I took the opportunity to drive the ST from Dorval Airport in Montreal to Mont Tremblant, and was reminded of what a great little

On the highway the ride quality is surprisingly good, and the 151-horsepower 2.3-litre four-cylinder, with 154 lb-ft of torque, is quite energetic. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

car it is. On the highway the ride quality is surprisingly good, and the 151-horsepower 2.3-litre four-cylinder, with 154 lb-ft of torque, is quite energetic. The ST only comes in five-speed manual trim, which is just fine with me. The shifter is quite smooth, clicking from gear to gear in positive, distinct increments, while the clutch is just heavy enough to make it feel substantial. I arrived in Mont Tremblant feeling refreshed, not only because the sun was shining and the township is one of the prettiest in la belle provence, but because I truly enjoyed the drive up from Montreal. My back didn't suffer from uncomfortable seats, and the general layout

The Focus wagon is a virtual cavern of mobile space optimization. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

of the car made it so I didn't have to fidget to find my way around its various controls. The next morning I drove to the track in a Focus wagon, a virtual cavern of mobile space optimization. It's taller than most compact wagons, providing ample headroom, and like the sedan offers decent hip and shoulder room. The wagon was fitted with Ford's four-speed automatic transmission, which, while removing some of the car's fun factor, coupled with the model's base-line 136-horsepower 2.0-litre inline-four with 133 lb-ft of torque, moved it along at a relatively brisk pace when called upon. The standard five-speed manual transmission is even more entertaining.