[praecurvo]

Test drove both back-to-back today and just ordered my Focus ST.

The Mazda is absolutely an amazing and brutal car. It IS a Japanese muscle-car. Front the gorgeous bulbous hood to all the creases and lines, the Mazda has me intrigued the most.

So why did I order the Ford?

Driving them both at about 8/10's on some abandoned back roads, the ST feels better engineered whereas the Mazda feels (with all due respect) like 5 or so Japanese dudes from MazdaSpeed Skunkworks got together and put the most AWESOMENESS car together from a Mazda 3 within a pre-set budget.

The center point of the ST feels where I'm sitting where the Mazda has all it's weight in the front of me. In high speed sweepers (60-80) the ST was like a precision x-acto whereas the MS3 was like the knife of RAMBO!

The ST feels "nicer" inside whereas the Mazda feels more Spartan, save for that multi-button wheel in the MS3. The ST also makes me feel like I'm enveloped into the car whereas the MS3 I feel like I'm... driving a car.

All in all, the decision was based on me buying a car that I will AutoX, HPDE, and drive around the Rocky Mountains on business on a regular basis. The ST will do that in comfort and ease. And with just enough of neutrality in handling and good power, I believe I will be a very happy driver.

Oh, and I really prefer to be on these FST forums as opposed to the delinquents on those MS3 forums;-)

 

[ST2Focus]

Great choice and welcome to the right forum! BTW which color and trim level did you go with?

 

[1faST13]

Welcome and enjoy your new addiction

 

[NytMuves]

When the addiction grabs it doesn't let go.

 

[THNDRRR]

Oh, and I really prefer to be on these FST forums as opposed to the delinquents on those MS3 forums;-)

Just give us more time. :crazy:

 

[praecurvo]

I'm flying out of state on Monday to get a 2013 OW ST3, no sunroof! There are all too few without the moonroof. I felt the clean roof w/o sunroof will keep the weight lower as opposed to higher. Also, someone may one day release a CF roof and I want THAT. Until then, I plan on Di Noc'ing the roof.

Super stokked! Pictures to come.

 

[BlueOval4Life]

I'm flying out of state on Monday to get a 2013 OW ST3, no sunroof! There are all too few without the moonroof. I felt the clean roof w/o sunroof will keep the weight lower as opposed to higher. Also, someone may one day release a CF roof and I want THAT. Until then, I plan on Di Noc'ing the roof.

Super stokked! Pictures to come.

My company just picked up x plan pricing through ford and I was curious so I stopped in and priced this exact st w no moonroof. Makes me wish I had waited just a little longer. Before I left bottom line on the car was 25,650.