Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

2012 Ford Focus

18911131427

Comments

  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited May 2011
    You're right. Even w/ no rear leg room (by American std), the Accord was the best selling car in America! That's b/c America is the most wasteful country w/ very high percentage of drivers not using the carpool lane.

    So the new Focus will be a selling success here after people test drove it.

    Maybe it was about 9 yrs ago when I traveled to Asia. They happened to have a prettier version of the Sentra which was stylish enough to be an Infiniti, while our Sentra was fugly (& still is today). I was wondering if that would hurt their Maxima's sales. Well, they carpool a lot, so they need to buy the Maxima anyway.
  • markus5markus5 Member Posts: 102
    edited May 2011
    Last week, I saw a very stunning New Focus silver SE Hatchback model in the parking lot of my Gym. I pulled my '04 zts Focus right along side, which gave me an opportunity and a perspective which was not available to me at the dealership visit last month. ( for some reason cars look better in the environment than they do in a showroom or dealers' back lot)
    From the standpoint of replacing my '04 ( it feels & drives exactly like new at over 100K, remarkable), I had become quite concerned that the new car had appeared small in that first encounter. Casual observations recounted in this blog space had bolstered that original impression.
    Now looking at the two vehicles side by side, my old one did have a few more inches of length over the Hatchback, but in every other quality of a vehicles' "presence", this new model showed me more heft. The latest reviews I have read and seen on PBS's Motor Week also seem to confirm my emerging perspective, that Ford which after all spends millions on Marketing Studies, may have their Focus just right.
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited May 2011
    The new Focus is super wide @ 6ft, while the ZTS is only 5'7" wide -- a big difference in bulk that small-car drivers might not get used to.
  • dodgeman07dodgeman07 Member Posts: 574
    edited May 2011
    Amen. I'm 6'1" and 210 pounds and can comfortably sit behind myself in the new Focus. Roomy? No, but certainly acceptable for a compact sedan. After reading the comments here I was shocked I was able to fit very well behind the driver's seat (which was adjusted for myself). Easily as large as my old A4 that I regularly hauled 4 adults in and plenty of size for me and most people in the market for a compact sedan.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    edited May 2011
    Granted I'm only 5' 9" (ish), but I'm rather long of leg for someone my height; when I set the front seat for my preferred driving position in my Mazda3 (all of the way back, height medium, seat-back raked back only a few degrees) and then sit in the rear I have an easy two inches between my knee caps and the back of the front seat. When I do the same in the 2012 Focus (all of the way back as well) my knee caps are firmly implanted in the seat in front of me; not even remotely comfortable.

    If I was 6' 1" and had the same proportions as I do now (i.e. same inseam to height ratio) there's no way I'd even be able to sit in the rear of the Focus even for a short trip.
  • dodgeman07dodgeman07 Member Posts: 574
    edited May 2011
    If I was 6' 1" and had the same proportions as I do now (i.e. same inseam to height ratio) there's no way I'd even be able to sit in the rear of the Focus even for a short trip.

    That is amazing. My inseam is 34" and I had no problem sitting in the back seat of a 2012 Focus yesterday. I actually checked it out because of so many here called it "unusable". :confuse:

    The rear seat legroom is very similar to my former 2000 Audi A4 1.8T and 1992 Honda Accord LX sedan. It's fine for full-size adults on short trips or kids on any trip. If I was hauling around 4 full-size adults all the time, I wouldn't be in the market for a compact seden.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    I couldn't fit in the rear of the 2000 A4 either and didn't buy one as a result. It blows my mind that you could get in back there; then again, even though I'm an easy four inches shorter than you, my inseam is just over 36", which might well explain the difference.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    No offense meant, but someone 5'9" with an inseam over 36" is rather rare. I'm 5-10 and my inseam is only 31". So to say a backseat is unusable because you don't happen to be comfortable in it is stretching it don't you think? You mentioned that Ford should meet the market or something like that but I don't see how they can design a car to fit everyone equally given extremes in body shapes.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    edited May 2011
    Excuse me but I don't think a 36" inseam is all that rare, especially among taller than average women; women tend to be leggier than men for any given overall height.

    Compared to the competition, the back seat of the Focus is unusable; in fact, even when compared to the previous generation Focus the back seat is still unusable. Were it not for the fact that there are a number of other cars out there in class with significantly more room I might agree with you that there's nothing wrong per-se, with how Ford configured the new car; that they failed to meet their competition is inexcusable.
  • spyderonespyderone Member Posts: 54
    You have made your point very well known that the back seat is unusable, but that is your opinion and for your needs. It will however work for million of others. I thought it was fine. It would be almost impossible for a manufacturer to design ONE vehicle to fit everyone's needs because everyone's needs are different. If this vehicle doesn't work for you look at a Fusion or any other brand or model that will work. Some people think the interior is not up to par, others think it is great. Some may think it is too big whereas others think it is too small. Different opinions, different tastes
  • dudleyrdudleyr Member Posts: 3,469
    Finally test drove a Focus. Quick observations.

    Handles very well. Fun to drive. Better than my Accord.

    Feels slow, but it was an automatic and I am used to a stick. I am sure the stick would feel fine.

    Interior materials are OK. I prefer more straightforward ergonomics - not buttons trying to look like an old cell phone.

    Seats were comfortable. Better room in back than I expected. I would put it as the same as a Mazda 3, better than a Cruze, but a little worse than a Civic (has more headroom than Civic though), way more room than a Fiesta which is tiny. I am 6' and could sit behind myself. Not stretch out room like my Accord but doable. My 3 sons are 6' - 5'4, all are still growing and the oldest is a Freshman, so they probably wouldn't want to take a Focus on a long trip.

    I agree that if this car had a skoosh more rear leg room it would be more appealing. Right now it is border line. If it was 2 inches longer and had all that extra space as rear legroom I would be all over it. Especially in a hatch with a stick.

    I like the way the Jetta added so much leg room, but the kind of goofed with the rest of the car.
  • gambit293gambit293 Member Posts: 406
    Rear legroom listings - inches (from Edmunds):

    33.2 2012 Focus

    38 Versa

    35.4 Cruze

    36.1 2011 Focus

    36.2 Mazda3

    33.1 Elantra (sedan)

    35.1 Jetta (wagon)

    38.1 Jetta (sedan)

    35.5 Golf

    36.2 Civic

    36.3 Corolla

    35 Forte

    35.9 Lancer

    33.5 Impreza

    17.1 Celica

    Based on the above, it's pretty apparent that it's fair to criticize the 2012 Focus as having abnormally tight rear legroom. A few of the other numbers stand out. The Elantra is just as bad, though there were prior postings here observing that the Elantra seemed to have more room. I posted my celica just for kicks (perception is everything!).

    This was prompted by my recalling that I rented a Versa with a child seat around a year ago and didn't think the rear was tiny at all. Surely, thought I, if a sorta-C-segment like the Versa is sufficient, then the Focus would be no problem. As evident from the numbers, the Versa actually has freakishly generous legroom for its size.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Excuse me but I don't think a 36" inseam is all that rare, especially among taller than average women; women tend to be leggier than men for any given overall height.

    You didn't have to say "excuse me" like you were offended because I said that I in no way meant my comment in an offensive way. Yes, I do think that an inseam of over 36" is rare for someone that is 5'9" tall. Even for a women. There are probably plenty but not common or average by any degree especially as a percentage of population.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Numbers can be misleading. You really need to sit in the car to see if it meets your needs. The inches of legroom don't mean a thing if your feet are pushed up against the front seat, or if there's no room under the front seat for your feet. Those are both common problems in cars. Knee room (as reported in the official measurements) might be just fine, but then your knees are up in the air because there's insufficient toe space or the front seat bottom contacts your ankles before your knees do.

    This is what I found to be true of the Focus. Knee room was sufficient for me sitting behind myself (5'10", 32" inseam) but my legs were not comfortable because my ankles were pressed into the front seat before my thighs were well supported--i.e. "knees up in the air". The Cruze was worse than the Focus here, the Mazda3 no better, and cars like the Elantra, Jetta, and Versa much better (with the Versa offering the best rear legroom, almost limo-like despite its short length). So comparing "rear seat leg room" for, e.g. Focus and Elantra is really meaningless unless the numbers are much different (e.g. Focus vs. Versa). In the case of Focus vs. Elantra, there's a huge difference for me in rear seat comfort, because I can comfortably rest my thighs on the rear seat before my ankles are stopped by the front seat.

    So... go check out the back seats for yourself. Don't rely only on the numbers.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    ... not buttons trying to look like an old cell phone.

    I knew there was something familiar about the center stack controls!
  • dudleyrdudleyr Member Posts: 3,469
    The legroom numbers on Edmunds are just from the manufacturers, and they all measure slightly differently. If I want to compare numbers I look at Consumer Reports. The same people measure every car the same way. This makes for a valid comparison.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    If you just want to compare numbers and not compare how the cars actually feel to actual riders, sure.
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited May 2011
    being able to stretch forward w/ your heels not aft of your knees is another.

    Having better steering feel w/ the ride comfort sacrificed is no big deal, but having both better steering AND better ride comfort is something. & the Elantra trails the new Focus badly in these areas.

    Anyway, the new premium-price Focus is so good in BOTH driving pleasure & comfort that it's got the balls to lose the leg room for back-seat drivers. Other compacts have to bribe buyers w/ limo-like room in the back, such as the Versa trying to compete w/ the xB?

    Look how high the prices are on the A3, 1-series, IS250... Do they got rear leg room? No. So why can't the new $30k Focus do the same? B/c the name "Focus" isn't good enough to compete w/ them? Again, that's Americans' opinion :P

    Since the the 1-series was introduced over 1/2 a decade ago, a British car magazine was comparing it to the Golf & Focus in a group test. But in America, magazines are comparing the new $30k Focus to the Elantra? Why not comparing the new quiet Focus to the quiet Toyota Altezza (IS250)?
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    The mags are comparing the $20-25k Focus to the $18-23k Elantra. So not as big a difference as you might think.
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited May 2011
    Comparing base on price?

    You wanna know why that Euro car magazine was comparing the newly introduced 1-series hatch & the newly introduced Mk5 Golf to the "20th Century design" Mk1 Focus hatch in 2004?

    The Focus platform actually gave birth to the other 2 cars! VW hired the original Focus engineer to design the Control Blade 4-link suspension for the Mk5 Golf. BMW was considering using the Focus platform but ended up designing a 5-link suspension w/ similar principle for the current 3-series & 1-series.

    What does the new Elantra & the new Focus have in common other than being FWD? :P

    W/o multi-links, the roomy Elantra is actually more similar to the new Jetta, the Corolla & even the Lexus ES sedan.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    What does the new Elantra & the new Focus have in common other than being FWD?

    You're kdding, right?

    Try, size, MPG, hp, torque, generally the same price and the same class of car(compact, non-luxury) that people usually cross shop. The Focus is not a sports car nor is it a luxury car. The Focus price range stops where the other cars you mentioned begin. They are not cross shopped by the average car buyer IMO.

    Really, about the only difference between the two is the suspension/steering quality that you are so in love with and keep citing comparisons to 6-8 year old cars that aren't manufactured anymore. Instead of comparing the cars in this compact class to cars from yesterday, it is much more practical to compare them to cars in their same class that are being manufactured today. Just because one car has better suspension and steering mechanisms than others in the same class doesn't move it up from that class. It just excels in that area compared to the rest
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited May 2011
    That's what badge engineering is for. This car is too expensive & too cramped for a "Focus". The Toyota Altezza (Lexus IS) was available w/ 4-cyl in other countries as well.

    You got to be kidding me that the Focus is not a 4-seat sports car. & I'm pretty sure those of you who have driven the Focus SVT wouldn't dare to say that.

    Once you get the optional SVT (ST170 in Europe) package, it had already achieved Porsche Boxter territory in handling, per Consumer Reports. & the ST package will re-appear in this country soon.

    A $30k Focus you're looking at is just the tip of the iceburg. In other countries, this car is available w/ even more optional features from lane-departure warning/steering...

    & exactly how plush are the interiors of the 1-series & A3 anyway? The Focus III is the first Focus w/ a quiet & luxurious interior except some minor fit-&-finish details.

    If the Mk1 Focus was already being compared to the current Golf (V/VI) & the current 1-series in Europe, then the new more refined Mk3 Focus should qualify even more.

    Size-wise, the 6-ft wide new Focus sedan doesn't seem any less bulky than the current 3-series, let alone the 1-series.

    Room wise, the new Mk3 Focus is actually too small for an econobox, unlike the Mk2 & Mk1.

    Of course, if consumers in this country keep insisting that the Focus does not belong to the $30k+ category, then only stripped versions will remain in the upcoming years. Just like how those stability control, xenon headlights, lumbar support, etc., got discontinued on the U.S.-spec Mk1 Focus many years ago.

    Thanks to the cheapskate American consumers, we can only get... In Europe, the new Jetta has the Control Blade multi-links standard despite being imported from North America (Mexico).
  • dodgeman07dodgeman07 Member Posts: 574
    What does the new Elantra & the new Focus have in common other than being FWD?

    A see your point if you are comparing the Focus Hatchback w/5-sp stick to an Elantra Sedan w/auto. There are significant differences in that match up.

    For most of America, the Elantra and the Focus go head to head. We are the land of the sedan w/auto and that's where Hyundai and Ford will lockhorns.

    After reading some of the reviews of the Focus SE Hatch with a stick, I'm considering that route. I don't see the Focus as a $30K car though. Well-equipped for $20K, yes. Our poor USD hasn't fallen that much!
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    You got to be kidding me that the Focus is not a 4-seat sports car. & I'm pretty sure those of you who have driven the Focus SVT wouldn't dare to say that.

    No, not kidding. Sorry to burst your bubble but Ford does not make it or market it that way. The Focus is marketed as a high MPG compact car that now can be had with a lot of bells and whistles as well as a higher price tag. The Cruze can optioned to about the same price as the Focus.

    Just because one jazzed up version(SVT) of a car is available and that is one that probably only about 1-2% of the Focus buyers will drive, doesn't mean the Focus is a sports car. Just because the Civic comes in SI form I don't think anybody considers the Civic a sports car. What if Hyundai puts their turbo 2.0 in the Elantra and beefs up the suspension. Will that then be a sports car because it has 270hp and handles really tight?

    As far as luxury goes, it takes a lot more than just having the leather and other bells and whistles. The quality sound, feel and texture have to be there to. Believe me, the Focus is not nearly as rich feeling as cars in the luxury or even near luxury. You can have several cars with leather and a different grade of leather in each one. So to say a Focus is like an Audi or BMW or Porsche is just pie in the sky fantasy. Fancy looks are only skin deep.

    If you want to believe that a hopped up Focus is a poor mans Porsche equivalent, have at it but the more you say it won't make it so.
  • gambit293gambit293 Member Posts: 406
    Hi, I'm interested in your forward-wheel-drive, multilink suspension cars. What do you have in that range?

    ^People don't shop like that. Noone. Except maybe you. People shop across the generally defined A, C, etc. car segments. They go by the general size of the car, the general price range of the car, and the general layout of the car.

    You can keep on pounding your fists, insisting that all these fools are incorrectly comparing the Focus and the Elantra. At some point you have to wonder if all these people and magazines who are in fact making the comparison demonstrate that you are wrong.

    Also, by your SVT rational, all versions of the Mazda3, Neon, Civic, Calibre, Golf, Impreza, Contour, Taurus, F-150, and every other model out there that ever released a performance version is a sports car.
  • tim156tim156 Member Posts: 308
    There's a lot of discussion on this thread about which is best, if it is one thing or another and is the back seat comparable to this or that car. There isn't any discussion here from owners about the car. Does anyone posting here actually own a 2012 Focus? I do, and I love it. It's superior to my 2010 Fusion in ride, handling, cabin noise and interior styling. The back seat is a little cramped, but where I have the driver's seat an adult could fit there comfortably for a night out but not a 2000 mile trip. I don't really care about rear seat leg room, I'm single and will have someone back there maybe three or four times a year. My opinion is based on actually having the car, adjusting the seats and not on numbers from a magazine or web site. I'm sorry, but until more owners of the 2012 Focus begin posting here with both positive and negative comments and the topic stops straying from the 2012 Focus, this forum is irrelevant compared to others out there. I'll be back when there's some discussion from owners.
  • gambit293gambit293 Member Posts: 406
    Well, to be fair, it's only been available for about a month.

    But anyway, please tell us more. Sedan or hatch? Which trim? Are you willing to share your purchase price? Any comments on the buying experience?
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    I think we all wish that owners would chime in. Don't put us down for wanting to discuss a car without owning it. That is not and has never been a prerequisite to discussing automobiles in these forums. I don't know what you mean by not discussing the Focus as that is pretty much exactly what we have been discussing albeit a little heavy on the back seat room part of the discussion.

    All comments from actual owners like you are more than welcome. A lot of people frequent these forums to discuss a car PRIOR to buying it....to get all the pros and cons and just talk about it. Until actual owners like yourself post what exactly do we have to discuss except mag articles, test drives and sitting in the car at auto shows? Are you suggesting that we shut up unless we own one?

    We are on post 530 or so and to my knowledge your's is the first post from an actual owner. Where is everybody?????
  • tim156tim156 Member Posts: 308
    That's true, I ordered mine March 8th and it was delivered to the dealer on May 11th. On other forums there are people who ordered last November.
    Mine is an Ingot Silver Metallic, SEL 5-door with the 303A package which includes the MyFord Touch and Sony Package and the SEL Premium Package, I also added a remote starter. I had my windows tinted and I installed molded splash guards yesterday. I chose not to go with the Titanium because of the additional cost up front. I have all the features the Titanium has except the keyless start and sport tuned suspension. I absolutely love this car. With only 400+ miles on it, I'm averaging 29-30 mpg's with 60% city 40% highway and I got 37.3 last weekend on a short road trip.
    When I was shopping I did a lot of research, figured out the price I wanted to pay and shopped four dealerships.
    Here's how my deal broke down:
    $24,625 MSRP
    -$1460 Off MSRP
    $23,165 Dealer Invoice + $4.00, Negotiated Price
    -$500 Ford Financing Rebate
    -$750 Ford Private Cash Discount
    $21,915 Final Price
    With the additional discounts, I paid $2710 below MSRP, so all the talk about a 28K car isn't true. Yes, MSRP can be that high or higher on a fully loaded Titanium with ALL the extras, but only chumps pay retail for a car. These cars are hot and dealerships sell them right off the truck so they might try to sell at MSRP, but there's always a deal out there. My opinion is the best way to deal and get the price and car you want is to order from the factory. You have to wait longer, but you can get the car with the options and color you want and if your a good negotiator it will save you $$.
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited May 2011
    Hi, I'm interested in your forward-wheel-drive, multilink suspension cars. What do you have in that range?

    ^People don't shop like that. Noone. Except maybe you. People shop across the generally defined A, C, etc. car segments. They go by the general size of the car, the general price range of the car, and the general layout of the car.


    The Escort was re-named as "Focus" in the late '90's to show how focused its multi-link suspenson differs from the Escort.

    People here have shopped the Focus as a cheaper Euro-econobox than the Golf. That's why almost everyone is complaining about the price & rear leg room of the Mk3 Focus. What they didn't know is that there was already a rather expensively built Mk2 Focus around the world since '04, & the Mk3 is more expensive still, which is what the Mk2 owners might expect. So it may be OK over there to continued w/ the same name for the new version.

    & re-name this Mk3 Focus, at least in America, as something like "Ford Probe" will likely to solve this problem.

    The A3 is more expensive, cramped & sportier than the Golf. So is the Mk3 Focus.

    Of course, the Mk3 Focus, now w/ quiet interior, is good enough to compare to sporty luxurious compacts w/ small interior such as the A3 & Toyota Altezza (Lexus IS sedan), which, like the Mazda Protege/323, was also available w/ 2.0 V6 around the world.

    But I never compared the 2.0 V6 IS sedan to the 2.0 V6 Protege/323, base on facts like the Protege is a noisy boom box just like the old Focus.

    Base on facts like today's Lexus IS' steering is more numb than today's new Focus, I can safely conclude that the Focus is more of a sport sedan than the Lexus IS while providing more pampering comfort than sporty compacts that are less luxurious such as the Mazda3.
  • spyderonespyderone Member Posts: 54
    I read this review on another website and thought it might be of interest to those considering this as their next vehicle.

    Average rating
    (Updated every 3 hours)
    9.0 Overall rating
    9.7 Styling
    8.3 Performance
    9.0 Interior
    8.7 Quality
    9.0 Recommendation


    "Focus SEL a Home Run"
    2012 Ford Focus SEL
    05/07/2011
    By: Professional from Texas
    Owned: Less than 1 year
    Review ID: #552296

    9.9 Overall rating
    10 Styling
    9 Performance
    10 Interior
    10 Quality
    10 Recommendation

    Pros:
    The styling is outstanding. The curves are sleek, and the 3-part front grill looks sporty, with a clean continuation of the hood line down the front of the car. A lot of double-takes as people try to figure out what kind of Ford this is. The SEL trim with leather interior is well worth-it, in my view, offering a pampered feeling inside the car. The driver's controls and instrument panel are very well-designed. I've owned several cars -- all more expensive than this one -- and by far this one gives me the most enjoyment to look at and to drive. Taking into account the visual appeal of the car, the interior amenities, and the gas mileage, you get a whole lot of value for the price.

    Cons:
    Dislike very few things about this car. Accelerates decently and is spry on the highway, but not a monster engine, as one would expect given the high gas mileage of the vehicle (the version I have is rated 37/27, which is accurate). Haven't played with the ability to manually shift gears yet, which may provide a more sporty acceleration feel.
    Overall review:
    If it's been a while since you've bought or driven a Ford, I believe you'll be amazed. They've taken huge steps forward -- this is a world-class vehicle in this price range. Bought it as a commuter car, but enjoy driving it every day. I've owned several cars from different manufacturers over the years, and this one has proven my favorite. No regrets at all for choosing the 2012 Focus.
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited May 2011
    Just because one jazzed up version(SVT) of a car is available and that is one that probably only about 1-2% of the Focus buyers will drive, doesn't mean the Focus is a sports car. Just because the Civic comes in SI form I don't think anybody considers the Civic a sports car. What if Hyundai puts their turbo 2.0 in the Elantra and beefs up the suspension. Will that then be a sports car because it has 270hp and handles really tight?

    Have you seen any sedan from Korea w/ steering feel good enough to be truly sporty? LOL Did you notice the Forte tried to be sporty & stiff, but the steering is still woodenly numb?

    Even the long-term car maker Honda produces the Civic Si w/ steering feel even worse than some video games, per Car & Driver.


    As far as luxury goes, it takes a lot more than just having the leather and other bells and whistles. The quality sound, feel and texture have to be there to. Believe me, the Focus is not nearly as rich feeling as cars in the luxury or even near luxury. You can have several cars with leather and a different grade of leather in each one. So to say a Focus is like an Audi or BMW or Porsche is just pie in the sky fantasy. Fancy looks are only skin deep.

    I understand about Ford's less-than-perfect interior finish. You can tell Lincoln owners that their interiors are not refined enough for a true luxury car.

    To me, this problem is too superficial compare to the numb steering found in sporty sedans like the (Honda) TSX & the (Toyota) IS.

    & as far as "the quality sound, feel and texture" goes? The Mk3 Focus is a shortened version of the Mondeo (& Volvo S80) German-engineered European car available all over the world. Even the previous Mondeo (a.k.a. Metrostar Mondeo) had a TV commercial showing a blind man was so sure it is a Mercedes-Benz when hearing how the door thunks. :D
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    edited May 2011
    is your 2012 Ford Focus a hatchback with an automatic transmission or the 5-speed manual? Because if I understand this right the only 2012 Ford Focus with the 5-speed stick you can buy is the SE model Focus.

    Splane yerself.

    image
    2012 Ford Focus SE hatchback

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • gambit293gambit293 Member Posts: 406
    Tim, you've had the car for several weeks now. How do you like the the Mytouch system? Is it responsive? Easy to use while driving?
  • markus5markus5 Member Posts: 102
    Tim, thanks for sharing some information on a little bit of your buying experience. I have a $750 Private Cash Discount Certificate, which expires at the end of this month. I brought it to my dealership this weekend, but we could not make a deal on a car because the car had to be taken out of stock. The dealer found one at another dealer about 150 miles away but then it became complicated. I cannot remember how I was able to get this dicount cerificate. Where did you get yours ?
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,256
    You can go to the Ford website and request a brochure for the model you are interested in.
    I did that a few months ago, but only got a brochure, no coupon.
    About 2 years ago, I did use one on another vehicle, so maybe that plays into it, too.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • smegleysmegley Member Posts: 7
    I am curious about these. Is the discount certificate good for any new Ford purchase? I am curious because perhaps if a car is selling well they don't throw them in with the brochure, but if a car is not moving as well as Ford wants you may be more likely to get one. So I could request a brochure for, say, a Ford Taurus (or maybe Lincoln MKS if the certificate is good for any Ford product) and score my certificate and drop it on a Focus. Is that doable?
  • centexdrivercentexdriver Member Posts: 1
    My wife and I placed our order for a 2012 Sterling Grey Focus SEL 5 door with the 303A package 2 weeks ago with a delivery date of 6-8 weeks from time of order. We agreed to a purchase price of just over $23,000 including TT&L so this looks to be comparable to post #533 in pricing. It will replace a 1992 Honda Accord EX that gets around 19 mpg.
    We made our decision after driving the 2011 Elantra and the 2012 Civic. Of the three the Focus was by far our favorite on the basis of drive feel, suspension, seat comfort, flexibility and looks. We also looked at a Prius but the Focus was about $3000 less expensive and cost to own projections are comparable from what we have found in our research. We'll use our Focus as a commuter and errand car primarily as we have 4 young children and already have a 2003 Pilot as our family vehicle.
    Once we have the vehicle I will update on our experience.
  • gambit293gambit293 Member Posts: 406
    The $750 coupon I received was part of the Focus brochure. It was a cutout of one of the inner pages. I filled out several forms expressing my interest in the Focus early this year, both online and at auto shows, so I'm not sure exactly which one lead to my receiving the brochure.
  • gambit293gambit293 Member Posts: 406
    Something just occurred to me: I don't believe I've seen a single ad for the new Focus on tv. Not that I watch that much tv, but has anyone seen ads?
  • tim156tim156 Member Posts: 308
    Based on what I read from reviewers I was concerned about learning to use MyFord Touch. It's much easier than I expected. I have an iPod and a finger drive with all my cd's loaded on it in the two usb drives. I have read about some folks having issues with the system re-booting, going blank and having to return to the dealer for a re-flash, I have not had any of those problems. The touch screen is very responsive and the steering wheel controls are easy to use once I figured out how to use them, which makes it easy when driving.
  • tim156tim156 Member Posts: 308
    Congratulations! Sounds like the same car I have but in Sterling Grey. Of all the cars you listed, you made the best choice. With only 500 miles on my car I'm getting 30+ city and 37+ highway mpg's. Overall combined, that's as good as a hybrid, for a lot less.
  • tim156tim156 Member Posts: 308
    I got mine by requesting a brochure through the Ford web site. The discount coupons are model and customer specific and it also seems that if you answer other than I will be buying in the next 3 months (or something like that) you will not receive a discount coupon with your brochure. I don't remember the actual expiration date on mine, but I believe it's three months from the date of the request to promote more immediate sales.
  • tim156tim156 Member Posts: 308
    I don't understand why I have to explain myself regarding something I didn't mention in my earlier post. A quick look at the Ford web site will show the 5-speed manual is standard on the S and SE models and the PowerShift 6-speed automatic transmission is available as an option on the SE.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Yeah, I've seen quite a few. They tend to be on the short 15-30 second side it seems and are fairly easy to miss.
  • faroutfarout Member Posts: 1,609
    I went and test drove a 12 Focus, I did not buy, as I wanted to just gain more information.before and after the drive, I made it lear I was not buying just learning and gathering information. There was no problem and the dealer was willing to let me and my wife to take it alone. But we asked for a sales person so we could fully grasp all the stuff on the dash.

    Two weeks later we were asked totake this survay. At the end of the survay was a $ 500. coupon for purshasing a Focus.

    I personally found the Focus too small for us because we have grandchildren visit, and we take them fishing. Either the kids or the fishing stuff would not be able to go.

    There were lost of buttons that dis all kinds of things, the dash looked cheap, the seats were nice but a tad too small for us. Over all the Focus is better than any small car I have seen, but at a much higher price that I would pay.
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited May 2011
    which is not what you expected from a "Focus".

    Why would Ford do this to you?

    Take a look at the BMW 1-series. It's nearly as expensive as the 3-series, but w/ much less rear leg room plus a more spartan interior. That's b/c the 1-series is really a 3-series shrunken down. So pretty much everything is just as complicated, & thus hardly any less expensive to build.

    The new Mk3 Focus is also a shrunkened Mondeo, which is the fanciest sedan from "Ford of Europe". You can't even buy one here at any price, & can only dream of owning one (since 2007)... :P
  • cigdogcigdog Member Posts: 3
    SE 5-Door Auto Transmission 203A PG Sport PG Red Candy

    MSRP 22170

    OTD 21853

    MA State
  • griswaldgriswald Member Posts: 33
    Went for a test drive to try out the stick. I'm 6ft 2in tall and had not driven a manual for years so I was interested in how the Focus would pan out. I was very pleased with the driving experience and the out the door price here in Canada. I'm now looking forward to picking up a new silver one Tuesday - yeah!
  • podpod Member Posts: 176
    I am officially a luddite and tend to avoid a lot of the "new and wonderful" electronic options since I hardly ever take my eyes off the road for anything. Two offering strike me as bizarre. The auto parallel park seen a some Focus ads make the ad seems like a parody. Does anyone really need this, especially with such a small car? Could it be used on a crowded city street (where it may be helpful for the few)? Wouldn't you set off a riot in the drivers held up behind you while the car does its machinations? Are you in the car or standing clear? Does insurance cover "things the car does on its own"? The most offensive to me is the Ford push for "Touch" systems which by definition require that you take your eyes off the road to read labels and menus, etc. I couldn't think of a more unnecessary and ill-chosen type of system. It requires that you take your eyes off the road. Or am I wrong? I am very happy with the buttons and dials on my 2010 Milan whose positions are memorized quickly. The electronic steering on the new Ford cars seems very sensitive near the straight ahead position and I have found only a second or two of inattention can result in a lot of lane shift. It seems much more sensitive than the older ford hydraulic systems. That's okay but requires eyes on the road discipline.
Sign In or Register to comment.