Thanks for all the replys.
An update. Tomorrow we pick up a Focus XR5 turbo. After the serious looking and test driving, the focus came out on top, Golf second, then the MPS.
Starting with the MPS, this car has some serious good looks, both in and out, but it's still a low quality vehicle. By that I mean, the plastics inside are the hard scratchy plastic, and the car feels loose. I expect after 12 months, it will have interior squeaks and rattles. Surprisingly for a ultra modern car, the torque steer is ferocious and is a sure disaster waiting to happen, this was my key decider against this car.
VW Golf. The GTi was the only model we looked at, and I have to admit that I was rather taken with the car, however, the cost of the GTi plus the extras is horrendous and frankly not worth the money. A GTi optioned the same as the 46K MPS will set you back near 60K. That's BMW 3 series money for a small hatch. The other Golf models are far more reasonably priced, however, miles behind in the performance stakes.
Last but far from least is the humble Focus XR5, with a rally history behind it and driven by some of the top drivers ever in the WRC. The XR5, optioned up, costs similar to the MPS, we chose not to have Ford tint the car at an extra big chunk of change, will however have the tint proffessor do it next week for 1/3 the cost. The German built car, with the turbo charged 5 cylinder Volvo designed engine has a heap of low RPM torque, and when the turbo kicks in, your eyes bounce off the back of your skull! The car is tight, the interior is finished really nice, and of the 3 cars, also has the most passenger leg room. Important also, is the Focus is the easiest car of the 3 to reverse and reverse parallel park. All these points lead us to purchase the car last Monday.
munitalP