2018 Ford Focus RS

Overview

All good things must come to an end: The fantastic Ford Focus RS enters its final year of production packed with performance paraphernalia and ready to desecrate a racetrack near you. Ford's hard-core hatch has a 350-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine that pairs exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission. Its torque-vectoring all-wheel drive is capable of conquering snow-covered streets or gravel-strewn back roads. While its cheap interior can't be ignored, the RS will still fit four adults and their stuff. Expect its uncompromising ride and restrictive racing seats to weed out the weak, but whoever's left standing is in for one helluva good time.

What's New for 2018?

The Focus RS will be discontinued after 2018. Ford will only sell 1000 of the fiery hatchbacks in the United States, and just 500 examples will see Canadian roads. The limited-edition models are only available in two colors: Nitrous Blue and a new Race Red. The exterior adds gloss-black features, including the roof and mirror caps. The rear roof spoiler is now painted gloss black, too, and it wears blue RS logos on the side wings. A set of painted 19-inch wheels become standard. Unlike previous versions, this RS features a limited-slip differential for the front axle. The RS2 package is now standard; it includes leather-trimmed Recaro racing seats (both front buckets are heated) and voice-activated navigation. The cabin also adds carbon fiber to the door handles, the handbrake lever, and around the turbo-boost gauge.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

The 2018 Focus RS is available only in Race Red or Nitrous Blue (which adds $695). The RS2 package—which was a $2785 option for the 2017 version—is now standard; it includes navigation, grippier seat inserts, an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, and heating for the front seats, exterior mirrors, and steering wheel. While forged 19-inch wheels are also standard, opting for the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires adds $550. Snow Belt dwellers can still order the winter wheel-and-tire package for $1995—we'd find a less expensive set elsewhere, though.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

Likes: Explosive takeoffs, all-wheel-drive grip, Drift mode can unlock your inner Ken Block.
Dislikes: Explosive takeoffs require brutal clutch dumps, stiff-legged ride, Honda Civic Type R exists.

Powered by a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder that churns out 350 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque, the Focus RS tops all others in its class and is capable of serious speed on any surface. At more than 3400 pounds, the RS isn't light, but its all-wheel-drive traction, combined with the six-speed manual's short gearing and crisp engagements, allow it to bolt away from stoplights with ferocity. The clutch pedal is firm, but not brutally so, and it doesn't take long to smoothly acclimate to its initial springiness. The EcoBoost four has a powerful if industrial growl and snaps to attention with minimal turbo lag. It is an angry hornet's nest of a powertrain even when cruising. The bazooka exhaust pipes loudly pop and snort between shifts and when decelerating.

The Focus RS is a performance car above all else. In this hyper-hatch class, only Civic Type R truly challenges the RS in flat-out performance, and the Honda won the comparison test. We won't call the Ford nervous, but it is high strung and rides stiffly even with its adaptive dampers in the softer of their two settings. Its rough ride on poorer roads is made worse by the optional, track-oriented Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires; they stick like Gorilla Glue and enhance the Ford's already impressive grip. (The other RS we tested was on the standard Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires.) The fixed-ratio steering is precise and quick, but not so sensitive as to make the RS twitchy at higher speeds. Its stopping performance is respectable, with zero fade in our testing and a pleasingly firm and responsive feel to the pedal.

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Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

Fuel economy is not the strong suit of the Focus RS. Even if you manage to resist the temptation to floor it with every upshift, the RS is EPA rated to suck down more fuel than all its rivals save for the Subaru WRX STI. General interstate cruising doesn't play into the RS's favor, either. While we matched the car's 25-mpg highway estimate on our 200-mile test route, look elsewhere for your 30-mpg hot hatch.

Interior, Infotainment, and Cargo

Likes: Highly supportive Recaro sport seats, Sync 3 setup with an 8.0-inch touchscreen.
Dislikes: Recaros can be too confining for some, limited rear legroom, rear seatbacks don't fold flat.

The Focus is one of the older and more cramped-feeling compacts in its class, and the RS has too many economy-car plastics in the cabin for our liking. It is a functional office for the business of spirited driving, but Ford's RS makeover didn't allocate many dollars for interior improvements.

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The RS has a standard 8.0-inch touchscreen that supports Sync 3 software, which brings bright menus, logical navigation, and ample connectivity. A 10-speaker Sony setup is the only audio system offered. While Sync 3 does not feature an auxiliary input or Wi-Fi hotspot, it does include Bluetooth and USB inputs as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

As with the conventional Ford Focus hatchback on which it is based, the RS sits toward the low end of its segment in overall stowage and is short on smaller cubbies for loose items. Audio system equipment and a tire-inflation kit consume space under the rear cargo floor.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

Overall Safety Rating (NHTSA)

View Crash Test Results

While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the RS its top five-star crash rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) hasn't tested it. Unfortunately, the hot Ford offers not a single piece of driver-assistance equipment other than a backup camera, so any RS customers seeking this added layer of protection are out of luck.

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Aside from Volkswagen's lengthier coverage, the Focus RS's warranty terms are in line with other hot sport compacts.

• Limited warranty covers 3 years or 36,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers 5 years or 60,000 miles
• No complimentary scheduled maintenance