Ford Focus RS with 350 hp and four-wheel drive has built a bond to the automotive icon of the nineties, Ford Escort RS Cosworth. Is the new athlete, that creates great driving pleasure between the curbs and slightly disappoints with the precision of a manual gearbox, a worthy successor to Ford’s automotive legend?

Ford Focus RS highlights

Predecessors

1985 Escort RS Turbo (132 hp), 1993 Escort RS Cosworth (227 hp), 2002 Focus RS (212 hp), 2008 Focus RS (305 hp), 2016 Focus RS (350 hp).

Production

Saarlouis, Germany.

Base model price

USA price from 37,000 USD, UK price from 31,000 pounds, Germany price from 40,000 EUR.

Ford Focus RS main highlights

• The first modern RS with 4-wheel drive.
• A lot cheaper than competitors.
• 2.3-liter turbocharged engine from “weaker” Mustang develops 350 hp.
• Very efficient “drift program”.
• Ford Focus RS doesn’t care about better lap times against rivals. It is all about fun while driving.

Sporty Ford will all-wheel drive after two decades

Ford Escort is out of production for a long time now. Back in 1996, it was replaced by the more modern Focus. In sporting versions Focus quickly got RS initials, but unfortunately it was more of an emergency commemorate of the four-wheel-drive Escort from the beginning of the nineties. Up until last year, when Ford presented the sports version of the new Focus generation. The introduction was performed by an American racing superstar Ken Block, who send an important message to the world: Ford Focus RS brought back the four-wheel drive after more than 20 years.

The decision was certainly not easy, but it was well thought out and properly presented at the board. And has already paid off richly. Ford Focus RS has become one of the hottest cars on the market. In the UK for example, each and every one of the 6,500 units, planned for the first year, has been sold.

Ford Focus RS offers an excellent package, favorable price and driving pleasure

Such a demand is not incidental. During the last period, buyers again favored slightly more expensive, bolder and irrational car. The new Ford Focus RS is very comprehensive product, which is actually one of its main strengths.

Ford has opted for a truly attractive and striking exterior, full of sharp lines. The front part is reminiscent of the animal, patiently waiting to run for its prey with all 350 “horses” from the 2.3-liter turbo-charged engine.

Today’s four-wheel drive, unlike 25 years ago, offers modern electronic torque distribution and thus the right amount of playfulness for the driver. Another important fact and added value in the development of the new Ford Focus RS is the cooperation with Ken Block. Under his influence,  the engineers in Detroit for sure created even more useful and fun to drive vehicle.

Tyrone Johnson, the first developer of the Ford Performance programme, says that they are not interested in the dull comparative times with their competitors. What is important is the satisfaction, that feeling of pure pleasure and a broad smile on the face of the driver. Which objectively can not be covered by any technical data and performance chart.

On top of everything, Ford Focus RS with any additional equipment costs only about 40 thousand euros, and for this money really provides a very good car package.

Despite the sporty nature, Ford Focus RS can be a comfortable and useful daily driver

Five door bodywork design allows even for parents with small children daily coexistence with the car. Alcantara Recaro seats offer good lateral grip, but are not so hard as, for example,  those from Renault Megane RS. You can really sit down and not throw yourself in. The rear bench is comfortable enough and has enough space to carry passengers. Rear seats have two ISOFIX connectors for child seats.

Whoever wants the interior to be full of sports elements, might be slightly disappointed. From behind the steering wheel, Ford Focus RS is not much different from ordinary Focus. The car would probably earn better design of the steering wheel, but otherwise the interior has an excellent ergonomic base, already well known from other Focus versions. Slightly annoyed is the lack of space between the driver’s seat and the parking brake lever.

Additionally mounted Recaro seats are not adjustable in height (a legal requirement, which determines the height of iron pedestal), and therefore offer unusually high seating position.

Engine ignition trigger excitement and increased pulse

The first few seconds, the engine work much louder than usual. The similar thing we noticed in the Mazda 3 with a petrol engine. Of course, this is not annoying, quite the opposite. We believe the Ford Focus RS owners would probably like to even extend this interval.

A comprehensive Ford Focus RS package provides a very fast and, because of the all-wheel drive and Brembo brakes, also quite safe car on the road. Otherwise, the explosivity from the standstill is not really superior. Naturally, more weight and four-wheel drive have something to do with it. During first kilometers, the question “where Ford managed to hide all of those 350 horses”, is not a rare one from first time Focus RS drivers.

Manual transmission in Ford Focus RS: shorter gear changes would be nice

Ford is intentionally not installing its dual clutch automatic Powershift gearbox in Focus RS. The engineers sincerely admitted it would not handle well all the potential of the car. Such a transmission would also affect the weight of the car and make it more expensive.

Therefore, a six-speed manual gearbox is the only one available. Shifting is otherwise excellent, but the distance of the gear lever between gears could be shorter. The one in before mentioned Megane RS definitely provides shorter and quicker shifting. Between the curves, every fraction of a second counts.

The essence of the Focus RS is between the curves

It is true that the Ford Focus RS accelerates from standstill to a hundred kilometers per hour in 4,7 seconds. It is also true that you will overtake a slow car or truck on rural roads in a blink of an eye. And 250 kilometers per hour and more on German Autobahn is easily achievable. But the real potential of the new Ford Focus RS is, however, primarily shown on twisty roads. There, the car is really fast and enjoyable, and therefore accomplishes the basic principle of engineers.

The coexistence of a powerful engine and all-wheel drive, which, unlike almost all competitors, is not slowing down the driver with understeer (also thanks to the lower weight of a manual gearbox), brings a great amount of self-confidence behind the wheel.

Ford Focus RS can easily consume more than 15 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers

Most importantly, we find that the Ford Focus RS can also be a car for everyday life. The car convinces with the comfort provided for all, the driver and passengers. It is nothing annoyingly rough, aggressive or difficult to use. It is also not an amphibian, like for example the Seat Leon Cupra, since the difference between normal and sport driving programs is not essential. However, it is easier to use on a daily basis as several times already mentioned Megane RS.

For the price of good 40 thousand euros, Ford Focus RS offers a sophisticated package of car technology and driving pleasure. But the purchase price is not the only cost the driver will have to pay. The average fuel consumption in the test ranged from 15 to even 17 liters per hundred kilometers. Only in a completely casual driving, it dropped to around ten liters per hundred kilometers.

The tires come pretty soft as standard, another cost to consider

By the experience of the existing owners, the front tires must be changed after around ten thousand kilometers. Ford Focus RS has excellent 19-inch Michelin Supersport tires fitted as standard, but they are fairly soft and the aggressive driving style consequently causes a faster wear. But these are costs that are and should be, together with fuel bills, taken for granted. The pleasure Ford Focus RS offers in return, is just priceless.

Technical data – Ford Focus RS

Engine

Four-cylinder, supercharged petrol engine. Capacity: 2,261 cm3. Maximum power: 350 hp at 6,000 rpm. Maximum torque: 440 Nm at 2,000 rpm. Four-wheel drive. Six-speed manual gearbox.

Dimensions

Length: 4,390 mm.
Width: 2,010 mm.
Height: 1,470 mm.
Wheelbase: 2,648 mm.
Unladen weight: 1,529 kg.
Luggage compartment volume: 260 to 1,045 l.
Fuel tank capacity: 62 l.
Turning circle: 12.4 m.

Performance and fuel consumption

Maximum speed: 266 km / h.
Acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h: 4,7 seconds.
Combined fuel consumption: 7.7 l / 100 km.
CO2 emissions: 175 g / km.

Standard equipment

Four-wheel drive with dynamic vector torque control. The choice between four driving modes. Launch control. 19 inch alloy wheels with 20 spokes. Brembo brakes. Recaro seats with the RS sign. Radio/CD/DAB with 8 -inch touch screen. SYNC with Bluetooth function and 9 Sony speakers. RS carpets, front and rear. Adaptive bi-xenon headlights with dynamic illumination. Ford Power start button. Dual-zone air conditioning. Ambiental interior lightning with LED. Leather steering wheel and gear lever with the RS symbol.

Image credit: Ford