$30,000 Performance Shootout: Ford Focus RS vs Audi RS4 - Which AWD Sleeper Should You Buy?
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- Опубликовано: 19 окт 2024
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In this video Brendan compares the Audi RS4 to the Ford Focus RS to find out which used performance car is the right car for you!
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I have always wanted a Focus RS!!!❤
Too bad the dealer markups made this car insanely expensive and hard to find.
I got a 2017 Focus RS last year for 43k after taxes and what not. They have really held onto their value. I see them in the mid 30s to low 40s all the time.
yep these things arent cheap but definately seem to hold value. Love mine.@@danield9021
I was lucky enough to live in an area where people just want shitty mustangs and didn't know what this was. Mine sat on the lot for almost a year and when they couldn't move it, got mine for under $40k brand new. Sometimes, living out in the boonies has its perks.
The Focus RS is my favourite hot hatch ever. It was the fastest/quickest hatch in the world at the time but never really got the attention it deserved.
Focus RS may have been the highest priced ever too. Maybe why they didn't get the love.
@@jasonpitts8395 not really. It was cheaper than an AMG A45 yet outperformed it.
Dealer markups turned people away from them.
@@damilolaakanni it wasn't really the small markups, it was their problematic head gasket problem that kept buyers away, including me.
@@MastersOfMask “small mark ups” 😂 a quick 5 minute search would have made you aware that those “problems” were fixed. It was just the wrong head gasket in the first batch of RS’s that came off the line
All hail Brendon
Never even considered both of these compared to eachother, but this makes sense considering the age and price. I would love to see a drag race between these two.
I have a 03 Audi A4 Avant 3.0 with a 6 speed and sport suspension which I have owned since new. Mechanically, it has been super reliable. You just have to be on top of regular maintenance and fix small issues before they become a major issue. The major problem is electrical gremlins.
My Audi still drives like new with 130k miles and is so much fun to drive. Cannot beat Audi Quattro! I would definitely take the RS4 over the Focus.
you should try living with European spec Audis then. my Niece has one. still under 100k miles and its in the workshop every other month having something fixed. and its NOT an isolated issue, since here theyre mostly rebadged versions of VWs (the A3 for example, is essentially a Golf) and VAG now are probably worse for issues than Jaguar here.
@@petelattimer6808 euro spec cars are meant for euro spec roads. On American roads with American maintenance, they don't last. German cars need German style maintenance. Don't forget, Germany teaches people how to maintain a car... In middle school.
Interestingly the AWD system in the BS Badlands and Maverick Tremor are designed from the AWD Focus RS.
For a car enthusiast that wants something somewhat practical, yeah totally makes sense to cross shop these.
Love the Focus RS it would be a great sporty car to have !
Sporty is the worst word to describe a car.
The 4 door car with back seats, a front wheel drive transmission, and a 4cyl motor? Sporty? Do you know what a "sports car" is? LoL
I've always loved the Focus. I had an '03 SVT Focus and it was great! Since Ford decided to get ride of cars they need to bring back a street truck version of maybe a Maverick or Ranger like the good old Lightning!
It was so strange. Those Fiestas and focuses have been popular in the UK for decades but apparently that wasn't enough to keep them going.
Ford seemingly leaves a lot on the table. If Ford actually cared about the Lincoln brand they'd have made a stretched, fastback, full 4 seat GT type luxury sedan with soft suspension based on the Mustang platform ages ago. It's the one car they wouldn't dare get rid of, might as well get the most out of their R&D dollars already spent. Instead the last few Lincoln cars are infamous for having barely changed any interior bits from their Ford models, and some slightly spicy engines that were reliable enough so long as they weren't put in anything heavier (Explorer ST).
But they've based their business model on the safety and emissions exemptions heavy trucks and SUVs have had since the 1920's and their lobby dollars tell us that won't change.
Those SVT Focuses were cool, especially for a 16 year old boy.
I agree - maverick RS Street truck with this 4 banger turbo would be amazing.
@@BEABEREAN10 yeah a 2.3 EcoB. would be mean in a Maverick RS!
I have a 2014 Ford Focus SE. I can very easily tell the difference between the regular Focus, ST, and RS.
What's your point?
RS4 without a doubt. Specially if I could find a wagon.
Agreed.
I have many Audis in my day most I buy used and they are expensive to maintain but they drive great up there with the finest cars in the world
The focus rs was killed by the dealerships marking them 20k over msrp. Hate Ford dealerships.
Focus RS all the way!!!!!
Really? I don't see it
Are either really sleepers? The Focus was a beloved car that’s sorely missed. Audi is well known for their AWD systems as well. Both the Focus and Audi have rally pedigree.
But everyones' Grandma in Chicago had a focus, and the average joe doesn't know what RS means. So long as you don't go crazy with the aesthetic bolt-ons or paint or rev too hard stoplight to stoplight then it's definitely an "if you know you know" car. Which is classic sleeper criteria.
As for the Audi, it's usually the drivers that are sleepers. Probably never hit 2500rpm in the engines entire life.
I remember them being widely mocked.
Future classic? The Audi RS4 is one of my all time favorite cars. What’s wild to me is I keep an eye on them price wise and I’ve never seen one below 30K. At least in my area in Indiana. The Focus is cool but I’d easily take the Audi over it.
Also, I think they only made it for the 2007 and 2008 years.
I may be biased as a previous b7 S4 owner. But that RS4.....High reving NA V8 wins for me
The AWD in these cars is a big reason they're so quick. My buddy had an RS and he regularly embarrassed me in my Caliber SRT-4 with 400whp. Brenden... That RS is NOT stock. It's got a Cobb intake, exhaust and it sounds like it's got a catless downpipe. Probably tuned, too, if it has those bolt-ons. Ford didn't really sell many RS's here because they didn't bring the 2-door everybody wanted. We wanted the Euro RS, not just anything with an RS badge on it. Booooo... No head to head drag race. You need a buddy to film with.
the euro RS was 5 door too.
RS4 my dream car. i have an a4 such a masterpice. i love it.
I drive a NB 2018 fully stock and will stay that way
Sleeper? These are about as far from sleepers as you can get outside of supercars. Sure they compete with each other. The Focus RS was my lottery car for a while. Now it's between an RS Q8 and a Stelvio Quadrifoglio.
The RS4 avant never came to the USA that I know of, ever.
Don't know who out here calling an RS a sleeper with that massive wing and super aggressive front end.
They also sold the RS for 3 years, 2016 to 2018
Yeah and it wasn't 'discontinued; - the Mk1 and Mk2 Focus's were also only 3 year runs by design
Having owned both vehicles, I’d recommend you spend your money on the RS4. It is much faster, more smooth and comfortable, and more iconic. The Focus RS is super fun to drive and outrageously quick, but it is nightmarishly uncomfortable to drive. Also, while it comes with upgraded tech (Bluetooth etc), Ford Sync is horrendously glitchy and frustrating to use. RS4 has a 6 CD changer and 2 SD card slots and some seriously beefy mid-2000s Bose speakers, which if you’re an enthusiast in it for the drive, that’s all you need.
LOL Audi more Iconic
Back when the Focus RS came out I really wanted one, but the dealers wanted a ton of money over sticker. So I got a Mustang instead. Would still love an RS, but they are hard to find in good condition where they were not beat on.
Yeah i was looking for MONTHS before I found a 1 owner with a meticulous service history. Yeah, the miles were higher than I wanted. But at 110k, judging the miles mostly being highway looking at the service locations, I knew I was going to end up buying it. 100% stock too.
I've heard that the focus RS is like a modern mazdaspeed 6. Theres a lot of stuff that's similar between the two. It's a shame they only made a few thousand of the 6's though.
To me there is no bad comparison. All info is good info. That being said, I did my best to research and whittle down my car purchase. The line up was VW Golf R, Honda civic Type-R, Toyota Supra, toyota GR86, Subaru STI, Audi TT. I was looking for Stock performance. It had to be AWD. It had to be Manual Transmission. It had to have sunroof(or Convertible), It had to be unique. I wanted half decent gas mileage. It had to be new enough to have all of the cool widgets( we got my daughter a far newer car than i had and i was shocked at all the cool new stuff). Basically the RS checked all of the boxes for ME. All of those cars listed are awesome in my book, Supra....handles major boost but visibility is terrible, Golf R best version is paddles doesnt look great. etc etc.
super rare RS4 > Focus RS
Audi will be more costly to maintain though
Cool, but what does it feel like to drive each one? What are their strengths and weaknesses?
As much as I like the Audi, the Focus RS would be my choice between the two. Audi's notoriety for unreliability is the primary factor. The Focus RS is mostly a manual Focus, and having had one of that generation, they're pretty much trouble-free (as long as it's not one of the early-build ones with the wrong head gasket).
Pretty much all of the ones with the head gaskets got fixed since there was a recall on it
@@lukefakhoury3098 no ford said they would fix it under warranty 16-17 model years, They addressed the head gasket issue for 2018, But quit selling it here in the states after that year 😢
So long as you don't have the "powershift" DCT automatic, the Focus is pretty reliable, speaking as someone who owns a 2013 (with the DCT 🤦🏼♂️).
@@JamesPhieffer I didn’t even know they made 2013-2014 Focus with a dct, all manual here in the states, I thought only the newer 2.3L ST’s had dct. I own a 2013 Race Red ST3 but it’s manual, & I absolutely love the trans compared to my Wrx.
@@timprice8877 the DCT was the only automatic available in that Focus generation (2012-18). There were 2 versions, apparently (wet vs dry clutch). And both are inferior to a torque converter automatic (like the Escape, built on the same platform, had). I believe the same DCT was the automatic for the Fiesta as well.
Mine's a hatchback SE with the 201A package, I believe it was. That gave it a bunch of features from the Titanium, such as 4 wheel disc brakes. The car is loaded, only missing automatic climate control and the touchscreen with Sony audio, and its a good car, except for the transmission.
As for the Focus ST, it was only ever available with the 2.0 litre EcoBoost and 6-speed manual.
The ford dealer in my town had the RS priced at 60k and they wouldn't let anybody test drive it. It sat for a long time at that price
What’s sad is that it only takes one stupid person to overpay for them to justify over pricing it.
Dealers should be banned. No more middle man. We need to be able to buy directly from the manufacturer
There's no comparison between a high-end RS line from Audi and a Ford Focus - LOL, come on now!
Thank you Brendan, Ford would represent what I can afford, but Audi is what I desire.
until the repair bills come flooding in, as my niece has found with her Audi. im fairly confident she will never own another VAG car.
@@petelattimer6808 Understand that, owned an A5 and a 4000, overall great cars, 200k each, but lots of bells and whistles to keep working
Rs4 avant for the win.
Would you say these are better than a brand new BRZ or GR86? They seems to be pretty comparable in price.
Not even a competition. Focus RS is great and all, but the RS4 has one of the greatest engines ever made. Idc if it’s slower in the real world, cars like these are about fun and it doesn’t get more fun than the RS4
I get so many looks when I drive focus rs so it’s not that sleeper 😁 But that car is made for european b roads not for straigth line accelerations. Pops and bangs comes from factory not from after market exhaust.
You didn't talk about one of the coolest features on the Focus RS the DRIFT MODE!!!!!
Problem is, you have to be associated with focus weebs if you buy one.
Ford just made it more feasible so all day everyday the better bang for the buck is the focus
16-20 year old boys are very excited about this video 😂
No one remembers the Focus RS head gasket issue :/. Got a Golf R over the RS but was trying hard to get the RS. I got lucky.
Did you have the focus rs in race mode?
A friend of mine had an RS4 a little while back. Thing was constantly in the shop. Barely got to drive the thing.
What was it in the shop for?
@@401nate2 multiple fuel pumps, random misfires, vacuum leaks, wheel bearing issues.
Also, electrical issues. Can't remember exactly what, but he was replacing fuses quite frequently.
Ford imo, pulled the Focus from US market earlier than expected, because of the awful Powershift auto transmission, as for the RS it probably wasn't feasible to offer just one model?
I love that focus RS
Looks like the stock exhaust to me on the RS4
I wish the focus didn’t have that boy racer look and I would buy it.
I'm pretty sure the greedy dealerships killed the fovus rs with all those mark ups
I would deff rather my b7 rs4 100% I've seen many rs focus around! But only one in New Brunswick Canada that has a b7 rs4 :-) ❤my baby :-)
I'd say the head gasket in the ford is blown
Audi has the better awd system by far with the 4 to 1 center diff. Which can give you a true 20/80 split. Ford is front wheel drive with over run rear. Yes you can drift but it wont feel like a rear wheel drive car like the Audi. It is a same Ford destroyed there own market. VW is doing the same right now with the golf r .
We dont get the focus eather in the EU. The Fiesta and focus are discontinueed..
Man I miss my Focus RS
The Audis exhaust was stock.
The focus likes to be higher in the rev range
Wait.... When did a RS become a sleeper?
Damn - the Focus owner couldn't have detailed the car before the test? Its filthy!
The Focus is going away in Europe as well, sadly😢.
Although you’ll find it dead on the side of the road, RS all day. Audi is excellent under warranty.
had a Rs and ST Focus. NOW have a RS 4 B7 V8 .But in UK There everywhere Not so much RS4 There RARE .2 Buy Between 10 and 20K Depend's on Miles Greeting's Form a cross the Pond
If the RS was a true sleeper, the dealerships would have never marked them up. But Ford Salesmen knew about this car, and marked them up into extinction. They can only be called sleepers now because they all are sleeping on jack stands with blown motors.
The b8 rs4 is already a classic. No chance for the ford
Defenitely The Ford is hot looking..i like it.
Wasn’t 7000 RS’s was about 13xxx. Love mine have had 2 would get a 3rd in a heartbeat
So, rev the RS to 3800 RPM, rev Audi to 5900 then are surprised the Audi is faster?
TFL, come on. RS was just entering boost when shifted. Probably at maybe 200lb ft torque. My kids 2019 Hond’r Fit would have seemed quick if you compared cars that way.
With that said, clear, well done review. Can certainly respect that aspect.
Stock exhaust on that RS4
Lololol as a current rs4 owner, bro, you barely even touched the rpm in it. You gotta force yourself to let it rev higher than youre used to. The power is in those higher rpms.
Bugeye subie is the best
wider guy? Ha you mean fat! but love ya buddy!
Focus RS 280whp, add a COBB air intake now the Focus RS has 280whp. Those RS were blowing head gaskets from left to right and Audis depreciate very quickly for a reason. I will stay away from both cars. BTW, good review.
no they werent blowing headgaskets left and right. a batch of them were fitted with the head gaskets for the ecoboost MUSTANG. they fit but the boost pressures etc are different, and a few other variations i believe, which was why they blew head gaskets, but still not as often as a Subaru. very few Focus RS's had head gasket issues that werent fitted with the wrong head gasket in the first place
@@petelattimer6808 thank you for explaining that. ‘16 RS owner here since 2018 and mine was replaced before I bought it. I’ve not had any problems with the car. The head gasket issue was so damn overblown since all you see on the internet is people having issues and not the other 90% that had no problems.
@@petelattimer6808, you are absolutely right that a batch of them were blowing head gaskets. Ford only sold a batch of them, so yes, they were blowing head gaskets from left to right.
@@j0hny00s, it was like 90% of them that were blowing head gaskets.
Clown
I wouldn't call either of these cars "sleepers"
3.000 sleeper
😂😂😂 the focus RS isn’t 30k. We live in the United States, they are still close to 50k.
Only thing these two share are they were built in Germany. 🤷🏼♂️
they definitely compete in unreliability
Not even close, but okay
@@jonsimmons945Audi is definitely much worse, but both are unreliable.
Got 65k miles on my Focus RS, not a single issue. Not sure whats so unreliable?
@@naf2579 Cool,but 65k is not a lot. My old STI made it to 120k before it started having issues.
@@TheRealCatof Every car will eventually have something but to call the Focus RS "unbelievable" doesn't make sense. There is nothing inherently wrong with it unlike the Audi. I don't daily mine so it will probably never see over 100k.
Future classics? What?
Seats almost look identical
i have an rs
Easiest choice ever, the audi wins by a mile... That being said, I'd never want to own either given their reliability...
Rs is bullet proof
If you've looked up the reason for the recall it wasn't even fords fault as a shipment of heads that were for non RS cars were labeled as RS and were installed on the cars
Hence why the head gaskets were failing. Once the RS heads are on they are very reliable.
By wider he means fat
The Focus RS looks awesome. The Audi looks good for old people.
Wtf is he going to talk at all about the solenoid issues where you have to pull the engine, this guy do not like
Focus RS if you want to drive it. Audi of you want to garage it.
Stealerships ruined the Ford Focus rs, like they ruin everything else with their markups.
F150 eco boost with a tune
Neither are worth it you will spend more time in the shop or under it than enjoying it
This are not sleepers lol?
The Focus RS didn't last because it was over priced for all the plastic that's inside it. With how many people love it or at least the concept of it, it should have been selling well but the price for plastic wasn't worth it.
LOL No question, RS4 all day!
Doubt they'll be collectable, there's millions of them.
The Yaris GR will be, far fewer produced and far more special.
Both cars will do 174mph but the Focus doesn't feel safe beyond 150mph the rs4 does it with ease. I have owned both. The build quality on the RS is rubbish no seat adjustment terrible engine. Great steering feel and handling and raucous if you like to hoon around
I'll take the Focus. Don't feel like spending a significant amount extra on German "build quality" and overpriced parts.
V8 vs 4t, thats y it feels faster, its a mans engine
Keep in mind that the backseat in the Audi is useless.
Rs never cost 30 grand…
Clearly they are referring to what you would buy one for TODAY...
Used Audis are dirt cheap because they depreciate like rock.
They discontinue the focus RS because It had catastrophic head gasket failures from the added boost and engine design flaws.
the head gasket issues were due to a batch of engines being fitted with the head gasket for the MUSTANG version of the same (basically) engine. they had different spec head gaskets.
False
Poor Focus RS is all riced out.
I would avoid the Audi RS4 like the plague. Those things are extremely unreliable.
I'll stick with my 2021 Veloster N.