Ford Focus RS Hot Hatch 2017 review | Mat Watson Reviews

The Ford Focus RS promises to deliver supercar thrills in a hot hatch package. Can this charismatic Volkswagen Golf R and Honda Civic Type R rival live up to the hype? Mat Watson finds out in our full, in-depth review.
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[@dylanw9412]

I have a feeling that the blue painted calipers are something that while you're ordering the car you say "I'm not paying 100 bucks for painted calipers" and not get them and then regret it for the rest of the time you have the car.

[@RustyGrapes]

Lol Vids last time I checked KZbin was a website where people all around the world went on, not everyone is from “your country”

[@michaelhesford5191]

Dylan Wodrich best 100 squid I’ve ever spent

[@sachinmb6479]

drift mode for faster u turns

[@Richard31337]

My midlife crisis is booked for delivery on Friday 😂

[@mohammedsalimahmed5230]

Year later, how is it?

[@olaszczotkowska4933]

Lucky you

[@giumorbia]

How was it?!

[@Donari]

@Pink Guy Or he crashed it F

[@1Steph]

I hope you're enjoying it. I just marvel with lust every time I see one.

[@SIKExOUT]

I have owned mine for a year and s half. Ford sorted me with a new head. (Mine was fine it was a recall). I’ve lowered it and put some OZ rally wheels on it. I gotta say, the car is a ton of fun. It doesn’t get the respect here in North America that it does cross the pond. It does get a lot of hate from car snobs. But damn, try to find another car that handles like this in the same price range. I love actually accelerating out of corners in this thing. Fun fun fun.

[@gdoctor101]

Matt it looks like you used to go the gym in 2016 "what exactly happened"😂😂

[@dharmeshchudasama]

excellent review. Mat should be a top gear presenter. He's absolutely brilliant and entertaining to watch. keep up the good work!!

[@filipnikolic8805]

nothing like top gear humor a

[@FezzaYT]

Love your reviews Mat. I have an RS and it is an incredible car. I don't know how it could possibly be superseded in the future!

[@c3vzn]

I like the restrained look, especially next to the garish Type R.

[@carwow]

We're running a Type R for 6 months and you get the same amount of looks in it driving through London as we got in a banana yellow R8…

[@f00lxpl]

Yes, but when they look at R8 they think "oh my.. what a beauty" But when they looka at typeR it's more like "WTF" ;)) Amount of looks is the same but thoughts are different hah! Focus RS owner here , no hate for Type R tho ;)) Cheers Matt

[@215nerf]

+Piotrek Xplod i dont really think since you bought an rs ( congratulstions tho) you wouldnt really judge the type r with justice since that its rs's main competetor

[@carwow]

True dat

[@f00lxpl]

I know, I am biased! ;)

[@BrightNight]

Great review! I literally love the RS legacy, (I'm a bit of a fanboy) this one is brilliant! It just looks so nice to me! :) All the best Matt!

[@padddyfi]

My father got one last summer I am absolutely in love with this car

[@devmadhavsd5529]

I honestly think you should be more famous . You definitely have better screen presence and oratory talent than most reviewers....and as usual great review on the car

[@74aamer]

This will become iconic in years to come

[@d0718]

Damn I loved your explanation of the AWD system with the sweets haha

[@carwow]

Cheers - that was the crew's lunch. Bit melted by the time they got to eat it

[@alexgrazie93]

How did he know that my dad has a 1.6 litre Ford Focus? :-?

[@cctesta]

Great review. Love the colour. Saw one on the M4 and it looked great!

[@8crusher8]

Mat Watson for Top Gear.

[@oddities-whatnot]

8crusher8 Just said the same thing on Yahoo news item today. Top Gear is a joke, and now getting Freddy Flintoff and Paddy Mcguinness !!! Laughable.

[@dereklambe]

Great review, looks like you had a great time testing this car!

[@garychivers9726]

thanks Matt I've waited ages for ur take on the r.s, can't wait for mine to arrive. Matt the new top gear presenter maybe??

[@TomJones-hv4or]

Love that blue but they have a great looking grey too, great review too! 😊

[@den_525]

Matt is pretty spot on. The exterior and interior is a bit average... but this car is a pure driver's car, all focused on driving hard and fun. Is it a great daily? Probably not. It's all good and fun for the twisty stuff, but honestly, majority of us grind the daily traffic. Which makes the likes of Audi, BMW, Mercedes and VW so attractive, because it's a little bit more daily friendly.

[@ahmadawawdi4628]

Mat Watson is the best reviewer ever .. you were born to do that 💪👌

[@johnwellings3225]

I love the look of this Ford Matt. looks great

[@James-qz1wd]

Great Review Mat! Absolutely love your channel :)

[@carwow]

Cheers James!

[@dafferdonk]

James may?

[@FaceToFaceEnglishMiamiDoral]

Supporting you all the way, you have a lot of talent!

[@Andy-oe8bi]

cheers mat great review as usual

[@focus_rs8302]

Beast of a car. 2017 plate. 2 months in! White 😍

[@Theprofessor1212]

I wanted this car so much but ended up getting a stinger because of interior quality. If I had the money I would buy both and keep the focus for the weekends.

[@Netryon]

This is like getting an Overclockable CPU, if they need it performance is there. Few upgrades and a change of color. Previous casual car models could have had sporty features, now it's screaming, it's there.

[@Arinis.ltd.]

Great reviews Matt ...the channel you used to work for is suffering right now :) Opinion: you can slightly get over the boyracer's look of the Focus RS by choosing a slightly subtle black colour

[@mileshandy1806]

Great review very good information well this gentleman enjoyed it and honest

[@BLX187]

i like this guy... his reviews always raise good points

[@tottyn1758]

Mat you are the only reason why I watch Carwow

[@germi1]

I totally agree with your points on the styling. Looks very tuned :/

[@TheAftermath1987]

What a performance bargain, it's a great car and I can see the appeal, but for me I went for the type R 👍

[@jamesfinn9838]

Great review. Thanks. Incidentally GKN is a British company that can trace its roots back to the industrial revolution!

[@shouldigetit]

Such a fantastic car!

[@faizalyahya]

Should I Get It

[@lexellagames828]

Should I Get It yes

[@marcy-jay3746]

Agreed, it looks like a fun car to drive.

[@marcy-jay3746]

Why you wouldn't? There's no doubt in my mind why I shouldn't get this car.

[@Pmjs]

I love the Escort RS2000, Escort RS Cosworth & Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4.

[@leonsiric398]

Dear Mat, please refer a bit about the comfort of suspension. Some tests say it is extreemly soft and comfy, yet another say it is a bit too stiff. You are the best and most objective english language car test journalist and you are the reason I was watching AutoExpress and Carbuyer. Please stay like that in the future, too. With best regards from sunny Croatia.

[@AdamAus85]

Big cars now. Loved the look of original one.

[@daanoverdelinde476]

You are THE best car reviewer I've ever seen

[@kenarditentana1788]

Hey Mat, which one would you choose, ford focus rs or mustang gt?

[@mightyOmouse]

Was that road used in carbuyer reviews? I would recognize that turn anytime!

[@jeffmorse645]

Having that takes the sting out of Mitsubishi giving up on the Evo.

[@diltaj44]

Great job mat for reviewing the focus RS

[@carwow]

Cheers Diltaj! It was a real hardship

[@diltaj44]

+carwow your welcome

[@marzocchi705]

One of these near me but without the chavtastic black wheels. Looks much better with silver wheels. Great sounding thing though

[@coolflame18]

Hi mate, any idea how firm the drive is as compared to a ford focus ST? is it about the same?

[@adabracadabra2402]

Mat is really loving this car

[@MatWatsonCars]

I hated every minute filming it!

[@dschonsie]

+MatWatsonCars of course, filming isnt't as exciting as driving ; )

[@MatWatsonCars]

+ttt7574 no defo me. How would anyone else get such a silly picture?

[@adabracadabra2402]

+ttt7574 He is real and btw you*

[@timmytam1710]

He is obviously joking duh.

[@colinmonk9113]

i quite like mat watsons reviews & his character, but i suppose the other(motoring reviewers) have to always talk about the rigid ride,(ever owned an older 911 where you feel every bump in the road, they sold thousands of them)the larger turning radius, & lack of finishing in the drivers cabin, which could have been easily solved with carbon detailing here & there but ford has rightfully put there efforts into the engine & suspension so that's the focus RS, thankyou ford, & minus the porsche price. i've driven an rs & it is what i had expected & what i'd call a nice firm sporty ride..no owh bit hard on my soft arse, I get it could have been a bit more refined for the softies, maybe there is a mk4 RS coming that solves this with a comfort mode. It's a neat & good looking all round performance car, not a lounge chair on wheels.

[@maheshkmr4034]

Hello Mat. I hope you are doing good. I've been following your channel for 3 years now. I like the way you take through all the information and your verdict is perfect. Here is my question. Can I get this car imported here in india? I may later upgrade the car with spoilers and painted calipers. And I'm looking for a white RS.

[@ash318i]

Please review the ST also

[@snotwurfit]

Having been a Mk3 ST owner for several years, I have been craving getting an RS but can't afford one or the insurance. I can only dream

[@northdakotabeast1547]

Which one is better for street use? Standard Focus RS Recaros, or the shell seat option.

[@anpr1984]

Had to fight hard for a good deal when ordering mine. Such a demand & Ford limiting supply means dealers can't or won't move much on price.

[@nodad8763]

Mat your an awesome car reviewer/journalist love the videos, you should replace Chris Evan on new Top Gear, your that good!

[@zoltanvincze2529]

Mat Watson OWNS the reviewing business!

[@kencrowley9583]

I love the rs I'm just So in love, love the vids by carwow especially Cos its with Mat Watson

[@afterrecession]

Honestly my favorite car enthusiast.

[@Frocobo]

Been thinking of getting one of these but gonna hang on a year or so for owner feedback. No big rush as this isn't a limited run like before.

[@The_TIP]

This didn't age very well ;)

[@SnoopiFL5]

lancer evolution had that from 2007 first still the best AWD sedan for the money. EVO X FE 4.4 second to 60 owner of a FE CA149

[@geoffreyanderson4719]

A mountain bike fits in the back of this Ford. Mitsu made hot cars yes but forgot the hatch for the bike after gen2 Eclipse with 4g634 turbo engine was terminated. Loved my turbo Eclipse, yes I did. Power and bike, had your cake and ate it too. Evo and Eclipse shared a sweet, sweet engine. What snail did you hang on your evo?

[@scotty2036]

First review I've seen this guy doing without using the word "Obligatory" 😁

[@VolvoXC90TV]

Ah, the old Carbuyer test route :')

[@hayden123hs4]

I love the rs

[@diltaj44]

rs looks stunning

[@carwow]

That blue paint has an amazing sparkle in the sun which doesn't come across on video. Lush!

[@DodgeViperAS]

Do the S3!

[@Bilal-no4sb]

this car is fantastic to drive

[@antisimp5915]

0:05 that launch tho

[@jackvanepps7301]

Nyoooooooooooom

[@danielboxall8496]

If the window screen was made an lower on rally and light strip put in that help the drive see in the woods if he smashed the head lights up that's just what I think

[@wouterdewaal8085]

I think this is a damn good looking car

[@mkruger51]

The best reviewer! :D Greetings from Germany

[@carwow]

Herzlich willkommen und danke ;)

[@hamzahersi6769]

mat will you do a review of the new alfa gulia

[@darrenhillman8396]

Seen a few about but still prefer the styling of the old Focus RS.

[@alexm4515]

Why don't we get the upgraded Recaro seats in the USA? I put on 30,000 miles in one year and loved every mile! Truly the most fun car I've ever owned.

[@scaredypicker]

This car is an absolute beast and a great deal... but I just can't help liking the Civic Type R better. I understand that the looks of the thing are polarising and maybe I am a bit immature, but damn I love that car

[@loveitorscrapit6673]

Great car.. thumbs up.

[@longtailgt]

I am with you on the looks. The rear is perfect but the front could look better. The massive grill and plate are too big and the headlights could also look better The previous Focus RS looked perfect. The new one loses on looks just by a little bit. Oh, and Mat, are you going to do a hot hatch comparison with Focus RS vs Golf R vs Civic Type R vs Audi RS3?

[@idolnash13]

Massive grill is there for a reason, not just all for looks

[@sibangolindokuhle4094]

Matt you the best👊

[@jamesoneill1840]

leaves the rest well behind in terms driving pleasure,but if your going to get one of these cars,best to get one in the dark metallic paints available as the car looks far more grown up and less boy racer?

[@jasonflex6464]

a Ford focus rs with the interior of an rs3 and the practicality of a golf r would just be perfect👌

[@jasonflex6464]

+iHeart GT86 (KatyCat) but it would actually be worth it

[@RockLee679]

That car is absolutely savage

[@theblueeyes3889]

One of the best cars ever, a proper future classic

[@jackvanepps7301]

Well you'd say that

[@blackops070771]

im gonna get my rs in September,im wating for it 4 months now.. nice review btw.

[@carwow]

Enjoy it! Keep it on the road if you can.

[@blackops070771]

carwow THANKS MATE,IM SURE I CAN.

[@davidhayes4814]

Just been on Autotrader, to check on the second hand pieces of previous model RS's. They seem to be astonishingly high...... 2003 over 100K miles at £10K. If you factor this into the cost of a new RS, then they seem to be a bit of a bargain. Am I missing in something? Running costs seem realistic too.

[@mfgunit]

I prefer the reliability of ST with combination of 4wd of RS. Mostly cause i cant afford an RS.

[@arshadwawa]

Honestly if you want to pay cheaper you just pass your driving test or planning to buy a car. ( Ford Focus titanium 2015 auto sport) you won’t be disappointed for the value of the money

[@ruandupreez3802]

I love my RS but the most annoying thing for me is not having front parking sensors. Even though I always park in reverse, you expect an alomost 40k € car to have front sensors.

[@justsomedude1488]

If this had a better interior it would be easy to pick, because it hasn't, I'm stuck between this and the new honda type R.. I test driver the RS today.. exciting as fuck! but the type R isn't out until September so I won't be able to compare for w while.. thst on top of the months I'll wait for the car being delivered... long wait ahead

[@Kimbo__86]

When you gonna review the Mercedes c43?

[@negotiator6260]

My dad own one of these with recaro seats

[@volvoclipsSE]

1.41 i remember that song from pou...

[@joeadely]

That track does look oddly similar to the Top Gear test track. Or am I mistaken?

[@justarred2175]

A wider entry would’ve solved that roundabout in one cheeky go

[@BarryShite25]

WHY NO REVIEW OF THE FOCUS ST YET MATT?!

[@puttajay]

Matt im with you the styling is tacky and tbe interior is low rent but looks like a hoot to drive

[@immortanjoe7192]

How much the price in your country?

[@eduardogp1106]

Hi! When are you guys doing the review on the audi a3 facelift? :)

[@carwow]

Next month :)

[@tmbthe1425]

The best looking hot hatch

[@georgeminnit7645]

Pathetic Gamer NiCe LooKIn hothatCh Part from 4Door'S

[@tahsin28]

cf side skirts wud make it look much better

[@alexr129]

squirreled my low mileage one away its a keeper

[@MrAspire82]

Another great review Mat! Shame that you forgot to mention there's a 12 month waiting list for one and Ford increases the price by about £1,000 each month. Not to mention the artificial nature of drift mode and the exhaust note being rerouted through the speakers.

[@xnx304]

my dream car