come much higher than that. Power figures have been bumped to 180kW/370Nm for 2020 (up from 167kW/350Nm during our megatest) to see out the Mk7 Golf’s final days, ahead of the Mk8’s arrival in the near future. If the new Focus ST can at least match the Golf in all-round competence, it’s sure to be a good car.