Posts tagged subcompact

Plugging away in the subcompact market since the turn of the millennium, Ford’s Focus has been criticized for failing to change with the times. It’s always been a stellar performer and a good all-round driver, but Ford’s only made detail changes to the Focus over the years and as a result, it’s been feeling a little old. For 2008, an all-new body and interior address this issue, and the Focus finally has a new face.

Just as significant, the Focus also sports the all-new Sync system as optional equipment. This information and entertainment system is designed to make connecting a cell phone or MP3 player to the Focus easier than ever before, and the fact that Ford’s introducing it in an entry-level car rather than limiting it to top-of-the-line vehicles is a cool thing indeed.

The success of the redesign depends on who you ask. The two-blade razor front end and front fender trim are undeniably modern, it’s true, and the details like the matte trim running through the headlamps are cool. Its face starts out impressive, but the rear aspect is curiously afterthought-ish, with a wall of painted sheet metal and a pair of tiny white-trimmed taillights to greet the folks behind. The Focus’ traditionally high-roofed look has been subdued as well, with a lower, more rakish profile. The replacement of the three-door hatch with a two-door coupe is also evidence that the Focus is trying to appeal to a more upscale crowd. I can’t help thinking, looking at the design, that Honda’s Civic has already plumbed this territory, particularly in its previous incarnation. The Focus comes in two- and four-door trunkback models. The three- and five-door hatchback models are gone, as is the wagon.

The interior makeover is much more successful. The Focus has lost its controversial, inefficient triangular interior in favor of a more mainstream, somewhat less inefficient interior. A cavernous center console is deep enough to swallow drink bottles whole, and the dash gets a satiny silver show-car treatment that’s both modern and elegant. It doesn’t look like an economy car, that’s for sure, with available sporty white-faced gauges and a dash-top driver information center. On the options list is interior mood lighting a la Scion, that allows the Focus’ footwells and cup holders to be lit up in a variety of colors at night. The seats are comfortable, though the Focus feels a touch snug on the inside. Side airbags are standard equipment; heated seats, Sirius satellite radio and leather are options.

The biggest news is of course the Microsoft-developed Sync infotainment integration system. Sync takes Bluetooth and personal-music connectivity to heights previously unheard of, especially in the low-end compact market. An in-dash USB connector allows a multitude of MP3 players to be connected to the Focus’ audio system, and Sync is pre-programmed to be compatible with the iPod, Zune, and most other MP3 players. Once plugged in, your MP3 player’s information is displayed on the in-dash information system, and Sync also allows voice command for the audio and phone. Sync will also pair with Bluetooth phones to transfer calls and phone books into its own memory banks, allowing you to make voice-commanded phone calls. It’ll even read you your text messages. Is this radical new technology easy to use? Well, no. It took reading the manual plus a few days of fumbling to get used to the iPod controls, and my test Focus’ voice-recognition software had a sense of ironic humor. When, after several failed attempts to select a song by calling out the artists name, one of my passengers muttered, “This is dumb,” Sync promptly cued up a band called Numb. That was the only time the voice-commands worked to select music, and the manual controls are complicated and difficult to master, especially while driving. I also tried two different Bluetooth-equipped phones; Sync claimed that neither was compatible. Check for compatibility at www.syncmyride.com before getting too excited about the Sync system. It does work, and it is cool, but it takes some mastering before it’s user-friendly. Perhaps that’s the Microsoft influence?

The Focus’ driving dynamics haven’t changed much, actually. The same 2.0 liter Duratec four-cylinder engine is under the hood, and it’s still just a touch underpowered compared to many of its competitors in spite of a small horsepower bump, to 140. Five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmissions are largely unchanged. While the Focus isn’t slow, it comes across as lackadaisical compared to a Mazda3 or Nissan Sentra.

Part of the problem there is that the Focus’ razor-sharp reflexes call to mind many serious sport compacts, so it’s a surprise to discover that there’s not a 200-horsepower turbocharged powerplant under the hood. That fantastic handling is just what you get in the basic Focus. Currently, there is no hot-rod model, though models equipped with 15″ wheels get a different stabilizer bar setup than 16″ wheel-equipped Foci. The Focus feels more solid than vehicles like the Mitsubishi Lancer or Hyundai Elantra, with a planted, welded-to-the-road feeling that provides a great deal of security in a world of thundering SUVs. The MacPherson front suspension and multi-link rear have been tweaked for 2008 with new spring rates and thicker stabilizer bars as well as new bushings. The brakes are all-new as well, with lighter aluminum calipers and optional anti-locks. Focus handling feels much as it did before–it’s responsive and rewarding, and more fun than it has a right to be when tossed through the twisties. The car is about a hundred pounds lighter than before, which helps the performance as well.

The demise of the hatchback and wagon models is a questionable move. Hopefully it means that Ford’s got a compact crossover in the works, intended to replace its small cargo-haulers. For now, subcompact buyers will have to be happy with the new Focus sedans, and there’s plenty here to celebrate. I don’t care for the forgettable exterior styling or the innovative but user-unfriendly Sync system, but the Focus’ driving dynamics atone for a multitude of automotive sins. The bottom line’s not too painful, either. Focus pricing starts at just over $14,000 for the base model. My Focus SES test car had a base price of $16,695. Outfitted with a raft of optional equipment including Sync, a moonroof, ambient mood lights, heated seats, antilock brakes and traction control, the total came to $19,710.

Specifications:

All specs are for the 2008 Ford Focus SES.

Length: 175.0 in.

Width: 67.9 in.

Height: 58.6 in.

Wheelbase: 102.9 in.

Curb weight: 2617 lb.

Cargo space: 13.8 cu.ft.

Base price: $16,695

Price as tested: $19,710

Engine: 2.0 liter DOHC inline four-cylinder

Drivetrain: four-speed automatic transmission, front-wheel drive

Horsepower: 140 @ 6000

Torque: 136 @ 4250

Fuel capacity: 13.0 gal.

Est. mileage: 24/33