Comparisons: Lancer EX GTA vs Ford Focus TDCi A/T vs Subaru Impreza 2.0R A/T

**ghosthunter** · January 20th, 2010 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by Type 100

If you're into modification...I hear the Focus is a dead end in terms of suspension. CMIIW

But I am not going to modify this car as heavily as I have had my previous cars. A little more power, better brake pads, maybe nicer looking wheels and that's it.

Isn't the Lancer supposed to get cheaper in the future due to production moving to our shores?

It's supposed to ... but there is a move by the local car companies to delay the implementation of the "open-trade" policy for the financial survival of the companies.

And even if they do push through with the open trade, I think the prices will not go down. The dealers will just add more toys and "options" as standard equipment (example: leather seats & steering wheels & electric folding side mirrors) on lower model cars so they can maintain their selling prices.

**eggman** · January 20th, 2010 09:09 PM

Originally Posted by ghosthunter

Personally, I would rather have Ford Manila keep the scooter and just give me additional discount in the same value of the scooter, if it is all the same.

Saves me the hassle of disposing the scooter by myself later.

They'll give you the discount AFAIK kahit kunin mo yung scooter.

**Type 100** · January 21st, 2010 12:56 AM

Originally Posted by ghosthunter

But I am not going to modify this car as heavily as I have had my previous cars. A little more power, better brake pads, maybe nicer looking wheels and that's it.

You might have problems looking for suitable wheels too. Friends have told me the PCD and lug pattern of the Focus is pretty unusual - not the ubiquitous 4x100 or 5x114.3 patterns most Japanese cars roll with (forgot what PCD exactly) so wheel-hunting is a chore.

**ghosthunter** · January 21st, 2010 01:27 AM

Originally Posted by Type 100

You might have problems looking for suitable wheels too. Friends have told me the PCD and lug pattern of the Focus is pretty unusual - not the ubiquitous 4x100 or 5x114.3 patterns most Japanese cars roll with (forgot what PCD exactly) so wheel-hunting is a chore.

Not in a hurry to replace the wheels if & when I get the car.

**niky** · January 21st, 2010 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by Type 100

The Impreza, odd-looking as it may seem for longtime Subaru fans, is actually pretty attractive to the opposite ***. My girlfriend likes it in red. ;)

I'd love one myself... but GH wants a matic... I've tried to talk him into a manual, but he won't budge. And sadly, the 2.0R is a boring drive in AT.

If you're into modification...I hear the Focus is a dead end in terms of suspension. CMIIW

Tein coilovers for the Mazda3 fit the Focus with very minor modification (shaving a little off a mount here and there... adjusting a bolt in the rear suspension...) Many Focus guys use Mazda3 suspensions on their cars.

I don't know if the current Focus shares the new revo-knuckle geometry that the RS has, though... and the ride height and spring rates for the Teins may not match the nose-heavy Powershift.

Isn't the Lancer supposed to get cheaper in the future due to production moving to our shores?

One can only hope. I pity the guys in Thailand and Indonesia... they're still trying to get rid of their old stock of old Lancers. A friend who just came from Indonesia says he hadn't seen a single new Lancer EX until he got here last month!

**basti08** · January 21st, 2010 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by niky

It's not bad in MT. It actually still has that rally feel, just buried under layers of body roll... and it can still do the four-wheel drift thing (as long as you have a road dusty or greasy enough).

But the AT... just... no. Hell no.

The Focus? Have tested multiple DCTs. About 9.2-9.3 seconds to 100 km/h. (ESP off) Just about 4/10ths of a second slower than the MT. And much quicker than all the other 2.0s at most speeds due to the extra overtaking shove of the variable geometry turbos. Most of the other 2.0 ATs do the business in 10.5 seconds or so (the Honda presumably in the mid-9s... have only tested the 1.8 AT) and the Subaru does it in 12.

Within the next two or three months, we hope to test the acceleration of a fully modified dual-clutch TDCi. If it won't do 8-flat, I'll be disappointed.

We did a fully modified MT and it got 8.3 in semi-wet conditions with a tuning issue and a check-engine light. From the way it went from 60-100, it should have been doing low-7s in perfect conditions.

Interior is better than everything but the Civic and the Impreza. Dark... but the build is very solid and the seats are great... yes, the back seats suck... but that's what hotel rooms are for... :hysterical: ...the exterior... well... a good set of mags will cure that...

I cant believe that the DSG equipped Focus is slower than the Manual Focus. What is the point of having a dual clutch if it will be slower?

I believe that the DSG can spank the 6MT Focus in the dragstrip.

**Type 100** · January 21st, 2010 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by basti08

I cant believe that the DSG equipped Focus is slower than the Manual Focus. What is the point of having a dual clutch if it will be slower?

For one thing you could let the car shift gears itself. That would be the point for most people really.

**ghosthunter** · January 21st, 2010 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by basti08

I cant believe that the DSG equipped Focus is slower than the Manual Focus. What is the point of having a dual clutch if it will be slower?

I think most people would give up that 4/10th of a second to reach 100kph advantage to have the ease of being able to let the machine do the shifting for you, especially in traffic.

Also, how consistent can you be in accelerating a car with M/T from 0 to 100kph run after run? The Focus w/ DSG would probably do consistently the whole day if it didn't overheat the tranny.

**basti08** · January 21st, 2010 06:46 PM

exactly, the whole point of the DSG tranny is super quick shifting in an auto style tranny. convenience and performance, at the same time.

**niky** · January 21st, 2010 07:15 PM

The Focus PCD is 100x5. ROTA carries mags in that PCD, but the selection is very limited.

Originally Posted by basti08

I cant believe that the DSG equipped Focus is slower than the Manual Focus. What is the point of having a dual clutch if it will be slower?

I believe that the DSG can spank the 6MT Focus in the dragstrip.

Depends.

Stock to stock, the Powershift is 2-4/10ths slower than the manual. This is because you can generate tire slip with the manual transmission. With the Powershift, even with the ESP turned off, you only get a little tire slip, so you bog down below the powerband. It also won't let you maximize each gear like you can with the manual. Even if you're not getting much power in the high rev range, you're still getting more power in a lower gear than in a higher one.

Modified, you don't want all that tire slip anymore. The TDCi will overspin the stock tires in the top of first and second gears. The launch advantage of the MT disappears, but then you won't be able to modulate the clutch and shifts on the Powershift, so there's still a small advantage.

The big advantage for the Powershift is on the racetrack or in the hills, as it allows you to concentrate on driving fast. In hard driving, it's easy to get lost between gears in the 6-speed Focus. It also allows you to left-foot brake, if you know how... which gives even more benefits in terms of corner speed.

And despite the heavier nose (the Powershift is some 40-60 kilos heavier than the old TDCi

), the Powershift has an advantage in terms of cornering speed due to the revised suspension. They've fitted it with taller and stiffer front springs, which make it less nose-heavy and more nimble than the old car.