CTC Review: 2008 Ford Focus SES

[Seafoam]

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.

Really I've never heard any of that before.
Personally i think this Focus is getting a bum rap,like a lot of cars on here. Too many armchair experts.Ford does concentrate a lot on trucks like the others, but this is what the public wants.They like filling their tanks often

[PJungnitsch]

You may be the first person to ever describe the previous Focus as "good looking."

IMO the previous Focus hatch was always good looking, and the 4 door was fine as long as it had a trunk spoiler. The problem was it hadn't changed much in 7 years, and the slight redesign it got actually took it backwards, especially with the interior.

With the new Focus someone needs to have a word with the web page designers for the build and price section, they are not even trying to make it look appealing. Compare with the Mazda3 image.

[Seafoam]

You may be the first person to ever describe the previous Focus as "good looking."

IMO the previous Focus hatch was always good looking, and the 4 door was fine as long as it had a trunk spoiler. The problem was it hadn't changed much in 7 years, and the slight redesign it got actually took it backwards, especially with the interior.

With the new Focus someone needs to have a word with the web page designers for the build and price section, they are not even trying to make it look appealing. Compare with the Mazda3 image.

Is the Focus offered in 4 wheel drive? From the look of the wheel gap it looks like it does.

[wing]

No the Focus is not offered in AWD, the model I am testing is fully loaded minus the rear spoiler.

[Seafoam]

No the Focus is not offered in AWD, the model I am testing is fully loaded minus the rear spoiler.
[
/quote]

Sorry Wing  I was just kidding,I knew it was not offered.  From the picture posted above the wheel gap suggests great ground clearance and thus my comment about four wheel drive.

[Cord]

With the new Focus someone needs to have a word with the web page designers for the build and price section, they are not even trying to make it look appealing. Compare with the Mazda3 image.

I agree. Ford's marketing photography is the worst in the industry. There is not a Ford vehicle made that doesn't look better in person than in company photos.

[wing]

No the Focus is not offered in AWD, the model I am testing is fully loaded minus the rear spoiler.
[
/quote]

Sorry my lack of sense of humour...

Sorry Wing  I was just kidding,I knew it was not offered.  From the picture posted above the wheel gap suggests great ground clearance and thus my comment about four wheel drive.

[Greg B.]

With the new Focus someone needs to have a word with the web page designers for the build and price section, they are not even trying to make it look appealing. Compare with the Mazda3 image.

It's not the web page designer's fault. They can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Someone needs to have a couple of words with the designer of the new Focus, namely, "You're fired".

[gosteelerz]

Strange, that's the second review of this car where the tester was attempting to play "Daft Punk".  I was on the Jalopnik site where the reviewer was testing the Sync to see if he could work it without using the manual.  I guess I must be getting over the hill, cause I don't know any of their songs 

http://jalopnik.com/349738/microsoft-sync-gets-unboxed-in-the-2008-ford-focus-se-part-1-of-3?autoplay=true

[mmret]

I guess I must be getting over the hill, cause I don't know any of their songs 

Well they aren't completely mainstream, and have only 3 major albums over ~15 years from what I can tell, so you can be forgiven. Young at heart.

[gosteelerz]

I guess I must be getting over the hill, cause I don't know any of their songs 

Well they aren't completely mainstream, and have only 3 major albums over ~15 years from what I can tell, so you can be forgiven. Young at heart.

They must be perfectionists.

[Mitlov]

Strange, that's the second review of this car where the tester was attempting to play "Daft Punk".  I was on the Jalopnik site where the reviewer was testing the Sync to see if he could work it without using the manual.  I guess I must be getting over the hill, cause I don't know any of their songs 

You are better off.  Daft Punk annoys the c*** out of me.  If you want good modern music, I have three letters: AFI 

Sorry for the tangent...

[si]

CTC isn't being paid by Gates to promote Sync, like Carguide?

[Cortina]

There is no doubt that the Focus is also a very fun-to-drive vehicle! It feels light and nimble on its feet, and is a joy to toss into a corner, and it feels very sure-footed. Steering feedback is good — it goes where you tell it to

I had no doubt you would like this car to drive. I Still think it is one of the best to drive on the market. I have always like ford gearboxes too, they feel nice to me, when changing gears. The odd ball styling may take some people a while to get used too. IMO, I do believe most people who drive the car would almost certainly be tempted to buy one. Even I almost brought a used light green Mk2 last year. Plus I think the base is good for most people, because  the Focus comes with Air. You've Just got to add the ABS. Which is a must and it doesn't put the price up too much either.

[wing]

20 minutes to figure it out?  It took me 30 seconds.....  He's not very technically inclined is he?  Mine recognized Daft Punk instantly.  And I was driving while I played with it the first time!

[Wolverine]

What I really dislike about the Focus is the lack of rear head restraints, the design is not ground breaking, but it's acceptable. I really like the interior.

[PJungnitsch]

Plus I think the base is good for most people, because  the Focus comes with Air. You've Just got to add the ABS. Which is a must and it doesn't put the price up too much either.

You're right. A manual Focus with air, side airbags, and ABS is only 15,529 right now before taxes and fees, that's 1500 less than a comparable Golf City.

[Cortina]

Beats me completely why Ford spends large amounts of money to change good-looking Eurocar into an ugly Americar.

'cuz they had this dandy Lion-boy add campaign all ready to go and didn't want to waste it 

I think your find on this occasion with this Ford Focus this is not the case, It was designed for NA market. If I may quote an earlier post from another Ford Focus thread.

Ford exterior design is controlled by two Brits. In North America we get Peter Horbury with 'Red White and Bold', while Europe and the rest of the world gets 'Kinetic Design' by Martin Smith. They have been fighting a bit of a war for overall responsibility and AFAIK Mulally has put his weight behind Smith.

[dasiuyan]

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. 

As an Asian Canadian, IMO, I agree there is a cultural differences in the definition of perfect/good. For my North America study career, I found that as long as u do in Grade of B, it is pretty much acceptable-good and think it is quite perfect; but in Asia, only A means it is good. I think North American car companies really need to catch up on their weaknesses. Good things that I can see GM is improving, especially their interior design department.

European Ford actually has many good car, Focus, Mondeo, even their minivan, S-Max, is interesting (http://www.ford.co.uk/ns7/smax/smax_photos_downloads/smax_gal/-/-/-/-) ..... why can't they make/copy same quality of car from Europe? I don't get it.

[Cortina]

I also wonder what happen to the little flash movie that we had in the last 2 blogs, I guess Wing scrap that idea.

Me thinks, That it is to cold for Wing in Ottawa to be sodding about with a camcorder.