One of the most important things to consider when buying a new or used car is the cost. This goes far beyond simply looking at the price of the car you’re looking to buy. Considering the ongoing running costs such as insurance is crucial.
A number of factors can have an impact on the cost of car insurance, including the age of the car and the model. In this guide, we will discuss insurance grouping for the Ford Focus ST.
In this guide:
Main features and specifications.
Compare insurance groups for Ford Focus ST models
Factors that can affect car insurance groups
Factors that can affect car insurance groups
Compare Ford Focus ST insurance groups to other models
What is the Ford Focus ST?
The Ford Focus ST is an extremely popular Ford Focus model. The latest model includes a 2.3-litre, four-cylinder engine in either six-speed manual or seven-speed auto.
If you’re looking into the Ford Focus ST for your next car, take some time to understand what it may cost to get it insured on a yearly basis.
Insurance groups for Ford Focus ST models
There are a number of variations of the Ford Focus ST which fall into different insurance groups and will mean the base calculations for your insurance premiums will vary depending on the car you choose.
Each model is distinguished by the trim but the engine specification is identical in each case.
Here are the insurance groups for each Ford Focus ST model:
| Model |
Insurance group |
Features/Trim |
Engine options |
| Ford Focus ST |
34 |
Base Ford Focus ST model |
Diesel: 187hp
Petrol: 276hp |
| Ford Focus ST-1 |
24-33 |
- Black cloth seats
- Halogen headlights
- Radio
- CD player
- BlueTooth
- Leather wrapped steering wheel
|
Diesel: 187hp
Petrol: 276hp |
| Ford Focus ST-2 |
24-35 |
- Partial leather seats
- HID headlights & cornering lamps
- Navigation system
- 10-speaker sound system
- Power moonroof
|
Diesel: 187hp
Petrol: 276hp |
| Ford Focus ST-3 |
26-36 |
- Full leather seats
- Lights & infotainment system – same as above
- Heated leather wrapped steering wheel
- Fibre interior accents
- Ambient lighting
- Power moonroof
|
Diesel: 187hp
Petrol: 276hp |
What do car insurance groups mean?
Every car belongs to a car insurance group between 1 and 50.
Lower bands provide the cheapest insurance and, generally speaking, the more powerful, rare and expensive the car, the higher the insurance group will be.
Insurers use this group rating system to calculate the insurance premiums of your car. Buying a car in the low insurance group is one way to pay less for car insurance throughout the year.
Insurance grouping is determined by the group rating panel. Their decisions are based on the following factors:
- Value of the car when new – this can indicate how expensive repairs might be
- Costs of parts and likelihood of damage
- Repair times – longer repair times can mean higher costs
- Performance – higher-performance cars are more likely to incur insurance claims due to an increased risk of accidents
- Safety ratings – certain safety features can reduce the risk of common types of accidents
- Bumper compatibility – non-standard alignments and structures mean more expensive parts
- Security – features such as alarms and mobilization systems can make a car less prone to theft
All of these factors contribute in some way to the classification of a car for an insurance group. However, it’s important to bear in mind that some insurers use their own grouping structure. It’s possible to get an idea of a car’s insurance costs before buying it by acquiring quotes from insurers to help guide your decision-making.
What other factors can affect Ford Focus ST insurance costs?
When insurers calculate your insurance premiums, there are other factors beyond the insurance group that can have an impact so it’s important to be aware of these too. Insurers gather information about you to assess the level of risk in providing car insurance to you.
The following factors can play a part:
- Age – a young driver is considered higher risk due to inexperience and immaturity
- Location – certain areas are considered higher risks for factors such as theft and vandalism
- Credit history – your ability to play your premium may be assessed partly on your credit history
- Model and age of the car – older cars are more likely to develop problems that you may need to claim for
- Driving history and activity – the length of time you’ve held your license for is important. Your premium will also be higher if you’ve had to make a claim recently
- No claims discount – this is something you accumulate over time. For each year that you are insured without making a claim, you earn a discount on your premium because you show yourself to be low risk.
How does the Ford Focus ST insurance grouping compare with other Ford Focus models?
Other Ford Focus models tend to be cheaper to insure.
| Model |
Insurance group |
| Ford Focus Zetec |
Starts at group 11 |
| Ford Focus ST-Line |
Starts at group 13 |
Other Ford Focus models offer great features but are slightly lower-spec than the ST in terms of power, which is why their average insurance group is lower.
If you’re looking to save on insurance costs, the Ford Focus Zetec or ST-line options may be better for you. Find out more about the insurance costs of a Ford Focus Zetec in our guide, or find out more about the Ford Focus ST-line costs here.
If the sheer power and style of the ST-line is impossible to resist, you should start looking at your insurance budget and work out which model is for you.