"ugh I hate rally car noises": drives rally car. Lolol. I've owned mine since 2016. Best car I've ever driven under $100k. It's not meant for comfort. It's meant for high testosterone face ripping cornering fun, all the time. Taking every turn at maximum traction on your way to work. Taking the racing line in parking lots. Car is a blast and I'll never get rid of it until it dies (8 years so far so good)
I own a 2018 added a square carbon fiber steering wheel and weathertech floor/cargo mat. It currently has 2kmi; as I started my apprenticeship soon after I bought it. Love the car, fun and quick
It isn't torque steer, it's Ford's PDC which can be deactivated. Also some cars pop more than others. I own a '16 and it barely pops at all in any mode.
100%. The owner should absolutely disable PDC! Maybe while they're at it , for folks like this reviewer, they could consider enabling the custom mode so regular (lighter) steering could be selected with the sportier throttle curve and exhaust sound. That suspension could also be dialed in better for that road...
Crazy, right? I had a shadow black RS that barely popped when I drove it hard, and I have a stealth grey RS now that pops like mad when I drive the same way. Neither had a tune, both completely stock.
I owned a red 2018 for 3.5 years, it was super fun for track days and unbelievable in the snow and on gravel roads. Weird you got torque steer, I never experienced that at all.
The real question is for 30-40k do i buy one of these used, a new gr corolla, an evo X, a used CTR or just say fck it and buy an SS 1le/c6 vette, So many choices.
Definitely the 1LE. I say that as an RS owner. I love the RS, but everyone should experience owning a V8 at least once in their life if they can do so.
I test drove an 18 Focus RS before buying my 18 Golf R, after 13 years owning a modded 2005 STI. I couldn't get past the aggressive seating position. Bought the Golf R with no regrets, and after 6 years I still think it's the perfect street car for me. I did get the itch to mod and do track days again, though, so I got a 23 BRZ to race car.
'pogo stick' ride is only on urban roads at low speed. Try it at speed through undulating corners and you'll be pleasantly surprised. Does not torque steer when turning, but when straightline accelerating on uneven surfaces does tramline requiring vigilant steering input.
I had one of these and there are four mods which sort it out. The first is a tune from Dreamscience which allows the engine to actually rev and not feel like it hits a wall particularly in 3rd. The second is level out the suspension. There is too much rake sitting way too high on the rear. I actually cut half a turn off the top and bottom of the rear springs. They are a linear spring. Sorted it out for free. The third thing is buy a seat lowering kit. The car feels a million miles better and you wont beat up the seat or bang your knee on the dash getting in and out. The last thing is disable the valve in the exhaust. Dont worry about an intercooler save your money I spent heaps on an Airtec one and it was very heavy and made zero difference on the street.
I have been shopping these and any of them with decent mileage is around 35K. That’s a lot for a car that’s already six years old. You’d have to be dead set on a Focus RS for this kind of money. I drove a 2016 RS in the flat gray color for a day in the Colorado mountains and loved it. The seats were very hard and it does ride rough. But it was so fun. Now I’m debating between a used RS, CTR, Integra Type S, or Nissan Z. I did drive a Camaro 1SS 1LE last year that was a blast. What do y’all think?
there's a guy over by my dad's place in dublin that just straight up owns two of these (not sure if limited edition) and street parks them. dude liked the car that much that he bought two i guess lol. as for me i think i'd rather go for a new elantra n or grc. pops and bangs and big power and bright blue are fun but if you need aftermarket coils for decent damping and the torque steer is that heavy i'd rather go new
The 2018 received different springs and dampers than the 16/17 models, so one with a stock suspension might have been a better comparison. I'm also surprised that you didn't hit a few hard corners, which is where the front LSD and rear Twinster dual clutch system. It carves substantially better than the GRC or CTR.
How do you compare this vs Elantra N in term of chassis and suspension? I got a feeling both of them are more biased towards “fun” side of driving experience and should be comparable?
@@corsamc12 Elantra N feels way more sophisticated in terms of suspension, steering, handling etc. While still being a riot. It would be my choice over the Focus if I didn't need AWD.
@@Zygrene Thanks for your answer! I remembered back in the days Focus RS was considered sophisticated… Sounds like the technological advancement really shows on this pair.
My buddy has an RS and we both owned FISTs. I currently have an ND2 Club Recaro pack I only drove the RS briefly and while it’s way faster and more capable, I don’t think it’s necessarily more fun than the FIST. The 1.6l in the fiesta also sounds way better with an exhaust than the 2.5l in the RS. Seems like smaller displacement engine turbo 4s sound better for some reason. (1.4l in the abarth, 1.7 in the 4C) I wish Ford opted to do a Fiesta RS instead, everyone who wasn’t pursing straight line speed generally preferred how the FIST drove over the regular FOST. Lot lighter and a lot more nimble and willing to rotate. The interior and mini van seating position didn’t work for me. Compared to the seating position of the BRZ I owned at the time, you feel like you’re in a CUV. I’m not an interior snob, the FIST and FOST interiors were fine for a 20-30k car….but the RS new was 40k+ and that was if you could get MSRP. SS 1LEs aren’t all that far off at that point. Even the GTI feels like a Bentley inside by comparison. The RS interior other than some color changes is largely the same as a regular ST with recaros. We didn’t get the gucci Recaros the Europeans got on the RS Those pops and bangs are gunshot loud sometimes. He has a pretty mild axleback and every now and then a pop sounds like an AR going off. 🤣 It’s a good car but it’s simultaneously a monster energy marketing hype car. Drift mode is gimmicky, ride is horrible, and the AWD tends to overheat on track making it a FWD car at that point. (Kinda like the GR Corolla) For the 30k range I’d probably lean towards an Elantra N even though it’s a not technically a “hot hatch.” There’s a high chance any RS for sale has been tuned and beat to hell. It’s definitely a capable car though. He has no trouble keeping up with me in the canyons, that AWD gives you a lot more safety cushion than the short wheel base ND2 lol. You can give it the beans mid corner and it will figure itself out.
--The RS has a 2.3, not a 2.5. -- the FiST is definitely more nimble than the 16/17 RS, but the LSD on the 18 models narrows the gap substantially. -- seating position is absolutely about 2 inches too high -- Recaros in the 2018 are closer to the Euro spec and ditch the silly back stitching. --Suspension was changed for the 2018s to eliminate overly stiff rally-car feel. Much better manners on street and track. --Some, not all, drivers reported AWD overheating after 30-40 minutes of hard lapping. This is the most fun I've had with a car since driving my supercharged NA.
I love the focus Rs there's no cars like it anymore only GR corolla, it solves everything my fk8 can't do and it looks REAL European Rally HOT HATCH not like newer ones with the exception of Veloster N
owned it's younger sibling 2017 focus ST., couldn't afford the RS. traded the car with around 6000 miles on it. {1.5 years} very vague/sloppy shifter from what i recall. and major torque steer . even with a tune, car lacked power {252 BHP} stock. handling was Amazing. replace it with a base 2019 mustang GT 6 speed { very content}
I had one of these for a couple years. Very cool and fun car. The LSD up front did help with front end grip but the truth is that it still had pretty brutal torque steer under acceleration. There were a couple occasions where I was afraid it was going to pull me off the road! It was very far from being a perfect car but I often think it is a shame the RS was a bit of a high water mark for stock power in an AWD manual hot hatch.
The pops and bangs aren't standard so he might have an oem tune with pops and bangs added. The car also shouldn't he springing back to center that's not a factory feeling you're describing. Yeah idk if you drove the best modified example or even remotely close to that.
I’ve driven a CTR back to back with my car and even though the ohlins helps it’s still more bouncy, since the video I’ve dialed back a bit more compression and rebound
It was a pleasure meeting you and having you try out the Focus RS ✌️
I might hit you up in the future for a hot hatch comparison video!
"ugh I hate rally car noises": drives rally car. Lolol.
I've owned mine since 2016. Best car I've ever driven under $100k. It's not meant for comfort. It's meant for high testosterone face ripping cornering fun, all the time. Taking every turn at maximum traction on your way to work. Taking the racing line in parking lots. Car is a blast and I'll never get rid of it until it dies (8 years so far so good)
It’s a fun car for the right person. It just comes down to what you want.
surprised you didn't discuss the amazing ability to carve turns, the torque vectoring on that car let any driver take turns at crazy speeds.
I own a 2018 added a square carbon fiber steering wheel and weathertech floor/cargo mat. It currently has 2kmi; as I started my apprenticeship soon after I bought it. Love the car, fun and quick
It isn't torque steer, it's Ford's PDC which can be deactivated. Also some cars pop more than others. I own a '16 and it barely pops at all in any mode.
100%. The owner should absolutely disable PDC! Maybe while they're at it , for folks like this reviewer, they could consider enabling the custom mode so regular (lighter) steering could be selected with the sportier throttle curve and exhaust sound. That suspension could also be dialed in better for that road...
Crazy, right? I had a shadow black RS that barely popped when I drove it hard, and I have a stealth grey RS now that pops like mad when I drive the same way. Neither had a tune, both completely stock.
I owned a red 2018 for 3.5 years, it was super fun for track days and unbelievable in the snow and on gravel roads. Weird you got torque steer, I never experienced that at all.
Neither of the two RS I owned torque steered, either. I’m not saying this guy is wrong, but I wonder why this RS felt that way.
I own the 2016 RS, I’ve literally never experienced torque steer in the car. I have in the civic type R though. Clown review.
The real question is for 30-40k do i buy one of these used, a new gr corolla, an evo X, a used CTR or just say fck it and buy an SS 1le/c6 vette, So many choices.
All my life I went with Jdm and now looking back I do regret never going v8 muscle. Knowing that 1le can also handle I would go for that
Golf R.
I went from SS 1LE to GR Corolla but the 1LE is the best handling car ive ever driven. So lovely
Definitely the 1LE. I say that as an RS owner. I love the RS, but everyone should experience owning a V8 at least once in their life if they can do so.
I test drove an 18 Focus RS before buying my 18 Golf R, after 13 years owning a modded 2005 STI. I couldn't get past the aggressive seating position. Bought the Golf R with no regrets, and after 6 years I still think it's the perfect street car for me.
I did get the itch to mod and do track days again, though, so I got a 23 BRZ to race car.
Great review as always👏🏼! I'd love to see a head to head with a GR Corolla.
'pogo stick' ride is only on urban roads at low speed. Try it at speed through undulating corners and you'll be pleasantly surprised. Does not torque steer when turning, but when straightline accelerating on uneven surfaces does tramline requiring vigilant steering input.
You really do a good job of describing the way the car feels
I had one of these and there are four mods which sort it out. The first is a tune from Dreamscience which allows the engine to actually rev and not feel like it hits a wall particularly in 3rd. The second is level out the suspension. There is too much rake sitting way too high on the rear. I actually cut half a turn off the top and bottom of the rear springs. They are a linear spring. Sorted it out for free. The third thing is buy a seat lowering kit. The car feels a million miles better and you wont beat up the seat or bang your knee on the dash getting in and out. The last thing is disable the valve in the exhaust. Dont worry about an intercooler save your money I spent heaps on an Airtec one and it was very heavy and made zero difference on the street.
I have been shopping these and any of them with decent mileage is around 35K. That’s a lot for a car that’s already six years old. You’d have to be dead set on a Focus RS for this kind of money. I drove a 2016 RS in the flat gray color for a day in the Colorado mountains and loved it. The seats were very hard and it does ride rough. But it was so fun. Now I’m debating between a used RS, CTR, Integra Type S, or Nissan Z. I did drive a Camaro 1SS 1LE last year that was a blast. What do y’all think?
there's a guy over by my dad's place in dublin that just straight up owns two of these (not sure if limited edition) and street parks them. dude liked the car that much that he bought two i guess lol.
as for me i think i'd rather go for a new elantra n or grc. pops and bangs and big power and bright blue are fun but if you need aftermarket coils for decent damping and the torque steer is that heavy i'd rather go new
@@rosa.gigantor I drive past those 2 cars on a weekly basis lol
nice review! looking forward to a hot hatch comparison :)
We need to get Ford to bring back the Focus RS!!
My GF has one of these Limited, it is a pretty sweet car.
The 2018 received different springs and dampers than the 16/17 models, so one with a stock suspension might have been a better comparison. I'm also surprised that you didn't hit a few hard corners, which is where the front LSD and rear Twinster dual clutch system. It carves substantially better than the GRC or CTR.
How do you compare this vs Elantra N in term of chassis and suspension? I got a feeling both of them are more biased towards “fun” side of driving experience and should be comparable?
@@corsamc12 Elantra N feels way more sophisticated in terms of suspension, steering, handling etc. While still being a riot. It would be my choice over the Focus if I didn't need AWD.
@@Zygrene Thanks for your answer! I remembered back in the days Focus RS was considered sophisticated… Sounds like the technological advancement really shows on this pair.
Seems like a great value at around $30k.
An even better value at $25k
So it wasn't really a standard 2018????
My buddy has an RS and we both owned FISTs. I currently have an ND2 Club Recaro pack
I only drove the RS briefly and while it’s way faster and more capable, I don’t think it’s necessarily more fun than the FIST. The 1.6l in the fiesta also sounds way better with an exhaust than the 2.5l in the RS. Seems like smaller displacement engine turbo 4s sound better for some reason. (1.4l in the abarth, 1.7 in the 4C)
I wish Ford opted to do a Fiesta RS instead, everyone who wasn’t pursing straight line speed generally preferred how the FIST drove over the regular FOST. Lot lighter and a lot more nimble and willing to rotate.
The interior and mini van seating position didn’t work for me. Compared to the seating position of the BRZ I owned at the time, you feel like you’re in a CUV.
I’m not an interior snob, the FIST and FOST interiors were fine for a 20-30k car….but the RS new was 40k+ and that was if you could get MSRP. SS 1LEs aren’t all that far off at that point. Even the GTI feels like a Bentley inside by comparison. The RS interior other than some color changes is largely the same as a regular ST with recaros. We didn’t get the gucci Recaros the Europeans got on the RS
Those pops and bangs are gunshot loud sometimes. He has a pretty mild axleback and every now and then a pop sounds like an AR going off. 🤣
It’s a good car but it’s simultaneously a monster energy marketing hype car. Drift mode is gimmicky, ride is horrible, and the AWD tends to overheat on track making it a FWD car at that point. (Kinda like the GR Corolla)
For the 30k range I’d probably lean towards an Elantra N even though it’s a not technically a “hot hatch.” There’s a high chance any RS for sale has been tuned and beat to hell.
It’s definitely a capable car though. He has no trouble keeping up with me in the canyons, that AWD gives you a lot more safety cushion than the short wheel base ND2 lol. You can give it the beans mid corner and it will figure itself out.
--The RS has a 2.3, not a 2.5.
-- the FiST is definitely more nimble than the 16/17 RS, but the LSD on the 18 models narrows the gap substantially.
-- seating position is absolutely about 2 inches too high
-- Recaros in the 2018 are closer to the Euro spec and ditch the silly back stitching.
--Suspension was changed for the 2018s to eliminate overly stiff rally-car feel. Much better manners on street and track.
--Some, not all, drivers reported AWD overheating after 30-40 minutes of hard lapping.
This is the most fun I've had with a car since driving my supercharged NA.
Was this car tuned at all? Kinda seemed like it lol
I just farted into my hand and then smelled it
Based!
Any good?
Good?
Welp that's enough internet for today
Must've smelled like a Ford interior
I love the focus Rs there's no cars like it anymore only GR corolla, it solves everything my fk8 can't do and it looks REAL European Rally HOT HATCH not like newer ones with the exception of Veloster N
I want one theses soo bad !!!!!!
That thing is a hoonigan
owned it's younger sibling 2017 focus ST., couldn't afford the RS. traded the car with around 6000 miles on it. {1.5 years} very vague/sloppy shifter from what i recall. and major torque steer . even with a tune, car lacked power {252 BHP} stock. handling was Amazing. replace it with a base 2019 mustang GT 6 speed { very content}
I had one of these for a couple years. Very cool and fun car. The LSD up front did help with front end grip but the truth is that it still had pretty brutal torque steer under acceleration. There were a couple occasions where I was afraid it was going to pull me off the road! It was very far from being a perfect car but I often think it is a shame the RS was a bit of a high water mark for stock power in an AWD manual hot hatch.
What year RS did you have?
@@whywedrive 2017 - Made in December from memory.
Would love to see or hear how this stacks up to the GR Corolla. Nice review!
Respectfully if you can’t heel toe the stock pedals it’s probably a skill issue
Awesome review Fenton!😊
The pops and bangs aren't standard so he might have an oem tune with pops and bangs added.
The car also shouldn't he springing back to center that's not a factory feeling you're describing.
Yeah idk if you drove the best modified example or even remotely close to that.
They are def stock, my buddy has one
They're absolutely standard and were intentionally added by the development team.
lol what? The pops and bangs are standard have you ever watched another review or article on these?
I wonder if i could get one of those engines to put in a miata lol
I wonder if the bouncy ride is worse than the CTR lol
I’ve driven a CTR back to back with my car and even though the ohlins helps it’s still more bouncy, since the video I’ve dialed back a bit more compression and rebound
@@rjhick1 stock vs stock, Focus RS on a bumpy road is worse
In drift mode, only 70% of the power goes to the rear
I had a 2017 Focus RS in white. That car was like driving a pogo stick.
That interior is just the worst. Didn’t feel like 350 HP either. Civic Type R feels faster for sure, and it’s not a Ford
MK8 Golf R will smoke this thing.
Fenton. You are like a bobble head in there….
Ain’t no Miata tho
this guy just hate whatever not honda
exhaust sounds like garbage, ill take an evo or subaru over this any day