New vs used hot hatches: Ford Focus ST or Audi RS 3?
The Focus ST and RS 3 are great hot hatches, but which one should you buy with a £38,000 budget?
Few cars offer as much excitement as a hot hatchback, and the best news is that these performance machines also bring an element of practicality into the mix, so they can genuinely be used on an everyday basis. However, picking the best hot hatch for your money can be a difficult decision.
On the one hand, you could buy a brand-new model with slightly less power and a more mainstream badge. Alternatively, you could bag an older car that’s more upmarket and even more powerful. So which option should you choose? We’re here to help you decide.
For a budget of £38,500, you could bag a factory fresh Ford Focus ST or a 2019 Audi RS 3. Both cars are great buys in their own right, so our expert road testers have broken down the pros and cons below.
New: Ford Focus ST
- Our pick: Ford Focus ST Track Pack
- Price: £37,499 (saving £4,756 on RRP)
- Standard kit:19-inch matt alloys, Track Pack with limited-slip differential, reversing camera, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
- Key stats: 35.3mpg, 183g/km CO2, 5.7secs 0-62mph
- VED: £1,505 in first year, then £600
- Insurance group: 27E
- Warranty: Three years/60,000 miles
The sun is setting on petrol-powered hot hatches, so enthusiasts should scratch that itch while they still can. The Ford Focus ST is a big favourite of ours and a serious bit of kit (especially with the optional Track Pack), although without the delusions of grandeur afflicting the pricing of the Honda Civic Type R.
Used - available now
2021 BMW
X3
35,042 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L
Cash £29,700
2024 BMW
1 Series
18,698 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £19,000
2021 BMW
X3
20,032 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L
Cash £26,500
2024 Mercedes
EQB
5,863 milesAutomaticElectric
Cash £31,700Auto Express’s marketplace uncovered a fully loaded ST hatchback at Malvern Ford with an enticing £4,756 (more than 11 per cent) off the £42k list price. The basic ST comes in at less than the £40k luxury car tax threshold (making its road tax £410 cheaper for the first five years), but the Track Pack is well worth having, because it takes an already-great car to the next level.
Adjustable coilover suspension, phenomenal Brembo brakes and stickier Pirelli P-Zero Corsa rubber make this ST scalpel-sharp. And all of that’s on top of a 276bhp four-cylinder engine with oodles of torque, and a limited-slip differential to help manage the power across the front end so it scythes through corners.
This ST has launch control (part of the Performance Pack), which helps you nail those 0-62mph sprints in 5.7 seconds, and rev-matching to make it sound like you’re nailing every gearshift using heel and toe.
The Ford's body is seriously tied down, so don’t expect a cushy ride. But fuel economy shouldn’t be quite as punishing: we averaged a decent 32.1mpg in a twin test. You can also choose from hatchback or spacious estate bodystyles, six-speed manual or seven-speed auto transmissions, and the ST has adequate interior space for the family, so long as they don’t cramp the driver's enjoyment. All models are backed by a three-year/60,000-mile warranty.
Ford revised the ST in 2023 with an iMAX-wide touchscreen, featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but making the air-con controls a touch fiddly. The plastics are a bit dowdy and the cabin vibe gloomier than November weather. But with the ST such fun to drive, you’ll have a near-permanent grin on your face.
Used: Audi RS 3
- One we found: Audi RS 3 TFSI 400 Quattro Sport S Tronic
- Price: £37,950
- Mileage/year: 20,000/2019
- Standard kit: 19-inch diamond-cut alloys, leather seats, rear parking camera, sat-nav
- Key stats: 29.7mpg, 216g/km CO2, 4.1secs 0-62mph
- VED: £400
- Insurance group: 46E
If you think hot hatches are getting thin on the ground, try finding one with a five-cylinder engine. There’s a grand choice of one: the Audi RS 3. But that wailing powerplant makes it very special indeed, compared with the gruff four-cylinder turbo norm.
The one we picked from Auto Express’s online array of used cars was this six-year-old model, with two owners, but just 20,000 miles.
A new Focus ST has an unusually big 2.3-litre displacement and is no slouch away from the traffic lights, but it’s no match for the 395bhp RS 3: its 119bhp advantage helps the Audi dispatch 0-62mph in just 4.1 seconds. The power goes down smoothly, thanks to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and four-wheel drive – another important differentiator from the Ford.
The Focus will have the edge on fuel economy (35.3mpg to 29.7mpg) and insurance, but given that a 2019 RS 3 will have soon cleared the five-year threshold for the premium rate of road tax, from 2026 its VED will cost £410 a year less than a new ST with the Track Pack.
This car is a later third-generation RS 3 (with far more power than the 362bhp the Audi had at launch), which was also offered as a saloon from 2017. Its black styling pack swaps out the chrome for a more menacing glossy dark front grille and rear valance, while the 19-inch Audi Sport alloys are lovely, too.
Inside, there are leather sports seats with quilted sections, but the 2019-vintage infotainment set-up is showing its age: a modest screen sits on top of the dash, operated by Audi’s circular MMI control. On the other hand, though, the driver’s instrument panel is digital, enabling you to toggle between a full map, big dials and other configurations.
Given the RS 3’s performance potential, any used example should be checked for engine chipping and excessive track use. Take a test drive to listen for known gremlins, such as squeaky brakes, noisy rear bushings and engines that have become gruff or hesitant due to carbon build-up.
Used - available now
Hot hatchback buying advice
Lots of car buyers dream of having to make a choice like this. The agile Focus ST probably has the edge on driver engagement, but the Audi’s luxury, performance and all-wheel-drive capability are compelling, too.
Find a low-mileage, well looked-after RS 3 with a comprehensive service history at the right price and it will take some beating. But if you’re in the Fast Ford tribe, an ST finished in Mean Green with the essential Track Pack will be all the car you need.
Ready to treat yourself to a new or used hot hatchback? You can find a great deal right here...
