Why Does The Ford Focus ST Sedan Not Exist?

"JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!" (jqj213) 04/23/2014 at 11:22 • Filed to: ST, Ford, Focus, Focus ST, WRX, SI, GLI

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I saw a new VW Jetta GLI today driving down the road. I began thinking of what it competes with, and realized that there is a huge opportunity for Ford here.

I know this seems rather odd to us, but there are many people who do not like hatchbacks. They think they look funny. They... (umm I can't think of another reason, so please if you think of one, help me please).

People do however love the Focus ST. They love the seats, the power, the price, and the way it drives. I feel that a sedan would improve these sales even more. Lets look at the competition.

This is the main competitor in my mind. The VW Jetta GLI is for the most part of GTI with a trunk. And many people prefer this. It starts at $24,500, which falls quite close to the STs starting price of $23,625. VW can and has been selling both side by side for years now. Ford could pull it off.

Another big hit is the Civic SI. It starts at $23,000 and also falls right into this >$25K price point. Honda doesn't offer the hatch in the states, only the sedan since Americans don't like hatches that much (which is why I found it ironic that Ford didn't do this as well). I'm sure these two are cross-shopped and some take the Honda because it is a sedan.

The 2015 Subaru WRX is another sporty sedan. Although it starts just above the $25,000 barrier, it still counts. And now, Subaru has !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , so this could be a direct competitor.

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What do you guys think? Am I simply crazy? Or did I just create Fords next big hit?

UserNotFound > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 11:23

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Because sedans are dumb.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 11:24

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You can just tell that the current Focus was originally designed as a hatch, and that the sedan is an afterthought.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 11:25

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Simply because we don't buy sedans of that size in Europe, and a small car like that don't sell that well in the US :)

EL_ULY > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 11:25

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Why don't they sell AWD versions is my complain :]

Jacques L' Autre > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 11:27

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I really hope they don't make the Focus ST a sedan as that would mean making the Fiesta ST with a sedan version as well, and no one wants that.

It's just so ugly.

Vicente Esteve > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 11:28

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I think you are totally right with it. I think it would look a bit less boy racer ish and more serious.

This is a two-generations-back ST Sedan render. We got it in Mexico, but only hatch.

KirkyV > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 04/23/2014 at 11:28

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Hasn't that been the case for every iteration of the Focus? It's always been fairly clear which body-style - and market - the car was actually designed for.

sefeing, actually bought an E46 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 11:29

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As a FoST owner, I can honestly say that I love the hatchback style and versatility. I really don't see why people think sedans are better than hatches. I'm also coming from a Mazda3 hatch, so I guess I'm bias. Both of the cars I was considering when making my purchase (WRX, FoST) come in hatches. The only reason I even considered a WRX Sedan was because they were more available, and thus able to be bought cheaper.

Party-vi > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 11:31

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I don't see Ford losing any ST sales because it's not available in a sedan body.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > KirkyV 04/23/2014 at 11:31

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Yes, and the opposite was true for the Escort:

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Party-vi 04/23/2014 at 11:33

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They aren't losing many but it does exist as an issue.. look right here on the Ford forum: link people do complain about it. Why I don't know but it does exist as an issue.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > sefeing, actually bought an E46 04/23/2014 at 11:33

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I've always preferred them too, but many people don't. Thats why companies like Honda don't offer the hatch over here. It is why Subaru won't make the next WRX a hatch. There is a market for it.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Jacques L' Autre 04/23/2014 at 11:34

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Whenever I see these driving around, I want to ask the owner why they didn't spend a few hundred more on the hatch... the sedan is really bad but I know people that do hate the hatch just as much.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 04/23/2014 at 11:35

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Small sedans are well liked here now due to gas prices and the young kids. It wouldn't have a huge market, but how much more would Ford need to spend to offer it?

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 11:36

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The sedan version of the focus is longer so it'll probably handle worse or require additional work to get it right. Plus it's pretty ugly and the market for a hot compact sedan is already pretty saturated while the hot hatch market is, at worst, competitive, and at best - under served in markets like the US.

Put it this way - the new GLI and civic SI and WRX not only compete with each other, they also "compete" on some level with the used market since a lot of tuners buy them and modify them. So cars like a slightly older 3-series or pony cars and coupes like the accord coupe and mustang are around the same price and have similar amounts of space. But the hot hatch market? Let's see here only the GTI is being sold new until you count the fiesta and focus ST. The Speed3 and WRX aren't sold new anymore. Competition on the used market? It really is only the Speed3, WRX, and GTI. There just haven't been many hot hatches in the states.

KirkyV > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 04/23/2014 at 11:37

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That's an Escort?

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 04/23/2014 at 11:39

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I really don't think that much more work would be needed. So many parts are shared. I could see the handling being a bit worse, but it can't be that bad. I agree that it does look worse, but people do prefer sedans over hatches. That is why they don't have so many hatches at all over here.

That is a good point with the used market though... never really thought of that aspect.

I just think that overall the cost to develop it would be quite low and they could turn a good profit.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 11:39

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Since I don't work for Ford I honestly can't tell you. But I guess this comes down to the same thing as with wagons from let's say Audi. The market is just not big enough.. The point is that Sedans sell well in the US... not so much in Europe, and the Focus is a VERY European car.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > KirkyV 04/23/2014 at 11:40

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Yup - Escort wagon, not sure which year.

Party-vi > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 11:55

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I think it's a legacy issue - Ford has never made a hot-hatch Focus sedan, as they've all been hatchback versions. Plus the Focus ST doesn't care about the Civic Si or GLI; the ST is aimed at MS3 and GTI buyers.

Jayhawk Jake > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 12:01

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This is true for the Sonic as well

Cool looking hatchback:

Dear god why sedan

Übel > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 12:16

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I'm guessing that the won't-buy-it-because-hatchback crowd is somewhat dwarfed by/included in the won't-buy-it-because-manual crowd, and that hasn't bothered Ford yet.

Harris Lue > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 12:24

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You're Welcome! Idk why they dont make it either!! Looks absolutely awesome!

t_s > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 12:35

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The Focus sedan doesn't exist in Europe, where I'm led to believe the ST was developed...

Mike_Smith > Party-vi 04/23/2014 at 12:42

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" Ford has never made a hot-hatch Focus sedan "

Probably because "hot- hatch sedan " is a contradiction in terms. If it's a sedan, it is by definition not a hot-hatch.

Party-vi > Mike_Smith 04/23/2014 at 12:54

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Hot-hatch sedan, meaning the hot-hatch model offered as a sedan, e.g. Ford Focus ST sedan, Ford Focus RS sedan, etc.

sefeing, actually bought an E46 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 15:55

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You're entirely right. I guess Ford's trying to follow tradition of making their performance (well.. hot hatches?) hatches?

M54B30 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 20:37

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Ford offered an ST trim on 05-07 Focus sedans. Styling tweaks, a lowered suspension, performance wheel/tire combo, tuned exhaust, 2.3L and 5 speed (only). Interior got red/black sport seats and red stitching on the wheel and shifter, aluminum interior panels, etc.

It was a lot better than the base Focus and handled really well. It was about as fast as an. SVT Focus and handling was comparable. I had a 2007, infra-red with the rally body kit. I loved it.

jkm7680 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 21:08

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I'd probably say that the Focus St sedan wouldn't look great. The sedan already looks strange, an St version I feel wouldn't sell good.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > jkm7680 04/23/2014 at 21:36

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If you click through the comments someone rendered one and I didn't think it looked too bad. There is a market for them; not a big one but it does exist. And it couldn't cost that much more to make since they all share parts.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > M54B30 04/23/2014 at 21:37

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That last pic is great since they support all three big American groups (Gm, Mopar, and Ford)

jkm7680 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 21:38

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Ok, That looks slightly better than I expected it to look.

The Gli, Wrx, all need a little bit of serious competition though. The St could either compete with them, or not even threaten them. It's a strange automotive world it seems, most things are either hits or misses.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > jkm7680 04/23/2014 at 21:47

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I was surprised how cool it looked too.

It really is a strange field of cars. They really have no direct competition. A lot compete with the used market with things like the Mustang since they all try to attract this youth group.

When the ST hatch came out and all the reviewers claimed it better than the GTI I was shocked. Some cars pull this off; others fail trying.

jkm7680 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 22:05

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Agreed.

For example the Cadillac Catera. Gm brought a good product to the table, but there were few takers for it. Same goes for the Saturn Astra, where a popular European product didn't settle well with America. It could have competed with the Golf, but there were few who trusted Saturn as a brand for a sporty hatch.

If I'm right, the Focus St originally was a European Ford, made it stateside and ended up being a great success. It's a risky buisness.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/23/2014 at 23:55

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IS the sedan even sold out of the US?

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) 04/23/2014 at 23:58

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You know? Thats a really good question. I know that the Focus is mainly European.. it was developed there and more Eu than US.

I don't think it is actually. But it exists because many Americans hate the hatch. I think an ST sedan would sell

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/24/2014 at 00:00

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It's like if we sold a RWD ford escort. It will sell with the enthusiasts and everyone european, but USA folk will hate it because of the last US version's quality reliability issues

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > KirkyV 04/24/2014 at 00:52

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American market.