Vehicle: 2012 Ford Focus SE sedan with Powershift and SE Winter Pkg
Price as tested: CDN$22063
Exactly how great is the new Focus? It had been finalists for both our Directshift and North American Car of the Year.
One of the reasons why its so significant, is because we have been getting cheapened revised Focus across the pond, until Ford’s latest “one Ford” strategy takes place with the helm of Alan Mulalley.
Over the years, we had been getting the watered-down version of the Ford Focus. While the rest of the world had been getting the European Focus since 1998, our shore had to deal with the cheapened version of the original car. For 2012, we are getting the real deal. Alan Mulalley’s “one Ford” strategy has been working like charm. Both the Fiesta and Focus are smash hit in the subcompact and compact class. The incoming Kuga-derived Escape and Mondeo-derived Fusion will certainly be a grand slam duck hit in the marketplace.
Ford haven’t changed a single bit of what makes new Focus such a smashing hit around the globe. In fact, all the merits of what makes European Ford so special remains intact across the shore. Talking about European Ford, the first thing that comes to mind is the chassis dynamics. Although our sedan tester feels significantly softer than its hatchback counterparts, it continunes to shine through the black top twisties. The utilization of Torque Vectoring ensuring the inside wheel pushes the outside wheel into a corner, which eliminates unwanted understeer, is a welcome technical bit. A technological engineering tour-de-force which we usually seen in much more expensive AWD sports sedan. Ride quality continues to be impressive. The controlled handling and balanced ride quality are what make European Ford so appealing. Even in the softened Focus sedan, we continue to smitten by its appealing dynamic qualities. Steering feel and feedback are exceptional.
Inside, all the materials used are top-notch while workmanship are first-rate. The cloth seats in our SE tester are well-foamed and very well put together. While some of the controls feel a bit too complex at first glance, it tends to get used to over a short period of time.
We were impressed with Focus combined with manual gearbox. However, the Powershift which is an automated manual isn’t so. Ford engineers need to get the whole software refined. The reason is because it lacks the smoothness and crispness of many of its rival carmaker’s automated manual. Otherwise, its 160hp and 146 lb/ft of torque 2.0 liter motor continues to be a smooth operator.
Uninstrusive trunk hinges and low trunk liftover pretty much wrap up the Focus sedan. It is a world-class compact which is able to put smiles on every driver’s face without breaking the piggy bank. The handling is sweet and delicate, it rides like a much more expensive luxury car. And even in the somewhat basic trim level, Ford provides a reasonable array of standard features for the money.
The European Focus is definitely worthy of the wait. Ford better not tease us with the ST so long.
World class….all the way.
Likes:
Overall execution
Handling and ride compromise
Engine performance
Build quality
Dislikes:
Overcomplex center stark
Automated manual needs more refinement
Significantly softer handling of the sedan vs hatchback
Competitions:
Chevrolet Cruze
Mazda3
Hyundai Elantra
Kia Forte
Honda Civic
Toyota Corolla
VW Jetta