In-depth reviews

Ford Focus RS owner reviews

"The Ford Focus RS delivers explosive pace, engaging handling and excellent value for money"

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22 Mar 2019

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Carbuyer Rating

3.2 out of 5

Owners Rating

3.8 out of 5

Reviews

Owner Reviews

5 out of 5
4 out of 5
3 out of 5
2 out of 5
1 out of 5

67%of people would recommend this car to a friend

Common Problems

Other (1 case)

Review 1 of 6

Tell us what you think about your car?

Love the looks and sound but mine has been back for 3 recalls already, I now now have a fault with the number plate lights turning off when the engine is started. Ford refuse to sort it out as I have had a Cobra alarm fitted to upgrade the security. I feel that I've been given very poor customer service.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Having read the previous review I thought it only fair to add one myself. After waiting 18 months mine finally arrived in January 2017 and I sold it having lost only £500 in February. I'll start with the negatives, firstly the ride is nothing short of unbearable. In normal mode I disliked it intensely but in the race mode it was a complete joke. Secondly, and the most significant thing for me was that I specified the Recaro seats with a sunroof. I thought this would be a great combination, however it would've helped had I been 5'4" and not 6' 4" as I was constantly driving with my head tilted against the roof. For the life of me I do not understand how on earth this gets past the Ford product design team. They should be ashamed of themselves unless they're all 5 foot five and under! Lastly this was not a car to be a passenger in, even my seven-year-old who is a car fanatic did not want to go in it after the first drive ! Having said all that there are some positives which really shouldn't deter you from owning one . I completely disagree with the other reviewer and thought that the performance was quite exceptional for a 2.3 4WD. I'm fortunate enough to own both a McLaren 675LT and an Audi R8 along with a number of other cars and whilst clearly the Focus RS is not in their league it offered a performance level that I thought was way more than adequate. The engine is brilliant and it persuaded me to both try and subsequently buy a new 718S Boxster as my runaround. Personally I think the engine in the Ford is way better and certainly a lot smoother than the Porsche . The build quality was way better than I expected bearing in mind this car cost less than some very basic BMW's . I also had the upgraded Sony stereo system which was amazing. Don't be put off by my review or the other review, for the money this car is an absolute bargain. If you have roads near you that are billiard table smooth, you get a car without a sunroof and are 5' 10" or less you will absolutely love it.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

If you want a car that’s fun, draws attention wherever you go and is an excellent all round car (5 door with plenty of room for passengers and a decent size boot) then the RS if for you, if you want comfort as well as speed then maybe go for an S5 or Golf R but plenty I know have done that and been bored with the way they drive. The RS needs you to put a little effort into the drive and will happily kick it’s tail out if you want it to. Inside it’s no luxury car but it’s not trying to be, so don’t expect more by comparing it to other brands as this is a unique car and that’s how it's intended to be. The ride is firm, too, but what do you expect out of a track car on Britain’s roads; you're not buying a luxury cruiser and funny that people test drive it, complain but still buy one anyway, make your mind up. I have practically all the Mountune upgrades on mine which make it sound amazing, it’s a 16 plate with 10,500 miles, all the options, the FPM375 kit and it’s never missed a beat. I’ve had it in for any recalls on the day they were announced (head gasket, steering rack and updates for oil intervals) Aside from the above it’s been perfect, excellent to drive in traffic or on a long run, the shell-back seats are the comfiest shell-back seats I’ve been in; I get a bad lower back due to a previous accident but I’ve been on 300 mile trips and I’ve never got out aching or wanting a pit stop. One thing I would recommend is Mountune springs. They only lower the car minimally but gets rid of that pogo-ing ride as they are progressive and have some give before they get stiffer. They also eliminate most of the ‘torque steer’ people complain about. You still really need to drive with two hands if you're treating it like a sports car; you don’t see professionals one handing it expecting it to drive perfect straight on our left biassed uneven roads! I’d also recommend the Mountune exhaust and to disable the fake engine note through the audio. Although it’s minimal you can tell it’s there when you change the real exhaust note. The exhaust sounds awesome, it has zero drone and is near silent on a cruise, but with shotgun blasts on gear changes on full throttle and a nice burble when driving normally. These additions, along with the quickshift and springs makes this car how it should have been in my opinion, hence I've given a 4-star rating for the original spec car, but I love mine and will own it for many years to come.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

After owning a number of Focus ST-170s and an ST-3 I decided to jump in and buy the RS despite loving driving my ST-3 for eighteen months. I collected the RS whilst South on holiday, via a deal finalised over the phone and internet. It's a lovely car, I didn't think it could be an improvement on the ST-3 to be honest but it is just a dream to drive. Mine is fitted with all options except the sunroof and including the shell seats. I am 6'2'' tall and weigh at 86kg and I find the seats really comfortable, no back ache lower or upper. Car handles really well in the dry and wet, I covered 3200 miles in 18 days around Scotland including the NC500 and I smiled every inch of the drive. I love the car, I love the Focus and I bought the car knowing fine well the boot space was poor, the turning circle was appalling and there are reports of engine issues among early examples. So why spend £36000 on an RS Focus? Because it is a car I have wanted since 2002, it looks great and I smile every time I get in it and push the start button. The drive is great, it handles well and it is happy around town or on the open road. Fuel economy is poor but you know that before you buy it, you buy a car because you want it. You leave a report because you want others to get at least as much enjoyment out of the vehicle as you do. Lots of positives for this car from me. I love the RS and I would buy it again, if you like or want a performance Ford you will not be disappointed with this MK3 version.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

This car has been one of the most disappointing I've owned in my 22 years of driving. Took a test drove, and thought it felt a bit sluggish and heavy but it was four wheel drive (albeit not "proper" AWD like Subaru's), and there was a warranty friendly FPM375 upgrade available. The grip and handling meant there was potential, and that could hopefully make up for the firm ride and (ridiculously) small boot. Sadly the problems didn't end there. The dealer communication from order to delivery was very poor, I've spent less on a BMW and received better service. The pre delivery checks were clearly rushed - 60+ PSI in all 4 tyres made the car dangerous from the outset. It's also a clear indication of the fact that most of the Ford dealerships don't cope well with performance models. When I phoned about the stereo upgrade or the software update for the oil change intervals, I was treated like I was making the facts up because I knew about the updates before them apparently!? Anyway, all of this might have been forgivable if the car had been truly brilliant but it's just not sadly. It's fun and has lots of grip, to look at it's not bad either but: - the shell seats are very uncomfortable on long journeys - the ride is firm in normal mode for standard roads, to the point of being uncomfortable on some B roads. Despite this there is still a surprising amount of body roll; it's due to the weight the car is carrying... - it's too heavy and big, and the turning circle is appalling. I've had Imprezas and thought they were bad. This is far worse. The QE2 has a smaller turning circle. - exhaust flaps stick and you get drive mode selection failure - at high acceleration in a straight line you get to 70mph and the car suddenly veers to one side without warning. Ford initially said this was a "characteristic", then offered to turn off a feature of the power steering that counter steers for you (PDC). All I can say is - it doesn't fix the issue, it's dangerous and 40+% of owners are complaining about it on forums. - And as if this wasn't already bad enough, the engine. The engines are supposed to be 345ps in standard form and 375ps with the warranty friendly upgrade - which I also had - but it just isn't enough for such a lardy car. A 2001 WRX with 350bhp and 4WD manages to feel more nimble, more exciting, more stable and faster. It might look dated but the driving enjoyment certainly isn't. This car desperately needs 400bhp to counteract its weight but apparently the gearbox and rear drive unit are unlikely to stay the course at that level, plus the engines have started to munch themselves at 10,000 miles or less due to head gasket and block defects. Having originally bought the car as a daily and hoping it might hold its value well I decided after just 6 months of ownership that it just wasn't worth paying so much to be a guinea pig for Ford turbo engines, especially when the boot and rear of the car was so shockingly tight on space and the car felt so sluggish. I'm sure once the engine and steering issues are ironed out it will be way more fun but for me I sold up and bought a big v8, and haven't regretted my decision once.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

My experience of this car and Ford dealers is rather different to other reviews on here, but I guess it's human nature to comment on what they don't like rather than what they do like. I had a long wait for the car to be built but no issues with PDI or since. The ride is firm but miles better than my wifes BMW E85 Z4 and the handling is spectacular. If you want a big V8 then probably don't buy a turbo hot hatch. My car has the mountune 375 upgrade and isn't wanting for speed on a German autobahn ( comfortable on a 3 week 3000 mile European road trip ) and has more power than you can safely use on any British A or B road. I'm only 5'8 and although the seats are mounted a bit high I find the optional seat very comfortable, I'm nearly as wide as tall and simply didn't fit the standard seats. The stereo is good and with Android Auto I have all the music in the world and Waze to guide me around hold ups, brilliant. According to a Forum I'm on Ford have had a handful of these cars blow their engines which is very disappointing but have been good about replacing them as quickly as they can, if you are thinking of buying one of these cars the advice is don't tune it beyond the approved 375bhp and consider Ford's cheap extended warranty for peace of mind. It's not a perfect car and demands some compromises for it's fun driving experience but for the money it's outstanding.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up