Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
I drove a 2012 focus SE sedan with the 201 package. It was last Friday and it was raining cats and dogs. I was not impressed enough to buy it. I am waiting for a SEL to come in and drive it. I read in one of the car magazines that the new Focus drives better when loaded with options. I sure hope so. If I am not impressed with the SEL I will purchase the SES Fiesta. Is it possible that I have waited so long and read so much hype about this Focus that I had no other possible outcome other than dissapointment?
2012 Ford Focus SE...this one comes with a stick. Need test drive.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
So anyways I am looking to purchase a 2012.
What do you guys think of a Focus 2012 Sedan SEL 303A rapid spec for $20692 before tax & title?
Sounds very good to me. I get $23,385 as the list price for an SEL sedan w/303A. $20,692? That's 11.5% off sticker for a car that just went on sale? I can't imagine finding one cheaper this spring.
Hopefully ill get it by early june.
I usually don't care much about wheels. I just wanted leather and the nice looking dash besides the standard ugly mess so 303A spec it is.
Please let us know how your new Focus rides on rougher pavement. The 17" with 50-series rubber should do pretty well.
Spoiler: the Focus trounced the competition prettily handily, although they panned the MyTouch system. Mazda3 came in 2nd, followed by Elantra, Cruze, and finally Jetta (which they described as old-camry exterior styling and old-cavalier interior styling- OUCH!).
I can't find a link to an online version.
Go test drive an used '06 or '07 Focus SES 2.0 PZEV stick w/ pure hydraulic steering & a comfy suspension. You might wonder what's so attractive about these newer cars...
But the Focus II 1.6 w/ pure hydraulic steering has more feel than the Focus II 2.0 w/ electro-hydraulic assist. It was described by one UK car magazine as the difference b/t having the glove on or off.
But still, even w/ conventional pure hydraulic steering, the Focus II 1.6 already has less steering feel than the Focus I:
http://beta-townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef2656e/66#MSG66
Steering feel is one thing. Steering precision is another. My '07 Focus I ST w/ 205/50-16 H Pirelli P6 seems to have less steering precision than the '09 Mazda3 w/ 205/50-17 V Goodyear Eagle RS-A.
Audi's have no feel, but the precision is excellent.
Just like with the Fiesta, I am denied.
All the high-end options are restricted to the sedan in the 2012 Focus, and even some lesser ones. Steel wheels? You've got to be kidding!! If I want alloys, I'm forced to get the Sport package, which in turn forces you to get the sedan! I don't do trunks, I'm afraid, not to mention the sedan versions look like crap.
I want MT and a hatch -- loaded. Ford doesn't seem to feel as though anyone like me exists, and as a result, Ford has lost a customer. Why are they bucking the trend towards premium hatches by forcing the consumer to get base-trim if they want a nice hatch, with manual-transmission? MINI allows you to configure their cars any way you want, and in every permutation under the sun. Nissan offers manual transmission for the Juke ONLY on the TOP two trim levels.
Lame!!!
You can get the 5 door SE with Manual and Sport Package with many of the colors: Kona Blue, Yellow, Candy Red, Race Red, Grey, Silver, White, and Black. I don't like how the configurator changes the car to a sedan without asking when you change to the other colors or automatically removes the sport package when you change to Green.
- 2012 Ford Focus SE 5-Door 5-Speed -- $18,065
- 203A Package -------------------------------- $1,195
- Tuxedo Black Metallic ----------------------------- $0
- SE Sport Package ------------------------------ $695
- Winter Package -------------------------------- $570
- Power Moonroof ------------------------------- $795
- 17" Machined and Painted Alloy Wheels -- $495
- Interior Style Package - Tuscany Red ------ $795
- Destination ------------------------------------- $725
--------------------------------------------------------------
- Total ------------------------------------------ $23,335
Granted things like the climate control, auto wipers and such aren't configurable for the SE, many goodies are.
The 3 is still is noiser than some others. I am interested to see if the Focus has a more comfortable ride.
Totally agree. I couldn't even stand the ride comfort of the old Mazda3 2.3 wearing only 16"s! But now after-market Monroe shocks are available, at least for the old-generation Mazda3's. They should solve its nervous rebound movement. Gabriel shocks happen to be too stiff these days.
But then, opt for a new Focus w/ 16"s might be comfy enough. Otherwise you have to go for the numb-steering VW's -- the Golf 2.5, which doesn't have the turbo models' stiff suspension found in the TDI or GTI.
Of course, an used '06 Focus SES (only 5'7" wide, by the way) will guarantee you a comfy ride plus a lively steering! But one big reason I prefer the old Focus sedan over the Mazda3, etc. is the less restricted rear visibility width. Plus, the Mazda3's door armrest is too low for my elbow. I love Volvo S40/V50's high door armrest that supports my left arm for holding on to the steering wheel spoke & turn-signal stalk all at the same time!
Just out of curiosity, how tall are you and/or your passengers?
Not to mention, the greedy car dealer bastards are marking the 2012 Focus ABOVE MSRP and that just does not sit well with me. If there's anything I hate, it's greedy, profiteering at the expense of the working class. Second stickers are a sure way to get me NOT to buy the thing, and makes me wait until I can get a used one with all the markup erased by the natural depreciation. Focuses, regardless of the year, are notorious for losing 33% - 40% (!!!) of their value in the first year which is why the banks don't want to finance them as much as say, an Acura or a Mustang.
I'll let these guys get their s*** together before I think about trading out of my Mustang. Besides, although I like the handling of the 2011 Focus (which I test drove), the Mustang just blows it away in terms of performance, and only gets about 5-6 miles per gallon less in fuel economy.
That is why I stick with the stick. It is always in the gear I want when I want it. It even knows what gear to be in seconds before the shift. The best part is the car is faster, more frugal and costs less - with the only transmission in the world that is as smart as a human brain, and can see the road ahead.
Anyway, if I'm understanding you right, the problem with the tranny isn't "too many gears" but rather that it's reluctant to downshift. This is something I'd have to try out myself with a test drive.
Hopefully, the 2012 Focus won't suffer depreciation as drastic as past models. I definitely agree about the pricing though. Pretty much all new models are going to have a mark-up, which is why I'm planning to wait about a year before buying.
Agreed...I drove the new Mazda 6 a couple years ago when it came out and it had the 4cyl, 6spd...best implementation of a manual tranny i've ever driven.
I found myself shifting for no reason going down the road...heh...up a gear...down a gear...
Not sure how hard it would be to put this in the Focus...sounds easy from my perspective
Any ways check out the 2014 Focus HB 80 mpg with a diesal . It's a TCDI HB soon to go to the UK.
Have a good day. :shades:
I had a chance to compare my '05 & '07 Focus ST 2.3 with '95 Jetta VR6 & '07 Rabbit 2.5.
I love the old VW's pwr steering. It's got progressive natural resistance as you turn along w/ tons of steering feel. The electric steering in the new Rabbit, while precise, seems too light & hardly has any feel when comparing to the Focus ST 2.3 sedan.
When cornering at fwy speeds, the '05 Focus ST seems to lack sufficient resistance in order to feel confident inspiring, while the '07's tunning doesn't have this problem despite slightly too light at low speeds. So I'm not sure how the '06's tunning is like (even though I did drive an '06 ST sedan briefly but didn't really notice anything). Nevertheless, the Focus still does not have the meaty restance built up as you turn, & that's what I love about the old VW's.
& when comes to being able to tell whether the road is slippery or not such as cruising on the fwy in the rain, either my '05 or '07 Focus ST w/ 205/50-16 Pirelli P6 kicks [non-permissible content removed] going at least 70mph confidently & effortlessly w/ just my finger on the wheel while rest of the traffic had to slow down whether it's a Porsche or the new Mercedes C-class, which the driver was holding dearly w/ both hands grabbing on the wheel nervously. LOL
First off, I assume alloy wheels and aluminum wheels are the same thing. For some reason, some of the non-steel wheels at the Ford configurator are listed as alloy and others as aluminum. By contrast, the Focus brochure (which also includes a $750 discount) I recently received lists all options as aluminum.
Secondly, can someone explain the difference between polished, painted, and machined alloy/aluminum wheels? Are some of these subcategories of the others? Also, what are the advantages and drawbacks of each type?
Thanks!
Whether the surface of the wheel are polished, painted, machined, etc doesn't mean much except for aesthetics. Again, it's what you prefer that counts. I actually like 16" wheels regardless of composition. They allow for higher profile tires which translate (all else being equal) to better ride quality and lower replacement cost.
The front grille/bumper assembly may please some. It's too busy and would make one wonder if this was a family car OR a sports car. The rear bumper has a stretch of latticework which looks out of place along the lower edge and detracts from the overall design.
Perhaps it's intended as a famsport or sportfam vehicle. That decision is up to the buyer.
If the intent was to compete with the Honda Civic, this Focus misses the target by a mile. I drive an '09 Focus SE and have more interior room than this design presents. The design shows some similarities to the Mazda.
If it was trade-in time for myself, I'd go with the Fusion...a design that has served well and still looks contemporary.
Focus gain & loss: (front/rear)
Wheelbase: -3.1"
Length: -19"
Height: +.9"
Width w/mirrors: +1"
Head room: -.4"/+.1"
Shoulder room: -1.8"/-2.8"
Hip room -.1"/-.7"
Leg room: -.4"/-3.9"
Passenger volume: -9.6 cu ft
Cargo volume behind 2nd row vs trunk: +7.3 cu ft
Fuel Cap.: -5.1 gal
Focus 459 mi/tank @ 37mpg, Fusion 577/tank @ 33mpg
The only significant numbers are length, rear leg room, shoulder room and total passenger volume. (After all it's a C segment vs. a D segment car). The front seat numbers are so close I don't think I'll really notice much difference.
Since I originally compared these numbers, I've had a chance to sit in an SE hatch. I'm average size, slightly over weight and I didn't have any problem getting into either front seat. When I had the manual driver's seat adjusted to my liking, there was plenty of leg room for me in the back.
get in with no difficulty with the driver's seat in the rearward position.
If there had been more rear seat legroom, it would not have been necessary to hollow out the front seatbacks to accomodate the passengers knees.
This design was brought over from Europe with some modifications for the U.S market. However, Europeans tend to be rather trim and of moderate height. On several trips to the UK and Continental Europe I was amazed at the lack of overweight people.
The car would be right at home on the narrow streets found throughout Europe, which it was designed for. As I stated, the build quality was probably the best I've seen coming from U.S. assembly plants. Fit and finish beyond reproach.
The sales numbers will tell the story, as will future postings by discerning prospective purchasers.
Drive:
It's very, very quiet, even when compared to the mid-size segment, and the engine note is very nice. It has a little growl and never got rough when it revs up higher. It was very composed when pushed with very little body roll and the steering effort was just about right, not too heavy or light in my opinion. It's powerful enough for me, nothing spectacular though. I can't say anything bad about the drive. I'd say it makes the least amount of compromises of any of the compacts in that regard.
Interior:
The front areas are not at all cramped. At maximum rearward position, I could hardly reach the steering wheel unless I pulled the telescoping wheel all the way out, and I'm 6'3". I pushed the steering wheel back in, moved my seat up, and lowered it. After I did that, I could sit behind myself, and I was comfortable in both places. Is it roomy? No, but my son's carseat fits back there well (He's 3). Cargo room was great.
Tech:
It has just about anything and everything, but the learning curve is high. There are too many buttons. I would personal skip the MyTouch and stick with the regular Sync. I don't think Ford's quite got the MyTouch system down yet.
Does it hit the mark? I guess that depends on what your priorities are. Leg room is down from the previous model, but refinement, build quality, and mileage are all up. It's a far better looking and handling car. The 2012 Civic will still be middle of the pack but a good choice for reliability. The best competitors, in my opinion, would be the new Elantra or Cruze.
Unless one wants a sportier model with a stick shift, then the Elantra and Cruze are both ruled out and replaced by the likes of the Mazda3 and the Golf, Jetta, GTI, and GLI siblings.