2012 Ford Focus

backy · March 2012

Thanks, someone else mentioned this on another discussion. I did look for some way to lift the seat bottom, because my Elantra GT has this feature as does my 2010 Sentra. But those cars' back seat works differently than the Focus'; on those cars, you pull up on the FRONT of the seat bottom to unlatch it, then swing it forward. So I looked on the bottom front edge of the rear seat for some way to pull it out, and finding nothing, I gave up. (Also I couldn't see any Ford representative around to ask about it.)

I prefer a seat that folds flat in one operation, ala the Impreza or Mazda3, but at least the Focus' seat DOES fold flat.

markus5 · March 2012

The sedan also has this split flip up seat bottom feature, but it is only found on the SEL and higher trim level models. All Hatchbacks have this feature, perhaps partially accounting for the higher price on the hatchback.

cannon3 · March 2012

Well, its been about a month with my Focus. I bought a 2012 Focus SE hatchback with sunroof. I also have the sport package and the winter package along with Sync and Sirrus Package 203A. I just had the windows all tinted, I put all 4 splash guards on also. I ordered some painted to match body side moulding. Car handles great and is fun to drive. I only have abou 800 miles so I have not pushed the car hard. I am going to wait until after my first oil change to see how quick the car really is. I am seeing more and more Focus around each day. I believe the Focus will take number 2 spot in hot sellers in this segment by the end of this year. As more and more people drive one and see the quality/fit/finish of this vehicle.

cannon3 · March 2012

A few details with my Focus. The first one is the an asthetic item. I think Ford could have spent the extrat $20 bucks to put on a chrome tip exhaust on all Focus models.
Also, when the car is shut off the windows lock and I cannot roll them down! There has to be a fix for this.

backy · March 2012

I don't understand your last comment. Are you saying there is no retained power in the electrical system so you can move a window up or down for awhile after the engine is off? Not all cars have that feature, although it's pretty common nowadays. Or are you saying that if you turn the key to the "on" position (not "accessory", but "on" such that all the idiot lights on the dash light up), you can't move the windows then? THAT would be unusual.

ivan_99 · March 2012

Are you sure it's $20? I know on my car I paid $180ish (two of them)...plus the installation.

I agree...it would look better.

kam327 · March 2012

Not true on my SEL. All windows still operate with the key off. They may stop operating after you open the door, like the radio. I'm not sure.

Also on the SEL and Titanium all windows have 1-touch auto up AND down. Great feature!

rfkfsf · April 2012

Still looking for info from a 2012 Focus owner who previously owned a 2008 Honda Civic hybrid? Let me know.

Regards,
Ron

Kirstie_H · April 2012

That request has been fulfilled, but we get quite a few requests, so keep your eyes open, and thanks for taking the time to reply.

Kirstie_H · April 2012

If you recently traded in a gas guzzler for a more fuel-efficient new vehicle, a reporter wants to talk with you. Please email PR@edmunds.com no later than Friday, April 13, 2012 with your daytime contact info and the makes and models of the vehicles.

tomcatt630 · April 2012

The stories of Focuses 'piling up dealers' from winter are a hoax to me. Selling good now. Mine is 2 days old, and drives fine. The DCT seems to upshift quick if you lightly accelerate, but stays in lower gears if hitting harder. I drove in stop and go for first time and was fine.

Other car test drove was Chevy Cruze LT turbo, but motor had lag like an 80's Chrysler turbo.

l got it for TMV right on the money,

joegiant · April 2012

Congrats Tom on your new car! Just love the thing. We've had ours for about two months now and simply enjoy driving Ford's Wayne, MI made auto. Ours is the manual version SE w/Sync & Sport pkg, a rather difficult setup to find but we did. And as you say, the pricepoint is quite competitive and the handling...did I mention the handling? Oh my. Have fun. :shades:

tomcatt630 · April 2012

Only issue is seat is hard on my back, so getting it customized with lumbar support, with an air pump. It is hard to tell how seats are until driving awhile.

Probably shoud have rented a Focus for a week. But then, most cars in rental places are not Fords these days.

kam327 · April 2012

The leather seats in the '12 Focus include lumbar support.

I've read many folks complement the Focus seats after long trips.

Most rentals not Fords? Funny since Ford sells pretty much the highest % of vehicles to fleets of all manufacturers.

akirby · April 2012

Fleet does not mean rentals. Fleet also includes commercial (trucks and vans) and government. Ford's rental sales have declined significantly and more importantly when they do sell to rental companies they aren't "dumping" unwanted vehicles - they're making a profit and selling more upscale versions.

kam327 · April 2012

Thanks for the lesson. But I don't recall asserting anything about dumping unwanted vehicles.

The fact is 12% of Ford vehicles went directly to rental companies last year, and Ford was the best selling brand in the U.S. last year by far. So that my friend is a lot of Ford cars in rental fleets.

Of the dozen or so cars I rented for work last year, 3 were Fords.

akirby · April 2012

Ford is selling a lot fewer rental cars than they used to and it's not a given that you can find one in a specific rental agency. At least that's what a lot of frequent traveler's are reporting when they try to rent Fords.

Kirstie_H · April 2012

Instead of engaging in what could turn into a non-productive argument, or a conversation that's already veering off-topic, I'll try to help the OP -

My SO travels a lot, and whatever rental agency he's using now has Focuses available pretty regularly - it may be National, I forget. He switched after Enterprise gave him a Mazda2 as a "midsize" rental (which, if you've never seen one, is just a step up from a bicycle).

Don't go by the vehicles listed on the rental companies' websites. They usually have, in small print, "similar to" whatever vehicle is pictured. Your best bet is to call the local branches and ask if they have any Focuses for rental. Obviously, if you live near an airport, the airport location is likely to have the biggest selection.

backy · April 2012

Kinda funny timing... this was "White Fiesta Week" for me. Got two of them from Hertz. Exactly the same car. Saw a lot of them and Foci on the two Hertz lots. Good fuel economy. I would rather have had a Focus though, but my company forces me to take a "compact" if available. Saves a buck a day (woo-hoo!).

cannon3 · May 2012

My Focus has been great. Granted I have only owned it for 2 months. Automatic shifts fine. I am averaging 33.7MPG with 2,200 miles on it. As far as pricing. If your smart and savvy you can get these cars for a competitive price/option for option. I paid just over 19K for a Focus hatchback, SE, sports package, sunroof, sync, winter package, convenience package, automatic. Car is pretty well optioned for my needs. Yes, I had rebates. This car rides and handles wonderfully. Interior is way up and above the majority of cars in this class.

dali52 · May 2012

Hi,
Any pointers in getting the right price? I am really considering buying one and I would like to know if you used the online dealers, or just the area dealers. I live around Los Angeles CA. If you could provide a bit more information, I would really appreciate it. OH, and how do you find the seats? Comfortable? Thanks so very much

akirby · May 2012

Call the dealership, ask for the sales manager and tell him/her exactly what you want and ask how much above or below dealer invoice they want for it. If they won't tell you hang up. Also ask for the doc fee amount (that's additional profit for them so you have to include it in their asking price). You should be able to get the best price without setting foot in a dealership.

cannon3 · May 2012

First of all don't just walk into the dealership. They love people who do this. Research and find EXACTLY the car you want. Options, color, features. Find the car at a local dealership. Most dealerships have an internet department and or fleet manager. Most dealerships have a running inventory of what they have. You can do a search, get the VIN# Ask them what they would sell you this car for, let them know you are a serious buyer. Search the internet and find out what the Focus really costs the dealer. I found a site called True car.com to be the best. It gives you a window of what you should really pay for the car. Next, see if they will sell it to you at or below invoice. Rebates, make sure you get to put the rebates towards the purchase of the car and NOT to the dealership.
Funding, fund yourself. Get your own funding, search banks, credit unions for the best rates. When you have your own funding, YOU Rule.
Do not go for all the additional garbage they try to sell you like undercoating, paint sealant, fabric protection, ect.. Not worth it one bit. They make a whole lot of money off of these add ons. Let us know what you do!

ivan_99 · May 2012

Some additional info for the Rebates: make sure you review them all. I believe they apply to your immediate family as well and not only you (the purchaser).

Also, If you go to their website and request additional information through the mail you'll receive an additional $500 rebate that can be applied to the other rebates.

I found Edmunds TMV to be pretty accurate...I signed up for American Express Auto Purchase Program and it's "deal" was close to Edmunds TMV.

I agree with alternative funding; a point or a half doesn't really make much difference with a 5-6 year loan...My credit union is 2.49 for 72 months so usually a price reduction in lieu of a low (or 0) percent from the manufacturer works out to be more advantageous.

akirby · May 2012

You may or may not get an extra coupon by requesting a brochure and the amount can vary from $500 to $750. Doesn't hurt to try though.

Just FYI - if you're using edmunds or some other website to get the dealer invoice pricing be aware that they do not include the FDAF (advertising) fee. This is a legitimate invoice charge paid by the dealer and it's usually around $500 give or take per vehicle. So if Edmunds says the dealer invoice is $22,000 - the actual dealer invoice is closer to $22,500 give or take $100.

tom_focus · June 2012

This is helpful. I just experienced this "new car smell" in our '03 Focus wagon and was concerned. We just had the a/c evaporator core replaced, so that may be why I haven't smelled it before. We're in NYC, and have just had our first hot day of the summer, which must have triggered the smell.

Before having the evaporator replaced, we had a strong smell of mildew when the a/c was turned on. My mechanic said it was because the evaporator core went bad (which turned out to be true - it was leaking.)

gambit293 · July 2012

Whoa, I just happened to be browsing on the Ford site and found a bunch of changes for the 2013 Focus. The most notable change, aside from the obvious additions of the electric and ST models, is the removal of the SEL trim. There are plenty of other changes too, though I haven't spent a lot of time looking through them yet.

Guess I'll have to buy very soon, which makes sense since Ford now has a $1,750 cashback deal.

gambit293 · July 2012

Oh, btw, it DOES appear that the 2013 Focus Titanium is available with a manual.

kam327 · July 2012

If you go to focusfanatics.com they've posted 2013 order guides and a summary of '12 to '13 changes. They're substantial. Generally the trim packaging is more restrictive and it'll be even more difficult to get individual options you might want without being foced to get others you don't. For example, the very popular SE Sport Package is gone and now you can't get rear disc brakes without getting leather seats.

joegiant · July 2012

Shew! Guess I'm glad I bought my 5 speed SE w/sport pkg when I did. Discs all the way around - check! Leather seats for me and mine - no check!

backy · July 2012

... you can't get rear disc brakes without getting leather seats.

Sure you can, e.g. Mazda3i, Golf, Elantra GT...

To Ford re 2013 SE: :P

akirby · July 2012

OTOH the folks who previously wanted a manual with leather seats and all the other goodies can now get that in the Titanium.

Although it would be nice to have both options.

kam327 · July 2012

... you can't get rear disc brakes without getting leather seats.

Sure you can, e.g. Mazda3i, Golf, Elantra GT...

Ha ha. Don't know for sure but I'll take your word for it. Seems like a poor choice by Ford. Although, realistically rear discs don't really have any significant advantage in an economical compact car like this. I think it's more of an image thing.

OTOH the folks who previously wanted a manual with leather seats and all the other goodies can now get that in the Titanium.

True, but technically that was a mid-2012 model year change, not new for '13.

littletons4 · July 2012

Hello all. I just purchased a new base 2012 Focus S with a manual transmission. I am still on my first tank of gas and I am very disappointed in the city MPG I'm getting (18-19). Will this get better over time?

Also, it shifts horribly until you get to third gear... once again, will this improve?

Thank you

ivan_99 · July 2012

I am very disappointed in the city MPG I'm getting (18-19).

How are you performing the calculation? I'm assuming the on-board computer since its your first tank.

Did you reset it initially?

Do you sit and idle long? Every car gets 0 mpg when idling (stating the obvious).

it shifts horribly until you get to third gear

Being a manual...I think it's on you

Do you mean how the clutch engages? Does it slip (engine revs when on the gas when driving normally)?

Is this the car you drove during your test drive? Seems odd for the problems not to appear during the test drive then to occur after purchase.

I'd take these concerns to the dealer. They should be more than happy to address them with such a new vehicle.

Whenever I go on a test drive I bring somebody else along to *trash talk* the car...have them be very critical of everything...point everything out. That way I'm not swept-up off my feet only to be disappointed after the honeymoon period.

littletons4 · July 2012

I purchased the car with 5 miles on it and calculated that you get 3 point something gallons per 1/4 tank. So I divided at the 3/4 tank mark.

I agree that I haven't got the shifting down yet, which is a big dagger in my manhood... yet I haven't driven a stick in 20 years. So I know it will take me some time... but still.

Yes it is. When I test drove the car I had already driven the automatic focus several times and was pleased, so I felt that I would get used to the manual (the manual was at a price that I couldn't pass up).

It just brings me back to the mileage. It's probably related to my poor shifting at the moment, but could that really be such a big difference. My car has 90mi on it now and is almost at the 1/2 tank mark.

I appreciate your response.

ivan_99 · July 2012

I'd wait till your next tank to do a mileage calculation.

You've probably heard:
Go down to empty
Fill up with gas and record the current mileage and gallons entered
When that tank is down to empty again (a similar spot as the first time) you'll have your miles driven to put into your calculation.

I'd bet its higher than that

creakid1 · July 2012

Why makes you think EPA kept rating manual cars low mpg? That's b/c bunch of you kept keeping the rev too high & didn't up-shift in time. Also, MT (or C&D) test an early '80's Jetta with the up-shift light & found that "following the light's instruction" actually lowers the mpg due to "up-shifting too early"! That is, the lugging vibration is using the energy to destroy the cylinder-wall side way! :sick:

creakid1 · July 2012

How about the new Focus ST? Ditto my old MkI ST.

backy · July 2012

ST is more than I need. SE (2012) hatch was fine... in features, price.

joegiant · July 2012

Have had ours about 4 months now w/several thousand on the odometer. We use it as a commuter 90% of the time. The onboard is reading 37mpg right now. 5 spd SE w/sport pkg FWIW. Really like this car. No complaints as yet.

kam327 · July 2012

I purchased the car with 5 miles on it and calculated that you get 3 point something gallons per 1/4 tank. So I divided at the 3/4 tank mark.

Dude that's a very inaccurate way to calculate mpg. Don't even worry about it for the first couple of tanks as the car breaks in a little and you get better at shifting. I'd start to worry after the 3rd tank.

ivan_99 · July 2012

Plus, It's normally more difficult with high mileage cars like this...even if you do the "drive till empty then refill and calculate" method.

If you refill a little latter or little sooner that tiny amount of gas will throw off the calculation much more than it would in a 10mpg car.

littletons4 · July 2012

Right on. I'll be patient then. I appreciate your views.

gogogodzilla · August 2012

It took me until around the 5,000 mile mark before I started getting the advertised mileage. Up till that point, I was getting between 29-31 mpg on the highway.

Now, I'm getting 37-41 mpg at 65-70mph.

cannon3 · August 2012

I specifically bought my Focus Hatch SE with the sport pkg, winter pkg, convience pkg, sunroof for the reason of having these options. The SE seats, interior trim is awesome. I get so many complments on my interior!. If Ford reads these they better not de-content the Focus only after 1 year. Ford is known for doing this and I was hoping they would learn by past mistakes and break the cycle. The sport pkg is great for those wanting to add some bling to the car. I am getting 35.2MPG average per the computer on my Focus SE automatic.

kam327 · August 2012

Too late, they already removed the Sport Pkg and replaced it with the more expensive Appearance Pkg which forces you to get leather. Also removed the option of rain sensing wipers, auto dimming rearview mirror, and universal garage door remote.

creakid1 · August 2012

http://www.evo.co.uk/videos/trackdayvideos/286246/2012_ford_focus_st_vs_vauxhall- _astra_vxr_video.html?CMP=NLC-Newsletters&uid=13175373d3a30b0aa330c8ea6a3df587

creakid1 · August 2012

http://www.topgear.com/uk/photos/tg-mag-speed-week-gt-86-meets-the-rivals-17-08-- 2012?cm_mmc=Responsys-_-email-_-TG_UK_NLT_2012-08-24_Tg-NewsletterV2-_-email&utm- _medium=Email&utm_source=Responsys&utm_campaign=TG_UK_NLT_2012-08-24_Tg-Newslett- erV2

creakid1 · August 2012

"The best driver's car here is the Ford Focus, hands down. The 2.0-liter I-4 is powerful - its 160 hp is tied with the Dart as the most powerful - and the chassis is rock-solid, which inspires confidence behind the wheel. "The supple ride quality, precise steering, and responsive brake pedal feel are all very good for a car of this class," said DeMatio. Thanks to the spot-on steering, the Focus was a breeze to wheel around town and easy to place in the middle of a highway lane, no matter how narrow or badly patched. The Ford's biggest demerit came from the company's new PowerShift dual-clutch automatic. Around town, the PowerShift is clunky and hesitant between shifts, and often hunts for the right gear at low speeds. Once on the highway (and in sixth gear), it's fine but overdrive gives little passing power. Thankfully, downshifts at speed are smooth and unobtrusive."

Read more: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/driven/1208_2012_2013_compact_sedan_compari- son/viewall.html#ixzz252XJPseM

& the Elantra doesn't really belong in this league, not even close:

"When our testing started, we expected the Elantra to rank highly here -- at first, the ride was comfortable and the Elantra felt like an ideal commuter car. The more time we spent with the Hyundai, though, the more its wallowy ride on the highway, its poorly controlled body motions in the twisties, and harsh impacts on broken roads worked against it. Sessions also noted that "the steering lacks feel and is rather numb." Everyone came away unimpressed with the Elantra's" dynamics."

2012 Ford Focus

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