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My '09 has a much better suspension "tune" than my '05 had. My '05 suffered from the bean counter decision to forego the rear sway bar except on the upscale SES trim lines. The '09 is missing the rear sway bar, too, but it has the same taut handling as the early Focii which all had rear sway bars - apparently Ford adjusted coil spring rates, shock and strut rates to make the car truly handle well without a rear sway bar. Which means on the S and SE trims, the Focus is TRULY fully independent at the rear.
What has degraded, imho, is the tire grip. It felt fine on the fuel saving Hankook Optimo 725's (which, in non-OEM format got good marks from Consumer Reports in their all-season tire tests) BUT this morning I noticed the car does NOT feel well connected through the tires and when I take freeway sweeping curves, I have to turn the steering wheel more - I think these tires don't grip as much and require more "slip angle" at the front end to do their job. Please note that suspension damping and body lean are all good, it is just the tires, the final connecting piece, not doing their job.
I'm not that excited about changing tires (I would move to Kumho KH16's which I've used before, or to the more expensive, highly rated, but unproven by me Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S). Money is too tight now, and I hate to waste the stock tires.
If you buy the Coupe instead of the sedan, you get peformance tires instead of gas saving tires. If you buy the SES in the Sedan instead of the S or SE, you likewise get performance tires.
On your other issue - Ford quality and driving dynamics - I agree they are among the best, equal to or better than Honda (in driving dynamics, at least), better in both than Toyota, and better than GM and DC. HOWEVER they made some marketing boo-boos the past few years - the current Taurus/former Five Hundred was poorly marketed (and is still poorly marketed); they were slow to issue 6 speed transmissions, and the initial releases didn't downshift briskly when needed (but "hunted" in other circumstances); the 3.0 was outdated, and the great 3.5 came out just in the nick of time; the Escape was badly in need of a suspension update, which it got this year, and badly in need of an engine update, which it also got (2.5 instead of 2.3), and badly in need of more cogs in the automatic transmission, which it got this year; the Fusion needed a better base engine (the 2.5 vs. the 2.3); the Flex should have come out earlier, and came out in way-expensive "luxo" versions instead of including some bread and butter, affordable trims and models; the TaurusX, a GREAT clone of the Volvo XC90, was horribly marketed; their minivan update accomplished nothing, and then they dropped it altogether.
On the other hand the Expedition update was great, the new F150 is great, and they still have that ace in the hole, variable valve timing, to roll out on their 4 cylinder engines (the Focus 2.0, the 2.5 in the others). When they come out with VVT, their 4's are going to rock.
They probably also need to take the pretty much all new 3.5 and downsize it to 3.0 for the Fusion, and upsize it to 3.8 for the Mustang and Flex. Unless they can show us the 3.5 has enough power for their larger applications, but doesn't waste gas in the smaller vehicles (Fusion, Escape).
just my 2.5 cents.
The factory tuning goes like this:
1)Soft (diesel model): soft springs w/ a small rear sway bar (no front bar)
2)Medium (gas model): medium springs w/ a small rear sway bar (no front bar)
3)Hard (GLI/GTI): hard springs w/ a medium rear sway & a front bar
I ended up choosing the soft springs w/ the full set of GLI/GTI front/rear bars!
It may ride firmer than the Soft setting (but no firmer when crossing speed bumps evenly), but corners even flatter than the Medium setting. The only thing I have to watch out for is avoiding deceleration while cornering hard, as the soft springs do make the car dive pretty badly. I think it's a fair trade off for the comfort I've been gaining. I just have to try to accelerate while cornering in order to keep the front springs lengthy.
The July '08 Consumer Reports found the new Americanized Focus's "steering isn't quite as crisp as it was on the original." That's right, even the SES model w/ Pirelli P6 205/50-16! So that leaves the most desirable Focus to be...
At least, dynamically, the '07 is better tuned than the '05 for my taste!
The '05 had an identical suspension as the SVT (ST170 in Europe), except the lowered springs. The '07 has a less firm springs & less-abrupt-riding shocks. But I'm still looking forward to replace w/ Gabriel shocks for relaxing ride motion.
The '07's traction control (no longer std) is less intrusive, & I love it. It seems to be able to be defeated completely this time. Even with the aftermarket Quaife differential installed, it is still useful to leave it on during slippery conditions.
I do missed my '05's smother shift linkage as well as the European-ish reverse lock-out ring, though.
Now here's the best thing -- pwr steering tuning.
The '05's is always slightly too light & therefore lacks confident-inspiring resistance during high speed ramps. I tried to temper w/ the steering-pump wiring, but only able to firm up during the mid & low speeds.
The '07's may be even lighter at lower speeds. But above 40mph, it firms up nicely at high speed curves to feel confident inspiring! Tempering w/ the wiring only adds excessive self-centering action at all speeds to disrupt your natural resistance during cornering! So it's the best to just leave it alone!
This kind of reminds me (Euro) Performance Car magazine's complain about Mini Cooper S's adjustable pwr steering -- heavier setting actually dulls the road feel!
& what's so good about the Civic other than the fancy interior? The Civic Si's electric pwr steering lacks road feel so badly even the best video game can do better (see recent Car & Driver's comparison w/ Mazdaspeed3, etc.).
Dec '08 Bimmer magazine: In the comparison test they complained about the Mercedes C300 Sport's lack of steering feel, the BMW 328i's little steering feel, &, despite the mighty powertrain, the BMW 335i being less fun to drive than the 3-series from the previoius generations due to lack of feel/involvement.
I still can't imagine which sedan out there today steers better than the '07 Focus ST 2.3 :P Even with such quick ratio, it still tracks straight for relaxing cruising. This can not be said about the fun E36 3-series w/ or w/o the quick-ratio steering rack (from the std Z3) installed!
Also I have a buzz which I have isolated at the plastic sleeve that covers the seatbelt in the "b" pillar of the door. When the car is cold (cold morning) on certain rough roads there is a little buzz as the sleeve vibrates around the seatbelt channel. Easy to stop it by touching it, may insert a matchbook or something in the sleeve to dampen it, but want to check with the dealer first since, after all, it's the seat belt mechanism and I want to make sure it can do it's job.
The engine is incredibly smooth and feels stronger than the 2.2 Ecotec in my '09 Cobalt, but that one has an automatic transmission, which may sap too much power from that larger, higher rated engine.
The suspension and NVH in the Focus blow away the Cobalt though. This is the best small car I've ever owned, and I've owned a lot, included VW's and Japanese.
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Compare to the '05 Focus ST I used to own, my '07 Focus ST does not slip b/t gears as easily/quickly. & I hate it!
& the '07's shifter simply looks stupid (& nerdy) w/ its dummy reverse lock out. Where's its European heritage? :mad:
I still prefer the '07 over the '05 due to the pwr steering's stronger centering & more heft at higher speeds -- more confident inspiring.
Maybe the '06 has the best of both... :confuse:
Can't even find a chilton's or a aynes manual for it in a parts store...also I need a diagram of the engine compartment, so I can figure out how hard it will be to replace it...
Trying to sell it and I found out that the valve cover has a small hole in it..
Michael
I check into this blog with decreasing frequency as the years go by. The 04 ZTS I purchased in Nov. '03, is actually running more incident free at 89k than in any other 2 year period. I have mentioned before cthe bean counters at Ford had their hand in some of the decisions about accessorizing this model. There are also the quirky noises from the brakes which remind me that this is an economy car.
But every time I get behind the wheel, I am reminded of the important thing is it works so well and has better moves than most cars purporting to be high end sporty cars. Although it has seen very little in the way of fine care or polish theree is nothing here that would indicate that the Focus has seen 6 upstate NY winters never garaged.
I have recently test drove a few brand new cars ranging from a Versa to a Suzuki Kiaschi and to indulge myself, a new V-6 Mustang Covertable. The versa was clearly an appliance type of vehicle, even if it had more power it could not get out of its own way
a real snooze. ( they paid me $25 to take the test drive and that is why I was there) The New Suzuki claims to have 185 HP. , But it to was a CVT transmission, which I can not quite get used to.
Ford had a promotion recently which I took part in . $50 to test drive a new car, the Fiesta which they said they would have for me was not there, and that is how I got paid for the spin in the new convertable Mustang, He did not even go along for the ride, Yes it would be wonderful I could rationalize about the 31 mpg and 300+ hp.
Well, I got back into my Focus and drove it fast had fun and realized that this kind of freedom probably could not be had in a Mustang because the Police would be all over me.
We really had almost no maintenance other than oil, tires, brake pads and regularly scheduled maintenance. At the end there where three "wear issues." The buttons on the radio had worn off some of the numbers. The center console arm rest was lose and floppy (I think it got leaned on too hard sometime late in life). And the little bin by the driver's left knee had the latch broken. (That one was my fault. In the dark I pulled up on it thinking I had a hold of the hood latch. I wasn't low enough.) Our all in fuel economy was approximately 30 mpg. We tried to find another ST to replace it, but the ST was scarce and the ST with traction control and heated leather seats, scarcer still. I guess I'll have to wait for the new World Focus and the promised new ST version.
Favorite things remain:
Great steering wheel. Perfect size and shape with the thick cross section and bulges at 2 and 10.
Precise steering and supple, controlled handling. Way more fun than the typical small car. Independent rear suspension makes a huge difference.
Great torque from the 2.3 liter motor.
Short throw, direct feel manual gear shift.
Chair height seats that provided good thigh and lower back support, wrapping the kidneys for grip. The heated seats were great.
4-wheel disk brakes with ABS and Traction Control -- not offered on many small cars, especially at the time.
Complex hinge on the trunk rather than a goose neck so closing trunk didn't intrude on cargo.
Great safety for the size of car with high ratings and great real world performance. There was no intrusion into the passenger compartment in it's final front end collision. (Hit a much heavier SUV in the side with the Focus' nose in an intersection.)
Great reliability with exceptionally low cost of ownership, with acquisition cost, maintenance, insurance, and fuel economy much better than average.
Cons:
Dashboard could be more luxurious and interior more durable, but for the price point, I'll take that trade-off.
I'd like a 6-speed manual with a taller cruising gear for improved fuel economy and less noise.
I'd like more sound deadening and isolation, but again for a compact economy car, I can't complain too much.
The new World Focus reportedly has all of these improvements in a new body with new EcoBoost engines.
All in all, the Focus ST was probably my favorite car I've ever owned, not because it was the most expensive. It was one of the least expensive cars I've ever bought. It was intended to be a third car. It was so much fun to drive it saw a lot of use. And it was still a bargain. But it was a favorite in the end even more because when push came to shove (literally), the safety was there to protect our daughter. Cars can be replaced.
I would definitely buy a Ford again (and have -- we bought a 2008 Mercury Milan for our "big" sedan). I'm hoping to buy a new 2012 Focus ST when they become available. Our ownership experience was exceptionally good.
1) The inside door handles are now located more Japanese/Lexus-like (read for short arms)
2) The front seat cushions are tiny -- for short thighs.
& I don't like its rear outward visibility -- the lower right corner being cut off.
The exterior is bulky, as the platform is a shortened Volvo S80/Mondeo (also driven by James Bond in "Casino Royale"). But then, its rear leg room is also not as cramped as in the new Mazda3.
& it does look like a down-sized current Mondeo.
Do you think the bulkier current Mondeo is as fun as the old one? I doubt it. :P
You know, the previous Mondeo ST220 is what the '05-07 Focus ST 2.3 sedan's styling trys to emulate -- more compact, sleek, less bulky (especially being 2 cylinders lighter under the hood, but w/ the most macho cylinder size of all Focus')...
I am still excited about doing project on my '07 Focus ST sedan (w/ no optional side-airbags for easier seat change!), after I traded in my '05. The traction control was no longer std for '07, so that's the only option on my stripped (but special ordered) '07 ST. & it's way less intrusive than the one in the '05!
The main noise is actually the ST exhaust, which interferes w/ human conversation. So I plan to tune the sound to a lower frequency, possibly by changing the resonator.
I've added the Quaife (Torsen-type) differential.
Being 5'11", I am replacing the front seats to fit me better. I've looked at the Volvo S40/V50's supportive manual cloth driver seat with multiple adjustements, but the bottom cushion seems to be too shallow to absorb road bumps. & forget about aftermarket seats like Recaro, Corbeau, Flo-fit, or even Monaco. They simply give you a bumpier ride. So after traveling to other countries, I've decided to adopt these stylish & supportive blue sport front seats from the Focus II S (Sport) in Taiwan (I believe the Focus II ST's front seats are hard-riding Recaro designs, although I've only had a brief ride in a Focus II ST taxi there). They're shaped even more S40/V50-ish, but the cushions are extremely thick & firm -- good enough for off roading. LOL Unlike when riding on the original seats, road vibration (which could not be felt through these blue sport seats in the Focus II w/ more sub-frame isolation) in my car is actually being transmitted on to my butt through these thicker-firmer-cushion new seats! But I believe their much deeper cushions will still provide more overall long-distance comfort.
Not being able to stand the short seat cushions (especially the front passenger seat), I will give the ST sedan's original cloth interior a new face!
This is the type of blue front sport seats being transplanted into my car from the Focus (II) Sport
I didn't bother with the orange/black cloth sport seats
Focus (I) SVT/ST170's std sport seats (red)
Focus (I) SVT/ST170's std sport seats
Focus (I) ST170's optional Recaro seats
Focus (I) SVT/ST170's optional Recaro (leather) seats:
Focus (II) ST's std Recaro seats
Focus (II) RS's std racing seats
The ST version has longer seat cushion for thigh support.
But will there be a sedan version for the U.S.?
Will the suspension be lowered uncomfortably?
The beauty of the '05-07 ST 2.3 sedan is having firmer sportier suspension w/o being lowered like in the SVT/ST170. Compare to the '05, the '06-07 has an even comfier/softer set up still, & (per Consumer Reports 2006) trumped all competitors from GTI, etc. in ride comfort.
But I am not sastisfied, b/c the rebound motion is still too quick for comfort. I plan to put Gabriel shocks in my '07 ST sedan.
By the way, VW can no longer afford to continue with the (already cost-effective) mutli-links engineered by the Focus engineer.
So then the new Golf/Jetta will be Fiesta-like w/ simple rear suspension, but I am pretty sure the new Jetta w/ over 104" wheelbase will excel even the new Focus III's rear leg room.
1) The inside door handles (especially for the driver) are now located more Japanese/Lexus-like (read for short arms), while the new Mazda3 follows the old-Focus style.
2) The front seat cushions are tiny -- for short thighs.
& I don't like its rear outward visibility -- the useful lower corners being cut off.
They look impressive, but probably won't absorb road bumps much.
@ £24,000? I can see why Ford can afford to keep the Control Blades while the less-expensive VW Golf/Jetta can't. :P
Does anyone have any knowledge of general lifespans for the alternator and AC compressor on the Focus? My Integra managed to last 160k with the original alternator and AC and I know that rarely happens with American cars. Basically, I can't afford a car payment and big repairs so I need something reliable. Would this be a good car for me or should I look elsewhere?
As far as I know, by 2005 all the Focus' in this country have been powered by Mazda-designed 4-cyl engines, while Mazda auto tranny was used since dawn...
Thanks for your consideration,
Jeannine Fallon
Corporate Communications
Edmunds Inc.
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
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"The seats offer lots of comfort and support, although they are a little wide for most Europeans. The Focus is a global car, so it has to suit larger US customers as well as slimline Brits."
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/front_website/gallery.php?o=0&id=401767
Not much subjective has been said, except:
"And Auto Express is the first magazine to experience the new Focus on the road. We’re at the firm’s notorious ride and handling centre at Lommel in Belgium. The hatch is travelling way too fast on a blind, tightening corner, with Edwin Vliem, Ford’s steering dynamics engineer, at the wheel, chatting away without a care in the world. We’re clearly going to crash, but no – he lifts off the throttle, brakes, and the Focus simply and calmly tightens its line into the bend.
So the new car handles brilliantly – no surprises there. Ford’s best-selling family hatch has been the standard bearer in the sector since its 1998 launch...The ride on the artificial lumps and bumps of Lommel seems firm, but positive, with a sense of competence and grip."
It looks like Ford wanted to score higher on the crash test, so the right foot well was moved so far back that the passenger-side leg room is now even less than the driver side -- almost as bad as the passenger-side of the Impreza, which still has more driver-side rear leg room than the Focus III.
Now, the Focus III has the #1 "most cramped overall rear leg room" in its class to remind you of the expensive Lexus IS sport sedan -- nice try, Ford, the IS is a RWD 6-cyl car. The Fiesta is only slightly worse than this, plus worse rear headroom.
The new inexpensive Jetta has amazing leg room almost good enough for basketball players, but the rear seats are too low for comfort even for me (5'11").
I like the current Golf VI, which is only a little less in rear leg room than the new Jetta, but the rear seats are higher, & the driving position also fits me better. New Jetta's driving position is pretty bad, especially the low door armrest.
The reliable (per Consumer Reports) 5-cyl made-in-Germany Golf VI (w/ std rear A/C ducts on the 4-dr) hardly costs more than the "torsion-beam rear suspension" new Jetta 5-cyl -- what a bargain!
Any suggestions as to modifications ("shim kits", etc.) which I might do now, and that will help me maybe avoid some of the recurring headaches (tire wear, etc.) that are posted by owners of this car will be appreciated!
Bob
Today, 115,000 miles later it still "all there". This is quite remarkable, especially when considering that it has never been garaged through 9 North-East winters w/ salt sand and so forth.
The only modification which I made was to buy narrower 15 inch rims with aggressive snows for the winter months after the O.E. all-season tires had two winters on them. This allowed me to to go for more aggressive summer rubber for the rest of the year. But be careful here. Based on this experience, I suggest that you do not use soft "directional" tires on the 16" rim. If you do, you may find that unless you stay on top of moving them front to rear every 2000 miles, there will be excessive wear on the rears. Because of the dynamics of Fords' proprietary IRS design ( Control Blade), an assymetrical tread tire seems to work best here.
Did you get a History of your Car? There may have been some recalls pertaining to the 2002 models. By 2003 most of the issues had been taken care of. Enough in fact for the C.R. to not only recommend but also give it a top rating.
Enjoy your ride.
Yes, I did get a complete history of maintenance. Your recommendations on tires is appreciated, and will be put into action.
Tire wear seems to be a trial for many owners of the early-years Focus.