Ford Focus RS Vs Rivals

Auto Express Car Reviews

The Ford Focus RS has raised the bar in the hot hatch class. With a fearsome 2.5-litre turbocharged engine that produces 301bhp under the bonnet, it has left its traditional rivals in the shade by delivering incredible straight-line performance. Even though the Focus lost out to the more entertaining MINI JCW on its road test debut back in February, the hot Ford simply blew the competition into the weeds against the clock at our test track.

We think the new RS has outgrown its hot hatch roots then – but does it have what it takes to compete with cars from the class above? To find out, we’ve lined up a pair of rally bred rivals. The Mitsubishi Evo X FQ330 and Subaru Impreza WRX STi Type UK 330S are both equipped with hugely powerful turbocharged engines – but that is where the similarities end. While the Ford relies on a sophisticated differential and highly advanced front suspension system to transfer all its power to the tarmac, the Mitsubishi and Subaru have the advantage of four-wheel drive.

The Focus has a trick up its sleeve, though – at £26,395, it undercuts its competitors by a significant margin. 

Will this be enough to take the fastest-ever Ford hatch to a historic, giant-slaying victory? Or will the dynamic superiority of the Japanese cars see them past the chequered flag first? Fasten your seatbelts for a thrilling ride as we find out.