Focus RS vs Audi RS3 8v - Have i got it wrong?

[stevekoz]

So thinking i've narrowed the two cars down that I want that will fulfil my brief of being daily useable, practical enough for 3, spacious enough for long journey's if necessary and fun enough for those weekends when i'm on my own and what to go and drive around say wales or the nurburgring if it suits me.

The contenders at the 25-30K bracket are -

The 2016 + Ford Focus RS

The 2015+ Audi RS3 8v

The reasons i've chosen these are that that they handle the day to day duties of normal life (being standard family hatch back based) with the added gusto of having great engines and relatively fast. Useable without much care of weather.

The Focus is the winner in the B-Road stakes, being the car you'd take the keys to, if you were going on a 3 or 4hr b-road blast.

The RS3 is the winner for that added refinement day to day and if you were saying going to drive it across country or long motorwary journeys with b-roads at the end of it.

But both share elements of the other.

I know ultimately both have some handling issues. One having a tendency to tramline (sometimes dangerously). The other being a bit inert and understeery ( a thing with most good awd systems i've experienced (Impreza)).

So as a singular car in the family, any real world advice about owning/driving or should i wipe the slate clean and start again.

[ZX10R NIN]

Both are cracking steers the only downside with the Focus is that the AWD does rob the boot of a little space but personally I'd live with it.

I prefer the Focus in almost every area over the RS3 except one & that's the engine that 5 pot in the Audi is beast of a unit it just has what you want all the time & makes the Ford feel boosty in comparison, even compared to Mountune equipped 2nd gen RS it's not quite as good BUT it's still good.

I'd say test drive them & you'll know what one to go, if it's the RS then I'd look for one with some Mountune additions.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202303175...


https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301143...

[Niguy]

Rs3 a wonderful piece of kit

[Honestherbert]

I'd go for the focus every time. They just look better than the audi and tbh don't have the bad image that the audi's have, certainly round my way! A mountune RS with buckets is probably gonna be the next family car we have. I will admit I am a bit of a ford fanboy though!

[Al U]

I prefer the Focus RS personally. Sure, the Audi is probably a nicer place to sit but I'd argue the Focus is a "nice enough" place to sit.

The only thing that annoys me with the Focus is that you can't have the buckets with heated seats. I'd also like the heated steering wheel and very few cars seem to have it optioned.

Probably in the minority but I'd value the heated seats/steering wheel more than the buckets so would go for one with those boxes ticked if I was getting one.

[jamiem555]

If going for the Focus, make sure it’s a later car with the Sync 3 infotainment fitted as the Sync 2 is crap. I upgraded mine in my ST.