Last time a Focus ST tackled PCOTY it proved to be a very ?hot? contender, in a bad way ? the thing overheated very quickly when we darted it around the track.

But good news for those that don?t enjoy sitting sheepishly in the pits with a steaming Ford, is that the more agro-looking front end of the facelifted model also improves its cooling ability. We did eight laps and the gauge never went into the red, though came close.

Against the clock, it lapped just over a second slower than rivals like the Mazda3 MPS and Seat Leon Cupra, while its straight-line sprinting ability was on par with its rivals.

Where it really comes into its own is in the driving experience. That five-pot Volvo-sourced turbo motor sounds the business and delivers its power smoothly, while around corners it?s very direct and neutral and the steering sensation feels great. In fact all the driving controls impart a sporty and solid feeling.

The interior is really cool too ? a bit kitsch, but not overdone, and the materials and finishes look both sporty and expensive. It?s big inside and, unlike rivals, you can have it with three or five doors ? looks much better with three, we reckon.

In essence, a great all-rounder, but not quite a ground-shaker. It would need a more significant rejuvenation to send it flying to the top of its class.

Ford Focus ST
Price: R276 000
kW/Nm: 166/320
0-100km/h (g): 7.6 secs
Top speed (c): 241km/h
Hot Lap (g): 2m13.2