Ford are a brand known for putting the ‘fun’ in functional when it comes to cars, consistently manufacturing vehicles that are both fun to drive and practical to own. Join us as we take a detailed look at the newest addition to the brand – the 2016 Ford Focus RS – to see whether this model measures up to those high standards.
So sit back, buckle up and enjoy the ride as we put this handsome hot hatch through its paces in today’s Ford Focus RS review.
Design
You’d be forgiven for expecting the interior of the RS to mirror standard Focus design, however, there are some key differences that set it apart. The front seats have been switched for leather Recaro sports seats which are surprisingly comfortable – and there’s even an option to upgrade to shell seats if you prefer. The cabin also features blue trim throughout, a touchscreen on the centre console and a sporty ‘Drive Mode’ button.
Despite the size of the five-door Focus RS, the boot is fairly small which is a drawback – and although the Recaro seats offer a comfortable ride upfront, there isn’t a great deal of space for passengers.
With a large grille, giant rear wing and 19 inch alloys all contributing to its dynamic look, the Ford Focus RS really does stand out from the crowd. The overall design of the car is a bold one that perfectly complements its powerful performance.
The Ford Focus RS 2016 comes in Stealth Grey as standard, although other colours are available as optional extras. For between £250 – £745 you can go for metallic grey, metallic black or Nitrous Blue.
Performance & Handling
This feisty hatchback is powered by the same engine you’ll find in the new Ford Mustang – a 2.3 litre, turbocharged 4 cylinder petrol unit. With some clever tweaking and tuning from Ford’s performance department, the RS puts out a staggering 345bhp and 440Nm of torque!
Featuring a six-speed four-wheel-drive transmission, the Focus RS has been specially designed to handle like a sports car with optimised air intake and a high-flow exhaust. It feels dependable – yet fun – to drive, handling bends and bumps like a pro thanks to the fantastic new steering set-up, strong front-end grip and Brembo brakes. To suit your terrain you can choose between four different driving modes – Normal, Sport, Track and Drift – which not only make driving in different environments a breeze but are incredibly fun to play with.
The all new Rear Drive Unit is something to really get excited about, as this system allows up to 100% of the torque to be sent to a single rear wheel as needed. This means that the 4-wheel-drive Focus RS is able to behave like a rear-wheel-drive car as needed, with an incredible amount of grip.
Emissions, MPG & Tax
It’s capable of 0-62mph in a nifty 4.7 seconds and has a top speed of 165 miles per hour – making it the fastest accelerating RS model ever. Having said that, Ford advise you can get 36.7 mpg out of the Focus RS if you make use of the stop-start system to reduce fuel consumption. This will only really be of use to you if you spend a lot of time in traffic, and if you’re buying the RS to enjoy the powerful engine and overboost functionality, then you should expect your fuel economy to suffer accordingly.
Although at £29,995 the Ford Focus RS is an absolute steal compared to its Audi and Mercedes counterparts, it is more expensive to tax. With an emissions rating of 175g per kilometre, you’ll be left with a hefty tax bill of £205.
Ford Focus RS Finance
If you’re raring to get behind the wheel of the appealing Focus RS – on sale from £29,995 – then we can help. At The Car Loan Warehouse, we’re committed to offering flexible finance deals to suit any budget – meaning you could be driving off into the sunset much sooner than you think.
If you’re looking for a Ford Focus RS, with a car loan from us, your dreams could soon be a reality. Ready to explore your Ford Focus RS finance options? Apply online now or head over to our online car finance calculator to get a quick quote today!
We can even help if you have a poor credit history.
