By Robert Farago
October 18, 2007 - 108,788 views
Pop the hood of the new Ford Focus and you'll see an infestation of duct tape worms. Every wire is wrapped in black duct tape. And the thing is, Ford didn't even try to hide it. There's no flash-casted plastic cover to hide the Focus' handmade electrical insulation. I mean, how much would that have cost FoMoCo? Five bucks? What's more, the duct tape I discovered in the economy car's engine bay was already unfurling. That's worrying. But it's nowhere near as disquieting as the overarching Scrooge You cynicism informing every nut, bolt and rock hard panel of this po-faced makeover. What’s worse, the new Ford Focus looks atrocious.
When Ford reskinned the Focus to take-on the bevy of B-class beauties prospering from the patronage of economy-minded American car buyers, who’d a thunk they’d use the Medusa-esque Chrysler Sebring as a template? The resemblance is uncanny– and ungodly. The domestic sedans share the same dopey proportions; simmer surfacing, inelegant side and hood strakes; flared and squared wheel arches and what-the-Hell-do-we-do now? rear side glass. Encountering the Focus for the first time is like discovering that a short, fat, balding Elvis imitator has a less attractive twin.
The second time you clap eyes on the “new” Focus the detailing delivers the disastrous denouement. The front end is a dog’s breakfast; incomplete with a two-blade grill (the Fusion, Taurus and Edge get three) and a front bumper sculpted with a Play-Doh knife, that stands proud of the body only in the literal sense. The Focus’ side air vents are an unintentionally hilarious affectation hearkening back to the days when rear wings adorned econoboxes. And I’m not saying the back end is frumpy and ungainly– just in case you think Ugly Betty is a babe.
If Sam’s Club made an interior, this would be it: all the right bits in the right places without any color, style or comfort. Mind you, my tester was an SE stripper: no ambient lighting, all-weather floor mats or fancy SYNC™ system to tell your pacemaker to connect with your iPhone, stat. More importantly, the Focus’ steering wheel doesn’t adjust for reach and there’s so little rear seat legroom that the front seat backs are stuffed with ground-up Nerf balls.
All this would be forgivable– no wait, it isn’t. Save Chevy's Aveo, every other economy car's cabin has a little something to recommend it. The Focus doesn’t. Sure, Ford’s erstwhile designers have eliminated the previous model’s egregious ergonomics, but the old gauges were more practical and attractive, and the stereo and climate controls weren't identical. The new Focus’ interior may be wildly inoffensive, but it reeks of cheap.
Nobody who’d buy a Focus would expect it to be anything other than frugal. And it isn’t. Yes, the Focus’ 2.0-liter Duratec is a smooth and parsimonious mill (helped by spare tire deletion). But the four banger is plenty loud, with a sonic signature that’s about as appealing as a motel vacuum cleaner. (At 4:30am.) The hard-as-nails Hankook all-season rubber adds to the din, which includes an unpleasant graunching noise (and burning brake smell) whenever you beat the Focus’ rear drums.
On the positive side, the Focus’ steering rack is a delight, with perfect weighting, a well-judged turning ratio and more-than-merely adequate road feel. Whether you’re crossing four lanes of highway traffic or fighting for supremacy in the supermarket parking lot, the car goes exactly where you point it. The Focus’ eight-year-old chassis’ motions are also well controlled, with minimal body lean or nose dive. As a result, the sedan isn’t entirely corner-aversive.
But with such little pep on tap, cheap shoes and more understeer than a freight train, who cares? By the time you get a Focus up to speed, the tires have already answered the Deliverance-style inquiry into porcine imitation. In case you were wondering, buying a Focus SE for driving pleasure is like purchasing a Ferrari 599 for mechanical reliability.
The Focus’ ride quality is the more important consideration; Ford’s normally masterful chassis tuners have got the balance between “Euro-inspired” handling and American-style comfort exactly wrong. You don't tip over, but you feel every lump and bump. The physical sensations are muffled, but there they are, entering the cabin like the report of distant cannon fire. There’s no glossing over the fact that the Focus’ aged underpinnings have outlived their usefulness; they give the car’s dynamics the mien of mean.
My biggest problem with the new Ford Focus isn’t the new Ford Focus. It’s the Mazda3. For a couple grand more than the box-fresh Ford, you get coherent exterior style, a classy cabin, an adult-compatible rear compartment, a better sounding powerplant, vastly superior handling, greater residuals and an engine bay without a trace of duct tape. Considering Ford’s relationship with Mazda and their long history of badge-engineering… Oh well. I guess Ford just couldn’t admit they’ve lost Focus.
1 / 5 Stars | Ford Focus rating summary and performance review
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October 18th, 2007 at 8:09 am
Proof positive that America today hasn’t the first clue about how to design a decent car. The mk1 Focus (from Europe) was excellent and significantly advanced quality in this segment (and was truly a revelation after various incarnations of the Escort). Instead of making the sensible choice of bringing the very good (though not quite so game-changing) Europe mk2 Focus stateside, FoMoCo made the bizarre decision to rework the mk1. This may have made good sense financially, but having “improved” the design the result is a car that’s worse, not better.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:25 am
I quote from the Detroit News:
“This could be the finest small vehicle that Ford has ever produced,” Mulally said during a speech to mark the formal start of production at the Wayne Stamping and Assembly Plant. “This is the vehicle for the next generation.”
Ford’s toast.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:31 am
Robert,
Thanks for validating my nomination (or reiteration) of this car as a TWAT.
I’ll state again that this slap-in-the-face is exacerbated by seeing new S40 and Mazda3 models driving around everywhere. Ford reportedly wanted to keep the price down by a grand or two (by sticking with the old platform), which I’ve always thought was a bad way to emphasize that they didn’t have anything else to fill the true “entry compact” segment.
EDIT: This just showed up on fark. Get ready for some hits!
October 18th, 2007 at 8:36 am
Back in September 2006 my wife and I bought an ‘07 Focus 4-dr SES to compliment my ‘05 F150.
I had not yet seen the pictures of the new ‘08 Focus until about six months later. At first sight I thought, “hideous” and “fugly”.
C’mon, Fomoco, you can do much better. Our ‘07 has clean lines, coherent design and yes, a cheapy-cheep dash. But it handles very well, is quiet and we get compliments on it weekly… I don’t think this ‘08 will.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:40 am
Now now, Robert. You’ve clearly not been paying attention, or drinking enough of Ford’s cool-aid. According to them, the Focus has a “redesigned cabin (that) delivers improved craftsmanship and comfort along with added flexibility and storage.”
And “new suspension tuning and chassis refinements improve an already rewarding and dynamic driving experience.”
I direct your attention also to these words:
“We designed this Focus to prove that inexpensive does not have to mean cheap.” Peter Horbury executive director of Design, North America
“Focus is improved in every aspect – the way it looks inside and out and the features it offers.” Derrick Kuzak group vice president of Global Product Development.
*boggle*
October 18th, 2007 at 8:47 am
Rental fleets will rejoice when Ford has to offload the majority of sales to them. The Aveos, Cobalts, Corollas and Ions were getting long in the tooth.
What is so dissappointing is Ford could have done a progressive improvement to a decent platform. Instead they swung for the fences - rather a major foul ball. To sum it up…Mullaly must think this is the Way Fordward using its Boweled Moves.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:51 am
You know, Ford US moan that they can’t bring Euro Focuses to the United States for (pick whatever reason you like). However, maybe Ford are missing a trick here. Instead of shipping the cars from Europe to North America, why don’t they ship the ENGINEERS from Europe to the United States?
To my knowledge, Fords in Europe are designed by Germans, built by Belgians and Spaniards, marketed by Brits and retains Ford’s trademark cheap materials. Somehow, it appears to be a winning formula, so why don’t Ford NA bring those people over to the United States and use their expertise to create the NEXT US Ford Focus (if Ford survive that long). As long as Ford US have the design plans from people who (appear) to know what they’re doing, I can’t see what the problem will be?
But all this aside, I really don’t know what the wonder is about Euro Fords. They’re not very good cars (Admittedly, I’ve driven the last generation Mondeo, not the current model). I really want to drive a Us Ford to see how bad they really are. Ford really should kill their engineering department and outsource that function to Mazda. In fact, here’s a thought:
Give the engineering to Mazda, the build quality to Volvo, the design to Jaguar and Land Rover and have Ford as a brand. At least this way, Ford could have a buyable car on the market?
October 18th, 2007 at 8:54 am
Honestly, I was shocked when I saw the new styling on this horrible pig of a car. I think the Fusion a rather sexy ride and even the Taurus looks pretty sharp. I found the previous Focus attractive and a decent bang-for-the-buck car, what with the great mileage and handsome hatchback. This car is one of those that throws my mind into disarray when I realize anyone at all will consider it the best option when it comes time to buy. Why would anyone ever lay down, say, $14,000 when a 2-year old used Civic or even a lightly used Fusion will cost the same? Not to even mention the thousands of other cars that even 4 years used with high mileage come out as a better deal than this miserable effort.
p.s. “Does not bad equal quite good?” is the best caption ever.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:57 am
Link to the eurofocus “minisite”.
Euro Focus
October 18th, 2007 at 9:05 am
The real reason we get a restyled original chassis Focus vs the C1 is the labor costs. I read somewhere that Ford loses $3000 on every Focus built, which just happens to coincide with the $3000 rebates on the 2007 model. If the C1 chassis does cost more to build, Ford would potentially lose that much more. But, you say, if it was a better car people would pay more for it! Well, maybe yes, maybe no. My experience is that no matter the model, Ford customers, even the loyalists, want a rock bottom price and expect a huge discount off MSRP. Many are very disappointed when I tell them there is “only” a $1000 rebate. A suddenly spectacular all new Focus may not automatically equate to buyers willing to buy at the MSRP.
Remember, those labor costs are part of the reason that Ford loses $3000 on each Focus is that they have to build them in the US to count for the CAFE fuel economy rules.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:16 am
My experience is that no matter the model, Ford customers, even the loyalists, want a rock bottom price and expect a huge discount off MSRP. Many are very disappointed when I tell them there is “only” a $1000 rebate. A suddenly spectacular all new Focus may not automatically equate to buyers willing to buy at the MSRP.
And that could very well be the downfall of Detroit. They fostered a culture of rebates and incentives. They sealed the deal when they made cheaper cars to compensate.
Oh well, at least the “new” Focus’ steering is still nice. That was always my fav part of the car.
I think SVT Foci prices just shot through the roof. That right there was a great little car.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:20 am
This is a dog, Ford has to fire J Mays soon, and start putting some style back into their vehicles, it looks like an old saturn and must surely win the TWAT award for the car and for Ford building it, what a bunch of…
Katie, the design team in europe is a european mix, but there are many brits there thank god.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:36 am
Ford won’t have to worry about losing $3000 on each Focus any longer since these won’t sell period. If anyone I knew ever came home in one of these I would disown them. Truly sad to see this hitting the streets.
If they had to use the old chassis but styled it to be pleasing to the eye then many would have been fooled into buying one of these. If they want to make their cars butt ugly then they need a superb chassis to overcome the ugly a la Toyota. FORD drops the balls big time on both fronts.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:43 am
Wow, they managed to out-cobalt the Cobalt.
That hideous expanse of dash plastic reminds me of a 90’s era “boom box” — just needs the front speakers mounted about 10″ apart on the passenger side.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:48 am
Since I utterly loathe this car and have said as much several times, I’ll say one good thing about it..it didn’t get bigger or heavier!
October 18th, 2007 at 9:52 am
As a recent Mazda3 buyer (Saturday actually), I am dumbfounded that Ford chose to revisit the parts bucket rather than simply rebadge the M3 into the Focus.
For less than $17K I got a car with exceptional handling, build quality and an almost lux interior. This car is really that good. Mazda seems to being doing so many things right whereas Ford keeps finding new new ways to shoot itself in the foot (Renamed Taurus, New Focus are a couple of prime examples).
Folks - IMHO if you are in the market for a car in this segment, not only should you skip the new Focus, you should pass on the Civic, Jetta, Rabbit, Corolla, Imprezza, Elantra, Matrix/Vibe, etc and test drive the Mazda3. It truly sets the standard in this segment. I am still amazed when driving this car, and looking around at my environment, that I am in a $17K car and not some BMW or VW.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:02 am
Ford is seriously missing the mark on this one. There new line up is so blandly styled it looks like a line of coffee makers from Black and Decker. Apparently they are ignoring what everyone wants and is focusing on the mentality that ‘mericans want cheap, reliable, appliance like cars.
Maybe they just like insulting us and kicking us in the junk. They are basically telling us, “Yeah, we could bring over the mkII focus from Europe, but we don’t give a crap about you.”
My own mad libs style review form for most new American cars: (insert name of American car manufacturer) has released the new (insert name of once liked model). While the interior has been completely redesigned it (insert metaphor to demonstrate how awful the interior is even compared to a rotting camel carcase). The redesigned exterior is (insert comment on the overall blandness, possibly mentioning cauliflower). The handling and performance (insert commentary on how it isn’t that bad, if compared to a 1970’s era econobox, then go on to describe how little character it has compared to Keanu Reeves).
October 18th, 2007 at 10:06 am
Remember, those labor costs are part of the reason that Ford loses $3000 on each Focus is that they have to build them in the US to count for the CAFE fuel economy rules.
Canadian and Mexican built vehicles are considered domestic vehicles thanks to NAFTA, so Ford corporate fuel economy was unchanged from moving Foci production from Mexico to Michigan.
I think the real reason for the move is that the Mexican plant had a better history of quality assembly and so was designated to build the Fusion/Milan/MKZ, which has worked out very nicely.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:14 am
Is that the first 1-star on TTAC?
Thanks Robert for sacrificing yourself to test this, uh, car.
Now I understand why those execs are paid so much: with the amount of bull and lies they tell everyday, it must take that much $$ to assuage their conscience.
Good luck marketing Ford products, Mr. Farley.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:32 am
What a joke. It could pass as a Hyundai Accent.
Edit: Sorry Hyundai - I think you make a better car.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:32 am
re: the comment about bringing European engineers to build a US-domestic Focus…..
I highly doubt that the Dearborn-folks who work on the Focus design/engineering/interior team spend their FoMoCo employee discount on a Focus as a daily ride…..probably all drive Explorers or Edges.
That’s the real problem with Sebring/Focus/Taurus…..GM/Ford/Chrysler are truck/SUV companies. Their engineers are truck/SUV people. The companies and its people just have no concept of a good small car.
Solution: anyone who works on Ford’s small car design team must drive a Focus as their daily ride…..improvements should follow (at least that’s what common sense would guess).
October 18th, 2007 at 10:47 am
Sajeev - too true, the domestic’s habit of discounting has created a customer demographic that expects deep discounts and incentives (but are at least less fussy about quality). In effect this has damaged their brands and has resulted in some of the accounting led design efforts we have seen from them. They have to keep costs low as they have to be significantly cheaper than the foreign brands in order to meet their demographic’s expectations. So on one hand they need to improve the quality of their products to expand their customer base but on the other hand they have to keep it cheap cheap cheap to maintain their current customers. It’s a deep hole to be digging yourself out of.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:52 am
1 Star? Okay so the exterior is ugly. I'll give you that one. And to be fair I haven't driven the 08. But I own an 05 Focus and it easily outclasses most competitors in this class.
Admittedly the Mazda 3 and Honda Civic are much better, but they also cost $2,000 more and while more refined they don't give you that raw driving feel. Actually when Top Gear reviewed the Mazda 3, they said they prefered the old Focus more.
Maybe this new one has lost a little bit of Fun that made the original Focus so great, but in a class with vehicles like the Corolla, it's still a good choice for many customers.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:55 am
Bah. Next year I’ll be looking for a commuter car. This won’t even make the list. Too bad, I’ve owned a lot of Fords - always seemed to be able to find a decent car for a decent price.
For the moment, though, I’m going to go dust off my SVT Focus and head out for the countryside for a little day-off cruise. It will be a sad day for me when that fun little box isn’t worth keeping any more.
October 18th, 2007 at 11:00 am
As the owner of an ‘05 Focus, I just have one question: did Ford hire the designers who came up with the Aztek? How could a design this bad get into production? What were you people thinking? (Okay, that’s 3 questions.)
I looked at one of these on the lot this past weekend, and it’s much worse in person…I actually pretended to be looking at the Edge next to it, because I was embarassed that someone might get the impression that I was seriously interested in the new Focus. It’s THAT bad.
And, like I said, I actually own an ‘05 Focus…which might be amazingly bland and has the personality of Wonder-bread, but that’s still one big step up from being so ugly you want to claw out your own eyeballs. Does Ford really hate us that much?
In the Focus’ defense, the primary reasons I bought it were the handling (which was on par with a Mazda 3, and better than anything else in the class) and the fact that it was comfortable at typical 80-100mph highway speeds. Very few of the econo-mobiles seem to be able to handle highway speeds - they turn extremely high RPMs, and feel like they’re going to fly apart once they get over 80mph. I did upgrade the brakes, though…luckily there are numerous options out there, including using SVT components to switch to rear discs & larger front rotors.
Surprisingly, my Focus has turned out to be very reliable - while it has been to the dealer once for a recall (which took less than 15 minutes), it has never had a single problem in 68,000 very hard miles.
October 18th, 2007 at 11:01 am
Re prior comments on cost being the reason this abortion was foisted upon us instead of the EuroFocus: Didn’t I read somewhere that it wound up costing Ford just as much to design, test, create and manufacture this cynical piece of junk than it would have to bring the already-selling EuroFocus over here?
I just don’t understand this. It’s like selling the old Escort ZX2 back int he late 1990’s alongside the then-new Focus — but at least there consumers could get the mile-better new Focus. Here we are left to drool over unobtanium across the pond while averting our eyes from this “new” Focus disaster.
October 18th, 2007 at 11:03 am
At first I thought it must be great to work at company like Ford, completely insulated from the pointed questions that real people (like the posters here) would ask…so that they can foist awful products like the Focus on the public with no accountability.
But then I thought how embarrassing it must be to get your ass completely whipped by Mazda in this segment, considering the corporate relationship.
I hope the bloated healthcare costs Ford cries about includes mental health - I know I would need therapy if I worked there.
October 18th, 2007 at 11:16 am
Sajeev - Well that wasn’t a long wait… TWAT nomination ok now?
October 18th, 2007 at 11:28 am
How disappointing. I can’t say I’m surprised, from the moment I laid eyes on this “”new”" Focus I knew it would be a loser. Ford is really screwing us in the U.S. over, until I read that picture caption you posted Robert, I had NO IDEA that Mexico is getting the Euro Focus!! That makes things way different, I thought Ford was just stupid for not giving America the Euro Focus, but even MEXICO is getting one, and we’re the home country! I really dislike Ford, and I have for a while. This isn’t helping.
October 18th, 2007 at 11:32 am
*doing best Homer Simpson imitation*
cheap silver plaasssssssssstic, mmmmmmmmmmmmm
October 18th, 2007 at 11:37 am
Mexico gets the Euro Focus? Why?
The exchange rate of the Peso to the Euro looks awfully similar to the US Dollar drop.
http://finance.yahoo.com/currency/convert?from=MXN&to=EUR&amt=1&t=5y
http://finance.yahoo.com/currency/convert?from=USD&to=EUR&amt=1&t=5y
Sajeev (responding to post below this one):
It’s not just the hardback south of the border, it’s the revised second edition with extensive annotations, collector edition holographic cover, and free audiobook mp3 download.
October 18th, 2007 at 11:39 am
Sajeev - Well that wasn’t a long wait… TWAT nomination ok now?
dolo: How could I possibly say no?
And I guess its okay for the rest of us to judge a book by its cover. I mean, its sold as a paperback in the US, but the same publisher sells it as a hardback in MEXICO for about the same price!
October 18th, 2007 at 11:43 am
Mama and Papa Ford tried to have another Focus baby, and this one is apparently missing a chromosome.
*This* is why I bought a Mazda3. :)
October 18th, 2007 at 11:55 am
*sigh*
This brings me back to the summer of 1987 when I spent a month in England visiting family I never knew I had. One of my cousins had an Escort, a brand new (at the time) 1.8 5-speed model. It was a lively little car and it made me sad to think that my British cousins got a cooler Escort than we did in the States. Things were made worse when I followed him to the dealership to get his car serviced and in the showroom sat a Cosworth Escort, with a rear wing big enough to ride a skateboard off of (this was back when big wings were cool, like on the Ferrari F40 and the Steve Millen customized 300ZX).
It was bad enough to realize while over there, there were many fun cars whose tires would never touch American asphalt, like the old Mini (and another crazy cousin who would routinely scare the beejezus out of me by sliding his Mini into parallel parking spots). It was a downright kick in the gut to discover that even our homegrown manufacturers gave the American driver the shaft as well.
Seeing what Europe gets as their second-gen Focus and seeing what we’re given just brought back those painful memories of the summer of ‘87. Thank you, Ford for justifying the existence of the Deathwatch series.
October 18th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
The Mazda3 is the Focus (euro model) and this is a shoo-in for a TWAT. The sad thing is that the 2003 Focus wagon we drove for a week was a great car, roomy, good handling, reasonable power (2.3l Mazda engine) and distinctive looks. What happened?
October 18th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
Why no photo of the peeling duct tape? This TTAC article definitely deserves a photo taken by the author.
Also, do my eyes deceive me or is that a BMW Hoffmeister (sp?) kink in the rear side windows? No mention of that in the description of the mish-mash styling?
October 18th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
As far as styling goes, the four-door is not entirely hideous. At least from some angles.
The two-door is a major WTFBBQ.
October 18th, 2007 at 12:17 pm
I own a 96 Taurus, and I drove a Focus wagon once as a work-fleet rental car on business to Chicago.
I think the Focus is an improvement over the Escort it replaced; it is quite roomy and it pioneered this “back to the future” trend of making cars taller again and giving them more upright seating.
The two things I remember about are one, the back ache from driving the thing for three hours at a stretch and two, the gas mileage didn’t seem any different than my 24-valve V-6 Taurus. I drive pretty conservatively and generally beat 30 MPG on the highway in the Taurus, and I think I got something like 33 MPG in the Focus.
I know a wagon is a draggier vehicle than a sedan, and a lot of the “enhanced utility, tall seating” compact cars in the mold of the Vibe, Matrix, whatever they call that boxy Scion, Honda Element have highway mileage ratings not much different than your basic family-sedan Impala, Taurus, Camry.
But something doesn’t compute about the Focus. It is hundreds of pounds heavier than the Corolla/Civic competition and the gas mileage is nowhere in that league (the recent engine tweakage to get 37 MPG EPA Highway in the manual shift sedan probably represents optimization for the EPA test and not what people get from this car).
Maybe the thinking was that when the Focus was launched, gas was cheaper than bottled water and that the small-car market was after Spartan and low sticker price — optimizing gas mileage on anything that got over 30 MPH highway was not a consideration. But now with high gas prices, I don’t think the Focus is even in the running for people who want to give up some creature comforts for a gas miser car because the thing isn’t truly a gas miser.
Maybe the thing to do with it would have been to box-it-out a little bit without increasing the weight too much, and maybe on gas, Spartan appointments, and ugly looks, it could compete in the Scion-Element-Vibe segment?
October 18th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
There seems to be strong agreement that the new Focus is a disappointment. I offer this to counter (Disclaimer I haven’t driven/rented a Focus in 3 1/2 years):
When I was renting compacts, I always requested a Focus. I found it drove way better than the other fare at the time and that includes Corollas of the same vintage. I found the Focus taut and Germanic in its feel (no surprise, due to its Euro roots) with terrific steering and seats that I could live with -no small feet for my lanky frame. I find it hard to believe that the car has deteriorated so much in the intervening years, although I accept that the bar has moved with time.
Styling is subjective at best, although at first glance I agree that it seems less cohesive than the original and certainly less attractive than its European counterpart. I’ve only seen pictures though, so I wonder how it looks in the metal.
Te big question mark, IMHO, is how the Focus will rate in Consumer Reports. I suspect that a portion of the target demographic may be affected by CR and I really wonder if CEO Mullaly’s -erm- focus on the customer and the paid sessions with CR labs will translate into results in this area. If so, it would at least herald the ability of the new management to fix what they can on a product that was late in the development cycle when they inherited it.
October 18th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
It is sad that Ford continues to fail in the US. I think that shortly Ford may be deciding whether to abandon their home market at all. If this is the best they can come up with, they might as well save themselves the trouble and start now. The Euro Focus is a great little car, and the Focus convertible is even something I would buy. US Focus? Not so much.
October 18th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
Paul Milenkovic :
Gas *is* still cheaper than bottled water.
Just be thankful our cars don’t run on ketchup.
October 18th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
We Americans are a funny lot. We have no problem talking about how the dollar is tanking against the Euro and other currencies around the world, but somehow we refuse to acknowledge consequences of the drop in value of our money.
IT DOES NOT BUY AS MUCH TODAY AS IT DID IN THE PAST!
Maybe Ford is correct when it says that the Euro Focus is too expensive to sell in the USA. Americans today might be willing to pay a premium for a Honda or VW but are we willing to pay Ford a premium for a Ford product sold at a Ford dealer?
No, henceforth we get the US market Focus. The car market in the US is so different from Europe that it is silly to compare the two. The Euro Focus would make little sense in this market with the Fusion available for what would be only maybe $1000 more if not the same price considering todays exchange rate.
Honestly the new Foucs is what it is, a bargin priced low budget car. I am sure one of these babies can be had for a song and a dance. Ford is correct in understanding that it can make more sales to bargin hunters in the USA than trying to convince skeptical Americans on the virtues of the Euro Focus.
October 18th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
a depressing review of a depressing car. but fully justified.
after my ‘03 protege5 got pranged in a carpark, the rental i was given whilst mine was in for repairs was an ‘07 focus with 18k miles on its clock. someone went wild with the air freshener - it reeked like a tart’s boudoir. someone else either wacked a pothole with extreme prejudice or the front wheels were out of balance - either way, the high speed vibraphone was nauseating. it also shimmied and shuddered in reverse. all in all, a recommendation for the fine designers & builders at ford-mo-co. couldn’t wait for the return of my car …
October 18th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
Having read and agreed with most of the Focus’s criticism here I would have to add that given the choice between it and a Corolla I would still choose the Focus. This refresh clearly fell short of most reader’s expectations but at least there was a refresh, unline the Corolla, which is still the unloved grey plasitc appliance it always was. So maybe the Corolla is still more TWAT-worthy?
October 18th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Since Alan Mulally is so into “heritage” names, this should have been called Tempo.
October 18th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
carguy -
I don’t think the Corolla ever had any of the fun to drive characteristics of the previous gen Focus platform. It’s a good “sister” car, though - the type you’d recommend to your sister.
Having had the pleasure of shopping this segment for a used car a while back, I will tell you that EVERY example of a 4-5 year old Corolla was light years better in terms of interior quality, NVH issues, etc. than the same age Focus.
The Focus was more fun to toss in a corner every time, but I couldn’t live with the rest of it.
Fortunately, a used Civic handles pretty well and its bits hold up nicely, too. If only it weren’t so #$%& expensive to insure, thanks to all the tuner boys stealing them for parts.
October 18th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
I knew you had it in you Allan Mullullaby, baby! Let’s see, a guy who was in charge of manufacturing commercial airplanes is indifferent to coach class, i.e Focus buyers, comfort? And, that is surprising exactly how? The good news is that he is probably really working hard on getting the cost of the tape down, and rationalizing the labor intensity of putting in on. The savings per car can run to 45 seconds and $3.45. Real money baby, and worth the time in figuring those contracts with Hertz. What do mean we have to sell to individual customers? That’s a hassle. Your 2008 Focus, now on sale at Shady Bill’s Ford Emporium (where hard selling is a way of life) for $8999.99*! *one only
October 18th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
Guess anyone that wants a “new” Focus should just import one from Mexico.
October 18th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
bloodnok: More than likely the front wheels were out of balance - Ford has been having a problem balancing wheels/tires for a few years now. I’m not sure why they can’t seem to do it properly (it’s not that difficult), but I had the dealer re-balance the wheels on my Focus before I picked it up. I did the same thing with my ‘04 F250, which had a wheel that was balanced so bad from the factory that it would nearly hop off the ground at any speed over 45mph…it was bad enough you couldn’t even drive the truck. Considering that the truck had only 3 miles on the odometer, I have to assume that someone at Ford seriously dropped the ball on that one.
October 18th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
Roger Hislop :
“We designed this Focus to prove that inexpensive does not have to mean cheap.”
Actually, what Peter Horbury of Ford North America really wanted to say was: “We designed this Focus to prove that cheap does not have to mean inexpensive.”
Absolutely guaranteed to reap the next TWAT award.
October 18th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Looks like the Chevy Cobalt from behind.
The Ford is adored all over the world.
I had a 1978 2.0 Double Weber Ford Cortina from England. It was a durable car.
Ford is always a Ford no matter what and it’s American.
October 18th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
whatdoiknow1:
Ford North America was given the chance to participate in the C1 project but passed on the opportunity due to anticipated cost, just like you said. However, they will be participating with the next variant (C2?) which will have a decontented NA variant. A good example of “could have, should have, would have,” given the next paragraph:
Ashy Larry:
Yes, in an issue of Autoweek 1/07 it was noted that Ford spent at least as much, if not more, on the 08 Focus rather than bring the C1 over.
October 18th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
According to the Ford website, there is already a $500.00 rebate on the 2008 Focus. I am constantly amazed how the brand new models get rebates and other offers slapped on them before they hit the dealerships.
October 18th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
More sand kicked in my eyes:
The styling–at least from the side–is evocative of the design direction the “Euro Bureau” too with the S-Max and Mondeo. Anyone else see that?
It’s like “Here’s your Euro Focus! Happy Halloween.”
October 18th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
What’s the problem here? NAFTA should permit the import of the Euro Focus from Mexico, much like we Canadians can go stateside to save a few bucks. I think you might get dinged an extra 8% because the vehicle is assembled outside North America, but your reward is zipping home in a fun and unique vehicle.
As for the North American um, “facelift”–Ford cannot afford a misstep like this. They run the serious risk of dropping right off the radar screen. I think mainstream buyers would consider a more attractive reskin, with a more inviting interior. But Ford needs to make this a priority for next year, or it will be too late.
Mainstream manufacturers have hamstrung themselves with the need for a consistent “design language” across a lineup. BMW’s Chris Bangle referred to this as being: “one sausage, three lengths” for the old 3, 5, and 7 series. Replace the word sausage, with turd, and you have an idea of what is plaguing Ford’s North American car lineup. Then again, Ford cannot even craft a decent automotive grille. Or perhaps you like the buck teeth on your Mk VIII Mr. Mehta?
October 18th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
From what I understand, one problem with bringing over the European Focus was that there was an argument over which design language was going to be used - the European kinetic design, or the American “randomly placed shiny & pointy bits” design. The debate is ongoing, and perhaps the American designers included even more shiny & pointy bits in the Focus design to prove some kind of point. (That point being that they couldn’t design an attractive car if their lives depended on it.)
October 18th, 2007 at 1:47 pm
Ouch! Unsightly from any angle.
Wasn’t Ford recently crowing about how it took a great deal of the consumer (focus group) input and applied to this pig’s “design”? Reminds me of a ‘Simpsons’ episode where Homer designed a car.
October 18th, 2007 at 1:50 pm
eh_political :
What’s the problem here? NAFTA should permit the import of the Euro Focus from Mexico, much like we Canadians can go stateside to save a few bucks. I think you might get dinged an extra 8% because the vehicle is assembled outside North America, but your reward is zipping home in a fun and unique vehicle.
It probably wouldn’t meet US safety and emissions standards (which are more stringent than Mexico’s), and bringing one up to spec would be horribly expensive.
October 18th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
I know you guys think every economy car is too slow, but if you say that corner-carvers on a budget shouldn’t get this car, you need to offer some better alternatives in the same price range. Under $15k, under what you can get a Mazda3 for.
Is it the most fun to drive car for under $15k? If so that’s great news for a number of people. If it isn’t, then that wasn’t clearly spelled out.
October 18th, 2007 at 2:09 pm
It looks like quite a piece of crap. Seeing as how I can make it for free, I’m not a big fan of paying thousands of dollars for crap.
I don’t understand why Ford couldn’t have just purchased the equipment needed to build the Euro Focus in North America, install it in a plant over here, and be done with it. I guess that’s logic talking, and we all know that the big 2.8 don’t know anything about logic.
Years ago, I asked my dad why we never had Fords as cars just because I was curious. I was about 10 at the time. His answer was, “they’re just not good cars”.
And nice job with the chrome, Ford. I love the two bar grille too. To me it says, “we couldn’t afford the third bar, it would have cost an extra 10 cents per car”. They’re trying to appeal to buyers with fake vents, chrome, and pimp interiors. Wow.
Here I thought VW made bad decisions for the NA market, but I think Ford might be topping them now. Oh well, Ford doesn’t have to worry about one of these showing up in my driveway. Good job on getting rid of the wagon option too, what a splendid decision. I hope big Al enjoys all his money while Ford is still around. I’d run the company for $50000/yr and they’d no longer be selling feces.
October 18th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
As hard as it was to read, I appreciate the honest review. However, carlisimo is right on. Is this Focus worse than the last one? That’s what seems to be implied. What other new car should we buy under $15k that handles better, is better looking, is more fun to drive, is better built, or whatever?
I haven’t driven the 2008 Focus yet, but I’ve driven the Cobalt and can say with certitude that it is not better than the old Focus.
October 18th, 2007 at 2:28 pm
With its Gumby-like proportions, it should have gone the way of the FiveHundred and been called the Escort. What are these guys thinking? How many times can you swing and miss before you get thrown out?
October 18th, 2007 at 2:30 pm
carlisimo:
A Mazda3i sedan for $15k would probably be fine for some of us TTACers, but the base model doesn’t include: air conditioning, side airbags, TMPS (all standard on a comparably priced base 2008 Focus sedan), ABS, power windows & locks, not to mention the automatic transmission.
The old design gets you value, because Ford’s gotta keep up (or is it down?) with the Cobalt and Caliber.
October 18th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Sorry for the off topic, but I got called out for this:
Then again, Ford cannot even craft a decent automotive grille. Or perhaps you like the buck teeth on your Mk VIII Mr. Mehta?
eh_political: of course I do. Not only does its shape reduce frontal area on such a large car, its plated with indium and withstands a 5mph impact, including the plating. I have yet to see a grill stick out that far into the bumper match this hallmark. Have you? No way the new CTS can pull this off.
I suspect indium plating is significantly more expensive than chromium. Kudos to Ford, circa 1991.
Ford would be well advised to dig back and duplicate their design successes, even the ones nobody knows about.
To reiterate: Damn right I like that grille. Don’t you?
October 18th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
Here’s the interesting thing. While all of you sit here and complain about this car it WILL sell. It may not be everything you are looking for, but it still will make a strong showing for Ford. People buy cars like this out of their desire to own a new vehicle at a price they can afford. The constant ridicule that vehicles like this get is ridiculous and unfounded. I love when people say, “well for an extra $2000 you should have bought xyz.” Let’s be honest, $2000 amounts to about $40/month when it comes to payments and some people just don’t have the extra money. I read the posts and reviews on this site to break up a stressful day since they tend to be so liberal and skewwed that they are comical. Want to know the reason why we don’t have the European Focus over here… because SMART business people (much smarter than most of you in here)know that people won’t PAY for the car here in the States. It’s that plain and simple fact!
October 18th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
iowacarguy:
Let’s be honest, $2000 amounts to about $40/month when it comes to payments and some people just don’t have the extra money.
Fair comment (although I’d hardly call myself a liberal). That said…
The single largest cost of ownership on a new car is depreciation. So, while a Focus buyer might save $40 a month (a buck something a day), they could lose it all at trade-in time.
Not a big issue if you’re going to run the car into the ground, but sometimes you get what you pay for. Or not. If you know what I mean.
October 18th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
The rumb here is that Ford will most likely sell as many of these half-a$$ domestic Focuses as they would if they were to spend the extra bucks to bring the Euro Focus here. These babies are truly rental fleet material, and on the other hand the rental companies would not be interested in paying a premium for the Euro Focus.
Ford truly needs to deal with what the consumer expectations are for a low end Ford product. The majority of folks in the USA will not spend Civic money on a new Escort, eh sorry Focus. Yes there are a few of you guys out there that are willing to take a chance on an exciting but less than reliable ride but the majority of folks looking for a $15,000 car will always choose the “safe” choice.
Had Ford not dropped the ball and let the last Focus fall from grace with no improvements maybe the public here in the USA would be clamoring for a new Focus. Unfortunately that is not the reality and Ford is replacing an “also-ran” that has little cache in the low-end market today.
One way to look at it is their are many Corolla owners today that are holding off on the purchase of a new car waiting for the new Corolla. The Folks that bought 1st gen Focuses have moved up or on to another brand.
October 18th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
next time some detroit cheerleader tells me I should “buy american” I’m just going to silently point to this car and the euro focus. ford and gm are in no position to wrap themselves in the flag (all the other complicated issues of who builds what where aside) when they are foisting crap off on us that the rest of the world wouldn’t touch with a rag on a stick. don’t tell me you think i’m an idiot while holding your hand out for my wallet.
October 18th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
compy386, are you sure Top Gear was talking about the American Focus and not the totally different European Focus?
October 18th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
I don’t understand. Why does Mexico get the Euro Focus design while the rest of NA doesn’t? Is Mexico’s version built in Mexico? Is it imported from Europe?
Why instead do we have to suffer this ungainly Focus? If the Euro Focus available a mere border away, why can’t we get it too?
October 18th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
One hopes (prays?) that Mulally reads the reasons for the 5-star ratings in the recent TTAC review of the MINI to absorb an inkling of what the world seeks in a small car.
Then again, maybe all he’d get out of it is the dim-bulb idea to resurrect a nostalgic redux of the Pinto.
Nevermind.
This Focus is a useless stalling exercise. Bring on your Better Idea, Ford. For 2009 and not later.
October 18th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
Robert Farago: The single largest cost of ownership on a new car is depreciation. So, while a Focus buyer might save $40 a month (a buck something a day), they could lose it all at trade-in time.
Not a big issue if you’re going to run the car into the ground, but sometimes you get what you pay for. Or not. If you know what I mean.
In 2004, my wife’s Cavalier gave up the ghost, and she needed a new car. (We weren’t married yet.)
She settled upon a 2005 Focus SE sedan, which has been a good, reliable car for her (three years and 52,000 miles so far).
She IS going to run her car into the ground, so depreciation doesn’t matter to her. She comes from a rural area (western Pennsylvania), and out there, lots of people own Fords, and they DO run them into the ground.
The mindset regarding new cars in rural Pennsylvania (and other rural areas, I suspect) is very different from that of trendy, well-to-do suburbs, where new vehicles are often treated like the latest fashion accessory. And from where, I have the sneaking suspicion, most of our posters reside.
And, yes, for her, an extra $40 a month was a killer at that time, as she was still in the early phases of her teaching career.
I looked at this car last night at the local Ford dealer.
Is it going to get anyone out of a Civic?
No.
Am I disappointed that Ford isn’t bringing over the European Focus?
Yes.
Is it beautiful?
No.
Is it hideously ugly?
Again, no. For most people, it will blend into the landscape.
Is it going to be a complete disaster for Ford?
No.
The next Ford small car will be based on the next-generation European Focus, so this is basically a stop gap until the new one arrives.
October 18th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
Geeber…
I had a 2000 Kona Focus (remember those that came with the bike). Was a sporty little ride for the money. I sold it a year later and took a shelacking on the resale value.
Do yourself a favor and test drive a Mazda3. Here in OH you can get a 3i sedan with stick and all necessary features for under $17K. You will be impressed with this car - its precision, its zoom-zoom, its interior appointments and quality, and its residual value 2-3 years down the road.
Folks these days to ignore residual value when choosing an automobile defies basic economics and good sense. Most folks (statistics prove) do not run a car into the ground but sell or trade it in within 3-5 years. Honda and Toyota owners know this from raw experience. Have you priced a 4 year old CIVIC lately with 40-50K miles on it. It blows your mind what the little buggers still worth.
October 18th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
While I completely agree with the logic about residual value, the typical American consumer does not. Since when did the typical American consumer think about long-term financial goals/positions? If someone has $250/month that they can spend on a car per month, that’s what they can spend. Even if they wanted to take depreciation into consideration, most are not afforded the financial opportunity to do so because they economically cannot. The typical American consumer will simply hope that their financial situation will change in 2-5 years.
October 18th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
The reason we don’t get a Euro Focus and Mexico does (and why you can’t just import one from Mex) is a little thing called MVSS.
I also agree with whatdoiknow in the sense that I don’t think most of the demographic will pay a premium price for a Focus in the U.S. regardless of how good it is.
Modifying the car to meet our MVSS standards would only increase the cost and put it further away from those who would have considered it.
October 18th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
starlightmica: “A Mazda3i sedan for $15k would probably be fine for some of us TTACers, but the base model doesn’t include: air conditioning, side airbags, TMPS (all standard on a comparably priced base 2008 Focus sedan), ABS, power windows & locks, not to mention the automatic transmission.”
I know, that’s why I posed the question - the Mazda3i and Civic are great, but well equipped they’re quite a bit more expensive than an equally equipped Focus. So how does the Focus compare to the competition in its price point? What sub-$15k vehicles are as good, especially when it comes to steering feel?
My point is that the Focus might be worth recommending to a driving enthusiast on a tight budget who buys new and holds. But this review doesn’t tell me if that’s true, it only tells me that more expensive cars are better.
October 18th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
CarNut,
I drive a 2003 Honda Accord, so I understand superior trade-in value.
But, given that I have no intention of trading the car, and probably won’t until it is near death, the car’s higher residual value relative to its competitors is doing little more than warming my heart right now (although, if it were totaled in an accident today, I would benefit).
My wife is going to drive her Focus for probably the next 5-6 years. In 2013, I doubt that any 2005 car will be worth all that much. My wife isn’t “most folks,” trust me. She is rural folks, and many of them drive a car until the bitter end. She is one of them.
I’ve sat in the Mazda3. It’s a wonderful car, and I love the five-door’s styling. But she wasn’t willing to pay the extra price for the Mazda, and any superior residual value on the part of the Mazda will be probably be minimal by the time she is ready for a new car.
At some point, all cars just become old cars, whether they are Hondas, Fords or Mazdas.
October 18th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
The sad thing is that the Euro Focus is a brilliant car. Even my German roommate drives one.
October 18th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
The question seems to be, if Ford built a $17/18k car (like Euro Focus or Mazda 3) that they sold for $15/16k, would enough people buy it to make it worthwhile? Would the $250/month customers leave or adapt? Would people leave mazda, honda, or vw to come to ford?
Resale value means nothing to most of the people that buy vehicles in this price range. That argument doesn’t even apply to most of the buying public. I’d argue even most Honda and Toyota buyers don’t care.
One group that no one has thus far mentioned is the subprime market. Many of these people snub the current Focus and yet badly need to buy a vehicle in this price range. They choose instead to buy used impalas and monte carlos. Would a vehicle that looks better than the new Focus but is cheaper than the Fusion get more buyers from this demographic? Wonder how mazda 3s sell in this market segment…
October 18th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
Christ, what an ugly car. Unbelievable
October 18th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
Aghghg I can’t find one of these within a 100 miles to even look at let alone test drive. I guess the dealers around me know they can’t sell this crap so they aren’t even ordering a single model. The local Ford dealer only sells used cars and a handful of new trucks and SUV’s. I guess that is why I rarely see any Fusions or Flex’s driving around, and I only see Mercury’s from the TV.
October 18th, 2007 at 5:43 pm
If $40/mo is going to put someone over the edge then the buyer shouldn’t even be considering the purchase. Go used and probably get a better car. Other than that a base Mazda3 with Air is just over $15K.
October 18th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Minimum for a base Focus on Ford’s website would be 14850 for me. That’s an S coupe with ABS, rubber floor mats and Sirius. 15150 for the sedan
Mazda3 is 16313
October 18th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
bleach- $40 a month is a telephone or TV bill. It’s a lot
Sometimes used isn’t possible because banks won’t give someone money for a used car but will for new. Even if the new car cost $5000 more.
October 18th, 2007 at 5:51 pm
Our 1st 08 Focus sold in 2 days. It was a black SES sedan with all the options and stickered for a over $20k. She traded an 05 Focus.
Our 1st Edge lasted longer than that……
October 18th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
I would just like to point out that buying a brand new car so you can “drive it into the ground” seems like an even sillier idea. Why would anyone want to do that? Why not buy a slightly used one and save a bundle on depreciation? After a few years of driving it into the ground, I don’t think it’s going to make much difference either way.
Then again, the whole idea of buying a new car is ridiculous from a financial perspective, no matter how you slice it. You want a new car? Lease it. You can’t afford a new car every 3 years? Don’t buy one to start with and just stick to used. I guess it’s just another one of those incomprehensible things that Americans/Canadians do.
October 18th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
dwford: You guys got over $20K for a Focus? Wow, Barnue was correct. Just curious, how much did you give the customer for the ‘05 Focus trade in?
October 18th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Davey49, I hear you on what $40 can buy. I’m just saying if a $15K purchase makes things tight, then I’d rather make a $7K purchase and have the wiggle room. It might be at a higher interest rate but the overall payment will be easier to digest.
Back to the Focus, I just caught that it doesn’t have a spare. Recently, I hit a pothole that tore a hole in my tire. No way an air pump would help with that. Does the Focus come with road side assistance?
October 18th, 2007 at 8:59 pm
“One hopes (prays?) that Mulally reads the reasons for the 5-star ratings in the recent TTAC review of the MINI to absorb an inkling of what the world seeks in a small car.”
Or not. The Mini is a niche player and has has no relevance to what people want in a mainstream compact. As startling as it may be, the general public doesn’t want a hoon car. Even the Mazda 3 trails the big dogs.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
Does anyone over in Dearborn read these comments? Or the thousands of comments I’ve read before about bringing over Ford’s European models? Are they taking any action?
I’m sorry, I just don’t buy that the European models are too expensive to sell in the USA. Honda, Mazda, Nissan, VW and now Saturn are offering those mighty expensive Euro models here. Why can’t Ford? Those companies found ways to “certify” their models in the USA. Why can’t Ford? Oh wait - Ford already did, with Focus Mk1. Despite some reliability issues, I believe the 1st gen Focus was successful for the company.
In fact, I had a 2001 ZX3 which I loved driving when it wasn’t in the shop. Mk2 ST 5-door would have definitely been on my new car shopping list, which included GTI 5-door and Civic Si sedan.
A common theme I read about on some car sites is “support American products.” I really want to, but the so-called American auto manufacturers won’t bloody let me! Could any Ford exec really tell me with a straight face that the “new” Focus is a competitor to VW & Honda? Or should I just lower my expectation and accept the American-branded offering?
Maybe I should move to Mexico or China or Russia or Serbia where Ford seems to find a business case for selling Mk2 Focuses - places where people can afford such an expensive automobile.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:11 pm
Oh, btw, this is the conversation i’d imagine went down in dearborn when it was time to redesign the previous focus:
Typical Ford exec: “Ok guys, we’ve been milking Focus for the past 5 years – maybe it’s time to redesign and stuff. I think it’s business as usual – just refresh the exterior panels and throw in a new cheaper interior, like we did with Expedition and Escape…”
Smart Ford employee: “But sir, the new Euro Focus II is about to launch, and it looks to be a great improvement on the current model – great styling and even better handling and powertrain. We can even bring the diesels over, and…”
Typical Ford exec: “Shut up, idiot – this is ‘Merica, and we don’t need those little shitbox stinkers. In fact, let’s get rid of those weird-looking hatchbacks and that wagon. I don’t know anyone in Michigan who wants one of those anyway. My Lincoln TownHouse xXL would flattenone of these tin cans!”
Smart Ford employee: “But there’s more to this country than Michigan, and the sales numbers show that the hatchbacks are actually popular on the East Coast…”
Typical Ford exec: “Shut yer yapper and start decontenting the Focus! You’re distracting me from sitting idly for 10 hours in my big cushy office so I can rack up enough overtime to afford my Bloomfield Hills mortgage and my cottage up north and my new boat.”
October 18th, 2007 at 9:11 pm
“Then again, the whole idea of buying a new car is ridiculous from a financial perspective, no matter how you slice it. You want a new car? Lease it.”
Please explain. Doesn’t the bank have to make some money off of it? I’d like to have a new car just so I know that the previous owner hasn’t dicked around with it in some way. And with a manual transmission, it’s nice to know that someone hasn’t been torching the synchros.
edit: Just realized that with leasing you have to buy full coverage insurance, which automatically makes it a much much worse deal for me.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
I don’t know how or why, but the front view makes it look like a totally different car and I don’t even recognize it as being a Focus. The side view makes it look like a Honda Civic.
If that dash was hollow, I could fit inside it. I’ve never been a fan of huge dashes. The top of the dash in a `98 VW “New” Beetle is the size of a dinner table.
Less is more.
Stock dash: http://www.thedodgegarage.com/reliant/reliant_16.jpg
No dash: http://www.thedodgegarage.com/reliant/reliant_44.jpg
See that flat expanse of metal on the no dash pic? That could be the extent of the dash. This dash is literally the same concept:
http://www.factoryfive.com/roadster/photo/jesper/G1.jpg
How much money does the entire dash assembly in the Focus cost? Make something like the above and reduce the price of the car by thousands. It’s more challenging to make something less be something more. That monster dash is comparatively easy. That Focus dash might look better if it was black or shades of black instead of that flashy silver. Makes it look like a boom box in a retail store’s electronics section.
And the heck with those integrated, proprietary radio’s. Stick an industry standard DIN slot in it and choose any off the shelf head unit you want and stick it in. Don’t futz with the form factor. Keep it all industry standard.
“On the positive side, the Focus’ steering rack is a delight, with perfect weighting, a well-judged turning ratio and more-than-merely adequate road feel.”
It’s stuff like that that leads me to believe some people in the auto industry are really good at their jobs. I’ve driven various cars in the past that each had something particularly good about them.
Hey Ford. In 2009, instead of selling this model again as it is, why not a quick and dirty rear wheel drive conversion? Take some existing engine/trans setup and shoe horn it in?
A high performance Focus would be interesting. A hybrid Focus would be interesting. An all electric Focus that rivaled the Tesla Roadster in range and performance would be interesting! Anything other then this average setup it currently offers. This car will never be number one with mid range mpg and nothing to brag about performance. No reason to buy this car. Price, performance, economy. It’s nothing.
If you want to OWN the car market: Two models of every single vehicle. Outright performance that will annihilate all the competition. The other model will annihilate them on mileage.
A Focus model that gets better fuel mileage then any Honda or Toyota. A Focus model that will dust most performance cars. One is either an optimized 4 cylinder or hybrid. The other is turbo charged.
How about two different suspension offerings? Soft or firm?
October 19th, 2007 at 12:44 am
Sounds like the real winning items on the Focus have been lost, while what needed updating did (interior) and didn’t (exterior) get done.
The old Focus was getting long in the tooth, but even just a couple years ago, it was still a very solid litle car. The suspension was done right, the steering has ALWAYS been one of my favorites, it is superb, and you could get a choice of engines. If you didn’t care, there was small and puny. If you wanted something a bit gruntier and more competitive, you could get that too.
And the SVT has got to be one of the best bang-for-the-buck little “hot hatches” of all time. A cousin bought one in 2004 I believe. Superb automobile. Another relative had a RSX Type S, and being a bit biased, I figured the Acura would be the far better car. Bzzzzt. After a couple days in that Focus I would have taken it in a second over the Acura. Sure the engine wasn’t as much fun, but it was very peppy and good in-town grunt. But the handling is what sold me. It was tossable, firm but ultra compliant (Acura is stiff), it didn’t get upset in mid-corner bumps (Acura back end likes to hop), and the steering was to-die-for, including the fat little steering wheel. Add to it it had a back seat real people could fit in, and a bigger hatch, and an amazing stereo and I was completely sold. Its too bad it didn’t sell, because even today I think that SVT focus would be highly competitive with the GTI/Si/Mazdaspeed3.
Now it looks like junk, gets an improved interior (ok, that is nice), but has a low power engine, softer suspension, and went from a cheeky, kinda fun econobox to a penalty box. Maybe i don’t know the market (I’m amazed how many people want soft and comfortable over a bit of firm and zip), but everything I actually respected about the focus (including the hatch) is gone. Sounds like even the superb steering was dumbed down.
Maybe I could get over it, or give it a try, just for fun. But the problem is the car is so damn ugly nobody is even going to get to the test-drive portion.
Its truly a shame. They had a winner (at one time top pick from CR) that just needed a little tweaking and a refresh/redesign. Instead they went backwards.
For some reason it kinda saddens me.
October 19th, 2007 at 12:49 am
Regarding the Escape interior…
I find it a HUGE increase over the old one. If the Focus can be the same, I don’t have a problem with it.
And since when did Bloomfield Hills replace the Grosse Pointes as the place for Ford execs to have their mortgage? :p
October 19th, 2007 at 2:10 am
what a shame, that ford could afford to use the previous generation focus to concoct the new one. imagine a new Focus, that already has zero NA engineering in platform, because it is mazda3 based, is even more a beancounter, because keeps the old outfit. just a notch reskinned.If ford bossses thought they really could sell this car well against the same mazda 3, i imagine what kind of quality demnads Americans have? I believe you could sell any garbage in North America, for the audience, that represents quality - oriented americans, stressing americans, is aging, anf shrinking. right , why wouldn`t you sell a Focus, say, to Burito ? Immigration decreases the quality demnads for everything, thus causing subpar manufacturing to prevail. and that bang for the buck manufacturing kills american industry, for they can`t compete at home, not even mentioning Europe or Japan. yeah, try selling this focus in Japan.
October 19th, 2007 at 6:42 am
I owned two Fords in the late 90’s and early nougties.
Both Fords broke down with exactly the same problem - a failed engine management system, where the revs suddenly increased while the car limped along.
I should add that both these Fords were European - a Fiesta 1.25 and a Focus MK1.
After two years, the Fiesta was knackered, if you understand the English expression and I was told that my mileage was high - 25,000!!!!
The Focus had numerous quality problems, the most worrying was the fact that a bolt was missing from the steering column. It wasn’t on the floor of the car, it was missing - indicating it had never been included in the first place.
I bought the Fords - the first new cars I ever had, due to their dynamic qualities, and for that I was very happy, though the Focus was underpowered - it was a 1.4!!
My reason for moving from Ford was the variable dealer quality, the scrappy detail finish and subsequent reliability problems.
Quality is so important with a car and I think your recent interview was fascinating.
My Focus had an incredible quality issue much later in my ownership. Once I drove to Derry one evening, after getting out of the car I noticed a tar-like substance on my fingers. It was only the next day I realised that the leather steering cover had worn away. Shocked, I later visited a large Dublin dealer and was told this wasn’t an unusual event and I would have a new wheel!! By the way, the car was only 16 months old.
Personally, I think Ford doesn’t take quality seriously and it never will - I see the same problems appear in the new Mondeo. Maybe they take that the sheep will still buy them regardless.
Keep up the good work.
PS - The uninvited contributions by that other person shows that Ford clearly subscribes to the ‘Big Brother’ mentality of corporate communications.
October 19th, 2007 at 8:42 am
In reading this review and looking at the photos, I have one burning question: Would someone please explain this styling trend (and I use the term “styling” loosely) of placing a fake vent between the front wheel and front door of almost EVERY new vehicle design that has come out in the past year or so?
Not only does it break up what could otherwise be clean, uncluttered lines, it looks like something from Pep Boys has been slapped onto the vehicle. Oh, and I’m sure that Pep Boys, J.C. Whitney and others will soon be selling these as an aftermarket “accessory,” if they’re not already.
They remind me of opera windows (and their progeny, the opera lamp) in the 1970’s. And don’t get me started on fake cabriolet roof coverings…
October 19th, 2007 at 9:07 am
Jalopnik’s price as tested was nearly $20k. They reported base as over $16k.
Not sure why everyone keeps trumpeting the “sub-$15k” thing here…for that price, I’d take a VW Rabbit. Or if I weren’t mechanically inclined, a used Civic.
October 19th, 2007 at 9:26 am
BuzzDog:
Not only does it break up what could otherwise be clean, uncluttered lines, it looks like something from Pep Boys has been slapped onto the vehicle. Oh, and I’m sure that Pep Boys, J.C. Whitney and others will soon be selling these as an aftermarket “accessory,” if they’re not already.
They already do. I’ve seen several Chrysler 300s with “ventiports” like those on the Lucerne stuck in their front fenders, and a few other cars with fake vents of different styles in various locations.
October 19th, 2007 at 9:29 am
Isn’t everyone being just a little harsh??? I mean they don’t exactly have the biggest engineering budget after losing $12+B last year. Maybe when they make some money they will be able to put out a decent small car offering in the U.S.
October 19th, 2007 at 9:41 am
I think most people forget that Ford is a majority stock holder of Mazda and more importantly thinks of them as an extension of Ford. This means they try to arrange vehicles between the two companies to meet all needs at each price range. You have $14-15K, here’s a Focus. You have $16-17K, here’s a Mazda 3. You have $18K-20K, here’s a Fusion. You have $21-23K, here’s a Mazda 6 (if you like sporty) or Mercury Milan (if you’re a female or metrosexual male). Obviously with certain optional equipment there is overlap, but you get the point. If you love the Euro Focus then get the Mazda 3. Ford probably makes more money off the return on the investement in Mazda selling Mazda 3’s then it would selling the Euro Focus here in US.
The people that run the Domestic 2.8 are not the morons they are made out to be on this site. Most are ivy league b-school grads that have ivy league engineers and marketing folk working beneath them. Isn’t it possible that the problems facing the big 2.8 might be a little more complex than you think? Isn’t it possible that those companies that are prospering vs those that are not could be partly attributed to luck? Plans for vehicles are made 5-6 years in advance…..hell once you know what you’re going to make it still takes 2-3 years to get that to market. Unless someone has a crystal ball in the board room, all success depends a little on luck. Certain aspects of the business are under complete control such as costs and quality…..but which product will be hot is not one of them.
October 19th, 2007 at 10:21 am
I don’t buy Ford’s argument that it would cost more to bring the latest Euro design to the US. Wasn’t the whole point of the big “Ford 2000″ push way back when to design “World Cars” with “one team”? What the **** happened?
There is no way it is cheaper to redesign the old platform for the US than it would have been to simply make the new platform salable worldwide. I also don’t believe the Ford Europe was allowed to raise the manufacturing cost of their Focus by $1-2k per vehicle with a redesign. What kind of a modern automotive company raises the cost of production with each new generation of vehicle? Honda and Toyota surely don’t do so, and Toyota at least is suffering some quality problems as a result of it’s relentless cost reductions.
I will bet my last dollar that the real reason for the US-only Out-Of-Focus is that the US small car fiefdom was allowed to have it’s way against the best interests of both the company and it’s customers. This kind of screwed up internal political culture is what also turned Motorola from an electronics industry powerhouse into an also-ran.
Ford’s next advertising campaign should follow the trend of using classic rock songs as the hook. The Who’s Won’t Get Fooled Again with a special focus on the line “Meet the new boss, Same as the old boss” would be perfect.
Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
Too bad this board doesn’t provide for embedded audio.
October 19th, 2007 at 10:46 am
This bun-time I went for a run in a new Euro Focus ST. Katie’s comments about them being cheaply made are certainly true, we are talking lots of chrome coloured plastic and quite a few niggly bits.
But hats off to Euro ford, the fast ones are nice places to sit just like they used to be until about 1988 (Cosworth ‘Scrote excepted).
It was fast, very very fast. It stuck to the road like glue and even without traction control (available with the £2k extra ST2) it doesn’t slip and slide its way up the road despite being FWD.
This is a bit of a revelation really.
Car magazine once put a new Fiesta RS Turbo on its cover with the headline “Another duff fast ford” in the early 90s and, Cosworth excepted, that was true for the whole range.
The MK5 Scrote RS2000 was poor, the XR3i a joke and the Si just another model. The Focus RS started this revival and it seems that Ford have got the bug again.
It also means I might save the budget I was going to spend on an old 1979 MK2 RS2000 “fun-day” car and trade my VRs for an ST2.
If you hear a “weeeeeeeeeee” from the east, that will be me.
As for this american
October 19th, 2007 at 10:48 am
Wasn’t the whole point of the big “Ford 2000″ push way back when to design “World Cars” with “one team”? What the **** happened?
That’s what I’d like to know. They also spent a lot of money in IT supply chain infrastructure and I *thought* it would translate into a stronger push for even more Contour/Mondeo, Cougar/Cougar and Focus/Focus connections between Dearborn and Ford Europe.
I was under the delus