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Focus RS vs. Golf R

13K views 30 replies 15 participants last post by  egoflux 
#1 ·
Hi guys. I'm starting this thread about the RS against the golf R.

I know the RS is going to outperform the R in many ways, but I'm still considering the R for my the next hot hatch. I would really like to hear your thoughts about it.

The RS seems great performance-wise but I think the R still has the edge for what concerns quality. I was riding shotgun in a R the other day and the interior is simply amazing (just like any other VW, IMO). When I sat in the Focus RS at the LA Auto Show it felt like a really cheap, poorly built car. Same feeling that I had when I test drove the FoST. Not just the overall quality, but also the design of the gauges and the main console looked like a Kia from the mid 2000s.

I'm young and I work really hard for my money (who doesn't?) and I'm afraid to buy a car that it's awesome when I track it but it makes me regret to have spent all those money on it when I drive it on a daily basis. I still have a few months to think about it and I would like to make up my mind before the RS gets out. Let me know what you think!
 
#2 ·
A shoddy interior is true of most American cars so you won't find many interiors that one would consider quality. From my perspective, the only American cars with a nice interior are Cadillac's. I have a CTS-V with great performance and a great interior (for a station wagon) but I paid a premium for that.


Corvettes are amazing cars to drive, they have crappy interiors unfortunately. Want better than corvette performance with a nice interior? Welcome to Porsche territory and a lot more money


You have to ask yourself though, do you want performance or a nice interior? If it is the latter you should probably not be buying either a Focus RS or a Golf R. There are cars out there with much nicer interiors for a lot less money.


If you want AWD performance then you will have to give up that interior unless you want to spend AMG money. I used to drive a Subaru STI, talk about a crappy interior! That AWD performance was great though.
 
#3 ·
Totally agree. But we can still compare crappy interiors with other crappy interiors...right? :) I currently drive an Impreza sport limited (so technically the "highest end" trim in Subarus) but the interior (almost identical to the new WRXs/STIs) is very cheap and plasticy. For as much as I want a premium interior, I understand that the Focus RS is not going to give me that either....But I think it will be a worth while trade-off :)

I decided to buy the RS over competing cars like the Golf R for the AWD, as I do a lot of winter driving. That for me was the deciding factor, and is worth a lot to me. But the Golf R is a very solid hatch, and their interiors are pretty well refined considering their price and performance. If they offered an AWD solution I think I would almost be leaning towards one of them.
 
#7 ·
Time is a factor for me. I currently drive a stage 1 BMW 335i that I tracked a few times. It's literally falling apart and I wanted to get rid of it before it's time for the next big repair. I don't know when that is going to happen but I'm afraid I won't have enough time to wait until I can test drive an RS.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Hey guys. A few updates on this topic.

I called 5-6 Ford dealers in the LA area and they're all asking big mark-ups. 5k on average. One of them has already pre-sold 3 of the 4 RSes that he will get from Ford and he is, quote: "not expecting to sell the last one for less than 45 grands". I guess I'm gonna have to drive a few hundred miles away from LA if I want to get my hands on a RS for a reasonable price.

In other news, I had the chance to drive a Golf R this past weekend. It wouldn't hurt if it had a 50 more horses under the hood, but man that car goes. I really had a great time. Given the recent VW Dieselgate, it think I would be able to knock a couple grands off MSRP and get one for around 34-35K, leaving room in the budget for improvements.

If a few weeks ago I would have taken the RS in a heartbeat, now it's becoming an interesting battle for me. I can't wait to read the first reviews!
 
#19 ·
Having driven the R Type Golf, I was left thinking what a bland car, you put your foot on the loud pedal and there is no smile on your face. Having own many fast Fords you always know that you will smile when you press the loud pedal. Wait for the RS, I am testing one towards the end of the month and will report back. If is anything like the old RS cars it will be a great drive.
 
#27 ·
I've had my 2015 Golf R with DSG for about a year now. I can tell you this, the difference between using launch control and not, is extreme. It has a larger turbo than the GTI, so that makes a huge difference in spool up. The DSG is lightning fast shifting as well. If you buy one, get the optional package with the adjustable suspension, 19" wheels, and sound system upgrade.

It's a very beautiful car inside and out. But if you want a louder/showy car, maybe the RS is better for you. This car is almost stealthy besides the quad exhaust pipes.

Also, keep in mind, already available is a simple stage 1 remap for about $700 that ups the power to about 356 hp, and 3.7 sec 0-60. The 0-100 drops to about 9.2 sec as well. Quarter mile in the 11.9 - 12.1 @ 114mph range.

Maybe the RS will be faster with a tune, hard to say, but you better not miss a shift. I'm sure it's a very fun car none the less.
 
#28 ·
Thanks for your input, but my next car is definitely going to have a manual transmission. I've had a couple of VW in the past and I've always loved their shifter.

As for the tune, I'm really attracted by the aftermarket performance packages that are already available. I see people posting impressive numbers even with basic stage 1 tunes.
 
#29 · (Edited)
Quick update. After months of thinking I decided to buy the Golf R. I got it about three weeks ago. Manual transmission, DCC & Nav package, lapiz blue. Really, really happy about my choice.

At some point I will share the thought process behind picking the Golf R over the RS, hoping to help everyone who is trying to choose between the two hatches.
 
#30 ·
You have to ask yourself though, do you want performance or a nice interior? If it is the latter you should probably not be buying either a Focus RS or a Golf R. There are cars out there with much nicer interiors for a lot less money.


If you want AWD performance then you will have to give up that interior unless you want to spend AMG money. I used to drive a Subaru STI, talk about a crappy interior! That AWD performance was great though.
 
#31 ·
I'd really like to see a comparison of both with the exact same tires. I'm sure the RS will probably still win because it has a better 4WD system and more power but I'm also sure the gap will be much less and I believe that it would end a lot of the discussions on which is really best. Currently the RS outperforms the R by quite a bit but the RS comes with Michelin PSS and Sport Cups optionally. The R only comes with all season Pirellis which are quite mediocre.
 
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