Everything you need to know about the Ford Focus RS
Although Ford has since discontinued most of its passenger vehicles, the blue oval was well known for having one of the best-performance hot hatches on the market. The Focus RS was king of the streets for a short while, and you can still own one if you can stomach the tyre and fuel bill. This is everything you need to know about the Ford Focus RS
In this article:
Who is the Ford Focus RS a good car for?
What is the Ford Focus RS like to drive?
Tech features in the Ford Focus RS
Similar cars to the Ford Focus RS
Is the Ford Focus RS a good car?
The Ford Focus RS was one of the last performance hatchbacks that Ford released in SA before discontinuing many of its passenger vehicles in favour of SUVs and bakkies. The RS also gained a reputation around the same time as the Kuga-gate scandal which would see a number of engines failing and Ford recalling and repairing the few models that were sold. If the issue with the engine has been resolved, the RS is a fantastic vehicle to drive.
Who is the Ford Focus RS a good car for?
The Focus RS was definitely meant for an older crowd that was young at heart. The initial purchase price put the youthful hot hatch outside of the wheelhouse of many younger buyers so this looked to be very much a secondary vehicle or "track-toy'
Is the Ford Focus RS a good first car?
Due to the performance nature of the car, it may not be the best pick for an in-experienced or new driver
Is the Ford Focus RS a good family car?
Despite its deep performance roots, the RS can actually do good duty as a family car. Featuring 5 doors and a 375l boot, that can be expanded to 1320 with the rear seats folded down, along with decent leg and headroom means that if you can stomach the fuel costs it will serve a family quite well.
Is there a Hybrid Ford Focus RS?
With the RS being powered by a 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that produces eyewatering performance figures and any ideas about fuel economy being tossed out the window, there was and still is no Hybrid option.
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What’s it like to drive?
Reviewer's opinion
The fuss is the 257kW and 440Nm from a mere 2.3-litres. If you want to strip that back, that's 113kW/litre (2261cc displacement) or 154hp/litre in the imperial measurements. That is some serious punch from a small displacement motor. Ordinarily, this would cause a few problems in a hatchback, foremost of which would be transferring it to the tarmac, without destroying the CV joints, drive shafts or tyres
- Chad Luckhoff, AutoTrader
What does it look like?
Exterior
Interior
What is the Ford Focus RS like inside?
The RS interior is rather humdrum with the odd splash of colour from the Ford Blue paneling and stitching. There is a focus on the sporty nature of the vehicle with the addition of the race seats and sports steering wheel.
Style
Ford kept things relatively simple inside, choosing to only add a few race-y options. Outside of the Recaro race seats and sports steering wheel and contrasting blue stitching and Alcantara paneling, there really isn't much to separate things from a standard ST.
Tech features
- Hard-backed Recaro race seats
- Flat bottom sport steering wheel
- 4 drive modes
- Ford Sync 2 infotainment
- Climate control
Price and specs
Which is the cheapest Ford Focus RS?
The Focus RS only had one derivative with prices starting at R699 900 with a few options bringing average starting price up to R 709 410
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How much does it cost?
| Model | Price new in 2016 | Price used in 2022 |
| Ford Focus RS | R 709 410 | R 569 800 |
*Pricing correct at time of publishing and subject to change without notice.
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