These two cars have been duking it out since their arrival earlier this year. The comparison makes good sense, as both cars are small cars are extremely popular, fitted with big-time performance gear and are available at relatively low prices. They’re the sports cars for the everyman, so it’s only natural that everyone wants to compare the two. Recently, both the BMW M2 and Ford Focus RS were part of Motor Authority’s Best Car to Buy awards, so they decided to see which is best.
Both cars are similar in the sense that they’re both based on entry-level cars in each brands lineup and both borrow performance parts from the brand’s other cars. For instance, the BMW M2 borrows its subframes, differential and brakes from its bigger, BMW M4 brother. While the Ford Focus RS borrows its engine from the Mustang Ecoboost.
However, after that, they couldn’t be more different. The BMW M2 is rear-wheel drive, the Focus RS is all-wheel drive based on front-wheel drive. The BMW M2 is a two-door coupe and the Focus RS is a five-door hatchback. The BMW M2 has a turbocharged 3.0 liter six-cylinder engine while the Focus RS has a 2.3 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Although, they do make similar power, as the M2 makes 365 hp and the Focus RS makes 350 hp. But the M2 is faster in the real world, doing 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds to the Focus RS’ 4.7 seconds.
In terms of actual performance driving, the M2 is said to be better as well. Actually, according to Motor Authority, the BMW M2 is better than the Ford Focus RS in basically every single way. It’s smoother, better balanced, more enjoyable to drive, has a better interior and is build better. All of that isn’t really a surprise as the M2 is built off of a BMW 2 Series and the Focus RS is built on, well, a Ford Focus.
While the Focus RS is a very fun car to drive and surprisingly good for its price and for a car built on a Focus, the BMW M2 is the better overall car. Literally every aspect of the M2 is better than the Focus RS by a little bit. You do have to pay extra for that, though, as the BMW M2 starts life at just over $50,000 while this Focus RS test car was loaded with options and still didn’t crack $40,000. But, to be honest, the extra money is worth it for the BMW M2, as it’s just the better overall car.
[Source: Motor Authority]
