Focus ST 225 vs MKV Golf GTI..

lee1101

lee1101

lee1101

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Evening.

I'm planning ahead for when I have to give the lease car back. I will have about 7.5k to spend and I'd prefer a hatch. I don't like the VXR and I've had a Megane in the past so not keen on the 225.

I've also had a Civic Type R which was great but I got bored of revving the nuts off it.

What are people's opinions on the focus ST and the mk 5 gti?

I had my heart set on an ST as my next car but the golfs have caught my attention now that they are coming down in price.

I'm not fussed about mpg. Main criteria is quick, comfortable and a few toys and the potential for a few easy extra bhp in the future.

How do they compare? I like the exterior of the focus better but I prefer the golfs interior.
Also the sound of the focus is lovely but a bit dull sounding in the golf.

Any help would be great!
 
Get something like this instead - quicker, comfier and more toys. Slightly older than what you otherwise get, but worth it; epic noise too.

Only thing is it's less easy to tune (have to go forced induction) but if you do there are much bigger useful gains to be had without upgrading the world (and 4wd to use them with)
 
Ultimately you can't really go wrong with either.

The Focus is the drivers choice - it's sharper, a bit more raw and the engine has a lot more character.

The Golf is a more refined package overall, a bit more grown up.

No cruise control on the ST, but ST-3 spec is easier to find than a loaded Golf.
 
miniyazz said:
Get something like this instead - quicker, comfier and more toys. Slightly older than what you otherwise get, but worth it; epic noise too.

Only thing is it's less easy to tune (have to go forced induction) but if you do there are much bigger useful gains to be had without upgrading the world (and 4wd to use them with)
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I was looking at R32's as well as I loved the sound. But id only be able to afford one with high miles which puts me off a little.
 
Minstadave said:
Better put together, less plasticky.
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It's hardly an Aston Martin...

I get annoyed with the perception everyone has over the ST being "pasticky". All cars interiors are made out of plastic!!! Also I haven't heard of any ST's falling apart on the M6, so they are just as well put together too.

The VW Golf MK5 GTi has to be one of the most dull and boring interiors I have ever seen, and with those horrible chav burberry seats it would drive me mad having to sit in it every day. The engine is brilliant and will give you decent MPG for the performance compared to the ST.

But the engine in the ST is in another league, the 5 pot turbo is awesome, and the engine note is addictive. Much easier and cheaper to tune as well. £500 will see you with a second hand intercooler, K&N panel filter and a collins stage 1 remap giving you at least 260bhp.

If your old and want a more refined power deliver and a dreary interior get the golf. If you want something IMO more interesting with a much better engine get the ST. You'll also tend to find more options ticked on a second hand ST compared to a second hand GTi (Xenons, 6disc CD changer, climate, leather heated seats, heated windscreen and mirrors, parking sensors...)
 
The interior of the Focus does look a bit crappy with its swathes of hard grey plastic, though. And when I looked briefly at them I came to the conclusion that it's quite difficult to find one with all the desirable options like climate control (seemingly quite rare), heated leather, etc, and they don't seem to have rear electric windows.

The Focus is really just a cheap every-day hatchback with a decent engine and chassis. The Golf is a slightly less cheap, more premium every-day hatchback with a decent engine and chassis.
 
I was going to suggest an R32 but as mentioned you have to sink a bit more cash into forced induction for real bhp gains and I do wonder if the MK5's within budget will be dogs?

Having said that, you do get a few more toys than the GTI, it will be as comfy if not comfier and that noise! An excellent all rounder and just FYI is still not far off mpg figures compared to the GTI
 
Having driven an ST I can give you the following info;

- The seats are wonderful (ST-3 leather), very comfy, very supportive, if a little high.
- Steering is great, chassis feels solid, if a little wolley sometimes. I'm sure a set of springs could change this though.
- The engine has two characters, it's very happy to just bumble along at low revs using the torque, but as soon as you get it above 4k it sings and makes a wonderful noise.
- Loads of space and the interior (especially on the facelift) isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Although I have come from a Punto & a Civic.

Golf looks too boring for me, hence I didn't consider it.
 
Thank you for all the replies.

I agree the Golf is a bit more grown up. I would love an R32 but my budget of 7.5k would only get me the cheapest out there. Maybe it will be my next car, after this one!
 
Howard said:
And when I looked briefly at them I came to the conclusion that it's quite difficult to find one with all the desirable options like climate control (seemingly quite rare), heated leather, etc, and they don't seem to have rear electric windows.
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You didn't look hard enough then, as the ST3 comes with heated leather as standard...

Climate is a little harder to find, but with that many second hand ST's for sale, you will find one.

Finding a GTi with all of the above is near impossible?
 
rossk26 said:
You didn't look hard enough then, as the ST3 comes with heated leather as standard...
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Meh, it was a while ago, and I used it as an example :p


The Golf has climate as standard, with Xenons an option although quite a few seemed to have these, and leather. It just seems like a higher-specified vehicle as standard.
 
The only Golf I'd buy now is the Edition 30, I have one myself, comes with 1/2 leather heated seats and climate as standard, plus easily remapable to 280-300 bhp. The R32 Is quicker off the line and sounds lovely but is barely faster than a standard GTi and less tunable.
 
Howard said:
Meh, it was a while ago, and I used it as an example :p


The Golf has climate as standard, with Xenons an option although quite a few seemed to have these, and leather. It just seems like a higher-specified vehicle as standard.
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It just seems a mute argument for everyone to jump on the bandwagon of the golf being less "plasticky" and "better put together". The ST feels solid to me, the plastic is not an issue, I rarely find myself touching it and going, hmm wish I had some of that softer VW plastic. But while on the "plasticky" subject, the GTi has the biggest bit if unpainted plastic hanging off the rear bumper I have ever seen on any car in my life.

ST and GTi are very much the top of the pick in the hot hatch group for the price. The ST wins it on the engine, "better put together" and "less plasticky" is a terrible argument and no reason to pick the GTi over the ST.
 
rossk26 said:
The ST wins it on the engine, "better put together" and "less plasticky" is a terrible argument and no reason to pick the GTi over the ST.
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The engine might be nicer from a driving pleasure perspective, sure, but a lot of people are looking at the bigger picture, which include running costs, five doors etc etc. Coupled with a nicer interior and a better general place to spend time in, it seems like the perfect argument to pick a GTi over an ST for many. Just not for a certain demographic, including yourself.
 
rossk26 said:
But the engine in the ST is in another league, the 5 pot turbo is awesome, and the engine note is addictive. Much easier and cheaper to tune as well. £500 will see you with a second hand intercooler, K&N panel filter and a collins stage 1 remap giving you at least 260bhp.
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Easier and cheaper to tune ? Remap the MK5 GTI to 250bhp and 300lbft or the ED30 straight to 310bhp 320lbft with no need to change the stock FMIC or air filter. ED30 will go to 380bhp on the stock turbo with a few bolt ons.

To the OP you should just drive both a pick the one you prefer, I wouldn't take owners as a good guide as they will have already made this decision and are hardly going to recommend a Focus ST if they have a GTI or vice versa. In saying that as I have had a MKV GTI for 7 years I would, if buying another older hot hatch now, take a ST for a change.
 
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wingman said:
The engine might be nicer from a driving pleasure perspective, sure, but a lot of people are looking at the bigger picture, which include running costs, five doors etc etc. Coupled with a nicer interior and a better general place to spend time in, it seems like the perfect argument to pick a GTi over an ST for many. Just not for a certain demographic, including yourself.
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Running costs are similar :confused:
ST has five doors and the GTi can also have 5 doors :confused:
Nicer interior and better place to spend time in is purely opinion :confused:

I'd much rather spend time in my ST than a GTi with those burberry seats. But at the same time, someone else probably loves those burberry seats. Pointless argument?

Dangerous Dave said:
Easier and cheaper to tune ? Remap the MK5 GTI to 250bhp and 300lbft or the ED30 straight to 310bhp 320lbft with no need to change the stock FMIC or air filter. ED30 will go to 380bhp on the stock turbo with a few bolt ons.
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You haven't stipulated how much this costs, whereas I did? The ST engine will go to 400BHP on stock turbo with a few bolt ons too. What is your point?

P.S you don't need the K&N panel filter to reach the 260bhp (some have got 280+ on just a remap and intercooler), heck you could even do it for £450 with a brand new intercooler if you wanted (group buy on the forum at the moment). You don't necessarily need the intercooler either, but it's nice for those few hot days we get in the year...
 
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