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2013 Ford Focus ST Long Term Road Test
Edmunds.com
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2013 Ford Focus ST Long Term Road Test
Read daily updates on our long-term road test of the 2013 Ford Focus ST and follow along as our editors live with this car for a year.
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both the mazdaspeed 3 and the WRX are on old but great platforms and if you are willing to trade some muscle for mpg are the ones i would pick. i would def chose the wrx because theres nothing like that boxer growl to put a smile on your face and as much as it rains where i live awd would def be apretiated!
My ideal car: the ST's performance and exterior, with the GTI's gearbox and interior.
-Fizz
I can live with the compromises that it makes to get the performance that it does. I'm expecting that next year's model is going to be about the same performance-wise but with more frills. If that's the case, I'll pass.
I drove a Mazdaspeed 3 before settling on the WRX. I think Mazda does driving dynamics well generally speaking and the Mazdaspeed 3 definitely won in steering feel, but it felt cramped by comparison. It also didn't feel anywhere near as fast, despite having a more powerful engine. I also didn't care for the styling, exterior and interior.
The Focus ST looks interesting, but I don't think I can get over the FWD. It also seems to lack character (at least from my observer's perspective) and is easily mistaken for a regular focus. I like cars that have character.
If I didn't need all-weather performance I think I'd go for a BRZ.
What I would really like a Toyobaru hatch.
Be happy that a few people have stuck around other wise what you see is what you get.
Here in Canada they cost way too much and leave out the bits you'd like. I just had a quick browse on their website and you can't get HID lights until you are in an STI and even than it's only low beam. Wait a second, low beams? What do we need HID in a low beam for? Oh wait yes, so it "looks" good. You'd think that since you get more light from the HID you might want to use that when you need it. Oh and it's manual leveling too because clearly it has to look like cheap aftermarket shove a bulb in HID. Otherwise it's just not poser enough.
And there's also no navigation option for the WRX either (STI only). No 6 speed either.
On the serious side of this comment you know why that is. They have to leave some stuff STI only otherwise they wouldn't sell.
Handling wise the WRX is ok but again you don't have the LSDs (STI again), and the test numbers looks worse than some of the cars in this "comparison".
I think that the interior is more than sufficient, it lacks the questionable taste of the Mazdaspeed 3. (inside and out) It also lacks the apparently frustration-prone my ford touch system that the ST has. It is basic, certainly. My biggest concern is the disappointing sound system.
What the WRX offers is best in class performance and all-weather practicality. That's why I chose it. I expect that next year's model will introduce an upgraded interior and better fuel economy, because those are supposedly the areas where the WRX lags behind. I'd drive a car that's raw and exciting, rather than "nice".