After a string of fwd hot hatches, it was time to move on - the Ford Focus turned out to be a great choice
Eddie Longhi’s 2017 Ford Focus RS
I had a few turbocharged front-wheel-drive hot hatches and thought a sidestep to all-wheel-drive sounded like a really good idea.
They’re plenty of fun that’s for sure. The only negative, if I really had to nitpick, is the interior is still that of a typical Focus, except for some nice Recaros. Otherwise it still feels like a $20,000 Focus.
It’s a quick car. Dynamically, it’s unlike anything I’ve had before. The drift mode is quite intriguing.
It’s not the straight line weapon that I think a lot of people were expecting, in part because it’s manual, so there are a lot of people in Golf Rs with their DSGs that are definitely quicker in a straight line. But in any other circumstance I honestly feel like an RS would give a lot of supercars a run for their money.
It works best on hill runs.
The thing I like most about it is how the torque vectoring works. You get a rear drive bias from it if you’re driving it the right way – it’s really surprising.
Like any new car, it’s not without some issues. They did have a problem with head gaskets that’s pretty well known about, so you want to make sure that’s been done under warranty. Otherwise if you’re looking at buying one, get it on a hoist and check the driveline for leaks. If they’ve been driven hard, they need maintenance. Otherwise, they’re a pretty reliable car.
After this I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for the (Alfa Romeo) Giulia QVs.
Valuation: Owners are asking around $40k, depending on condition.
Classic Australian Family Car Value Guide home page
Muscle Car Value Guide home page
Japanese Classic Car Value Guide home page
Photography: Ben Galli