I looked at the Mazda 3 and the Focus and even though both cars are fun to drive, the Mazda 3 is a better overall car in terms of reliability, build quality, dealer service and overall performance. Mazda is a dynamic and much better run company than Ford, which isa company on the decline. Ford is lucky to own a majority stake in Mazda and share the engineering.
Ford pioneered the mid-size car segment with the Taurus but was gassed after the Japanese took over that segment. What does Ford try to make a comeback with? The 500? What a joke... Oh did you know there is a new Taurus out? Yeah me neither. I have yet to see one on the road and I think it will be a long time before I do.
In the minivan segment Ford had the illustrious Windstar which holds the distinction (along with early MPV's) as being the worst minivan ever built (even the name is a joke). It too went the way of the dodo bird. To fill that void, Ford thought it would redefine and revolutionize the minivan segment or 'change the game' as depicted in their Gretzky ad's, with a cross-over and absolute bomb in the Freestyle. I find Ford's ad campaign comical because when I think of the equivalent of Wayne Gretzky in automakers, Ford is absolutely the last company that would come to mind. The last bastion of Ford is in it's trucks, the Explorer and F series, but those segments too are under heavily assault by the imports and are bound to lose substantial market share.
The Focus is no different. The Focus was a decent driving car when it first came out, but like with most Ford products the quality is just not up to Japanese standards. The Focus has nearly disappeared into oblivion and this recent iteration will not stop that from happening.
You know a car company is in trouble when you see their ads running night and day on tv and still endorse a drunk driver like Kiefer Sutherland as a spokesman. The bottom line is their cars are not selling. The same can be said for Chrylser, who Daimler dropped like a hot potato after getting burned by it and realizing that Chrysler is a lost cause.
Ford is a company in turmoil and the negativity is pervading the entire organization right down to do it's dealer network.
As for the scrapping of a hatchback or wagon model, the reason is because Americans aren't nearly as practical thinking as Canadians. When Americans want practicality they will just move up to an compact SUV rather than a compact wagon.
Americans also have more disposable income than us overtaxed Canadians. Here is the proof. In Canada, compacts like the Corolla, Civic and Mazda 3 are the best sellers. In the US, mid-size cars like the Camry and Accord are the best sellers. In the US, the compacts are only driven by kids or students. Americans love their big cars. Compacts and wagons are still too small for them.
Like with most American cars, they are ok as in say a C+ or maybe even a B-, but that just doesn't cut it when your competition is racking up A's and A minuses.
Ford like the other Big Two automakers are paying the price for their complacency.
It takes several years to right a failing auto company. Mazda and Nissan to a degree are comeback stories. Mazda has an excellent marketing strategy promoting the 'zoom zoom' or fun to driveness of all of it's models. Ford has nothing in common with either of these companies, expect for the technology it siphons off from Mazda. Instead, most Ford cars are boring and poorly built. Ford's philosophy is still frozen in time and thik that people still want Crown Vics.
