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No sure if the front end of the new Focus III looks handsome, either.
I think the front end of the earlier roomy Focus I looks cool like the Mondeo/ ST220, which got tons of rear leg room & drives pretty handsome as well!
Ditto the roomy Focus II (1, 2)
The new Focus III may be cramped in the back, but does handsome in terms of steering feel, ride comfort & quietness. & how well does the Mazda3 match all that?
Actually, the Focus should be more fun to steer than the Golf.
But even the 2-dr Golf stick, with its ability to carry more than 2 adults comfortably to travel very long distance, actually cost less fuel-per-adult on board. Don't you think? How much are people willing to pay for more leg room on long-distance flights?
The Focus is your daily commuter if you don't drive on the carpool lane. The Golf is your family mini mini van...
In this Euro comparison b/t the Golf w/ lowered suspension & new Focus w/ optional sporty Zetec suspension, "The lowered sports suspension is designed to boost efficiency, and affects comfort, as the BlueMotion doesn¡¦t ride with the smoothness and fluency of ordinary models. If anything, though, it¡¦s more compliant than the stiff set-up of the Focus Zetec at low speeds.
Up the pace and the VW trails ¡V the Ford rides well at higher speeds and is more capable and enjoyable to drive. The Golf is safe and sure-footed, but doesn¡¦t have the Focus¡¦ dynamic polish or feedback." & "As you¡¦d expect, the Ford¡¦s chassis shines the brightest. The electrically assisted steering is beautifully weighted and responds instantly, while the torque vectoring system ensures strong front-end grip. But it¡¦s the poise and balance that really impress, allowing the car to flow through corners. Adding to its appeal are a precise gearshift and progressive brakes. Only the unyielding low-speed ride of the sporty Zetec disappoints."
Also, base on my comparison b/t the soft-riding '07 Rabbit 2.5 & the '07 Focus ST 2.3, which is stick only & costs less than $16k out-the-door after discount/rebate, I was actually quite appalled by Rabbit's lack of feel from its electric steering.
But if the Focus you drove is the cheaper '06-07 SES model w/ very squishy underdamped suspension (both springs & shocks) that rubs off steering confidence plus buttoming out the front springs easily, then it's totally out of this league.
The suspension of '06-07 Focus ST is firm w/ quick rebound motion. The '05 Focus ST is firmer still (somewhat similar to the Mazda3). The earlier SVT 2.0 hatch (unfortunately not as reliable) has similar suspension set up as the '05 ST but lowered & its different steering is extremely delicious!Consumer Reports found this car to be Porsche-like in handling!
Only the '06-07 Focus ST, w/ its shocks replaced by the softer & slower-rebound Monroe units, can provide a "comfy but still steady" ride comparable to the Rabbit.
I would, however, care to bet on the Focus being more fun to steer NOT to the VW repair shop. Too many people I know have too many problems with too many VWs (proportionately). And the VW repairs cost too much, also.
I understand wanting some VWs (like the GTI) but I don't understand putting up with the headaches. Same goes for Bimmers and Audis. Sometimes I wonder if I drive a Ford to be certain that VW/Audi/BMW owners have a dependable ride to get them to the repair shop.
Proportionately, yes. But there are exceptions -- the 5-cyl Golf imported from Germany is even more reliable than many Japanese cars, per Consumer Reports.
Like the Mini Cooper, the Focus were pretty disastrous reliability-wise during the early years. Mazda saved the Focus after taking over the underhood department.
& of course, Mazda was also pretty disastrous when come to uncontrollable oversteer. The Focus saved its [non-permissible content removed], literally, w/ the Control Blade multi-links, which the Rabbit/Golf/GTI/A3/Passat adopted right afterward.
Anyway, after you drive the base new Focus w/ the same high-profile tires as the current 5-cyl Golf, you can conclude whether the base Focus does not have more steering feel than the current Golf.
Repeated comments from Euro tests have confirmed that the Focus loses some steering feel after each generation.
The video from the Euro comparison test clearly says, "The Ford Focus has always set the class benchmark in terms of handling. And this new one, it's no exception. It does have electric power steering for the first time, which has not quite as nice feel to it as the hydraulic system on the old car. But it's still very responsive. And I like the way it's nice and light at low speeds and then weights up as you start to go a bit faster."
00:26-00:47
Also, in order not to confuse the issue here, there's a difference b/t "steering feel" & "steering precision". Audi's generally have excellent precision, but no feel.
2nd, there's the feel of the tire grip vs the resistance as you crank. VW seems to have only the latter since MkIV. I really love the way the MkIII VW steers more than just about anything else. The '06-07 Focus SES, which is probably the Focus you experienced, does not have much resistance as you crank the wheel, at least at certain speeds, but should be able to distinguish very well whether the road is slippery or not such as sensing the amount of hydroplaning when relaxing cruising on the fwy is called for, at least this is quite true on the '06-07 Focus ST w/ firmer suspension which improves the steering confidence over the SES model.
The Rabbit V is nearly identical to the current Golf VI, which is suppose to be only a slight improvement in steering over the MkV.
So, according to you, if the old Focus already has worse steering feel than the MkV Rabbit, then it sounds like the new Focus should be even worse in this area than the MkVI Golf, which is not the case according to that Euro comparison test.
My position on all of this is that cars, ALL CARS, are pretty damned reliable these days and who really gives a rip if one car is slightly more reliable than the next. For me, it's all about the drive and the utility; I don't give one hoot how reliable a car is.
FWIW, over the years I've owned 3 Mazdas, 3 Toyotas, 2 Chryslers, 4 Dodges, 2 VWs, 2 Audis, and 2 BMWs, and the two absolutely worst cars (by a huge margin) was one of the Mazdas and one of the Toyotas. The best and most reliable were both BMWs and the two newer Dodges (the other two were from the 1970s and 1980s and still pretty reliable).
Specific to the VWs; both had a couple of peripheral component issues which cropped up (and given that both cars served me for well over 100,000 miles that ain't bad), but no show-stoppers and they never left me stranded. The flip side of course is that they were so much more fun to drive than pretty much anything else in their respective classes that when the infrequent unscheduled repair was required, I gladly did the work.
& that was what steered me away from buying the VW. Again, I was comparing the VW to the Focus ST, not the squishy Focus SES.
I am more interested in the topic of the thread. How does the new Focus handle?
That is all.
The first one I saw was a sedan. So I paid attention to who was driving it -- a senior citizen. I guess it was no coincident that the new Focus is smooth-riding & quiet enough to satisfy Crown Victoria drivers while offering twice the mpg. So he was willing to pay for a car costing this much w/o an useful back seat, which probably won't be occupied often anyway. & of course, senior citizens are less likely to go for a foreign badge.
I see older guys(and some women) driving Miatas, M3s, Porsches, Corvettes, etc. Are we to assume the same thing about those cars?
Also, keep in mind that seniors are on somewhat of a fixed income and these gas prices have hit them hard so the MPG ratings catch their eye just like it does everyone else.
Don't laugh. I think this is a smart idea especially when you have to maneuver quickly in a crowded parking lot, not to mention time saving for other cars waiting around. I have experimented w/ little fake antennas on the corners of my cars & driven very quicky around tight spots. People around me think I'm the most skillful driver in the world.
I think Toyota realized that this can ruin their sales of other models if consumers are spoiled by the boxy hood. So the 2nd generation xB had a circular hood which totally confuses the driver where the corners are. LOL
Good point... especially not new cars that can cost well over $20k well equipped. When I went looking at the Focus at my local dealership, the only other shopper was a middle-aged woman, maybe 50-55. She was smitten by the car and planned to buy a loaded sedan.
Didn't stop em from buying houses. Now look where we are. :sick:
I think he specifically referred to 18-22 year olds, not under 30.
Around 2 months ago, I did a double take at a sedan, only to realize later that it was almost certainly a Fiesta, not a 2012 Focus.
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A little more mature than previous Focuses, the mk1 especially, which is one of the most entertaining family cars ever. The steering is now electrically assisted, and very light, though still sharp. The ride is very composed, grip abundant and cornering largely roll-free. It¡¦s still one of the class leaders dynamically, but you¡¦ll be less likely to ¡¥just go out for a drive¡¦ in it.
evo RATING
+ Still a class-leader to drive
- Just not quite as fun as before
So picking up a poor-resale-value used mk1 Focus ST, w/ its torquier 2.3 & more fun to steer, will not just cost less-to-own than the higher-mpg new Focus, but more smile-per-mile from the driver seat as well :P
http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110512/CARREVIEWS/110519947
All editors heap praise on the handling and suspension. They also all slammed MyTouch.
Car and Driver - SE Hatchback - manual
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/11q2/2012_ford_focus_se_hatchback_manual- -short_take_road_test
"The bottom line, up top: This latest Ford Focus is the best small car for sale in America today."
Here's a line of interest for you manual lovers:
"Ignoring the fact that the stick is unavailable on the higher SEL and Titanium trims (a mortal sin in our book, although Ford tells us consumer interest has it reexamining manual availability), . . ."
I agree it's on the smaller side but a lot of posts in here make it sound like it's unusable. I've got a Infiniti QX4 which is pretty tight in the back(I believe similar legroom to the new Focus) and I've driven 4-5 hours with adults in back and they didn't complain. Of course, I was paying for the gas so what did they have to complain about?
When I went and looked at the Focus I took the kids along and had them park themselves in the back seat; "no go" was the answer from them on being forced to sit back there for more than a quick trip. Long story short, if we opt to get rid of the very useful and practical minivan and buy the Focus, then we can still take the Mazda for our long trips, however, if we decide to swap out the Mazda, the Focus ain't gonna happen due to the lack of rear seat room.
FWIW, the four of us took a trip from New Hampshire to the Detroit area last fall in the Mazda and we were more than comfortable; by not taking the minivan we saved nearly $200 in fuel costs.
So why do some of us harp on the lack of rear seat room in the Focus? Because our kids are up to (or nearing) 5' 10". From my perspective, why market a 4-Door car with only two usable seats? I suppose it will work for families with small children, but once they hit teenage-hood, it's a very different story.
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Midsized sedans that are more designed to fit a larger family's needs and get pretty much the same MPG but possibly not the sporty experience you desire unless you go with a Mazda6.
The only real point I'm trying to make is that the new Focus may not fit your particular needs but the back seat is fine for millions of other people. Just don't think it's fair to label it's back seat as unusable. I've read probably 20 reviews of the new Focus and can't recall one reviewer stating that the back seat was unusable. Saw a lot of comments mentioning it being tight or snug or a little less space than some other compacts.
In fact, my QX4 has less legroom and less hiproom than the new Focus and I've had it for almost 9 years and 70K with teenagers, adults and kids in the backseat on long trips and they seemed to have survived the experience. In fact, I really don't remember anybody complaining about the size of the backseat. Maybe we are just a bunch of masochists in our family. :sick:
Small cars with back seats that have plenty of leg room exist--it's not like it's impossible to design a car that way.
I'm not concerned at all with the 5'10 standard. It pangs me a little to have to choose between my son growing up to fit in the back of a Focus comfortably versus (defying all genetic odds) growing up to to be the 6'2 forward for the Chicago Bulls. But I'm willing to bet on the former. (If he enters the NBA, he could buy me four Focuses, or maybe just one Aston Martin).
Not at all, it's everone's perogative and personal choice. My problem was calling the backseat of the Focus unusable as in "why have four doors if the backseat is unusable". That is pretty definitive. Unusable for who...everyone? Obviously, you may find it unusable but many woudn't. Do I personally care if some people want bigger back seats? Absolutely not. Why should I? But since my vehicles backseat is smaller then the new Focus's, I guess I shouldn't have been using it all these years because obviously it is unusable.
Too small for many people, yes. Unusable for most...no!
I'll try to keep it really really simple and that is certainly not directed at you personally. My vehicle has a smaller back seat than the new Focus. I can fit adults, car seats, booster seats, teenagers, Labrador Retrievers, etc in my back seat. It is usable. I'm sure the new Focus backseat is therefore usable. Small, cramped, tight, not big enough for some people to the point they wouldn't buy it.....sure, but not unusable.
By the way, 6'2" is not going to be playing forward in the NBA. Try guard. But I hear you cause the center on my high school team was 6'2" and that was pretty tall then.
Were it not for the fact that cars which compete dead-on against the Focus (like the Mazda3) have as much as 3" more overall leg room, I might buy your argument. In my case I want a car with plenty of small-car sporting aspirations AND a place to stash my teenagers in the back for a five our drive. Apparently I'm not the only one.
"Cover the competition" is what my wise old skipper used to say; in this case Ford went out on a reach while the others close hauled toward the marker, and as a result, the Focus came up short. Is it a fine car for people whom don't really need a normal sized back seat? Yup, no denying it.
I then went to Mazda and if it has over 36 inches of rear legroom it must be invisible. The previous generation had reasonable room. The 2011 appeared to have about equal space as the Focus.
The Focus doesn't have the legroom of the Jetta or Elantra, but I was not turned off by the space. The headroom seemed better in the Focus than just about every competitor to include the Mazda3, Jetta, and Elantra.
Right, the problem is not the head room, & not even the knee room -- only the stretch-out leg room, which a child-seat won't have problem with.
Today's Focus, like all the old Honda Accord's prior to 1998, could not allow my legs to stretch out in the back. But wait a minute, yesterday's Focus got adult-size leg room in the back PLUS adult-size chair height, which is something today's Golf/Jetta don't got while my Mk1 Jetta does! :sick:
That's right. Just 24 hrs ago, I drove my '07 Focus ST to go test drive the GTI & Golf, which may have enough leg room in the back but w/ low chairs. So the rear seating is still not that comfortable. While on the way home, the hydraulic steering in my '07 Focus ST felt so alive by comparison, even when driving in a straight line, & therefore felt so good. Despite slightly less steering precision plus slightly less comfort due to less quietness & front suspension travel, I still find my old Focus more fun & enjoyable.
So if you have driven the head-of-the-class new Focus, chances are you might turn selfish enough to buy it despite realizing that most rear passengers will be suffering (like how the Accord sedans used to offer):P
Me too, I was wondering why those old Accord sedans got rear doors...
Yeah, it's a wonder how they sold any of those Accords when the backseat was clearly unusable. :confuse: