Perception and reality are often very different. If the reaction I got from friends and co-workers is any indication, Ford has some perception issues to deal with with the 2008 Ford Focus.
“Nice looking car. How much? 25 grand? Why buy that when a Civic is so much cheaper?”
When did people get the perception that Honda’s are cheap? In Canada, the base Civic sedan lists for $16,990. Compare that to $15,999 for the entry level Focus. Our tester was far from entry level, having been jammed full of every option conceivable at this level. The msrp on our little silver sedan was a lofty $24,764 before freight and pdi. Just for fun, I decided to do a little number crunching on the Honda site. All I can say is, Wow! To get all the stuff that was in our Focus, you have to begin with a Civic EXL and then start adding options. By the time you have all the goodies the matched up, you have a Civic that sells for $31,175!
Now that we’ve got a firmer grip on reality, we can get on with life with the Focus on the road.
First off, the Focus is powered by Ford’s 140 horsepower, 2.0 liter Duratec 4 cylinder. Our feelings about this choice are mixed. My first impression was that the Focus was about 30-40 horsepower lighter than it should be. Over the week though, it sank in that the Focus doesn’t pretend to be a pocket rocket, rather it is a comfortable little family car with an upscale edge. Going back to that competitive reference point, the Civic is also motivated by 140 horsepower, so the Ford is likely just about right. I’d still like 180.
Otherwise, the Focus was surprisingly smooth and quiet on the road. The 205/50R16 Pirelli P6 all season tires gave a ride that was firm and confident feeling, with little road noise.
We’ve tested a lot of SUV’s this winter, so the relatively economical Focus was a welcome addition to the fleet. Given the cold weather, our numbers were nowhere near the government test ratings. Even still, we managed 9.3 l/100 km (25.28 mpg) which isn’t too bad considering the wicked cold and a heavy foot.
On the outside, Ford’s designers have played it safe for the most part. A classic looking sedan shape includes enough family design cues to ensure that there is no mistaking the Focus as a Ford. From the front grille to the shape of the hood where it meets fenders, it mimics some of Ford’s larger offerings. The one odd feature are the faux vents on the front fenders. A few observers commented that the piece looks unfinished and out of place. It almost looks like the chrome should continue along the body side. Personally, I’m on the fence. It’s shiny and I like shiny stuff lately.
Overall, the Focus was comfortable and quiet on the road, making the dreary winter commute enjoyable. In part 2, we’ll get into all the stuff that makes the Focus cool, the inside stuff!
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2 comments ↓
This is a good little car! I had a bare bones ‘03 Focus that I used to pull a small trailer full of my stuff from Minnesota to Florida to California and back. Yes, you can tow with a small 120 hp econobox, but not a whole lot. Anywho, with the larger 140hp I still get 21 to 25 mpg! I was a little disappointed with the crappy (can I say that?) air compressor/tire sealer unit. I switched it out for the bicycle tire spare at the dealership. You can’t seal a bent rim or a cut sidewall! Sync is sweet! The handsfree media selection is a big bonus. Ford needs to be flaunting this a whole lot more! Overall, this is a very affordable vehicle that has all the standard stuff plus some extras that luxury cars don’t have yet. Thanks for the opportunity to give a shout out for my car!
I’m not sure I understand the comments on the Focus engine. It has the second highest HP in the class with the best torque at the lowest RPM to boot. And, this engine is sweet where you use it, with addressable midrange power the Honda only dreams of. Only the Mazda is faster, and it is a high RPM hyper fest, too, and much to my liking. And, the power characteristics of this engine pull an automatic like no other small engine I’ve driven. Granted, the stick is the best with a smaller engine.
The Focus has a ride that feels like a bigger more secure car. Say, a BMW. It is good handling and quiet at the same time. No, it isn’t as hard as the Mazda or Civic (thank God), nor has the pure chassis of a sports car. Besides, why would Ford build another Mazda 3? They have one already. Go get the sedan or hatch and ZOOM, ZOOM.
If you compare this car comparably equipped, it is an amazing deal. I drove everything out there, and this car was clearly better than the rest as a daily driver And, several thousand dollars less, too. My sixteen year old Ranger is still running like new, and my 1999 E320 MB is going to be VERY jealous of this car.
Sync? Well, I forgot to memorize all my song names and artists. So, I won’t be talking too much. But, I will load up a nice big thumb drive and plug it in and leave the CD’s behind. I never have been so lame in planning as to have to call anybody from my car, so that’s out, too. But it does recognize speech very well.
We liked the car so well we bought two of them, a stick and the Auto. For the money, with such a thought out chassis and drive train, I don’t know how you could go too wrong. I think that if this car had any other name plate on it than Ford, it would be heralded as a breakthrough product.
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