2003 SVT Focus Review

[@someyoungguyjohnson7239]

If there's anyone that loves the sound of Rick Titus' voice it's gotta be Rick Titus.

[@keithfreeman4015]

Bout to take out my Dads SVT Focus for a drive. This was a pleasure to watch.

[@svtdan643]

Glad you liked the video. Enjoy that special machine!!!

[@johnbarron2698]

Your pop should have got the SRT4

[@fernandochaves9665]

The Focus really made an impact when was released. All the car guys talked about it, favorably or not... Today most of the new cars don't enjoy such attention. A very nice vehicle, here in Argentina you could purchase an SVT Focus through "Ford Boutique" as an import, as the rest of the SVT products. Never seen one in the street. Rich people toy around here... Thanks for sharing it.

[@svtdan643]

Couldn't agree more! Thanks for watching

[@Domokun240]

What a great old review, I just picked one of these up today for only 2500$. In amazing shape and a blast to drive even now. Couldn’t ask for a better daily.

[@phillipchurchill5186]

i just bought one too for about the same price. its such a blast to drive

[@philiprowney]

I have a very tired '02 2.0 Ghia [ 5 door ] and it always had trouble with a tight traction control and a bit of torque steer. As mine is a 1 August car this came out just after mine and they did a job on the drive train. With just 130 at the wheels, with 130 torque [ a horseporque ] and sitting on -30 Eibachs it is still a lot of fun. But, an LSD and maybe some SVT parts may be in the future. I also have a Volvo 850 T5 and have been tempted to make a 5 cylinder Mk1 5 door Focus [ a Unicorn ] but, the Volvo people would not be happy! Keep an eye one your rear leaks, mine needed welding from all the salt in the UK. [ now the sills have fell off! ]

[@skip741x3]

Wow, I didnt even know what tech and improvements were in the svt.. for its time, it was a tech showcase and must be a hoot to drive! my gf has a 2003 se focus wagon with zetex and im always amazed at it handling and steering feel and believe it or not, its cornering is great ...an absolute blast on twisty roads corners dead flat.. so I can only imagine , with all the improvements an svt has, how they must drive! even my own 94 probe gt has only 164hp and its a v6

[@mikebenfield2316]

Just bought one this week… hell of a car

[@jakecooper9900]

Note that the tachometer in the video shows a higher reading then the actual production tach. I wonder if they initially had the rev limiter higher during development

[@svtdan643]

Nice catch!!!

[@t-money10]

This was an amazing review

[@gavinivers8941]

This car looks like what in Europe is known as the Focus ST170. A very under rated car due to in living in the shadow of the Focus RS and the Honda Civic Type R ( EP3 ). The Golf GTi (mk4) was never a real challenger at the time

[@arthurdardalis]

It is the ST170 renamed for the US market.

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

Better than the Civic, looks way better too.

[@arthurdardalis]

It wears a better body kit than the European ST170, it looks better overall

[@aphex14]

We have one in our Family, 2002 Silver, with the Jackson Super Charger..Great little Focus!

[@aphex14]

Here's a quick glimpse, along with the Stable: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJWop6lnbLusb6M

[@dukatiwho]

Wonder if that was some sort of CGI, or if they made a few prototypes with the 8k tachometer. Would be pretty cool got get ahold of one-especially if I have a tune that raises the rev limiter to 8

[@RecklessEnterainment]

This guy really was dogging on the Dodge Neon but the SRT-4 came out swinging and really is a much more memorable tuner car than the SVT focus ever was. For the extra $2,500 at the time I’d say the Neon was definitely worth it.

[@svtdan643]

agreed

[@Highlander1432]

Uh yeah It could be upgraded at dealership with Mopar stage upgrades and warranty too

[@leondiaz7956]

Tengo un focus 2000 sedan y es impresionante su repuesta de manejo para una curva o una maniobra de esquivar

[@L3giT_Hax]

If the srt4s could stay together as well all these years later id agree. svtf has one leg up, reliability with age.

[@mychufr]

Nah.. The neons were nowhere near the reliability and quality of the svt focus.

[@chris-jr1ej]

I still drive this car today

[@anthonygrau2506]

I own a 02 ZX3 5 speed with 400 whp. It is a sleeper. With this car is it easy to get hp absolutely yes just with mobs.

[@wavytoad9983]

I would have loved to see his face when the SRT4 was released though. Good luck competing against that LMAO

[@bboymar1O]

Very good

[@Laithore]

Is that the VIR track?

[@carsonj4031]

lol the antenna is broken off in some of these shots.

[@svtdan643]

Good eye!

[@Highlander1432]

6:30 he downplays the hell out of cars that kick this car's ass RSX-S SRT4 But the Focus Svt was something very special with it's high revving engine and world class handling

[@svtdan643]

Of course lol

[@jessiebickel2214]

it is interesting to see them now 20 years later. the svt focus i mean. its the first focus "st not an st" to come to the states. they made not very many of them some few thousand maybe across 3 model years. nowhere near as much as the other cars at the time to be sure. I have a red 2003 5 door svt focus myself and i love the car. 5 doors makes it very practical and the extra pillar gives the 5 door a rigidity advantage over the 3 door cars at with only about 100 lbs of additional weight being the difference so performance really isnt degraded over the 3 door model. that being said i do get taken to the gap by anyone with a turbo but the power delivery is completely linear all the way to 7 grand with no torque dip. hell, im even faster than the old gt86 and all miatas except the ND so its definitely still fast enough for today's standards.

[@Charusel]

@@jessiebickel2214 Currently trying to fix up a '03 ZX5 SVT and was wondering what were the quirks/perks for having the 5-door. I planned on building it as a long term keeper for twisty roads. I originally had a ZX3 SVT years ago and was feeling nostalgic about having only two doors but that's more superficial than anything (even though I still think it looks more cool, the inner racerboy never dies I guess lol).

[@someyoungguyjohnson7239]

Not nearly as special as the 212-hp turbo RS, the car we should have had. 😢

[@Bigwatchman28]

Srt4 ftw lol