There is no doubt that the Focus holds a key position in the Ford Motor Company vehicle line-up. Its affordable price and exceptional performance in its class have won wide recognition. For 2008, Ford has redesigned the car throughout; unfortunately, the hatchback version is no longer available.
The new Focus has a bold look and shares design cues with its Fusion and Taurus siblings. The horizontal metal bar grill is Ford's current distinguishing design element.
At 391 L, the cargo carrying capacity is impressive for a sedan. The large side mirrors are great for keeping track of the surroundings.
The Focus is available in 3 trim levels: S, SE, and SES. The MSRP for the base model SES is $191999.
The Interior
The cabin is very spacious, and the front bucket seats provide good support for the driver and front passenger. The 60/40 split folding seat can accommodate up to three passengers in the back. The test vehicle was also equipped with the optional power moonroof.
The centre console shows info such as the current radio station and the clock. Two sets of similarly arranged buttons and knobs control the audio system and climate control system respectively. Air conditioning and Sirius satellite radio receiver are both standard features.
At the base of the console are two 12V DC outlets for a wide variety of in-car appliances. Between the two outlets is an auxiliary audio input jack for connecting an MP3 player. An optional USB port is also available.
Think Sync
Ford Sync is a software system co-developed with Microsoft, exclusively for Ford and Lincoln vehicles. In a nutshell, Sync links the car audio system with cell phones through Bluetooth, and with digital music players through USB. Voice commands can be used to control the phone and the music players for complete hands-free communication. Press a button on the steering wheel to put the vehicle in listening mode, and just say the command. The voice recognition is sophisticated enough that you can tell it to play all songs by a certain artist or in a certain genre in the USB-connected player.
Following the instructions, pairing the Sync system to my Sony Ericsson W300i cell phone through Bluetooth was very simple. I tried receiving phone calls through the Sync system, and it worked very well. When you turn off the engine and open the door, the cell phone is automatically disconnected.
Sync is a powerful convenience feature, and Ford has made it a standard feature on the SES model. It is also available as a $495 option on the SE.
On the Road
The 2008 Focus is equipped with a 2.0L I-4 engine that can produce 136 lb-ft torque and 140 hp at peak. It's not going to win sprint races, but it is adequate to haul the vehicle from a complete stop to 60 km/h in a quiet and relaxed manner.
The test vehicle was equipped with the optional 4-speed automatic transmission. Step lightly on the gas pedal, it shifts up to second then to third gear at 2,500 RPM. Reaching 60 km/h as it shifts into third, the engine drops down to 2,000 RPM. Ease off on the gas pedal, it would further shift into overdrive to reduce fuel consumption and the engine runs at an easy 1,500 RPM. Because of this tendency to cruise in overdrive, you may find it lacking when you try to accelerate gently. Step down on the gas, however, the transmission knows to downshift and you get a lot more power to the wheels.
On the highway, the engine runs around 2,000 RPM while cruising at 100 km/h. The fuel consumption is rated at 8.5 L/100 km on city roads and 5.7 L/100 km on the highway. During the testing period, with mostly city driving and a bit of highway driving, the onboard computer calculated my fuel consumption to be about 8 L/100 km.
In the handling department, I think the suspension is the most exceptional aspect of this car—MacPherson struts in the front and independent multilink in the back. A front anti-roll bar is standard on all models, while the SES also comes with a rear anti-roll bar. The springs have been tuned to provide good support in tight turns but at the same time dampen the unpleasant bumps on the road to give a well-supported ride.
Safety Features
The 2008 Focus is equipped with two dual-stage front airbags, two front-seat side airbags, and two front-to-back side-curtain airbags to ensure passenger safety. Stopping power is provided by disc brakes in the front and drum brakes in the back. ABS is standard on SES models and optional on SE and S models. There is also an electronic tire pressure monitoring system to ensure the tires are properly inflated.
Final Thoughts
The 2008 Focus is a very civilized car that has enough power to meet day-to-day city driving needs. The price tag puts it in direct competition with the likes of the Corolla and the Civic. Considering the number of features and its handling, it provides good value for your buck.
It would be nice to see a lightweight hatchback version of the new Focus. I imagine it would be a lot of fun driving a manual-transmission 3-door Focus based on the current platform.
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