5 Cheap and Fun Ford Cars You Can Still Buy for Under $25,000

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Drivers who find the Fiesta too cramped for child seats or road-trip luggage routinely step up to the larger Ford Focus ST (model years 2013 through 2018). Built on Ford's global C-platform, the Focus ST adds roughly 500 pounds over its smaller sibling, tipping scales at 3,223 pounds. That weight penalty is offset by a stout 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine pushing 252 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque through a mandatory six-speed manual transmission.

The Focus ST possesses an unruly, joyful personality. Floor the gas pedal on uneven pavement, and the steering wheel tugs with honest mechanical torque steer. Ford engineers leaned into that rawness rather than dialling it out through synthetic computer interventions. Interior build quality took a noticeable step forward in the 2015 facelift, introducing a cleaner center console, standard backup camera, and revised suspension valving. Well-kept examples with under 75,000 miles command between $13,000 and $18,500, representing exceptional horsepower-per-dollar ratios.