Cupra R or Focus RS

[Ryan20]

Bit of a update:

Been looking on Autotrader & Pistonheads at Cupra's and Mk2 RS with the outcome being the RS is over priced for what it is!

Yes the RS if a fantastic hot hatch monster and yes it does look good and go like stink but and it's a big but the interior is utterly crap for a car that ounces cost £27k brand new, It's just full of hard plastic is looks like a standard focus apart from the RS badges here and there

Also they ain't cheap to mod compare to a vag, yes Revo do remaps but thing's like ejectors ain't cheap same with upgrading the brakes

Now with the Cupra's I do think there a better all rounder especially inside, It's not as in ya face compared to a RS and the MPG is a lot better, the ride is better as well not do crashy as the Focus plus can pick up a r from £14k

Be good to see if people feel the same

 

[duncinascoob]

Go back and look at my first post. Exactly the same conclusion I came to so I bought a Cupra R.

 

[Ryan20]

May have just found the car it's not a Cupra R but it's at least a Cupra I'll know more Monday fingers crossed

 

[chopper-lew]

My 2 penith...

I'm a current Leon K1 owner (stage 2) and an ex focus RS owner (In most stages of tune, eventually up to 425 bhp) and I can say hands down, even though I love the K1, I would swap it in a heartbeat for my old Focus RS back.

The bad points people mention - poor interior quality, too thirsty, too expensive, too chavvy, not the best car for the 1/4 mile etc etc are all personal opinion, but more importantly, all fade away when you actually drive one - especially a tuned one, and just experience something different from a boring 4 pot turbo.

The grunt, the growl, the pops and bangs, the mid range torque and real world overtaking ability, the proper deep hugging recaros, the far better real world gear ratios, the much shorter gear stick throw, the way it feels more planted and more solid and no matter how 'ripspeed' you think they look, they have so much road presence when you see one coming up behind you in your rear view mirror, they just look like they mean business.

Of course, all these points I mention will or can be debated with various evidence of friends testimonies and peoples experience racing focus RS's etc, but my main point is I don't think there are too many people on here that have actually owned both models at the same time in tuned and standard form to give an unbiased opinion.

I have been lucky enough to be in that position and, along with one of the eairlier poster in this thread I have to agree that when both cars are available on the drive, I cant think of a single occasion in 2 years where I didn't pick up the Focus's keys over the Leon's.

Now the Leon is a bloody good car, so IMO, that says a lot!

 

[xyz]

Read the hot hatch group test in EVO and you'll find virtually all Focus RSs come out the factory down on power. The Cupra R comes out UP on power - which is possibly why it trounced the RS around the track in the wet - could be down to tyres but Cupra Rs don't torque steer like RSs and on top of that, you'll be visiting the petrol station more often in an RS. I can see the appeal but the Cupra R is easier to live with day to day.

 

[chopper-lew]

Read the hot hatch group test in EVO and you'll find virtually all Focus RSs come out the factory down on power. The Cupra R comes out UP on power - which is possibly why it trounced the RS around the track in the wet - could be down to tyres but Cupra Rs don't torque steer like RSs and on top of that, you'll be visiting the petrol station more often in an RS. I can see the appeal but the Cupra R is easier to live with day to day.

Yeah, that was the case with the early RS's, some as low as 30 bhp down on what they should have been, although Ford did fix this free of charge by the time the car went for its first service, where they reflashed them with an updated full power map.

The Leon is easier to just jump in and go. The RS's deep seats mean you have to 'lift + drop' yourself into them so you don't scuff the leather bolsters but they are more rewarding once your in them. The fact all Leons are 5 door is great if you have 2 kids like me too. Defiantly makes them a practical hot hatch choice.

One thing to mention about the fuel though, Average mpg from a tuned Leon Cupra - 26. Average from the RS - 27. On a long run, about 36mpg out of each. So virtually identical.

 

[xyz]

Yeah, that was the case with the early RS's, some as low as 30 bhp down on what they should have been, although Ford did fix this free of charge by the time the car went for its first service, where they reflashed them with an updated full power map.

The Leon is easier to just jump in and go. The RS's deep seats mean you have to 'lift + drop' yourself into them so you don't scuff the leather bolsters but they are more rewarding once your in them. The fact all Leons are 5 door is great if you have 2 kids like me too. Defiantly makes them a practical hot hatch choice.

One thing to mention about the fuel though, Average mpg from a tuned Leon Cupra - 26. Average from the RS - 27. On a long run, about 36mpg out of each. So virtually identical.

Surprised at that mate - thought it would be lower for the RS. I just sold my 04 plate LCR (owned from new and brilliant!) and it was still returning 35-40 mpg....with 105,000 miles on the clock! But it did get serviced religiously every year with fully synthetic oil and only fed on V-Power so that helped I reckon!

 

[chopper-lew]

Surprised at that mate - thought it would be lower for the RS. I just sold my 04 plate LCR (owned from new and brilliant!) and it was still returning 35-40 mpg....with 105,000 miles on the clock! But it did get serviced religiously every year with fully synthetic oil and only fed on V-Power so that helped I reckon!

Yeah, its suprising, especially when everyone says how crap focus ST's are on fuel and the RS has essentially a more intense version of the same engine.

The thoery is the cupras (like the st) use the small K04 turbo which spools up much quicker than the larger borg warner turbo on the rs, therefore its 'on boost' more and ultimatly uses more fuel through daily driving. The RS will use more fuel when ur booting it, but in real world terms that makes up a relativly small percentage of daily driving.

 

[dazjb69]

Two years into ownership of my RS and I still love getting the keys and taking it for a run (as well as it being my daily driver), two years of owning my Cupra was great but I spent the last 4 months looking for the right RS, to be honest the whole ownership experience keeps me in it and there's nothing this side of a GTR/C63 I'd swap it for, and those sort of cars are a different league.

 

[Matthew FR]

MK2 Focus RS's look pretty awesome, make a fantastic noise too!
Id imagine the R would be easier to run and comfier day to day.

 

[xyz]

Two years into ownership of my RS and I still love getting the keys and taking it for a run (as well as it being my daily driver), two years of owning my Cupra was great but I spent the last 4 months looking for the right RS, to be honest the whole ownership experience keeps me in it and there's nothing this side of a GTR/C63 I'd swap it for, and those sort of cars are a different league.

Except an RS 500! And I don't mean a Cossie! I get the whole thing with the RS - I've seen and heard what those 5 pots are like with a bit of tuning - pops etc - my V6 Vectra was the same - I guess I'm looking to objectively - I've just got my Cupra R and I absolutely love its performance - even my wife grinned when I booted it to show her what it was like - but tbh, the RS was a little out my price range and would've meant borrowing money and I just didn't want to take a chance with the fuel thing - plus, this Leon is my third one which speaks volumes for the ownership experience. I had looked at other hot hatches but didn't find anything I liked - Golf GTI - too expensive and underpowered, Astra - boot looked too impractical and past experience with quality and reliability put me off, Megane - it's French which means after 2/3 years, it would start falling to bits and breaking down, Honda Civic type R - way too underpowered and difficult to drive when not giving it 8000revs. On balance, the only other contender would have been an RS but in blue - only slightly more discreet than Alien green or white lol! That said, my Leon is white with black wheels, mirrors and spoiler so it stands out a little!

 

[xyz]

MK2 Focus RS's look pretty awesome, make a fantastic noise too!
Id imagine the R would be easier to run and comfier day to day.

Tell you what mate, considering my LCR mk2 is on 19s, the ride is very good and the interior, whilst not as beautifully finished as a Golf, is very solid - it's a good motorway cruiser and good on the twisty stuff so best of both worlds - although an RS five pot with sports exhaust sounds nice - very much like the old five pot Audis from years ago!

 

[chopper-lew]

As far as hot-hatches go, the Focus RS and Leon Cupra (R), are defiantly 2 of the best around. At the end of the day, its horses for courses. Either one is a good choice.

I'm more than happy with our K1 and we'll probably keep it for many years to come.

If you are thinking of a change, don't let running costs like parts, insurance, servicing or fuel mpg be a decider as they are virtually identical, if anything, the Ford will be slightly cheaper.

Two years into ownership of my RS and I still love getting the keys and taking it for a run (as well as it being my daily driver), two years of owning my Cupra was great but I spent the last 4 months looking for the right RS, to be honest the whole ownership experience keeps me in it and there's nothing this side of a GTR/C63 I'd swap it for, and those sort of cars are a different league.

Again, another person who has actually owned both cars and im sure will agree they are both excellent cars, but if you had a gun to your head and could only pick one.....

 

[big eck]

If both cars were selling for the same money I'd have the RS in green. They look superb IMO.