2013 Ford Focus ST Long-Term Road Test

Comments

• cuselancer17 Member Posts: 53

  October 2013

  DO MORE OF THESE!!! WOULD YOU BUY ONE?? THE WHOLE FLEET! I love the long term blogs, but really.. isn't this the point? To tell the consumers if you would buy one or not?

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• sharpend Member Posts: 177

  October 2013

  And the Mark VII GTI coming in 2014 will be even better. It could very well be the best real-world all-around practical enthusiast car ever. And you can always get a wrap if you want a wild looking exterior.

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• deanstevenson Member Posts: 8

  October 2013

  Isn't the 2015 Focus/Focus ST supposed to be a refresh? If so, it will be interesting to see how Ford responds to the Mk VII Golf/GTI.

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• noburgers Member Posts: 500

  October 2013

  @cuselancer17 yes yes yes no matter what category of car, there has to be an editor that lines up with the demographic/wants/needs for each car in the fleet, whether it be a pickup or supercar. Usually we get a 'tad' of the real opinions summed up in the

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• flapsmcgee Member Posts: 0

  October 2013

  Couldn't you just get the regular seats and not the Recaros? It would be cheaper too.

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• greenpony Member Posts: 531

  October 2013

  I really was torn between a GTI and an ST. About the same all around performance, about the same price, about the same fuel efficiency. There were two things that persuaded me to get the Ford: (1) I liked the looks better, and (2) I have a long history with my local Ford dealership -- and NO history with VW dealerships. Minor things, but enough to make my decision. . . . . And you know what? This car is pretty awesome.

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• agentorange Member Posts: 893

  October 2013

  I could not buy an ST for a number of reasons. 1) It is only available as a 5-door hatch. No 3-door is a fail for me. 2) The mechanically sympathetic part of my brain cannot accept using the brakes as part of the traction control. 3) Point 2) is reinforced by the knowledge that GM in Europe have a WAY better differential system that fixes the torque steer and traction issues. Even Jeremy Clarkson liked it and he generally hates small GM cars. I would always know that Ford were cheapskates. 4) No form of DSG available. There are days I have to drive in traffic and on those days you can keep your manuals.

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• duck87 Member Posts: 649

  October 2013

  @agentorange: Do Europeans get a LSD? Because the GTI is similar in terms of using the brakes as part of the E-diff.

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• bassrockerx Member Posts: 24

  October 2013

  actually it would be Jetta GLI versus focus ST if jetta hypothetically sold a GLI sportwagen. the GTI would be versus the fiesta ST and we all know which way the journalists would go if we asked them that question. Personally the focus hatchback does not offer enough extra utility (besides being able to feed long items or largish boxes if you had no passengers) versus the sedan focus to make it worthy of a hatchback purchase. Plus all the blindspots (something i have yet to see edmunds mention so far) keep me from wanting to even rent a focus. the rear window is tiny there is a huge B C and D pillers that make seeing anything outside your windshield and door windows impossible

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• agentorange Member Posts: 893

  October 2013

  @duck87 I don't know if the Fords in Europe get an LSD, but the competing Vauxhall Astra VXR (European GM car) does have one and it is pretty trick. One of the more recent Top Gear UK episodes has Jeremy driving one and he rated it over the Ford system th

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• juan_mx Member Posts: 2

  October 2013

  @agentorange, DSG type transmissions are very good for quick shifting, but not that good for driving in stop-and-go traffic.
  
  For driving in traffic, the best is a conventional automatic (torque converter). Both, Ford and VW, have one mated to the 2.0L

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