Toyota GR86 vs Ford Focus ST Track Pack - FWD vs RWD track battle

Toyota GR86 vs Ford Focus ST Track Pack - FWD vs RWD track battle | Autocar

Рет қаралды 52,540

Жыл бұрын

The Toyota GR86 is one of the most hyped-up cars of the past few years.
There are good reasons for it - it’s brilliantly balanced, great looking and a whole lot of fun. However, as a result of this, you physically can’t buy a new one - the entire UK allocation sold out within 90 minutes of it going on sale here.
However, we were trawling the online classifieds when we were supposed to be working and found one for sale for £40,000 - coincidentally, the same price as the new Ford Focus ST Track Pack.
With 276bhp on tap, it’s significantly more powerful than the Toyota, not to mention faster - it’ll hit 62mph in just 5.7sec, compared to the GR86’s 6.3sec time. However, it is of course front-wheel drive, and it’s over 150kg heavier than the similarly-priced coupe.
So, how do they stack up on track? We sent Richard Lane out to the fantastic Anglesey Circuit with instructions to drive around it in the Focus ST as fast as he could while Matt Prior tried to chase him down in the Toyota. Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen…
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Пікірлер: 175

@TheBartimaeus Жыл бұрын

Knowing how much Matt Prior loves the GT86/GR86, always a treat to watch him drive one. I switched from a Mk7.5 Golf GTI to a GR86. The GTI was great, but the GR86 is simply on another level in terms of engagement and balance and driving feel through the chassis and all the controls.

@footbollpro Жыл бұрын

But gti is faster?

@smilepermile8165 Жыл бұрын

@@footbollpro So what? Why is straight line performance all you care about?

@robsmall6466 Жыл бұрын

What's the point. One you can't buy and the other is now too expensive. Remember the days when you could save and afford an interesting car ? It's getting worrying

@smilepermile8165 Жыл бұрын

What's the point? Because they can. There's barely any UK based car channels doing videos on the gr86 compared to the US

@wasdwasdwwasd Жыл бұрын

Calm down Rob

@gianpearls8031 Жыл бұрын

Anche qua in Italia ormai è impossibile comprare un auto da 40 Mila euro per un operaio...1500 euro al mese e al supermercato è troppo caro ormai 😢

@robsmall6466 Жыл бұрын

@@gianpearls8031 Sorry. Translate isn't an option on your reply. So I can't comment

@robsmall6466 Жыл бұрын

@@wasdwasdwwasd Happy with SUV's then ? Because pre pandemic this nonsense didn't exist

@billshoe22191 Жыл бұрын

Loved this! Great job. Affordable, manual sports cars on a track, yes please! Will always go rwd fun with my choice. Wish more GR86 existed

@johnjackson2349 Жыл бұрын

I do get you most definitely, however I went fwd focus st instead (coming from a 340i rwd) simply because I need a family car otherwise I'd agree gr86

@Arqan93 9 ай бұрын

A great thing about the ST is that it can easily make a lot more power. The 2.3l RS engine is factory detuned to reduce emissions, but with a simple remap you can turn it into a 320-330 BHP torque steering monster. And that is with everything else staying stock. I bought one brand new in 2019, remapped it with Mountune 330PS program and it's a whole different story now. The car is way more fun and challenging to drive. Much faster too - obviously.

@mackie1001 Жыл бұрын

First thing I did to my GR86 was add a bit of front negative camber and it really does dial out the smidge of understeer they have as standard. I love it.

@eugenux 5 ай бұрын

a better tire for the track would help as well. Standard ps4(not even ps4s) are hardly a competitor of p zero corsas.

@sports2hedz542 Жыл бұрын

So great to get a video of some track fun with affordable cars

@mr2gti Жыл бұрын

Affordable? The GR86 is already £10k over RRP!

@michaelwilkinson5097 Жыл бұрын

The gap may have been less if they were both shod with P Zeros

@crimsonpirate1710 Жыл бұрын

Well why doesnt it have p0s!

@eugenux 5 ай бұрын

at least it would be more fair with ps4s instead of the very road focused ps4 against track oriented corsas.

@ShaunRoberts1 Жыл бұрын

Great video Matt, shame everything is so expensive, unavailable now.

@robertcook2572 Жыл бұрын

Autocar: in print since 1895. Coincidentally, 1,895 is the number of times these two said 'just' in this brief film.

@MiataND3 Жыл бұрын

I just sold my I30N and got a GR86! (I just hate understeer😂)

@fullaudio7880 Жыл бұрын

Are you happy with your decision? Have the i30N and contemplating same

@MiataND3 Жыл бұрын

@@fullaudio7880 Im still waiting the car, If you like to powerslide and feel the rear more lose I will go for it (Or mx5 185hp it's also my plan B)😂

@fullaudio7880 Жыл бұрын

@@MiataND3 ok I will have to have a test drive 😎

@stevemartegani Жыл бұрын

So mad we never got the new Focus in the states... But I guess we at least get plenty of BRZ/GR86s.

@matthewrobinson9150 Жыл бұрын

Brilliant!

@tbone8839 2 ай бұрын

That Focus ST looks huge. i think my 2002 for explorer is the same length, just a foot shorter.

@deejayimm Жыл бұрын

I feel like the Fiesta ST would be a closer competitor on the track. Similar weight, similar power.

@Malc180s Жыл бұрын

Half the price.

@jeremyjs8863 Жыл бұрын

Lovely !

@charlesjames1442 4 ай бұрын

I bought my ‘13 ST new 10 years ago. With a tune and bolt ons, it still temps me to go stupid fast.

@monkeyCmonkeyDoo 11 ай бұрын

They have to keep playing footage of the 86 right on the Focus tail, but in reality it was about a 4 second gap at the end.

@Bmontepeque11 Жыл бұрын

If there is one thing that makes me happy is seeing Matt Prior drive a GR 86 ❤️

@Stuka87 Жыл бұрын

Such a shame we no longer get the Focus in the US. But, it does make the decision between the Focus and the GR a bit simpler :P

@adamf8335 Жыл бұрын

How does it make it simpler? What is your decision?

@tooley0114 Жыл бұрын

@@adamf8335 No option for the Focus at all lol

@Stuka87 Жыл бұрын

@@adamf8335 In the video they discussed making a decision between the two. Here is the US, one of those two doesn't exist. Thus, a decision between these two is simple.

@neato24 Жыл бұрын

How about a wide (track size) continuous shot?

@mitchkelleher7972 Жыл бұрын

Had a 2016 Focus ST and, since Ford stopped selling them here, I now have GR86. Even that older ST was quicker in a straight line with its fat, broad torque curve and handled great with good chassis communication (with the stability control off so the back end could come out a bit), but the feel and handling of the GR is like playing a different game (after ditching the unpredictable garbage Primacy tires) and it's even turned out to be fairly practical. Mileage is about the same with the GR maybe 1 mpg ahead for a pretty consistent 30 (US) mpg in a combined cycle around Boston, MA. I wish I could drive a MkIV Focus ST to compare it to the GR and the MkIII.

@andrewb325 Жыл бұрын

I had a MKIII also. That was a special car. The only thing it needed was a LSD.

@sutats Жыл бұрын

I can't remember the last time I saw a modern day Ford Focus on the road.

@jameslovett8697 Жыл бұрын

2 sec difference with significantly grippier tyres in the Focus too. Not bad for the GR :D

@jamiep61 Жыл бұрын

My favourite was the Ford Focus 😊

@jamescastleton3042 Жыл бұрын

Feel like you guys are losing a sense of reality of what is affordable... £40,000 for a Ford Focus ST is obscene, nearly £10,000 more than the previous gen Focus RS was. You're pushing into the realms of used Alpine A110, Alfa 4C, various Porsches and yet you don't question the crazy price tag on these new vehicles! Both cars are more than a very nice used F series M3/4 competition! You'd have to be mad to pay £40k for one of these

@jamsxr Жыл бұрын

Inflation, exchange rates and EU legislation. Plenty of used cars to choose from.

@jamescastleton3042 Жыл бұрын

@Jim 86 hear what you are saying in your justification of their prices but you're missing my point which is that these cars are not affordable and especially to their target market. The car enthusiast that these are targeted at would prefer perhaps to buy the appreciating mk2 RS before they pay £40k for this ST, or even something far more serious. Ultimately these cars will only depreciate whereas used cars at this price point already have

@jamsxr Жыл бұрын

@@jamescastleton3042 buying a car at this price point to try and make some money doesn’t make sense to me. I can fully understand why someone would want a new ST as their daily - service pack, warranty etc.. Although, if it’s just a fun car, doing low miles, that opens up a load of other options. I suspect most of these will be used more than just a weekend car. I just dropped almost £50k on a Civic Type R as our second family car (my fun car). I don’t regret it for a second, it’s an absolute weapon.

@jamescastleton3042 Жыл бұрын

@Jim 86 if you see the value in a Civic at £50k then fair play to you, but I personally cannot see past the other used options like an RS6 at that price point. I'd love to try that new civic it does look so nice

@jamsxr Жыл бұрын

@@jamescastleton3042 horses for courses, sold my C63 estate to get in a Civic. My previous 997 911 Turbo won’t see which when the Civic went in most situations. However, it’s definitely not a 0-60 car!

@S.Matt240 Жыл бұрын

I'm so annoyed they stopped selling the ST in the USA. I have one as my daily and I love it

@ishaanbhardwaj8992 Жыл бұрын

Yeah I have a 2016 ST and I love it

@deet4895 Жыл бұрын

Ford is ending production of both the fiesta and focus All around the world soon.

@logicn.reasoning9744 Жыл бұрын

Was this a track test or a drift show?.

@ApothecaryTerry Жыл бұрын

Going into this, I'm expecting a clear objective win for the Focus and an even clearer subjective win for the GR86. Slightly disappointed in the lack of a conclusion in this video, but it seems to match that expectation I guess. I've driven RWD for years now, I daily drive a 981CS, yet hot hatches are (theoretically) still my favourite type of car. I'm just always disappointed in the fast > fun philosophy they've all gone for recently, except Peugeot and Hyundai. As much as my friend who got a GR86 allocation said he didn't want a go in my porker because it would make his car feel disappointing, I'm a little jealous that he got one, I think he underestimates how irrelevant performance numbers really are to driving enjoyment.

@lapamful Жыл бұрын

Love the GR86 but if you can't find one, get a 718/Cayman for even less money, great driving dynamics/balance and as much power as the ST!

@TG-pd3ft Жыл бұрын

Try the same test rounds Brands Hatch

@matthewwain9958 Жыл бұрын

What year is that Focus ST? We don't get that version in the US. (gotta stay, looks horrible on the front end.).

@octo654 Жыл бұрын

Track Pack can be ordered since end of 2022, first cars delivered February 2023. My one i have recieved mid of March. You can order Track Pack as an option, additionally to the hardware you also have some parts in front, side and back and the roof in black painted color. While driving, the suspension feels relatively hard, with little side inclination, but its daily usable. You can easly make the suspension deeper and harder for race tracks, and then he is for sure even faster.

@FefyGT Жыл бұрын

GR is obviously a better track machine, but with the Focus you have also a car.

@gt3rs587 Жыл бұрын

Same tires and they both do same time. What is point running the cats with 2 different level of tires?

@callamrain4372 Жыл бұрын

If you got a gr86 for list, you could do wheels, tyres and better suspension and I’m guessing you’d be quicker on track and cheaper

@oneviwatara9384 Жыл бұрын

Buy the Trueno limited edition.

@martinlaver007 Жыл бұрын

I didn’t see whether the GR86 was shod in better tyres than the GT86 used to wear. Remembered vaguely the GT86 had eco tyres on which, if the same is true for the GT86, where the ST had decent tyres, this would account for some of the time loss I guess.

@brendandrives Жыл бұрын

We have the opposite availability problem here in the US 😂

@wimpievandenberg5788 Жыл бұрын

In south Africa we can not buy the focus anymore but at least we can buy the 86😊

@andrewb325 Жыл бұрын

The Focus will always be the one for me.

@smilepermile8165 Жыл бұрын

If you like understeer, then go ahead

@andrewb325 Жыл бұрын

@@smilepermile8165 Have you ever driven one? That thing has a huge rear sway bar and will lift-off oversteer on demand. It understeers less than most RWD cars.

@smilepermile8165 11 ай бұрын

@@andrewb325 Front tyres wear out faster, also weighs 160kg more

@relentlesspursuit6894 Жыл бұрын

How are those 2 cars similar 😂 - apart from having 4 wheels and being petrol powered, that's where the similarities end

@Slowwagonftl Жыл бұрын

Fun sporty manual cars around 40k

@relentlesspursuit6894 Жыл бұрын

@@Slowwagonftl there would be no cross-shopping between those two - polar opposite's

@jaromor8808 Жыл бұрын

@@relentlesspursuit6894 non-sense, cope harder 2hrs ago Raul commented under this very video he sold i30 N (which is THE rival for ST) and got himself GR86

@relentlesspursuit6894 Жыл бұрын

@@jaromor8808 Good for Raul - if I had an I30, I'd also swap it for an 86

@MiataND3 Жыл бұрын

@@relentlesspursuit6894 Hi yes I did😂, I wanted to try a powerfull hot hatchback (before I had Z4). Frankly to me a RWD and light weight will ALWAYS be more fun. But there are tastes for everyone🤷🏻

@neilbenton1152 Жыл бұрын

Both similarly!!! 😂

@thomasheuer1916 Жыл бұрын

The on track video didnt look to be particularly fast. Were you being serious?

@logicn.reasoning9744 Жыл бұрын

It was a drift show.

@octo654 Жыл бұрын

real track time @ 7:42

@raphi3464 7 ай бұрын

6:41 you can see the GR86 way behind. Is the close race staged?

@josutafuji2938 11 ай бұрын

Focus ST

@afrikengunner Жыл бұрын

FL I30n over ST for me

@FlyingNDriving Жыл бұрын

That green 2013 Mazdaspeed 3 is kind of impressive

@svracing3 Жыл бұрын

Sorry how much for the focus £39k 😱

@ronevo18 Жыл бұрын

so rare gr86 vs powerful st

@henriqueviola1413 Жыл бұрын

Both good cars, but to buy, Focus ST...

@TheKingkingg Жыл бұрын

S2000 even though old in comparison is probably as good or better.

@Youcallthesebagels_ Жыл бұрын

S2000 would get gapped by a gr86 lol

@TheKingkingg Жыл бұрын

@Youcallthesebagels? where is proof in your argument? And for its age, by how much would gap be? Sometimes baseless opinions and very irrelevant and dangerous.

@user-ol1ts6bx1j Жыл бұрын

интересно

@RalphOK Жыл бұрын

This is a ridiculous video. You've got the drivers saying "He's gapping me", "He's seconds up the road", etc, yet the camera keeps cutting away to the two cars being practically locked together. Quit insulting everyone's intelligence, Autocar.

@ggkik Жыл бұрын

That comparison is like stealing a church...Focus is way faster than the GR86...

@Brickhazard Жыл бұрын

A more even comparison would be a standard focus st vs the standard GR86. I am sure if the GR86 had the performance pack (brembo calipers, sachs dampers and the same tyres as the focus) it would most likely be in the GR's favour. The damp track would have favoured the focus as well.

@cater4anytink45 Жыл бұрын

If everyone never bought a new car for 2yrs these piss takers would have to lower their prices a bit.... we keep buying at these inflationary crazy prices

@FefyGT Жыл бұрын

what should we do then? Buy old youngtimers at twice the price?

@ak2112 Жыл бұрын

Owned the previous gen ST, now have a BRZ. No question which I'd rather have on a circuit.

@octo654 Жыл бұрын

I also think it is smarter to take the slower one ;)

@markeywestskies6503 Жыл бұрын

GR86 if bachelor one car only. Fiesta if significant other and/or kiddos.

@simonhurlimann908 11 ай бұрын

GR all days…

@pauljohnson9326 Жыл бұрын

The ST is a great car but 40k for a ford hell no

@clintondaseman5789 Жыл бұрын

86 needs a turbo. St walks it.

@andrewstevenson6540 Жыл бұрын

A Mazda MX-5 2.0 with coilovers and a slight tune would've been a better comparison with the Toyota you cannot purchase.

@A861967 Жыл бұрын

1 is a sports coupe the other a small runabout 😊 pity the Ford looks so plain and boring.

@patrickbateman7122 Жыл бұрын

Would've caught the Focus with a better driver instead of drifiting losing time..

@Themis187 7 ай бұрын

Subaru would be faster

@jamesc8600 Жыл бұрын

THE GR86 COSTS £30K!!!!! SO ITS 10K CHEAPER!!!!!

@jamesbarnes8338 Жыл бұрын

And an i20n even cheaper still and tends to match the focus for lap times.

@smudgejock Жыл бұрын

Try getting one for £30k…Cheapest GR 86 for sale in auto trader just now is £38,000.

@johnybigarms Жыл бұрын

38k and it’s in Ireland, £39k is the going rate for a U.K. car, and I see that being as low as you will see them now, 400 cars will find 350 sticky hands owners, you will be lucky to see 50 flipped plus the dealer demo cars will become available later on, but I think just 100 cars will find new homes, that’s a bloody rare car, Ford sold 7000 Focus RS mk3 and you don’t see one every day, lucky buggers who got one in the 90 minute window.

@saratov99 Жыл бұрын

5 door hot hatches look stupid.

@neilmcguinness4422 Жыл бұрын

Some people have families and friends @saratov99.

@guillaumekalfon9117 Жыл бұрын

Side note: please quit going along with the EV propaganda. Report objectively, no favours

@adamf8335 Жыл бұрын

Focus faster but built like crap and desperately unreliable. Toyota slower but highly revered ad fun and well put together. The Toyota will hold its values far better too. I would go fun every time hence it would be the Toyota for me.

@octo654 Жыл бұрын

you think its crap with 1. this power, 2. the high quality tyres, 3. the Brembo brakes and 4. the KW racing suspension? I think rather it is an announcement to all others ;)

@Alex-dz6xw 9 ай бұрын

@@octo654yes the car is really good

@relentlesspursuit6894 Жыл бұрын

That GR86 is disappointingly slow, even against a 5 door ford focus

@NunoCoit0 Жыл бұрын

You're missing the point then. The GR86 was never supposed to be a fast car, his purpose is to be a fun a car.

@relentlesspursuit6894 Жыл бұрын

@@NunoCoit0 don't even think it's that!

@yzfr1owner Жыл бұрын

I'm waiting to see your videos where you're killing it out on the track and having fun...

@relentlesspursuit6894 Жыл бұрын

@yzfr1owner never said I was! I am however saying the 86 is slow as shown in this video. The 5 door ford focus is considerably quicker, and that's saying something! The 86 is and always has been lacking in power

@relentlesspursuit6894 Жыл бұрын

@yzfr1owner I'll keep a look out for your GR86 videos showing is how "fun" it is 👀