2012 Ford Focus - Moving in the Right Direction!
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March 2012
By: Anthony Murdoch
There are many new cars on the road today that claim to offer "a sporty driving experience" or have the handling characteristics of a missile, or some other really cool adjective. The truth is, that although there are some new models that are pretty good at the "sport" element of driving, such as the the VW Golf GTI, Honda Civic Si, or the venerable BMW 3-Series, most models only offer a small dosage of sportiness, and really are just plain old cars that take people to and from work every day. Enter the new Ford Focus, which in its current guise is the exact same body style and car (more or less) as the versions sold all around the world, including Europe. I have to say that I was not a fan of the previous "reworked" Focus, which in reality was nothing more than a combed over version of the first generation model. This model however is a completely different car. You can tell Ford is serious about taking aim squarely at dominating the small sedan/hatchback market. Here's looking at you VW Golf/Jetta, Honda Civic.
My tester was loaded to the gills, which is usually the case for press cars, however that being said all Focus buyers will get the new 2.0 Litre inline 4, which pumps out a healthy 160 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 146 lb.-ft or torque at 4450 rpm. This engine sports direct injection, yet runs on regular unleaded, a bonus for buyers. My car was equipped with the DSG style Ford 6-speed automatic, which does not use a torque converter, and is in essence an automated manual. While improved from the very first versions of this style of gearbox, I still found it to be too sluggish for my tastes from the get-go. While shifts are smooth and quick once moving, the momentary pause when setting off the line is still there. It takes getting used to, and I am still not sure about its long term longevity, although I guess time will tell. Selecting the sport setting, once notices that the shifts are faster. I do like this kind of gearbox over a CVT for sure, but today's top-notch automatics are really very good. VW's DSG gearbox is the best out there by far. If Ford can get theirs to that level, that would be ideal.
The Focus pulls smartly from a stop, and the engine revs with a strong sense or urgency. This car never really feels fast, although it does not feel slow either. I do like the sound of the engine, and I think it does have some character. I found that acceleration was more than adequate, and once up to highway speeds the Focus is smooth and its cabin is relativity quiet.
Inside, the Focus is a nice place to be. The materials are very good, and the fit is up there with the Japanese cars, and I have to say some VW products of late(base 2012 Jetta). I found the seats to be a little on the soft side however, although they are okay I guess for everyday use. I also found the interior to have a very closed-off feeling. This car is a tight package overall, and inside is no exception. The stereo pumps out the tunes with a good authority, although I find Ford's MyTouch is still very slow to respond. Ford says this will be remedied, however my feeling is that this design might be flawed from the start, meaning up-dates are just that. Software upgrades.
The as tested base price of the 5-door Focus SEL rings in at $22,399. Add the options my tester was equipped with, such as the 6-speed auto-manual transmission, audio interface package ($1500) (parking technology package($600), Sat Nav, and 17-inch wheels, and the total price comes in at $27,499. Add in destination and your looking at $28,999. This price does not include tax.
Overall, this is a good car. It's body is ridged, its looks are sporty, and its price is good as well (for a base model Focus). For a domestic car you can't go wrong. Heck, this car has a lot more appeal than Honda's "new" Civic. I also think its design will age a lot better than those of the new Kia's and Hyundai's out there, whose styling I feel is over the top, and will not age well.
Good on you Ford! This car is a winner in my books.
By: Anthony Murdoch
There are many new cars on the road today that claim to offer "a sporty driving experience" or have the handling characteristics of a missile, or some other really cool adjective. The truth is, that although there are some new models that are pretty good at the "sport" element of driving, such as the the VW Golf GTI, Honda Civic Si, or the venerable BMW 3-Series, most models only offer a small dosage of sportiness, and really are just plain old cars that take people to and from work every day. Enter the new Ford Focus, which in its current guise is the exact same body style and car (more or less) as the versions sold all around the world, including Europe. I have to say that I was not a fan of the previous "reworked" Focus, which in reality was nothing more than a combed over version of the first generation model. This model however is a completely different car. You can tell Ford is serious about taking aim squarely at dominating the small sedan/hatchback market. Here's looking at you VW Golf/Jetta, Honda Civic.
My tester was loaded to the gills, which is usually the case for press cars, however that being said all Focus buyers will get the new 2.0 Litre inline 4, which pumps out a healthy 160 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 146 lb.-ft or torque at 4450 rpm. This engine sports direct injection, yet runs on regular unleaded, a bonus for buyers. My car was equipped with the DSG style Ford 6-speed automatic, which does not use a torque converter, and is in essence an automated manual. While improved from the very first versions of this style of gearbox, I still found it to be too sluggish for my tastes from the get-go. While shifts are smooth and quick once moving, the momentary pause when setting off the line is still there. It takes getting used to, and I am still not sure about its long term longevity, although I guess time will tell. Selecting the sport setting, once notices that the shifts are faster. I do like this kind of gearbox over a CVT for sure, but today's top-notch automatics are really very good. VW's DSG gearbox is the best out there by far. If Ford can get theirs to that level, that would be ideal.
The Focus pulls smartly from a stop, and the engine revs with a strong sense or urgency. This car never really feels fast, although it does not feel slow either. I do like the sound of the engine, and I think it does have some character. I found that acceleration was more than adequate, and once up to highway speeds the Focus is smooth and its cabin is relativity quiet.
Inside, the Focus is a nice place to be. The materials are very good, and the fit is up there with the Japanese cars, and I have to say some VW products of late(base 2012 Jetta). I found the seats to be a little on the soft side however, although they are okay I guess for everyday use. I also found the interior to have a very closed-off feeling. This car is a tight package overall, and inside is no exception. The stereo pumps out the tunes with a good authority, although I find Ford's MyTouch is still very slow to respond. Ford says this will be remedied, however my feeling is that this design might be flawed from the start, meaning up-dates are just that. Software upgrades.
The as tested base price of the 5-door Focus SEL rings in at $22,399. Add the options my tester was equipped with, such as the 6-speed auto-manual transmission, audio interface package ($1500) (parking technology package($600), Sat Nav, and 17-inch wheels, and the total price comes in at $27,499. Add in destination and your looking at $28,999. This price does not include tax.
Overall, this is a good car. It's body is ridged, its looks are sporty, and its price is good as well (for a base model Focus). For a domestic car you can't go wrong. Heck, this car has a lot more appeal than Honda's "new" Civic. I also think its design will age a lot better than those of the new Kia's and Hyundai's out there, whose styling I feel is over the top, and will not age well.
Good on you Ford! This car is a winner in my books.
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