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2012 Ford Focus

1101113151627

Comments

  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    edited June 2011
    Let's stick to the Focus here. Since there seems to be enough interest, perhaps we can have a DRL discussion over on Automotive News & Views.

    Here's a link to the new discussion where we can debate the value of DRLs...

    DRLs - Boon or Bane?
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    I've moved a couple of the DRL posts from here to the new discussion to get us going there. ;)

    Now we can maintain our Focus here
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    I've moved a couple of the DRL posts from here to the new discussion to get us going there.

    Sounds like a bright idea to me :shades: :sick:
  • puffin1puffin1 Member Posts: 276
    did it come with lumbar support?
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    I don't remember.
  • kevmkevm Member Posts: 5
    Never Had a Car That gets up to operating temp so quick Is this the case with all the new 2012 focus.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Most new cars do it. It's necessary to get the catalytic converters up to temperature to meet tougher emission standards.
  • podpod Member Posts: 176
    The fusions and milans come up fast too which is welcome in a cold weather climate since the heater output warms the interior faster as well. Really just a few minutes. I remember earlier cars which seemed to take forever to get warm air moving.
  • gambit293gambit293 Member Posts: 406
    Multiple glowing reviews of a manual SE with sport suspension over at automobile:

    http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/editors_notebook/1106_2012_ford_focus_se/in- dex.html

    A generally negative review of a Titanium over at leftlanenews. This review was sort of the polar opposite of most others I've seen: they're pretty unimpressed with the handling and yet, call the rear seat one of the roomiest in class.

    http://www.leftlanenews.com/ford-focus-titanium-review.html

    And lastly this: a Motor Trend comparo in which the Focus Titanium finishes FIFTH behind Jetta, Mazda 3, Civic, and Elantra:

    http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/1107_best_selling_compact_sedan_compa- rison/index.html

    They really did not like the transmission in this review. But I'm still surprised the Focus finished so low, given the generally mediocre comments on many other cars (especially the jetta).

    Does my inability to swallow a negative review make me a certified fanboy?
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Negative reviews would be easier to swallow if they were consistent but as you can see they're not.

    Motor trend HATES Ford right now. I don't know why. Go read the Explorer review and all the flak they got for it. Their reviews of Ford products seem to be 180 degrees from the rest.

    The tranny does seem to be a little quirky at low speed but it's not bad.

    I'm not sure the U.S. based rags really understand a premium C-segment car.
  • seaurchinseaurchin Member Posts: 57
    Went to a dealership today and test drove one. First of the interior looks great, materials are really good. If you compare interior to 2012 Honda Civic, it is like comparing a $10,000 to a $60,000.

    Now what i did not like was the seating, i thought that seats were too small, same in the back, you can seat there all right, but there's not a lot of space. The whole cabin feels a little cramped. What i also thought the car needed was a little extra ooommppp, just a few more HP. Focus is 8.6 seconds in 0-60, Mazda3 (one with a bigger engine) is 7.7.

    I did not buy it because i though it is a tad too small for me, but overall just a really good car.
  • gambit293gambit293 Member Posts: 406
    Did anyone else get the snazzy new brochure in the mail, with the pull-action automatic parking demo? It also came with another $750 coupon, which replaces the expired one I already had.
  • mycomamycoma Member Posts: 2
    Yes I got it also.....
  • Sandman6472Sandman6472 Member Posts: 6,948
    How does one get that coupon? Please send directions as I'm sure others in here would like to know also.
    Thank you.

    The Sandman :) :sick: :shades:

    2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)

  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,142
    If no one's sure how they got it, exactly, I bet you'd get one if you went to Ford.com. Once you get to the 2012 Focus page, you can choose to print a brochure, then on the "print" page, there's a "receive more information from Ford." Looks to me like if you fill that out, you'll start getting info and special offers and coupons from them... perhaps forEVER.

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
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  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    You should also request a printed brochure on that specific vehicle. If you've already gotten one brochure and coupon that expired you may or may not get a new one. In that case request the 2nd one in your spouse's name.
  • faroutfarout Member Posts: 1,609
    The Focus is not for u older ones that need a soft cushy place to plop our tender bottoms on. We test the Fiesta and it is so cramped for us that we only drove it a few blocks and drove back. then we drove the Focus. The Focus is much the same except instead of a size 9 shoe fit, the focus was a size 10. The Focus was made in the US and with a engine and transmission made here too. I doubt traveling for a long trip would be much fun after 300 miles.

    THE FOCUS IS A GOOD CAR, NOT A GREAT CAR. The primary people Ford wants to attract is the under 30 croud, and Ford will.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    I'm 48, 5'11 and 250. I fit just fine. If you're used to a Grand Marquis with a sofa bench seat then it might feel tight at first. But this is a C segment car - it's not supposed to be huge.
  • smegleysmegley Member Posts: 7
    Fortunately my shoes are size 8.5, so size 10 is plenty big. But am also am 5'9 and under 150 lbs.

    Said it before here and I'll say it again: if you need to drive around in a living room on wheels then this is not going to be your car. I sat in this thing front and back and the roominess fine. I'm just waiting for the ST, which, if priced right and if not overly burdened with techno garbage (prone to breakdown and obsolescence) I will buy.

    Not sure about anyone else here, but out of nowhere I got a $750 private cash coupon from Ford good on any car (with some specialty exceptions), and it's $1000 on Lincolns. Expires in Sept. I never applied for a brochure with my address and all, so it caught me offguard to see it in the mail, but since I own a Ford I'm thinking they have access to DMV records for current owners.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    edited June 2011
    Said it before here and I'll say it again: if you need to drive around in a living room on wheels then this is not going to be your car. I sat in this thing front and back and the roominess fine

    I certainly wouldn't consider the Golf or the Mazda3 a "living room on wheels", but they are much more spacious than the Focus. FWIW, I'm an inch or so shorter than you and have the same shoe size, and yet the Focus feels quite confining; more confining even than my 1979 Scirocco (a small car by any measure).
  • smegleysmegley Member Posts: 7
    edited June 2011
    Shipo, what part about someone saying "THIS is not going to be your car" with reference to the topic of this forum makes you confuse the Focus with a Golf or Mazda3?

    What I do when a car doesn't fit me at all is not buy it and not worry about it. I certainly don't go online and complain for months about it being too small, but whatever floats other people's boat is their thing, I guess. From what I can tell, incessant complaining here is not going to make the backseat any larger on the Focus, and inquiries about cars that fit your needs and comforts (in this case not a Focus, I suppose) are probably going to yield better answers in their respective forums.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    You're missing the point; there are plenty of small cars in the same class as the Focus, cars even sportier than said Focus, which don't qualify for your "living room on wheels" moniker. With the exception of that little bit name calling, I have no problem with anything you said in your original post.
  • gambit293gambit293 Member Posts: 406
    Yea, sorry I can't add anything beyond what others suggested. I've given my info to Ford via several methods (website, car shows, sweepstakes) over the past 6 months, so I'm not sure how I exactly ended up on their Focus mailing list.
  • gambit293gambit293 Member Posts: 406
    Article at NYT about how Mytouch is hurting Ford's reliability ratings:

    http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/24/business/24ford.html?src=recg
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    A lot of those complaints are from people who just don't understand how it works (and probably never opened the manual). There are legitimate complaints for sure though and it appears Ford has them fixed finally.

    Someone on a Focus forum had severe body panel issues so they sent his car back to the factory (he's close to Wayne) and while it was there they updated his MFT to the latest one due out to the public next month. He says it seems to have totally fixed the stability and delay issues once and for all.

    Keep your fingers crossed.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    I love tech but I have crossed Ford off my list until they either get this mytouch/sync stuff down pat(no glitches, no freeze ups, no mandatory reboots, no going to my dealer for updates, etc) or offer it only as an option.

    I'm so sick of hearing one, READ THE MANUAL, or two, that anybody over the age of 40 just can't get it or understand it. I understand it completely but don't like it. I just don't need three or four ways to adjust my volume thank you and I really don't want to talk to my car and hope it understands my language/voice. And I shouldn't have to read a manual just to adjust the radio and heat/ac. The more techy it is the quicker it will become out of date like cell phones and computers.

    I suppose if I rent a Ford with mytouch it will be mandatory to spend three hours at the rental office reading the manual before I should be allowed to drive the car. KISS has been around a long time and it is very applicable today. Keep it simple stupid or stupid simple whichever you like better.
  • gambit293gambit293 Member Posts: 406
    "I love tech but I have crossed Ford off my list until they either get this mytouch/sync stuff down pat . . . or offer it only as an option. "

    I'm a bit confused here. MyFord Touch is an option, except for the Titanium. Or are you referring to Sync? I don't believe Sync itself is the source of most of the complaints. Sync was already fairly reliable, as I undersand.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    LIke I said, I love tech like nav and nice stereo. I also like leather. If I bought a Focus or any Ford(really like the Edge also) I would get the vehicle pretty loaded. However, when you do, along comes the myford touch. I tried the sync in a demo drive on the 2011 Edge and in talking with the system I had to repeat myself so many times it was frustrating. In the time it took to press the sync button, talk to it several times, I could have just reached over and pushed a button or twisted a knob a lot easier.

    I just think it's too much to play with while driving. People can't even talk on the phone and drive right let alone gawking at all the fine print on all these lcd screens. \\Just my rant.....feel free to ignore. ;)
  • gambit293gambit293 Member Posts: 406
    I definitely hear you; I am extremely skeptical of Touch too, and you sound like you are more tech than me. But a fully loaded SEL except without the touch would probably suit you well. You could get leather, a decent sound system, and most other creature comforts. You'd be missing out on the Titanium's suspension, but some reviews have criticized its ride as too harsh anyway. That's what I'm intending to get. I'll probably buy another stand alone nav system too, which is transferable to other cars as well.

    I could be wrong as I haven't actually used it, but I don't think sync alone (without touch) is particularly intrusive. It's comparable to Onstar. If you don't use it, then I don't think you would know the car even has it. Plus I imagine that problems with Sync are more likely to along the lines of initial setup-- once you get a smartphone synced, I imagine it would work fine, whereas Touch is a pretty expansive system (made by microsoft :( ) with plenty of opportunity to bug out.
  • puffin1puffin1 Member Posts: 276
    edited June 2011
    The Golf to my surprise is highly rated by Motor Trend, Edmunds and C@D. Both TDI and and base 5spd.
    I shop for better gas milage,but a little comfort too. The Focus to me has the best suspension being a multilink but you have to go to a SEL HB or a TI to get a lumbar support, and only the drivers seat cushion is heated.The V dub has muli ti level heated driver and passenger seats and lumbar. There is something about german car cabins and options that Ford didn't get with all that building in Germany.You can make a c class car good on gas and comfortable. The only thing is how do you do it with an I beam?(multilink)
    I don't think I'd get sync with its problems ,blue tooth is good enough and a Navi system is a waste of money buy a Garmin or a Nuvi and swap it with cars in your family. I had to get it with my BMW as it came with the car,same with wife's Lex IS.Mazda 3 had a good car until they did away with alot of options on the 148 HP and now you have to jump up to a 2.5 and if you don't watch out ,you'll spend 23or 24K OTD.Crazy.The UK has alot of great class c cars that we will get in 2 years maybe the Skoda or Astra,we are discriminated against when it comes to Ford and GM sending cars across the pond.Can anyone sing second hand rose? :shades:
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    edited June 2011
    Regarding the rear suspension issue; I don't get all hung up about the engineering detail, I drive them and determine if they'll do the job I want or if they won't. Multilink, I-Beam, trailing link torsion beam, I've driven good and bad examples of each. :)

    Regarding the Mazda3, 2011 isn't the model year to buy as the new 2.0 liter SkyActiv-G engine doesn't make its debut until the 2012 model year. Depending upon when "Buy" time comes for me, a 4-Door Golf TDI 6-Speed and the 2012 Mazda3 5-Door SkyActive-G 6-Speed will be at the top of my list. Depending on a few other factors (such as which of our current cars we decide to keep, and whether GM decides to offer a manual transmission in the higher line Cruze models), the Focus and the Cruze may also make my final short list. :)
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    My daughter's Ingot Silver SEL Hatch arrived yesterday. Less than 5 weeks from order to delivery. X plan with $1250 rebates ($750 personal rebate plus $500). Dealer got me 3.0% financing on a 60 month loan so we just kept the down payment in the bank.

    So far it's fantastic. It has myford but not MyFordTouch. The left 5-way controls the display in the gauge cluster and the right one controls the one in the center of the dash.

    Ambient lighting is ho-hum - guess I was expecting something more dramatic.

    It isn't super roomy but I fit just fine in both the front and rear seats and I'm not small. I don't understand all the complaints about interior room. It's a C class vehicle for goodness sake.

    The transmission is quirky at low speeds but it's not bad - just different. Put it in S mode without hitting the selectshift buttons and it's more responsive but still shifts automatically. Tried it in manual mode a little and it seems to shift very quickly and crisply as I expected. Much better than a regular automatic.

    I may seriously consider a ST next year for myself. I averaged 37 mpg on a short test trip compared to the 17 mpg I get now in my 3.0L Fusion. It's very tempting.
  • griswaldgriswald Member Posts: 33
    There is considerably more room for tall drivers in the front of my 2012 Focus compared to my wife's Mazda 3, girth wise probably the opposite due to the excellent side bolstering of my Focus's sport seats.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    How do you have the seats adjusted for height? I ask because if you don't have them set the same, then an incorrect impression of the relative headroom will be made.

    FWIW #1, my own impression of the Focus, the Gen 2 Mazda3, and the Gen 1 Mazda3 (my current ride) is that the Gen 1 Mazda has more head room than the other two (which I could discern no difference between).

    FWIW #2, the headroom numbers bear out what I've personally observed:
    -- Front/Rear -- 39.1/37.4 -- 2009 Mazda3
    -- Front/Rear -- 38.3/37.9 -- 2012 Focus
    -- Front/Rear -- 38.1/37.7 -- 2011 Mazda3

    So, per the numbers, the Focus has 0.2" more front and rear headroom than the Mazda3. Given that the headroom appears to be generous enough in each of the above cars for all but the tallest of drivers, the headroom number is a bit moot. That said, the legroom numbers (where the Mazda3 has a whopping 3" more legroom than the Focus) are very much an issue for anybody transporting teens and adults for any distance in the rear seats.
  • griswaldgriswald Member Posts: 33
    I'm 6'2" with long legs and relatively shorter torso, no problem with headroon in either though I do set the Focus seat low. I was referring principally to the Focus being more comfortable by it having more front legroom than the wife's 2009 Mazda 3.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Ahhh, now I see where the disconnect is; while the previous generation of the Mazda3 (out of production for over two and a half years now) does indeed have less front leg room than the new Focus, the current generation of the Mazda is sporting one tenth of an inch more than the Ford (and three more inches of rear leg room).

    As a qualifier for the various statements I've made in this thread, unless otherwise specified, all comparisons between the Focus and the Mazda3 are between "like generations" (i.e. 2012 Focus vs. 2011 Mazda3).

    Off topic (sort of), my son managed to not set the parking brake in my car well enough a week and a half ago, and my 2009 Mazda3 rolled away, down a hill, across a (thankfully empty) residential street, down the front yard across the street, and into a rock wall. Not only was the lower grill area obliterated, so too was the bottom of the A/C condenser and the radiator, and the oil filter mount was literally ripped from the engine. Needless to say I'm driving a rental these days. Funny thing, my rental is a 2010 Focus; go figure. :P
  • gambit293gambit293 Member Posts: 406
    About two and a half years ago, I forgot to set my parking brake in a garage when I went to take a test on a campus. After the test, I found my car had rolled from its space, about two car lengths out. It was just sitting there in the middle of the garage (with a ticket warning me to move my car by the end of the day). Another four feet or so and it would have hit the garage incline and things would have gotten very, very ugly. I got really lucky, though other drivers probably thought I was a total jack***.

    No Focus tie in -- Doh! :(
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    ...my 2009 Mazda3 rolled away...and into a rock wall...the lower grill area obliterated,

    An upgrade!!

    May I ask why the car wasn't in gear as well?
  • ivan_99ivan_99 Member Posts: 1,681
    ...and...I was always taught to turn the wheel towards the curb down hill, away from the curb up hill.

    So if the car rolled...the curb would stop it.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    I asked that question; he looked kind of sheepish and said, "I thought the brake would be enough."

    Oy vey!
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    I was taught that as well, however, there are two issues in play here:

    1) There are very few curbs here in New Hampshire, and none where the car was parked, and
    2) apparently Driver's Ed no longer covers that subject. In fact, when I first explained to him the concept of turning the wheel he looked at me like I was nuts.

    Hopefully I'll get my car back this week so that I can lose the Focus (among other things, I hate driving a car with only two pedals under the dash).
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    Focus ;)
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    If you get a manual Focus, remember to leave it in gear and use the parking brake.

    Better??
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    Better... not perfect... but better
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    How about........a little more "Focus" on parking correctly?
  • gambit293gambit293 Member Posts: 406
    Snag a copy of the August C&D for a Focus SE smackdown of a Civic EX. The article concludes by crowning the Focus the "undisputed compact car of choice."
  • curlfriendcurlfriend Member Posts: 5
    was wondering if new IIHS top safety pick status given to 2012 focus also applies to the wagon/5-door models? (it was unclear; the info specified "four doors".) also: had been ready to shoot on 7-seat ford c-max when it was yanked from US market. anyone know how the 5-seat c-max energi and hybrid versions will rate vs. the 2012 focus on safety?
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Anything with 4 or 5 stars nowadays is about as safe as you can get. Even the ones with 3 stars are safer than the best cars 10 years ago. The tests keep getting harder and harder and the vehicles better and better. Don't sweat it.
  • ivan_99ivan_99 Member Posts: 1,681
    How is the Focus availability at the dealers?

    I was down at a Ford dealer looking at an F150 and saw a very nice Focus hatch. I looked around and couldn't see any others.

    When I asked the salesman he said that was it...they can't keep those in stock (as well as the new Explorer).

    Not sure if it was just 'salesman talk'
  • court62871court62871 Member Posts: 1
    They are selling super fast here in Kansas city! I just bought one last week. The dealer had six on friday morning and when I came in mid day saturday he had zero. One showed up as I was about to leave.
    I REALLY like this car as of now. For a small car it has a amazing ride and it is super quiet! I got the SE and they are going o put leather and a sunroof in it next week. I did not need the added options the SEL has and it was cheaper to go this route.

    The transmission is a bit funky at low speeds for sure. The steering is pinky simple to turn. I have ran two full tanks of gas through it splitting between city and highway and I am averaging 33MPG.

    Is the car small? Well sure it is, it a compact car! I am 6'1 and weigh 270 and have zero issues with this car. I have NEVER owned a car as my DD as I have always had trucks for 25 years. This is a nifty little vehicle to say the least. Ford scores big on this one for me!
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