WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor) was surprisingly high for the Focus. Though she felt our three kids were cramped in the back and would have liked some more trunk space, she said the driving experience was lovely and that most things the car did made it feel like an expensive car.
  2014 Ford Focus SE. Click image to enlarge |
The Focus is definitely a great car. It continues to offer class-leading levels of technology and a number of upscale goodies (when you check off the right option boxes), a highly refined ride and outstanding road manners which make it a fun car to drive and great levels of fit and finish.
Where it drops the ball a bit is in terms of utility (the rear seat space is certainly below average and cargo space disappointing for a hatch listed at 674 L), fuel economy that no longer impresses in this class, and some strangeness from the transmission.
In the end, perhaps the biggest knock for me came from the sticker shock when I saw my review car’s invoice. While relatively loaded, 28 grand is still a big number in this category and the competition offers a lot for that kind of coin. Not only that, but you know all those Focus Titaniums you see driving around? They easily crack $30,000 with a couple of options. And you’ve got some fine choices in other showrooms in that price range. Finer choices than the Focus, in my opinion.
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Pricing: 2014 Ford Focus SE
Base price (SE trim): $19,699
Options: $1,600 SE Plus Package; $1,450 6-speed automatic transmission; $1,300 Sony & MyFordTouch package; $350 winter package; $900 Parking technology package; $100 block heater; $800 navigation system; $300 remote start
Freight: $1,565
A/C tax: $100
Price as tested: $28,164
Competitors:
Chevrolet Cruze
Dodge Dart
Kia Forte
Honda Civic
Hyundai Elantra
Mazda3
Nissan Sentra
Subaru Impreza
Toyota Corolla
Volkswagen Jetta
Crash Test Results:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
