Focus ST vs. GTI vs. Mazdaspeed 3
 

Focus ST is coming this month for 27k in the hot hatch competition. What hatch would you get now and why?

id imagine the gti is the nicest and maybe the most composed but its expensive. the ms3 is kinda the brute and pretty cheap. seems like the st is somewhere in between but i havent driven one so i dont know

MS3. Haven't driven the ST, MS3 is more fun than the GTI, IMO. It's probably the cheapest in the end, too.

The GTI isn't as expensive as that Focus for 27K... you can get the GTI with a DSG 6 speed auto for just under 25k... I'd take GTI all the way. I have heard bad things about the MS3 due to some people having lower end issues while bone stock. SO for me it would come down to the ST or the GTI. I guess I'm just used to my car that with bolt ons and a tune gets a heinous amount of power reliably.

Never heard any issues with MS3 but have heard of lots of issues with the GTI. MS3 all the way, best bang for the buck for a FWD hot hatch.

ms3 internals are only good till 300hp

what are the internals of the gti or the st good for?

Umm no. There are quite a few MS3's running at 400 + WHP on stock internals. The Tranny is good for 700 WHP.

I am running between 360 to 370 whp myself and I am still on a K04 with a stockish setup.

Every car has issues but VW seems to have more than the average import.

Hm... I didn't have good experience w Focus, so I'm kinda bias on this. GTI is nice... but my friend's GTI always have some hose problem. MS3 drive that car before (both in track & street) and didn't have nothing against it... other than the front design. Just tha BIG smile face isn't my cup of tea lol

I remember Top Gear being impressed with the Euro version of the Focus ST. The styling isn't too bad either, IMO. I think the GTI is the most refined, and probably the smoothest ride, but if I bought one, I would pony up the extra doe for the R32. I do like the MS3, I was looking at getting one last summer before I decided to stick to 2 doors. I personally love the front end of the MS3.

I had a rental Focus once, it was so much fun. It looked like the run of the mill car but on the corners it rocked it. I think it was an early 2000...what a fun little thing. More power? Ha, bring it!

I've driven the GTi and MS3 plenty and the 2012 Focus, just not the ST.

I'll put it this way. Race track? MS3. DD? GTi. Best compromise of both? Focus ST.

I prefer the driving position, steering feel, and shift of the Focus, so I imagine it's magnified on the ST. The GTi is far too easy to hit its limits, and the MS3, I find a touch too hardcore. The cable shifter setup is a bit harsh and imprecise.

The only hatch I prefer above all isn't even sold in the U.S. But, if there was a Renault Twingo 133 or Megane 265, I'd get one and never look back.

Last time I had a rental focus I wanted to run it into a tree. I think it was a 2011 or 2012 model (previous generation), but it is a true example of a garbage car. Fuel mileage wasn't even that great.

From what I've read about the Focus ST, they're saying that it has the power of the MS3 combined with the nature of the GTI making the car to buy at the moment.

It's the Euro spec model, but I assume the North American car will be very similar: http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evoc...st_review.html

I owned a 2011 GTi DSG before my FRS. The comfort that car offered as a daily is unmatched to anything else iv ever owned. The only problem I had was I got it auto and 2dr. I think when its time to say bye bye to the FRS, its going to be a 4 door GTI in my drive way. Also the MKVII is coming out lighter and with more power.

As far as reliabilty issues, I owned it from new for almost 3 years and it was nothing but oil changes and I didnt trade it in for my FRS. My GTi got destroyed by a F150 when I was at home sleeping. Also all the stuff you hear about GTIs not losing value is true. I bought the car for $27K ish. The insurance gave me $25K. I ended up paying off the car and keeping $5000 (my downpayment on the GTi lol) in my pocket for the FRS.