RE: Ford Focus RS: PH Fleet

RE: Ford Focus RS: PH Fleet

Thursday 19th January 2017

Ford Focus RS: PH Fleet

Wouldn't you know, the Focus RS gets a lot more enjoyable when the winter turns wintry...



Knew this was going to happen. Having taken some flak for suggesting the Focus RS might not be the one almighty hot hatch on dry roads, I was really keen to drive it in more typically British conditions. Because I love a fast Ford actually, and really wanted to like the Focus RS: my pre-university driving was predominantly done in a (very good) Mk5 Fiesta, I had a GT90 poster on my bedroom wall and hopefully our recent vid showed how much I like the old Focus RS. Problem being that the new car had always felt a bit too heavy, a bit too unexciting and just outdone by its rivals so far.

Want to be frowned at in a village? Focus RS!
Want to be frowned at in a village? Focus RS!
God it's good fun in the rain though. Ben and I had to get some shots on the way back from the Autosport show and, via a more interesting route home than the M40, the Focus RS really began to prove what it offers over FWD rivals. All Tyrone Johnson's bleating on about no understeer makes sense because you can place the front end accurately into a corner, only now with a lot more options on the way out.

I'm not talking about wild Drift Mode oversteer, simply those sensations largely we like from 'proper' 4WD and largely missing from Haldex-based rivals. You can feel an inside rear wheel tighten your line or the steering wheel straighten under power, and yes, in some instances, the odd smidge of corrective lock out of a corner. It's that brilliant four-wheel drive oversteer though, where it feels like very little is being wasted and all four wheels are driving you forward at maximum speed. With the Focus's famed agility on the way into a corner and this playfulness on the way out, it's a much more engaging drive on wet roads than it ever has been before.

The engine feels way keener too, presumably as a result of the rapidly accruing miles (it's past 18,000 now!). It's not suddenly become a BDA shrieking its way to the limiter, but now it's more willing to swing past that 6,000rpm power peak and snag the limiter (with a proper cut-out and exhaust parps - hurrah!) just below 7K. All of a sudden the Focus RS thing was beginning to make sense...

Wonder if this farm has any disused tracks?
Wonder if this farm has any disused tracks?
However, it's worth dealing with a few problems that have arisen now I've sort of seen the light. Manipulating that 4WD system is still a pretty brutal process, requiring large throttle openings and hacking away at the wheel a fair bit; this is not a car to drive delicately, though of course that could appeal. The more fundamental issue is a lack of precision as the various systems work out how to divert power. Sometimes it seems unsure whether to drive you out of a slide or egg it on further, then the traction control can cut in when you feel everything is OK. Even with it off, you're still not entirely sure where the power will be distributed. A similar criticism could be levelled at the Nissan GT-R though; both reward and excite with their 4WD antics rather than being the last word in accuracy.

Regardless, I'm looking forward to more drives in the RS where I perhaps wasn't before. It appears to require a very distinct style and set of circumstances to get the best from, that's the key.

More general concerns can be found inside, with a rattle emanating from the driver's door card and a spurious tyre pressure warning message. It's still using rather a lot of fuel too (yes, even when you're not doing a World RX impression) and the visibility issues Dan mentioned continue to irk. If you need a five-door hot hatch and want four-wheel drive though, this month has finally proven that the Focus could be the one to have.


FACT SHEET
Car
: 2016 Ford Focus RS
Run by: Matt seems quite keen on it at the moment...
On fleet since: September 2016
Mileage: 18,359 (delivered on 10,919)
List price new: £35,315 (Basic list of £31,000 plus £745 for Nitrous Blue paint, £1,000 for Luxury Pack, £595 for forged alloy wheels, £1,145 for Recaro shell seats, £465 for SYNC2, £85 for door edge protector and £100 for colour coded brake calipers
Last month at a glance: And the 4WD weight penalty begins to feel worth it. Maybe.

Previous reports:
Three months with a Focus RS then; best make them count!
First service and a meeting with the ancestors
Is the Focus RS in its element battling the elements?

 

 

 

 

Photos: Ben Lowden


Author
Discussion

Peanus

Original Poster:

155 posts

104 months

Thursday 19th January 2017
quotequote all
Well at least a Focus RS article is on the front page again.

rampageturke

2,622 posts

161 months

Thursday 19th January 2017
quotequote all
Peanus said:
Well at least a Focus RS article is on the front page again.
thank god, almost forgot it existed

FN2TypeR

7,091 posts

92 months

Thursday 19th January 2017
quotequote all
Brace yourselves for a four page discussion on the seats. getmecoat

ilovequo

775 posts

180 months

Thursday 19th January 2017
quotequote all
'Problem being that the new car had always felt a bit too heavy, a bit too unexciting and just outdone by its rivals so far.'

Bullsh*t

Rawwr

22,722 posts

233 months

Thursday 19th January 2017
quotequote all
ilovequo said:
'Problem being that the new car had always felt a bit too heavy, a bit too unexciting and just outdone by its rivals so far.'

Bullsh*t
Was it the Oxford or Cambridge debating society you were a member of?

budgie smuggler

5,359 posts

158 months

Thursday 19th January 2017
quotequote all
Rawwr said:
Was it the Oxford or Cambridge debating society you were a member of?
hehe

nickfrog

20,874 posts

216 months

Thursday 19th January 2017
quotequote all
Rawwr said:
Was it the Oxford or Cambridge debating society you were a member of?
A bit harsh as this sounded like decent dialectic... by PH standards

John Laverick

1,992 posts

213 months

Thursday 19th January 2017
quotequote all
What sort of economy is it achieving please?

em177

3,127 posts

163 months

Thursday 19th January 2017
quotequote all
John Laverick said:
What sort of economy is it achieving please?
Said nobody ever.

Peanus

Original Poster:

155 posts

104 months

Thursday 19th January 2017
quotequote all
John Laverick said:
What sort of economy is it achieving please?
Get a Golf R if you're bothered about empeegees

Tuvra

7,920 posts

224 months

Thursday 19th January 2017
quotequote all
I'm glad I haven't got the technical issue that forces you to open and comment on posts that do not interest you.

John Laverick

1,992 posts

213 months

Thursday 19th January 2017
quotequote all
em177 said:
Said nobody ever.
Article says ' It's still using rather a lot of fuel too' but doesn't quantify ... I'm thinking of buying one as a 20k a year commuter/fun weekend car all rolled into one ... i'd be nice to know it's not doing 15mpg?!

FourRingedDonuts

107 posts

123 months

Thursday 19th January 2017
quotequote all
I had a feeling the RS would garner more praise as a long termer.
This being a global car was always going to rob some of the excitement the previous RS's had. A car you need to hustle a bit, has that ever been a bad thing?

Matt Bird

1,450 posts

204 months

PH Reportery Lad

Thursday 19th January 2017
quotequote all
John Laverick said:
em177 said:
Said nobody ever.
Article says ' It's still using rather a lot of fuel too' but doesn't quantify ... I'm thinking of buying one as a 20k a year commuter/fun weekend car all rolled into one ... i'd be nice to know it's not doing 15mpg?!
The trip computer is saying about 26 at the moment, but I think the tank is quite small too. Will do a proper tank brim test soon!


Matt

FN2TypeR

7,091 posts

92 months

Thursday 19th January 2017
quotequote all
FourRingedDonuts said:
I had a feeling the RS would garner more praise as a long termer.
This being a global car was always going to rob some of the excitement the previous RS's had. A car you need to hustle a bit, has that ever been a bad thing?
Not in my book, which is why I like the old NA Type Rs and the FK2, despite being turbocharged like this, does most of its best work a bit further up the range and if this does too that's a good thing, for me anyways.

Makes 'em more fun IMO, low down, easy, lazy power delivery seems to be the order of the day - but I like to make 'em work!

jonm01

817 posts

236 months

Thursday 19th January 2017
quotequote all
Mine's showing circa 23 mpg and I just pootle to work and back most of the time.

Track_Cit

537 posts

221 months

Thursday 19th January 2017
quotequote all
Matt Bird said:
The trip computer is saying about 26 at the moment, but I think the tank is quite small too. Will do a proper tank brim test soon!


Matt
Wow, that's not great, my Megane Trophy achieves 28 even when constantly hooning! biggrin

Mansells Tash

5,713 posts

205 months

Thursday 19th January 2017
quotequote all
Track_Cit said:
Wow, that's not great, my Megane Trophy achieves 28 even when constantly hooning! biggrin
You're not hooning right then hehe

Peanus

Original Poster:

155 posts

104 months

Thursday 19th January 2017
quotequote all
Track_Cit said:
Wow, that's not great
I thought so, too. Over 2k miles thus far my daily M135i is reporting an average of 27mpg and I B-road blast it very regularly! I Hardly take it on the motorway.

MustardCutter

238 posts

119 months

Thursday 19th January 2017
quotequote all
There doesn't seem to be much real world 'eco' in the 'ecoboost' engine range smile