Ford’s 200kW-plus front-wheel-drive hot hatch is about to land in Australia and take on rivals like the Hyundai i30 N and Volkswagen Golf GTI.

Ford Australia has confirmed the Focus ST will launch locally next year, priced at $44,690 plus on-road costs with either six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmission.

It’s the first time Ford has offered an automatic transmission in its Focus hot hatch, the previous generation vehicle coming exclusively with a manual. Though both versions are priced on parity, the manual gets rev-matching capabilities while the auto has steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

The Focus ST is powered by a 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo producing 206kW of power and 420nm of torque through a limited-slip differential to the front wheels. It’s the same engine used in the all-wheel-drive Ford Focus RS and rear-wheel-drive Mustang EcoBoost. Over the outgoing model, the fourth-generation Focus ST sees a bump in the output of 22kW and 60Nm. Helping get the most from the powerplant is launch control and a shift light.

READ THIS: Ford Focus ST first drive review

Built in Germany where the upcoming Fiesta ST comes from, the new Focus ST rides on the C2 platform and features fully-independent rear suspension with adaptive dampers, “developed under the leadership of Ford Performance”. The Focus ST-Line wagon is the only other Focus currently in the lineup to offer independent rear suspension, though the ST hatch gets a much more capable drivetrain and unique Slippery, Normal, Sport and Track driving modes.

Equipment on the Focus ST includes 19-inch alloy wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber, 330mm front and 302mm rear discs, heated front Recaro sports seats, aluminium pedals, flat-bottom steering wheel, 8.0-inch infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 10-speaker B&O sound system, wireless phone charging pad, keyless entry and push-button ignition and dual-zone climate control.

Driving assistant aids come in the form of automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic warning and reversing camera.

The new Ford Focus ST will go on sale in Australia Q1 2020.

Ford Focus ST pricing in Australia:

The Focus ST with six-speed manual costs $44,690.

The Focus ST with seven-speed automatic costs $44,690.

Options are prestige paint, which costs $650, and a panoramic sunroof at $2500.