focus st

Focus ST is half the car the Clio is, but twice the weight and twice the fuel bills.

Well built and nice to drive, effortless engine. Depends what you want it for, every car has pros/cons, can't really compare one to a Clio because thet really are two completely different animals to be honest. If you're not fussed about handling or driving particularly hard but you like a bit of grunt when you put your foot down then the ST is a good car. If you like to drive and enjoy trackdays etc., then the Clio p!sses all over the ST.

Horses for courses. You really need to have a drive in one to get your mind around it.

Is fuel really that bad? I dont do track days but like power when its needed
 
Ok. Mazda 3 MPS? More power than an ST but cheaper to run. Higher on tax though I think.

What about a cheaper Clio, an earlier 197 or a 182?

Seat Leon Cupra?

Golf GTi?
 
I do like the new cupra but its the expensive K1. Find golfs a bit boring. Had 182 but a little small but was a great car.
 
Had one 20 mpg and I drive normal most of the time (old git) went back to a Subaru STI which was around 5-10 mpg better !!! Nice car though.
 
Wouldn't get an MK1 RS as they ford don't make parts for them anymore so if you prang it your stuffed. Insurance won't like that either.
 
I'd wait and get the new one tbh. Looks fantastic.

The planner in work had an ST and he said that upon driving it hard, he could feel the car "flex"?

true that my best mate had one i've drove hundreds of miles in it and it had this shudder on coming out of bends hard, that you had to correct it never gave me confidence like the clio. and the weight was too much they need stripping down to stop that wallowing in the twisties.
on the plus side the engine noise beats the clio hands down.
 
2 months ago I got rid of the 197 for a facelift ST. tbh it's hard to compare the 2 cars as they are completely different and I love them both in they're own way. The Clio was nibble and excellent on B roads but drove me nuts on the m'way. The ST is a far better cruiser, comfier and the torque and noise from the 5 pot is superb. It's not as good in the bends and suffers with a bit of axle tramp in the wet but once your moving and in 3rd or above it shovels along. I average 25mpg, 3 less than the Clio and am chuffed to bits with it.

Before buying looked at Seat Leons but were expensive to buy, Mazda MPS's but were rare as rocking horse s**t, and Golfs but simply did not like them. If your looking at pre-facelift ones there's a couple of things to be mindful of 1: the oil filter housing breaks, make sure it has the upgraded one. 2: if it's been mapped or modded the clutches have a tendancy to slip.
 
If your looking at getting cash back then your just going a spend all that money on your focus st on fuel, insurance, tax and it will be dearer on tyres etc I got shot of my Astra Vxr because I this was getting 22mpg I then got a fiesta st instead which I'm getting 31mpg and that's with mixed driving and there not the slowest cars out and the handling etc is great on them, also saving a lot on tyres, tax , insurance and fuel bills
 
If your looking at getting cash back then your just going a spend all that money on your focus st on fuel, insurance, tax and it will be dearer on tyres etc I got shot of my Astra Vxr because I this was getting 22mpg I then got a fiesta st instead which I'm getting 31mpg and that's with mixed driving and there not the slowest cars out and the handling etc is great on them, also saving a lot on tyres, tax , insurance and fuel bills

I agree that a Fiesta ST would be cheaper to run, however my Focus costs the same to insure as the Clio, costs the same to tax and the mpg difference is minimal, tyres are what, 20 quid a tyre extra?
 
I'm off down the Focus route as soon as I have paid the Clio off....good call!

Ha ha, love it, the number chasers always follow the focus route...

I ain't seen a focus take a stage 2 r26 yet, btw a stage 2 upgrade costs 1k ish

Big money st and rs still don't come close but the numbers look much better