2018 Ford Focus RS: What You Need to Know

Ford’s Hottest Hatch Plays Its Swan Song

Performance car enthusiasts often lament “Forbidden Fruit,” otherwise known as cars that are sold in other markets but are not available in North America. These are cars like the Volkswagen Scirocco and Renault Alpine. The Ford Focus RS was one such car, but in 2016, it finally hit our shores.

While the Focus is a generally sensible car with good fuel economy and a nimble ride, Ford offers hotted-up versions, including the ST and RS. The latter is the most hardcore performance variant, turning an otherwise sedate hatchback into a proven performance car.

But 2018 is marking the final year for the Ford Focus RS in North America. Production will be limited. If you are on the fence about buying one, read on to learn more.

• Read the 2018 Ford Focus Full Review
• See 2018 Ford Focus Photos
• See Compact Cars Rankings

Styling

The standard Ford Focus looks a lot like a downsized version of the Ford Fusion sedan. Not so for the RS, as the grille, front bumper, and lower front valance are upgraded with a bolder look.

The wide-open grille and lower front valance provide air to the intercooler, while side vents provide airflow to the front disc brakes. Elsewhere, the RS features side skirts, a rear diffuser, and a large rear wing for improved aerodynamics. The available 19-inch painted forged alloy wheels round out an aggressive visual package.

The 2018 Focus RS is only available in Race Red and Nitrous Blue and is offered in the Final Edition, which includes a gloss-black roof, a black spoiler, and black mirror caps.

• Read the 2018 Ford Focus Full Review
• See 2018 Ford Focus Photos
• See Compact Cars Rankings

Powertrain

The Focus RS features a turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-four making an incredible 350 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. This is a more powerful version of the same engine found in the Ford Mustang EcoBoost. Power is sent through a six-speed manual transmission to an all-wheel drive system.

The all-wheel drive system works with the potent engine to achieve a 0 to 62 mph time of just 4.6 seconds. Being a six-speed manual, your actual acceleration times may vary. Top speed in the Focus RS is 165 mph.

Ford has included a Launch Control system in the Focus RS that limits revs to 5,000 rpm, even while the accelerator is planted. It will limit revs until you let the clutch out, ensuring optimal traction for a takeoff from a full stop.

• Read the 2018 Ford Focus Full Review
• See 2018 Ford Focus Photos
• See Compact Cars Rankings

Handling

Being the final year of production for the RS, Ford has provided an added bonus for Final Edition models: a Quaife mechanical-slip differential. It works with the all-wheel drive system to provide an incredible level of handling.

The Focus RS also features a drive mode selector that provides Normal, Sport, Track, and Drift modes. The latter will let the all-wheel-drive Focus RS do controlled oversteer drifts. 

• Read the 2018 Ford Focus Full Review
• See 2018 Ford Focus Photos
• See Compact Cars Rankings

Interior Styling and Seating

Perhaps the only knock against the Focus RS would be its interior fit-and-finish. The plastic-laden cabin is on par with the rival Subaru WRX STI, but it falls behind the upscale cabin of the Golf R.

The aesthetic is purely performance-oriented. The RS features added gauges on the dash for oil temperature, oil pressure, and turbo boost. The Focus RS also comes standard with Recaro race seats. These seats provide plenty of bolstering for hard cornering, have six-way power adjustment, leather upholstery, and are heated.

• Read the 2018 Ford Focus Full Review
• See 2018 Ford Focus Photos
• See Compact Cars Rankings

Interior Tech

The Focus RS comes standard with Ford’s SYNC 3 infotainment system. It features crisp fonts and large icons. SYNC 3 also supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, allowing you to access your smartphone’s music, podcasts, and native maps app. It also lets you send and receive texts via voice control.

• Read the 2018 Ford Focus Full Review
• See 2018 Ford Focus Photos
• See Compact Cars Rankings

Cargo

The Focus RS benefits from its hatchback layout, with 44.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seat down. The Volkswagen Golf R has more cargo space, at 52.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The Golf R also has a more conventional and larger trunk opening, while the Focus RS has an awkward trunk opening, with cut-ins from the taillights.

On the other hand, both of those hatchbacks have far more cargo space than the Subaru WRX, which is only available as a sedan and has 12 cubic feet of trunk space.

• Read the 2018 Ford Focus Full Review
• See 2018 Ford Focus Photos
• See Compact Cars Rankings

Pricing and Availability

The 2018 Ford Focus RS has a base MSRP of $41,120. The Nitrous Blue and Race Red paint cost $695 extra, an available moonroof is $895, and the RS Winter Wheel and Tire package adds $1,995. A fully loaded Focus RS will cost more than $45,000.

Only 1,000 examples of the Ford Focus RS will be built for the 2018 model year. 

• Read the 2018 Ford Focus Full Review
• See 2018 Ford Focus Photos
• See Compact Cars Rankings

Competition

The Focus RS exists in a small-but-growing hot hatch segment. The Focus was the most recent addition, and it will also be the soonest to leave. It is survived by the Golf R, which has been off-and-on in North America and was called the R32 and R22 in the past.

The other rival is the Subaru WRX STI, which grew out of the Impreza 2.5RS and WRX. The STI is less expensive than the RS, at $36,095, but it also has less power (305 horsepower) and suffers from the same drab interior as the Focus RS.

If you are looking for a daily hot hatch with the most urbane interior, the Golf R blows the other two away, and even undercuts the RS and STI on price, starting at $35,655. If you are looking for the most fun, connected sporty hatchback, the Focus RS will satisfy, around a corner and in a straight line.

• Read the 2018 Volkswagen Golf Full Review
• See 2018 Volkswagen Golf Photos
• See Compact Cars Rankings

More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report

If you’re looking to get a great deal on the Ford Focus RS, or any other model from the Blue Oval, head over to our Ford deals page.

If you’re interested in a different vehicle, check out our best lease deals and financing deals pages. There, we’ve compiled a list of all the best incentives manufacturers are offering. You can even compare the Focus RS to the competition.

Once you’re ready to buy, be sure to use the U.S. News Best Price Program to find the dealership in your area offering the lowest prices. Shoppers who use the program save an average of $3,279 off their new car purchase.