View Full Version : Drove an SVT Focus today (review)
What is it with test drives and rain? :(
I got to leave the office a bit early, so I swung by a dealership that had a couple of SVT Foci in stock. Of course, it was raining at a good clip, which tempered the experience a bit. But I still got a decent impression of the car and its abilities. Here's what I found.
I happen to like the car's styling quite a bit. It's not the freshest sheet metal out there, but it's still clean. The cars on the lot today all had the European Appearance Package, which included a set of gunmetal-colored multispoke rims on the outside. Not bad. The interior is certainly on the cheap side, although it appeared to be assembled tightly and I couldn't find any unusual panel gaps.
The Euro package also comes with a leather-upholstered interior and a pair of leather Recaro-supplied seats up front. Those seats put the Civic Si's to shame. I loved them. The bolstering was perfect and the controls were intuitive. They're even heated. It's too bad that the Euro package is so expensive ($3000, includes all other options available for the car plus wheel, seats, and a couple of unique exterior colors); I've heard the standard seats are also great, but these seats were among the best I've ever seen from the factory. Cargo space and back seat space were ample and comfortable, much like the Mazda3 that I drove a while ago. Not surprising, given the two cars' DNA.
The handling on this car is superb. It's almost nothing like the ZX3 I drove last week; where that car was wallowy and roly-poly, but still fun, this car was flat and taut and even more fun. Lane changes were dead level, as were tight curves. Brake feel was excellent and the car was brought to a halt very quickly, even in the rain. All of this was done without sacrificing much ride comfort; this would be a fine car for daily driving or long hauls.
The engine was an odd little animal. The 2.3L Duratec powerplant in the Mazda3s surprised me with its rev-happy nature, but I felt like the engine was straining or falling flat near redline. It was still fun to drive.
In contrast, the 2.0 L Zetec engine in the SVT was pretty boring down low. I blipped the throttle from a stop at idle, and I was surprised at how slowly the engine responded. It was disappointing. However, once I got moving, the engine surprised me with its low-end torque. It's no stump puller (*cough*z06*cough*) but there was more than enough punch down low to keep me happy. At 4000 rpm, the engine changed nature and became much more interesting. Blipping the throttle at higher rpm (for example, while matching revs to downshift) gave me much quicker response from the engine. The engine pulled hard all the way to redline, and while the car isn't super fast, it certainly felt very quick during the drive. The six-speed Getrag transmission shifted smoothly with short throws, and I could see the need for all six gears for spirited driving. If only it had been sunny today....
So I think I've narrowed it down to two cars: The Mazda3 and the SVT Focus. They're both well-made practical cars that are fun to drive. The Mazda is probably the well-rounded choice between the two, but the SVT Focus is the more sporting choice. The SVT has a noisier, more visceral character that the Mazda lacks. On the other hands, the Mazda offers a nicer interior and the newer engine with better "mod potential" down the road. It's a tough call. But I think I've made a decision. I think.
elbert
04-12-2004, 10:28 PM
How about the ZTW--it comes with the 2.3L as standard equipment.
As a side note, if I'm serious about a car, I'd rather test drive it in the rain.
How about the ZTW--it comes with the 2.3L as standard equipment.
As a side note, if I'm serious about a car, I'd rather test drive it in the rain.If I decide that the 2.3L engine is the way to go, then I'd definitely get the Mazda. The ZTW is certainly useful-looking but it makes no pretense about (not) being sporty.
On a side note of my own, I'm rather surprised to see how well my own reviews match up to the ones I read tonight at edmunds.com. Their editors definitely seem to share the same mindset and preferences that I do.
clyde
04-12-2004, 10:48 PM
So...?
elbert
04-12-2004, 11:07 PM
Just to cover all the bases, did you also drive a 2.5TS? I remember at one point you were also thinking WRX... (edmunds seemed to think the 2.5RS sedan version was pretty good ;) )
Josh (PA)
04-12-2004, 11:20 PM
What is it with test drives and rain? :(
I got to leave the office a bit early, so I swung by a dealership that had a couple of SVT Foci in stock. -clip-
I got to drive a co-worker's SVT just last week for the first time on some well known back roads. He was fine with me pushing it pretty hard so I got a very good feel for the car. My first thought was it seemed the exact opposite of the Jetta 1.8t I drove the week before. The SVT is an excellent chassis and suspension in need of a better engine, whereas the VW wallowed like a whale but had a peppy engine when you got it revving (although that created big torque steer problems.)
More detail:
The interior was pretty good for a Ford. I liked the very firmly bolstered seats, but I could see overweight or well built people hating them for being too confining. The instrument cluster was good. I didn't play with the switches at all. The stereo sounded decent (the owner demoed it for me). The visibility out of the rear window was poor. Getting accustomed, I found the shift linkage a little long in throw, but pleasantly mechanical feeling. The clutch felt very mushy and not precise. The guy who owns it agreed and had his Ford dealer check it out a couple of times. Ford says that's the way the SVT clutch is.
Starting off, I was surprised how not strong the engine was, even when warmed up and under full throttle. Maybe I'm just spoiled with the M3, but the Focus didn't push you back in the seat at all. I felt like I needed to floor it to get any fun acceleration from it. That was the biggest drawback of the driving experience. The bright side of this was minimal torque steer.
Once up to speed and onto some twisties, the car really came alive. The suspension was well controlled, body roll was pretty minimal and rebound was excellent. I really like cars that can go over a hump in the road and glue themselves right back down without any fuss and the Focus did this well. Pushing it to a fun but safe level showed very neutral handling, a very little push of understeer with the ability to bring the back end in line with some throttle lift off. The steering was pretty well weighted, but not as communicative as I'd have liked it to be. The car felt light and tossable, a car you could definitely have fun with on a daily commute. I didn't notice any excessive choppiness or stiffness, to me it felt a little softer than the m3.
I'd rate the brakes somewhat better than the engine. It stopped well, but not pin me against my seatbelt M3 well.
Overall, it was a nice package, but as with everything else I drive (with the lone exception of an e39 m5 testdrive), it made me appreciate what I have even more. I'd miss the engine, brakes, feedback and most importantly rwd of the M3 too much to be happy with this car.
Very few cars would make me forget about my M3(s). In deciding between these two, I'm basically doing the best I can given the requirements laid before me.
That said, I do think the Focus's weakest attribute is its engine. 170hp isn't bad, but obviously it could be better. Jackson Racing does sell a supercharger kit for it. Heh heh heh...On the other hand, the 2.3L engine already mades 160hp, and I'm sure there will be some reasonable FI or NA mods that would bump it up considerably.
Very few cars would make me forget about my M3(s). In deciding between these two, I'm basically doing the best I can given the requirements laid before me.
That said, I do think the Focus's weakest attribute is its engine. 170hp isn't bad, but obviously it could be better. Jackson Racing does sell a supercharger kit for it. Heh heh heh...On the other hand, the 2.3L engine already mades 160hp, and I'm sure there will be some reasonable FI or NA mods that would bump it up considerably.
I was unaware of the Euro equipment package--sounds intriguing. I agree with PA Josh--the Focus and the GTI are like yin and yang. A Focus with a 1.8T engine would be a truly, truly desirable piece of machinery.
I think that the Mazda3 and the SVT Focus are two very reasonable choices, and I don't know how I'd go about picking between them. The SVT has greater cachet and is sportier out of the box, but the Mazda probably has greater tuning potential and is, in the end, a more advanced interpretation of the same basic theme. The Ford is probably also quite a bit cheaper, given incentives and whatnot. Given that, and the fact that it is a rarer, more focused* car, I think an SVT Focus might be a better choice for an E30 M3 owner.
But I look forward to seeing what you decide.
*EDIT: Groan. I didn't even notice the choice of words until re-reading the post.
Very few cars would make me forget about my M3(s). In deciding between these two, I'm basically doing the best I can given the requirements laid before me.
That said, I do think the Focus's weakest attribute is its engine. 170hp isn't bad, but obviously it could be better. Jackson Racing does sell a supercharger kit for it. Heh heh heh...On the other hand, the 2.3L engine already mades 160hp, and I'm sure there will be some reasonable FI or NA mods that would bump it up considerably.
I was unaware of the Euro equipment package--sounds intriguing. I agree with PA Josh--the Focus and the GTI are like yin and yang. A Focus with a 1.8T engine would be a truly, truly desirable piece of machinery.
I think that the Mazda3 and the SVT Focus are two very reasonable choices, and I don't know how I'd go about picking between them. The SVT has greater cachet and is sportier out of the box, but the Mazda probably has greater tuning potential and is, in the end, a more advanced interpretation of the same basic theme. The Ford is probably also quite a bit cheaper, given incentives and whatnot. Given that, and the fact that it is a rarer, more focused* car, I think an SVT Focus might be a better choice for an E30 M3 owner.
But I look forward to seeing what you decide.
*EDIT: Groan. I didn't even notice the choice of words until re-reading the post.The Euro package is nice, but there are two big sticking points for me. First, it's expensive (though perhaps not overpriced). Second, it comes with traction control, which can be disabled but still remains active below 20 mph. I wish those seats were available separately because they are superb.
As for engine choice, I don't agree with you on the 1.8T thing. Yes, it's a great engine, but I don't think its stock characteristics are appropriate for either the Mazda or the Ford. It needs a shot of top-end power before I would consider it there. In the GTI, it's a near perfect application.
Anyway, back to deciding. My student loan for the summer was just approved (hooray!) so I can now focus* on other things.
BTW, you heard it here first: I no longer hold an unabashed grudge against Ford cars. After all, both of the cars I'm considering are part of the Ford family, and one of them is a bread-and-butter corporate product (but massaged a bit).
While they won't take GM away from the #1 spot in my mind, I can no longer reject a Ford just because it's a Ford. My parents' 1990 Taurus was a regrettable purchase in some ways, but I have to admit that the engine and transmission are still running strong today. The various rental Focus sedans I've had the displeasure of driving are also automotive mistakes...but oddly enough, both the ZX3 and the SVT models I've driven are totally different machines.
That is all. Whether Mazda or Ford, I can be at peace with my inner dogma.
I like them both, but the SVT Focus is more rare isn't it? I don't see them very often. they look cool. Are they going to have a Mazdaspeed 3? I really like the Mazdaspeed Protoge.
--Andrew
I like them both, but the SVT Focus is more rare isn't it? I don't see them very often. they look cool. Are they going to have a Mazdaspeed 3? I really like the Mazdaspeed Protoge.
--Andrew
How much are the Xenon's on the SVT?
I remember buying them on my 330 back in 2000, thinking WOW these are COOL!!
Now on option on almost every car out there. :roll:
I like them both, but the SVT Focus is more rare isn't it? I don't see them very often. they look cool. Are they going to have a Mazdaspeed 3? I really like the Mazdaspeed Protoge.
--Andrew
How much are the Xenon's on the SVT?
I remember buying them on my 330 back in 2000, thinking WOW these are COOL!!
Now on option on almost every car out there. :roll:
I think a saw a Saturn with Xenons the other day. :?
lemming
04-13-2004, 05:12 PM
just to add fuel to your fire, blee-ful boy.
http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?port_code=autoweek&cat_code=autofile&loc_code=index&content_code=01749912
HIDs are something like a $500 option on the SVT Focus.
As for the AutoWeek article, yeah, I've read that before. It's definitely a great little car. I'm surprised that they didn't consider the Focus as a competitor, though.
What about the Neon SRT-4?
http://www.dodge.com/gallery/img/srt-4/enlarge_1.jpg
Hehe. Hatchback, remember? Otherwise there would be a number of other possibilities. :)
I like that ad, though. Very evocative of the '60s muscle car era, and if the SRT-4 isn't a modern day muscle car, nothing is. It's like the GTI, only much more deserving of the moniker "muscle car."
Hehe. Hatchback, remember? Otherwise there would be a number of other possibilities. :)
PT Crusier GT?
Hehe. Hatchback, remember? Otherwise there would be a number of other possibilities. :)
PT Crusier GT?As much as I like them, I'd have to buy a pair of earplugs to block all of the laughter I'd get from everyone else. :-P
That car needs to be lowered a bit, chopped a bit, given an even bigger engine, and a decent chrome wheel treatment. Billet grille, shaved handles...sweet.
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