MSRP $17,270
One of the giant holes in Ford’s resume has been its near-insurmountable inability to make a great small car. It has made plenty of popular small cars, and the Focus was a very good car, but greatness has eluded them so far. For 2012, though, Ford has overhauled and redesigned the Focus. Have they finally made a great small car?
The 2012 Ford Focus SE has a 2.0 liter, inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 160 horsepower. It has front-wheel drive, a manual 5-speed transmission, and 16-inch steel wheels. The Focus SE is rated at 28 mpg in the city, but a world-class 38 on the highway.
The high-mileage segment of the market has been dominated by the turn toward “green” hybrid cars, but Ford is demonstrating with the Focus that it is possible to get up to 40 mpg with a conventional engine. With the SE, Ford offers a Super Fuel Economy package that allows the Focus to join the “40 mpg club” on the highway
The Focus SE comes with a tilt-telescope steering wheel, a height-adjustable driver seat, full power accessories, and a trip computer. The audio system has 4 speakers, AM/FM radio, a CD/MP3 player, and an audio jack.
The Focus has anti-lock brakes, stability and traction controls, side front airbags, and side-curtain airbags. It also has the Ford MyKey system, which allows you to place limits on how fast other drivers, such as teenagers, can drive the car and how high they can turn up the stereo. The Ford Sync system with emergency notification is optional.
Conclusions and driver feedback:
The Focus is definitely a different car this year. The exterior tweaks, such as a rear spoiler and aerodynamic redesign, combine with a reworked suspension to give the Focus a ride that has been described as “European.” The steering is very responsive, and there is almost no body roll. Somehow, it pulls off the European trick of handling like a sport car without the stiff ride. The engine, though it gets great mileage, still has enough punch to accelerate the Focus nicely. On top of this, the Focus manages to ride quietly.
As good as the mechanical tweaks are, the interior improvement may be even better. The cabin is now made of high-quality, soft materials that make you wonder if Mercedes engineers are “moonlighting” in Detroit. The design is very attractive, too. The seating is almost roomy in the front and adequate in the back. While the Focus won’t win awards for cargo space, there is still enough for a small car.
Ultimately, though, the positives far outweigh the negatives.
The verdict: this might be the best small car on the market
