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What hot hatch do you own? This poll is closed. |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Golf GTI / R / R32 |
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196 | 0.02% |
| Impreza WRX / STi |
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133 | 0.01% |
| Mazdaspeed 3 |
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92 | 0.01% |
| Veloster Turbo |
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20 | 0.00% |
| Focus ST |
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149 | 0.01% |
| Other Hot Hatch |
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230 | 0.02% |
| Elantra GT |
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1000001 | 99.92% |
| Total: | 1000821 votes | ||
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I got an ST3 Focus ST in April. Prior to that, I daily drove a 98 Grand Cherokee for around 10 years, so the ST is a pretty big improvement on just about every level. I shopped it against a regular WRX as well as a GTI, but ultimately the performance/practicality ratio of the ST was just too good. This was also my first manual daily driver, and holy crap I hope I never have to go back to an auto again. Things I like about the car... The steering feels fantastic. The Recaro seats are incredibly comfortable. I've got the premium stereo, but it does sounds good. With the back seats folded down this thing holds a ton of stuff, and with the seats up it seats my 6'2" roommate without any discomfort. Compared to the other manuals I've driven, the clutch and shifter feel great. Admittedly, the other manuals have been an 86 CRX and 89 Prelude, each with 200k+ miles. I live in a city with approximately one trillion stop signs, and I've averaged 26 MPG. There's very, very little turbo lag in 6th at highway speeds. I'm sure a more impatient person might want to downshift, but I've never had any problems getting around people. I really like how subtle the styling is. The ride is a good balance of firm but still comfortable on the horrid streets of Saint Louis, Missouri. Things I'm not so fond of... Both the Bluetooth and Nav systems are absolutely infuriating to use. I gave up on both about a month in. The turning circle really is complete poo poo. Depending on how tough our winter is, I might have to invest in some more suitable tires. All told, it's a phenomenal car, and I highly recommend giving one a test drive. My biggest complaint is the Bluetooth/Nav bullshit, but I knew Ford was terrible at that when I bought it. I've lived with it around four months now, so if you've got any questions I'd be happy to answer them. No PMs though. As an aside, the switch from a lazy old 4 speed auto to a short geared 6 speed manual was interesting for the first month. Ireallylikeeggs fucked around with this message at 19:38 on Aug 14, 2013 |
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Aug 14, 2013 19:11
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| # ¿ Apr 29, 2024 03:19 |
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albear posted:Are you going to leave it stock or are you planning on doing any modifications to it? I don't have any plans to mod it in the immediate future. The capabilities of this car far exceed mine as a driver, and I'm terrified of voiding my warranty. I've got an iPhone 4s. Half of the time, the bluetooth connection never happens, and the other half of the time it skips songs randomly and drops calls. Now I just plug it in via USB cable and that works significantly better.
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Aug 14, 2013 20:55
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bobfather posted:Every day I am ridiculously happy that I got an ST3. The features are worth a premium. I wasn't too set on an ST3, but since Saint Louis is such a muscle car/SUV city I think they sold it to me for $400 more than an ST2 just to get it out the door. I've seen one other Focus ST around town since I got my car. But yeah, I am very pleased I went for it. Even if I don't like the bluetooth/nav stuff, the heated seats, HID headlights, premium stereo, etc. are completely worth it.
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Aug 15, 2013 04:17
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