Ford makes some really nice cars these days, and one of the tastiest ones is no doubt the latest generation of the Focus ST. Sitting just below its crazier brother (the RS) in the family lineup, the hatchback version is already a bit of a looker, but if you try to sell it to the wife as a proper family vehicle, the reaction may not be what you’re looking for. Luckily, someone at Ford understood that needing a roomy transporter and wanting to have some fun behind the wheel are not mutually exclusive requirements, and so here it is: the Ford Focus ST Wagon.

Under the hood, the wagon is sporting the same engines as the five-door version—a 2.3-liter EcoBoost petrol unit that puts out 280hp and 420Nm, or a 2.0-liter EcoBlue diesel block that produces 190hp and 400Nm. Either powerplant promises to make the weekly grocery run a fun one. Power is transferred via either a seven-speed automatic gearbox or a six-speed manual transmission that even comes with a rev-matching feature on downshifts (so less talented drivers can still pretend to be the next WRC superstar). An electronic limited-slip differential, torque vectoring technology, an electric brake booster and other electronic helpers have also been fitted to reduce the chances of any Elfyn Evans wannabes wrapping their shapely ride around a tree.

Built at the Saarlouis assembly facility in Germany, this new-generation Focus ST also comes with various drive modes, which is a first for this model. Drivers can choose between Normal, Sport, Slippery/Wet and (assuming they bought the optional Performance Pack) Track, each of which offers the right handling for the job at hand. Bigger brakes aim to keep things in check, and there’s even some electronic sound enhancement for that fakey-sporty feeling. We’re not sure why anyone would want this, but maybe that’s just the times we live in now. The pilot at the controls also gets to enjoy a heads-up display, an automatic parking feature, adaptive cruise control and a collision-avoidance steering assistant.

Passengers can lounge around on Recaro sports seats, while onlookers are able to marvel at the 18-inch alloy wheels and the fact that this is one damn good-looking wagon. Ford has even thrown in some electronic wizardry that claims to keep this cargo-carrier handling in a sporty manner even when it’s fully loaded with groceries or suitcases. With prices starting from €31,900 (P1.87 million) for the five-door version in Europe, we really hope that Ford Philippines will consider bringing this slightly more affordable performance version of the Focus to our market. Not only does it look really badass, it also pledges to marry driving fun with stuff-hauling practicality. What more could a family man ask for?