Ford Focus RS (2016-2018) Review

If you’re looking for a stealthy way to slink down back roads and make swift progress, the Ford Focus RS is not the car for you. This 30th model from Ford’s RS engineering brains was also one of its most outrageous, and not just for the jutting front splitter and prominent rear spoiler. At the back are two large bore exhausts that are there for good reason rather than show.

As well as being needed to deal with the engine’s power, the exhausts also make themselves known with the noise that emanates. Growls, barks and pops are all part of the RS repartee, which some will love and make others cringe. Us? We love it because this car is all about purpose and that means incredible straight-line performance.

The RS isn’t some straight-line missile that comes unstuck at the first corner, either. It’s at its very best in the bends where all-wheel drive, huge traction and nigh-on perfect poise make it sensationally quick and entertaining. Ah, and it will also trundle through town and commute to work with ease, though you will need to brace for some hefty fuel bills.

The Ford Focus RS comes with just one engine and transmission option, which is a turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder petrol motor. It produces 350PS maximum power and a nominal 440Nm peak of mid-rev shove. However, Ford gave the Focus RS an added slug off punch to help with overtaking that boost the maximum torque figure to 470Nm for 20 seconds under full throttle. As you’re unlikely to ever use the accelerator for more than that, it’s effectively the real top figure.

The six-speed manual gearbox was the only transmission option and it’s a slick shifter. It’s coupled to a four-wheel drive system as standard that uses a clever rear differential to deliver superb driving thrills.

Although the RS came in a single specification, it was also available with a Luxury Pack that added parking sensors, cruise control, keyless ignition, and folding door mirrors. You could also add optional Recaro front seats and 19-inch forged alloy wheels, both of which were popular and desirable additions when new and as a used buy.

Sitting at the top of the hot hatch hierarchy, the Ford Focus RS has very few real rivals. Those that do give it a close run are the Audi RS3 and Mercedes A45 AMG. The Audi uses a five-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive, but is not as full of feel or fun as the Ford.

Mercedes-Benz's A45 is massively quick in a straight line, but it’s not as good in the corners as the Focus RS. Another option is the Volkswagen Golf R, which is not as powerful or exciting as the Ford but has the same supreme cross-country handling and composure. Or, for outright in-your-face looks, the Honda Civic Type R does the trick but is not as swift or sure-footed as the Focus RS.

Ford made all of its rivals look very expensive when it launched the Ford Focus RS. To do this, however, has involved sticking with most of the same materials found in a standard Focus, which don’t stack up quite as favourably when compared to the likes of the Audi RS3 and Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG with their very solid construction values.

Some of this dowdy feel to the Focus is down to the dash being all but identical to the standard Focus item other than the small bank of extra dials on the dash top. You’ll find some soft-touch padding to the dash and door panels, but the rest is the usual mix of Ford plastics.

Even so, the thick-rimmed leather-bound steering wheel and hide-covered seats add a welcome touch of upper class appeal. Find a car with the optional Recaro seats and their part-leather, part-Alcantara trim is even more pleasing.

Overall, the Focus RS is well put together and free from creaks. It’s just a shame the materials chosen are not as easy on the eye or dashing as a Honda Civic Type R’s.

The Ford Focus RS came with the company’s SYNC 2 infotainment system with 8-inch colour touchscreen positioned high in the centre console. It comes with navigation, DAB audio, Bluetooth, voice controls and smartphone integration. As a result, it has all of the functions and features you’d expect of a modern family hatch.

This is not to say the system is perfect as the screen can be very sluggish to respond to the touch of your finger. Plugging in a destination to the navigation takes longer than in many other rival set-ups and, on the move, there is nowhere to rest your hand so it can be a jiggly hit-and-miss affair to get the right menu spelling.

However, there are separate controls for the audio and remote buttons on the steering wheel to operate the radio and hands-free calls to make life easier. The screen also enjoys good resolution and clear graphics for most options, though the sat-nav map now looks quite fussy and overly detailed next to Ford’s latest infotainment systems.

By making the Ford Focus RS all-wheel drive, Ford had to reduce boot space from more than 300-litres in the standard hatch to a more modest-sized 260-litres, though thankfully the load deck is flat. 

The Ford Focus RS measures 4402mm long, 2020mm wide and 1484mm tall so there’s enough space for a couple of cases or for a shopping trip, plus the 60-40 split and tumble rear seats can be folded to free up more than 1000-litres of load space to the roofline.

This makes the Focus RS a more versatile and usable super hot hatch than some of its rivals, though it’s unlikely to be your first choice for DIY store trips. Even so, there’s only a small drop from boot sill to load floor and the tailgate swings up to leave the same large aperture as in any other Focus of this generation.

Coming round to the rear doors, they also offer an identical amount of space as other Focus models for passengers to step into the car. This means getting in and out of the hind quarters of the Focus RS is easy, even with the sporty front seats that do not take up vital room for feet. They do pinch a little knee room, but not enough for it to be an issue unless you have a particularly tall rear passenger sat behind a leggy driver.

Ford has made an effort to give the rear seats the same sporty look and feel as those in the front. As a result, you hide covering the bench and some bolsters to give greater support to the two outer occupants. Should you find yourself sat in the middle pew, it’s narrow and has a heavily padded seat back that means it’s neither comfortable nor generous with headroom. You will also find leg room at a premium due to the transmission tunnel that’s needed to take drive to the rear wheels. For the other two rear occupants, head and shoulder room is good and the side windows offer a decent view out as the belt line of the car is not as upswept as in some rivals.

The Ford Focus RS uses the same 2.3-litre turbocharged engine fitted to the Ford Mustang, but it’s been very heavily revised to offer more power. Peak grunt is 350PS and maximum torque is, officially, 440Nm. However, the RS has an over-boost function that increases torque to 470Nm for up to 20 seconds. Lifting off the throttle for a split second resets the over-boost, so in reality, most of the time peak torque is 470Nm. It’s like having a helping hand to catapult you past slower traffic when overtaking, making it quicker and safer as you are past and back on the correct side of the road in less time than would otherwise be the case.

What’s more, it’s available from 2000rpm right up to 4500rpm. That means the engine is responsive almost regardless of which gear is selected, not that working the six-speed manual gearbox is an unpleasant experience. The gear change is snappy and accurate, although the clutch is a little sudden until you get used to it. Together, they work very well and serve to make the Focus RS feel much more of a performance car than a ‘mere’ hot hatch.

From rest to 62mph takes just 4.7 seconds in the RS and top speed is 165mph, so the Focus RS has serious pace and is quicker than its German rivals with top speeds electronically pegged to 155mph. The downside is, of course, fairly poor fuel economy. Officially the Focus RS is capable of 36.7mpg, but in reality it’s likely to be closer to 30mpg – or even worse when driven hard or in urban traffic.

If there is a price to pay for the Ford Focus RS’s amazing levels of power, pace and traction, it’s refinement. Of course, a hot hatch is always going to make more engine noise than a standard model as this is part of the allure and sporting feel of the car. In the RS, you are always aware of the engine, especially in Sport mode where the exhaust pops and crackles on the overrun. It’s all good fun and can be turned off whenever you want.

What cannot be turned off is the amount of rumble stirred up by those broad tyres. This constant drawl is transmitted into the cabin through the firm suspension settings and can make longer drives in the Focus RS quite a draining experience when combined with the firm ride.

However, wind noise is not an issue as the Focus RS has the same slippery shape as any other Focus model from this generation. We also like the weight of the major controls, such as pedals, gear shift and steering, and how they balance with each other to make the RS feel every inch the sporting car it genuinely is.

The Ford Focus RS enjoys the same Euro NCAP five-star crash test rating as other Ford Focus models from this generation. It scored very well for adult and child occupant safety, though it could have performed better overall if Ford had included autonomous emergency braking as standard on this pricey model rather than leaving it languishing on the options list like others in the range.

However, you do get twin front, side and curtain airbags as standard, along with ESP traction control. There is also a hill hold function to stop the car from rolling backwards as you pull away on an incline. Ford also fitted a tyre pressure monitoring system as standard.

The Focus RS was also supplied with Ford’s MyKey, which lets you programme up to four keys with individual settings for the car. For example, different keys can be set with limited top speeds and even restrict the maximum volume of the stereo to make sure the driver’s attention is kept on the job in hand.

Ford finished in the bottom five car brands in the latest HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Index. However, modern cars are generally pretty reliable, and the fact that Ford sells so many cars means it's more likely that problems are reported.

When it comes to getting the Ford Focus RS insured, it’s not going to be cheap as it sits in group 40. However, that’s the same as for an Audi RS3 and it's four groups lower than a Mercedes A45 AMG, so it’s at the lower end of this ball park of super hot hatches. Only the Volkswagen Golf R is notably lower down the insurance rankings as it sits in group 34.

With CO2 emissions of 175g/km, a Ford Focus RS registered up to 31 March 2017 will attract an annual Vehicle Excise Duty tariff of £240 per year.

As the Focus RS production lifespan straddled that date, later cars registered from 1 April 2017 will pay road tax at the reduced rate of £150 per year.

All Ford Focus RS models have 19-inch multispoke alloy wheels as standard, 350mm ventilated front disc brakes with lightweight Brembo calipers, RS performance rear spoiler, xenon HID headlamps with adaptive lighting, and automatic headlights. There are also heated washer jets, rain sensing wipers, and heated door mirrors with integrated turn indicators.

Inside, there are RS branded Recaro front seats with leather side bolsters, dual-zone climate control, SYNC 2 infotainment with 8-inch touchscreen, DAB audio system, and Quick clear heated windscreen. You also get four pre-set drive modes, comprising Normal, Sport, Track or Drift, as well as Launch Control, and dual mode damper settings. In the boot is a tyre repair kit.

Options for the Focus RS included the Luxury Pack that added parking sensors, cruise control, keyless ignition, and folding door mirrors. You could also add optional Recaro front shell seats and 19-inch forged alloy wheels, both of which were popular and desirable additions when new and as a used buy.