Ford Focus ST vs Mazdaspeed3! - Head 2 Head MotorTrend Episode 28

[tdott]

I gotta hand it to the focus, I want to experience that oversteer in a fwd car.

[Genpu_Mz3]

sounds like 2 guys hired by ford to sell the car. the spent more time talking about the ford then the speed 3.

[Scottobot]

Did I miss 0-60 times?

Anyway..
8:28
RANDY: "The Mazda feels like a better-made car.."
Carlos folds his arms. Body language anyone?
RANDY: "..more solid, better shocks.."
Carlos remains silent with arms folded.
RANDY: "BUT.. lots of understeer"
Carlos: "YEP!" and uncrosses his arms.

I LOL.

It's not surprising that journos will shill the new car over one that's in its seventh model year to keep people excited about cars rather than saying "this new car is a nominal improvement at best over this other one that was introduced in 2007".

[cSPEED]

I would think that 75% of this video is dedicated to the ST because it's new. MS3 has been around for 6 years now.

[CH0SiiN1]

MS3 will never be knocked off as the king of sport compacts.. NEXT?

[dave2010GT]

Interior is better on the Ford?!?!?! It looks like a friggen space ship, the speed is for driving not looking at screens and buttons!

[Jsquared]

That was a little too much for me. If you're a true car enthusiast to the point of having a show and giving reviews on cars....leave the bias out. This guy clearly preferred for the ford before he even got into it. Not a fair head to head. I noticed when the race car driver took over he was saying so many great things about the mazda but buddy paid no attention until he mentioned under steer. Unreal!

I do think the ST is a nice car though and a good comparison. Well said Dave2010Gt, you get into a car to drive it not to watch tv and pound on buttons.

[breakfasteatre]

Well said Dave2010Gt, you get into a car to drive it not to watch tv and pound on buttons.

And this review showed that the ST is a better driving car.

I drive a genpoo speed3. If anything I would have a bias towards the poo, but I have to say the ST looks like a better car. The fact that it's newer gives it no excuse

[The Wolf]

The fact that it's newer gives it no excuse

+1, for all intents and purposes, the ms3 is a 7 year old car. If Mazda completely redesigns the Speed3, expect it to outdo this ST.

[Flagrum_3]

With the initial and obvious bias noted, a couple of things one comes out of this with. The Mazda is better built and solid. The Ford may be a good car, but I see only one issue which Mazda engineers need to focus on, the understeer. Solve that one issue (not a simple task by no means), possibly drop a few pounds somewhere and the Speed is still on top...IMO.


_3

[SomeGuy]

The understeer is simple to solve...rear sway bar takes care of it, mine made the car almost neutral in handling. A little weight off the nose wouldn't hurt either.

[6strings]

Focus ST FTW !

[DaveIrwin24]

The focus st is just overpriced, might as well just she'll out a few more dollars and buy an sti, I'm biased cause I have a speed... But if I didn't, I would still pick the speed 3 because it's more solid and it looks more unique exterior wise. We will have to wait and see what the future holds for the hot hatch segment.

[cSPEED]

The focus st is just overpriced, might as well just she'll out a few more dollars and buy an sti, I'm biased cause I have a speed... But if I didn't, I would still pick the speed 3 because it's more solid and it looks more unique exterior wise. We will have to wait and see what the future holds for the hot hatch segment.

If by 'a few dollars' you mean almost double the price then I agree.

[DaveIrwin24]

Yeah a little more then a few dollars lol

[Mr Wilson]

[McGuyver_3]

I'll be honest here,
I do not like the looks of that ST. Maybe the colour? I dunno I just dont like it
I do not like the looks of the speed 3 either let alone it being a hatch
why I drive one? It was cheaper to buy a speed then to modify my gen 2 sedan to true speed 3 spec( by this I mean the works)
I am by no means biased, however I dont find the torque steer to be as dramatic as he made it seem.
Interiors- Not a fan of either.
The ugly red interior on the speed. The dash layout I can live with though
The seats in the ST look really cheap as well though and the dash layout its not terrible but its not great either especially the vents and the nickoteen patches on the steering wheel lol

[BiGBanG]

This video is so biased it's ridiculous.

And I don't know what he was smoking saying that the ST has more interior volume, even from the video, the mazda clearly has a better and more spacious interior. The back seats of that ST looks like the back of a honda fit.

[standsideways]

2013 Mazdaspeed 3
passenger volume -94.6 ft3


2013 Ford Focus ST
passenger volume-91 ft3

[Cab0oze]

sounds like 2 guys hired by ford to sell the car. the spent more time talking about the ford then the speed 3.

+100
I don't like the genpoo but i find it hard to believe that EVERY ASPECT of the ford is better despite seeing lots of people who drove it say it wasn't that good.

[r4mi5awi]

Despite the bias, I agree with the conclusion. The ST seems like the better car to go hooning down back roads and on the track.

But as a daily driver, a road companion, cost of ownership and maintenance, I would stick to the MS3. In reality, it's limits are more accessible to most drivers on the road.

However, torque steer and the capacity to drift is a measuring stick 99% of drivers do not consider. Why do you guys think the GTI has been the benchmark for so many years as class leader?

[r4mi5awi]

Also, the ST wouldn't be ideal to face up to Canadian winters I feel, even with winter's on. I could just be talking out of my ass with this one lol

[CH0SiiN1]

To me over a second on the track isn't realistic, maybe it was but IMO they drove the ST harder and seemed to use better corner entries and lines.. If all is true, well congrats to someone(ford) for after 6+ years of attempts to take out the king that used the same platform the whole time.

[Thrizzl3]

i drove an ST...it was an easy to car to drive but felt sloppy. the seats were cool but that was it. i got back in the ms3 and felt the difference in quality. ms3 > focus ST.

[stevenma188]

If you want to talk about BIAS, talk about the bias here on this forum. Sure the video was a bit biased towards the ST, but it does have some valid points.

Based on some of the other reviews I read and what my buddy told me after driving a ST, I do tend to agree that the ST is the better handling car. As well, the Recaros in the ST are awesome, and I really like the feel of the car after sitting in it at the auto show.