2018 Hyundai I30 vs Ford Focus

What's the difference?

Hyundai's first i30 launched to quiet praise in 2007. Hyundai had just come off a rough patch of making pretty ordinary cars with only a few exceptions. At some point in the preceding few years, the Korean giant realised that dull, middle-of-the-road machinery was not going to turn it into the next Toyota. Instead, it was in danger of fading into a  pale imitation of the great white-goods maker.

That first i30 was the moment Hyundai set off on its own path, with a few key positions filled by industry veterans from around the globe. Kia did the same, almost in parallel, and look where it is today.

The third-generation i30 was an instant hit. Building on the success of the first and second generations, the car had built a reputation as dependable, solid and, as the years went by, good to drive. Excellent value has been a core competency for Hyundai since day dot, but adding all that other stuff took a while.

It feels like the current LZ version of Ford’s Focus RS has only been around for five minutes, and already it’s got one foot out the door.

Actually, after much anticipation, it arrived in July last year, and this final batch of 500 limited edition models marks the end of its run in Australia.

It’s more expensive than the ‘standard’ RS it replaces, but Ford will look you straight in the eye and tell you that thanks to a bunch of extra tech and standard features it represents better value-for-money.

The RS LE is underpinned by hardware upgrades designed to appeal to track day devotees, so it’s no surprise Sydney Motorsport Park was the venue for our local launch drive.

And the harbour city turned on more than enough rain to make the circuit greasy, and turn the skid pan into a sand pit for grown-ups. Perfect.