2018 Ford Focus RS Will Reportedly Cost $5,000 More Than Last Year's Model

Next year will be the final one for the Ford Focus RS in its current generation. It's a good news, bad news situation. The bad news is that CarsDirect reports the 2018 Focus RS will cost a whopping $41,995, a full $5,000 more than the 2017 model. That's more than a Mustang GT Premium, and far above the Honda Civic Type R's expected $35,000 price. 

But the good news is that the extra $5,000 buys an extremely well-equipped car. Essentially, all of the existing options will reportedly be standard equipment in 2018. That includes the current RS2 option package with leather Recaro seats, navigation and more; a limited-slip differential; 19-inch wheels; carbon fiber interior trim; and a black roof. CarsDirect priced a comparably equipped 2017 Focus RS at $41,770; that brings the difference down to $225, a negligible figure between one year and another.

On the one hand, I can appreciate Ford wanting to send the RS out with a bang. But on the other hand, not everyone wants all of the extra equipment that they will be required to get next year. Someone stretching to afford a Focus RS now might not be able to afford it next year. And anyone who wants to build a Focus RS rally car would prefer a less equipped model, since it would all be coming out anyway. 

But let's face it, few people are building Focus RS rally cars, and anyone even considering a Focus RS is already looking at a car that costs twice as much as its rental-grade version. In fact, it's pretty common to make the last version of a car the best it can be. Mitsubishi did the same with the aptly named Final Edition of the Lancer Evolution X. So Ford is right on track if this is truly going to be the last Focus RS we'll see for a while.