2012 Ford Focus SEL 5 Door Hatchback Review

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At last, Ford lets us have the good stuff! For a decade or so, we've been hearing how the American Ford Focus compared unfavorably if at all to the European model...and with each update, we've been hoping to get what they've had for so long.

Well, the 2012 Focus is here and now we can see what the shouting was all about. Not only is it a night-and-day difference from the previous U.S. Focus, it's also a completely different approach to small cars from its chief rival, the new Chevrolet Cruze (review coming soon here).

The Focus rides, drives and handles like a German car that just happens to have the blue Ford oval attached to the front and back. The combination of the 2-liter four-cylinder engine and six-speed automatic transmission gives it strong acceleration and very good fuel economy (28 city/38 highway is the EPA estimate and our weeklong experience of mixed city street and freeway driving suggests that's realistic).

Ford has done some of its best work with the Focus interior...contemporary and techno without being overwrought like the Honda Civic (another direct competitor). The seats are comfortable for hours at a time, controls are well-placed an fall easily to hand. And, unlike the Fiesta, the back seat has adequate room for people just a shade under six feet tall.

The SEL 5-Door Hatchback is well equipped, with 16-inch alloy wheels, halogen headlamps, fog lamps, a rear spoiler, an AM/FM/CD/mp3 audio system, ambient lighting, power windows and locks, a leather wrapped steering wheel with audio and cruise controls, climate control, illuminated entry, AdvanceTrac with electronic stability control, SYNC, 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS, a rear wiper/washer, power locks, keyless entry and tire pressure monitoring system standard at $21,065. As with the Fiesta, it's pricey for the class size historically, but both Ford and Chevy appear to be moving into the premium compact segment that the VW Jetta has abandoned this year (review coming soon on that, too).

Our tester added Rapid Spec package 301A (MyFord Touch audio/nav system with an upgraded Sony stereo, HD radio, Sirius and 10 speakers)for $995 and Red Candy Metallic Tinted paint for $395. Total price with destination charges: $23,180. Again, more than you'd pay for a Civic or Corolla, but reasonable Jetta money when Jettas were premium German compacts.  And, based on precision and driving pleasure, I'm willing to say the Focus is what the Jetta was...and maybe even more.

My only concern is quality control. While everything seems top-notch, our tester had a trim piece above the passenger front door window that kept coming loose and hanging down and once, the MyFord Touch system froze up completely and would do absolutely nothing...not even pushing the "off" button made a difference...until it decided it was time to re-boot itself...a total of 9 minutes. Could just be the one we had. But if Ford's going to convince Americans to pay $23K (and more...there's a "Titanium" level above the SEL) for a compact car, quality had better be job one.

Post Title → 2012 Ford Focus SEL 5 Door Hatchback Review

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Ford To Debut Electric Focus at Consumer Electronics Show?

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The 2011 North American International Auto Show starts in Detroit next week...but the buzz in the blogosphere is that Ford will unveil its electric Focus EV at this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.


Full story from Automotive News (free registration required).

Post Title → Ford To Debut Electric Focus at Consumer Electronics Show?

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Mercury Dies So That Lincoln May Live

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We pretty much did our post-mortem of Mercury five days early...running down the cause(s) of the impending death.

So what happens now? Well, Ford says they're going to devote their energies into revitalizing their Lincoln brand.

On paper, this makes a bunch of sense. The successful model for car sales is one mainstream brand, one luxury (think Toyota/Lexus)...with no definable space for a "middle" brand (GM is bucking that wisdom by keeping Buick).

But where exactly is Ford taking Lincoln? Part of the problem is that for all the talk of how Mercury was done in by being nothing more than some re-badged Fords, it's hard to say Lincoln's in much better shape (the MKZ is a Fusion, the MKX an Edge, the MKS a last-gen Taurus and the MKT a Flex...though those last two are pretty well disguised).

Unique products? Well, there's the Town Car...but that's a dinosaur headed to extinction with no plans for a replacement. Oh, yeah...and they still sell the Navigator. Just not many of them.

Ford says a small car (based on the next Focus) that was supposed to be a Mercury will now be a Lincoln.

Depends on how they do that...but it sounds a little down-market for where Lincoln needs to be.

The TireKicker take? Lincoln needs to take serious aim at Cadillac. They need one car at least as good as the CTS. A CTS-V competitor would have to follow. And, you may have noticed, the CTS is not a re-badged Chevrolet. They need a larger sedan to do battle with the DTS/STS replacement that's coming. They need a crossover to compete with the SRX.  And, if there's a market for a premium sedan below the CTS in the U.S., Lincoln needs to play there, too.

Until and unless the Ford Expedition becomes as good as or better than the Chevy Suburban, Lincoln doesn't need to go chasing the Escalade (especially not the pickup version).

All this means engines, materials, and enthusiasm well beyond what we've seen from Lincoln before...plus a promotion budget to get the message across to buyers (it's been 10 years since Cadillac claimed "Breakthrough" with Led Zeppelin and they're just starting to see the results). And that's going to be way more than combining the money devoted to Lincoln now with what they would have spent on Mercury.

The situation calls for a world-class luxury brand. And until and unless Ford gets that, Lincoln's in danger of being a more expensive Mercury.

Post Title → Mercury Dies So That Lincoln May Live

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First Drive: 2011 Ford Fiesta SEL Sedan

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Hype is a dangerous thing in the car business. Too much advance buildup can result in a big letdown when the real car finally shows up. And the Ford Fiesta has certainly had a big advance campaign...nearly a year of special events allowing access and even seat time...none of which yours truly was able to attend.

Well, Ford has put the real deal in my care for a week...and after 24 hours and 100 miles, I'm ready to say this much: They have not over-promised.

The Fiesta is a revelation...a glimpse into how good our friends in Europe have it when it comes to small cars that aren't penalty boxes. Not only is this more than a worthy competitor for the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit and Nissan Versa, I don't see how Ford is going to sell a single Focus from now until they bring us the European version of that model.

                   

Roomy, decent power, great gas mileage (thanks to a six-speed automatic)...and a huge trunk for its class.

Admittedly, Ford sent a loaded version of its top trim level. Being a pre-production car, the window sticker is blank where the prices go, but building one out to these specs on Ford's website produces an as-equipped price north of $19,000....and that's pricey for this class. I'll be very interested in driving lower-spec five-doors.

Meantime, six days and untold miles to go...followed by a full review right here.

Post Title → First Drive: 2011 Ford Fiesta SEL Sedan

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Ford And Microsoft Are Hohm-ies

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The car above is the Ford Focus Electric. Ford and Microsoft say it will be the first of many vehicles to use Microsoft's new technology, Hohm.

The news release begins thus:

Imagine a future where your garage is smart enough to tell your car when the least expensive time is to charge your plug-in electric vehicle. Where, based on settings that you can adjust from a laptop or smartphone, you could optimize the energy efficiency of your home appliances, lights, air conditioning or heating and, maybe most importantly, your car.

If that's intriguing to you, you can read the entire news release here.

If it's slightly troubling, you can read what Bob Lutz said this morning here.

Post Title → Ford And Microsoft Are Hohm-ies

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Electric Ford Focus Coming In 2011

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Who killed the electric car? Well, it wasn't GM.

In fact, no one killed it. The EV-1 was born with congenital defects (severely limited range, expensive batteries) and couldn't have survived.

11 years later, technology has changed and Ford believes it can succeed where GM couldn't back in the 90s. It made the announcement Monday at the North American International Auto Show that the all-new Ford Focus will have an all-electric version beginning in 2011.

Will this get Ford the kind of eco-love usually showered upon Toyota and Honda? Time will tell.

Post Title → Electric Ford Focus Coming In 2011

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Ford Focus SES Coupe Review

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I began my automotive journalism career 12 years ago this fall by testing a small Ford coupe that impressed me more than I expected. So it's kind of appropriate that this, the 150th TireKicker post (first anniversary is August 24), is also about a small Ford coupe that impressed me more than I expected.

The Ford Focus has been a bit of a disappointment simply because there's a better one being sold in Europe. But there are two bits of good news: We'll be getting the Euro Focus (or something very close to it) in a year or two...and the American version is being constantly improved and refined in the meantime.

The SES I drove had a 2 liter DOHC four, a 5-speed manual that's one of the best I've had from Ford and 17 inch wheels.



Inside, air, SYNC, and auxilary audio jacks are all standard.

Options on the tester included leather heated bucket seats, a moonroof and an upgrade to the audiophile sound system...as well as anti-lock brakes (which really, really should be standard).

Base price: $17.570. As tested: $20.615.

EPA estimates: 24 city/35 highway.

Now in that range, there's a lot of competition (it takes 26 city to make the TireKicker Top Ten Fuel Savers...and a lot of compacts are priced in that $17,000-$20,000 range), but the Focus is now good enough that it's able to run in that crowded pack.

Post Title → Ford Focus SES Coupe Review

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Ford Focus Coupe Review

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Just in time for rising gas prices (and tightening consumer credit), Ford has freshened the Focus Coupe.

This is a great time to have a competitive product for under $20,000 (under $18,000 is even better)...and the Focus, decently equipped, can slot in around $17,000. For that, you get a roomy (by subcompact standards) coupe with better-than-decent performance and very good fuel economy. We'd pass on the trick lighting that can make the footwells and the cupholders light up in seven different colors...but we'd definitely keep the SYNC audio system that allows you to hook up your iPod or other digital music device and then control it by voice.

We're still not getting the truly great stuff...the European Focus...but the U.S. version is way better than a lot of reviews from journalists ticked because we don't have the Euro-spec version yet would have you believe.

Post Title → Ford Focus Coupe Review

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