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2012 Ford Focus

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Comments

  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited January 2012
    For 2012, the "front center armrest w/ rear A/C ducts" finally came back in the 5-cyl Golf as part of the $600 Convenience Package, which also includes Bluetooth & the Cold Weather Package (heated windshield-washer nozzles & front seats).

    Adding another $1800 will get you the sunroof & mid-grade (not Dynaudio) stereo w/ Sirus. But I am thinking of skipping this (& add a tad more front head room :) ). Even though the low-end stereo might not pair up with those steering remote buttons, some aftermarket stereo/navigation systems are tailored to do so but Bluetooth...(1, 2)

    & the only way to get navigation built into the large screen in the dash of the 5-cyl Golf is to go aftermarket (or an expensive factory head unit).

    Golf's optional features are expensive. The Civic Si only charges $200 to add a pair of rear doors, while the Golf charges $700 but includes motorizing the agonizingly slow front-seat reclining mechanism.
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  • gogogodzillagogogodzilla Member Posts: 707
    I recently bought a 2012 Ford Focus Titanium in November and have been getting roughly 27 mpg on the highway. That's at 70mph with the cruise control set.

    I've taken it in to be looked at, but got a run-around about needing a break-in period combined with 'oxygenated gasoline'.

    Has anyone else experienced this sort of problem?
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Seems low. Put it in manual mode and make sure it's in 6th gear.

    Are you resetting the avg mpg after you reach 70?
  • gogogodzillagogogodzilla Member Posts: 707
    edited January 2012
    I've been resetting it on a 'per drive' basis during the workweek. Reset for the 15 mile highway drive to work, then reset again before the drive home.

    The best I've seen has been 31 mpg; the worst 25 mpg.

    ---

    My last car was a 2006 VW GTI... and I'd get 31-32 mpg on the way to work, and 27-28 on the way home. So it doesn't make sense that I'd get worse fuel economy in a car that promises 10 mpg greater.
  • hello1234hello1234 Member Posts: 1
    I also purchased a 2012 focus SEL in December and I am seeing the same issue. Not very happy with the gas mileage that I am getting when it is rated for 38mpg. I have not taken my car to the dealership yet, but when I spoke to a service advisor on the phone today, he didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with the vehicle.
    I am now at 2500 miles and have not seen any major improvement on gas mileage. I am stuck at around 27mpg.
    I do remember reading some post about Ford changing their shifting algorithm programming in Focus vehicles built past AUG/SEP timeframe to solve an issue with gears grinding or something like that. When I asked the service technician about this over the phone, he seemed reluctant to say anything about it and just kind of denied that there was a change.
    Please let me know if you make any progress and find a way to get anywhere near the advertised mpg.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Funny thing about the EPA ratings for the Focus (and for pretty much every other car out there), even though the Automatic is rated to get better fuel economy than the Manual, per the EPA web site, the anecdotal reports from users show just the opposite.

    In the case of the Focus, the EPA web site shows two Automatics, one with a city/combo/highway rating of 28/31/38 and the second with 27/31/37 rating. They also show one Manual which has a rating of 26/30/36, however the column titled "Our User's Average MPG" shows "real world" fuel economy of 32.8, 31.2, and 33.4 miles per gallon respectively.

    I'm thinking if Ford was to offer a 6-Speed manual like much of their competition, the "real world" fuel economy of the Manual models may well jump up even higher.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Wow - 3 people. That's a huge sample size.

    I've driven both my daughter's 2012 Focii (first one was totalled) and was easily able to achieve 30-32 mpg just driving around the house.

    Winter fuel plus ethanol E-10 will kill fuel economy for everyone.

    Put it in manual mode and make sure it's in 6th gear on the highway. I would suggest waiting for warmer weather and summer fuel before getting too concerned. I don't think the reprogramming would have any effect on fuel economy.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    You must have a VERY big house! ;)

    Keep in mind some areas including Twin Cities have "winter fuel" aka E10 all year 'round, to reduce smog. So lower FE in winter would have more to do with lower temperatures, longer warmups etc. than fuel type.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    edited January 2012
    One of the turns at the end of the hallway is tight but the rest of the house is wide open. :)

    I thought winter fuel was more than just E-10 but I'm no expert. For some reason I usually get better fuel economy in winter than summer (Atlanta). Then again my car is garaged at night so morning warm-up is easier.

    Edit: it's butane or propane that makes the difference between winter and summer fuel - it changes the Vapor Pressure to respond to higher temps in summer. Not sure what effect E-10 has on RVP if any, but I'm sure E-10 winter blend fuel is the worst you can get for FE.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    I'll lay odds that when the sample size gets into the thousands the trend will continue; the Manual will return better fuel economy than the Automatic. Why am I so confident? This phenomena isn't unique to Ford, virtually every car I've looked at (regardless of manufacturer) which has a higher EPA mileage rating for the Automatic shows higher Real World mileage for the Manual.
  • markus5markus5 Member Posts: 102
    I am still very skeptical of reports, anecdotal or otherwise of "Real World Mileage". Please tell me where you are getting these numbers from.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    I don't necessarily doubt that part - I was referring to the reported fuel economy.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    edited January 2012
    Well, why don't we wait until the reports get at least into the hundreds before proof is offered up. How many thousands of Focus have been sold and there are three reports? I have a feeling that many people that take the time to report their MPG on the EPA website are very careful about their driving habits and possibly even use hypermiling techniques. I think it would be prudent to throw out the highs and lows to get some kind of reasonable result. Until you have some pretty big numbers of reports it means nothing IMO. Not that they are fibbing or anything but I think until you get really big numbers of reports that the results just shouldn't be touted as "proof". Especially when we have no idea who is making these reports or if they are accurate.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    The EPA web site.
  • yueluluyuelulu Member Posts: 1
    I'm in exactly the same boat. I just got a 2012 SEL end of December. Automatic. Using the Ecomode....i've got all leaves lit green and am getting 27 also. That is 90% freeway. I've got an appointment at the dealer tmr. Hoping for some answers
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    What state are you guys in? Are you sure you're resetting the avg mpgs before each measurement?

    I can get 27 in my daughter's Focus in city driving.
  • ivan_99ivan_99 Member Posts: 1,681
    I hear similar stories with most (all) of the new 40+ mpg vehicles.

    Of course this is anecdotal as well :)

    The Elantra forum has many people stating they only get low 30's.

    I thought the 'new' EPA mileage rating system was supposed to be more real world.

    I've heard from "them" that certain cars are optimized to achieve a good EPA ranking but real world suffers. I remember back in 05 I had a Mazda 3 for a year or so; I routinely beat the EPA (based on their old rating system).
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited January 2012
    When I asked the service technician about this over the phone, he seemed reluctant to say anything about it and just kind of denied that there was a change.

    I repeatedly encounter Ford service advisors that are bunch of hicks. Are they well educated enough to deal w/ these Euro-design Ford vehicles?

    When I traded in my '05 Focus ST for an '07 Focus ST in this Torrance California Ford dealer hoping to get an improved interior noxious plastic smell... Instead, I ended up having one w/ the ventilation "recirculate mode" not working. When I turned the car in, this idiot advisor in the Torrance dealer tried to "educate" me that I should not expect the "recirculate mode" to speed up the fan (like how those foreign cars behave). I wasn't even talking about the fan speed, idiot. He seemed trying to point out that domestic cars don't do that. Well, the Focus is not a domestic desgin to begin with!

    Then I called another Ford dealer near by & mentioned that the "recirculate mode" should seal off the exhaust smell from the car in front of me, but my Focus doesn't do that. & he told me, "(this is normal) it's not suppose to." I almost wanted to say to him, "What kind of sh*t head are you?" They have the nerve to tell "a repeat Focus owner like me" what is or isn't normal/defective?

    Anyway, I insisted turning the car into Torrance dealer's service department, & the real expert did find the whole unit defective & replaced the whole thing.
  • Sandman6472Sandman6472 Member Posts: 6,953
    These are only "estimates" on a perfect driving scenario while most real world driving is nowhere near that. And many cars need a certain amount of miles to reach their set mileage figures. So folks just need to relax and enjoy their rides...these folks wanting to sue are really misguided individuals who just need to take a chill pill if you will. I didn't reach the EPA figures on my current ride until well past 10k miles so there is hope. Just relax and enjoy the ride!

    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)

  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited January 2012
    We all know that these Mazda3, Volvo C30/S40/V50/C70 are just bunch of "Ford Focus'" underneath. What a lot of people didn't know is that so are (most of) these FWD Jetta/Golf/GTI/A3(& the Seat/Skoda equivalents) since 7 yrs ago. VW hired the original Focus engineer to duplicate the "blade" multi-links in the VW's but w/ more comfort (i.e., longer suspension travel).

    One of the first comparison tests in Europe during late 2004 showed that the Golf V w/ lowered suspension can't compete w/ the std Focus I in both the ride & the handling!

    But lately in Euro comparisons, the Golf VI (the fine-tuned version of the Golf V) continued to repeatedly beat the new Focus III in the ride/handling compromise until this one...

    Golf (VI) GT, w/ lowered suspension:
    Unfortunately, the GT’s 15mm drop in ride height over standard models really hampers comfort. The stiff set-up struggles to cope with poor surfaces. It transmits vibrations into the cabin that are filtered out by the more forgiving Focus. This compromise would be fine if it transformed the way the Golf handles, but it doesn’t.

    Quite simply, the GT doesn’t attack corners with the same enthusiasm as the Ford or SEAT, and suffers from more body roll. There’s still plenty of grip on offer, and the weighty steering is precise and confidence-inspiring, but it doesn’t provide the same fluid responses you get behind the wheel of the Zetec S.


    Seat version of the GTI, also w/ lowered suspension:
    Firm sports suspension keeps body roll in check, and while the trade-off in comfort is greater than in the Ford, the SEAT is no worse than the VW over bumps.

    What it really lacks is the driver involvement of the Zetec S. The steering is lighter and inspires less confidence, while the brakes are grabby and over-sensitive.


    Focus Zetec S, which has firmer sportier suspension set up but not lowered:
    Neither the VW nor the SEAT has an answer to the Focus when it comes to driver appeal. Ford has established itself as the class leader for handling thanks to a succession of brilliant models, and the Zetec S showcases this expertise once again.

    Its suspension was specially developed for UK roads and suits the car perfectly. With firmer dampers and stiffened springs, we feared the worst, but the enhanced set-up strikes a great compromise between ride comfort and handling ability.

    It soaks up the worst bumps at high speed and filters out smaller imperfections around town effectively, yet serves up even sharper responses than before.Thread our trio down a twisty country road and the Ford is the most engaging, confidence-inspiring and comfortable choice.

    This isn’t all down to the suspension – the electric power-steering is perfectly weighted and the gearshift is slick. The strong and progressive brakes are also perfectly judged and not as over-sensitive as those fitted to the SEAT and VW.

    This all makes the Ford the best car here to drive. Through a sequence of bends, its agility and composure mark it out as something special, and its balanced chassis makes up for any straight-line performance shortfall compared to the SEAT.


    This test is also telling me something -- Go get the Golf VI w/o the lowered suspension. & the only one in the U.S. is the "chunky displacement" 2.5 :P
  • gogogodzillagogogodzilla Member Posts: 707
    I'm in Maryland. I have a 15 mile commute to work, of which 12 miles is flat, open highway.

    Today I managed 29 mpg going a steady 55 mph.

    Whoot! 29 mpg at 55 mph in a car rated 37 mpg highway.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Did you check to make sure it was in 6th gear? That sounds like it's not going to 6th gear at all.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    6th gear? Heck, I can get near 40 mpg in that kind of drive in an 8-year old iron-block 2.0L compact with only 4 forward gears in the slushbox.

    Something is definitely wrong here. Even a V6 mid-sizer can get 30+ mpg at 55 mph constant speed on a flat road for 12 miles. :confuse:
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Of course something is wrong - that's why I asked if he checked to see if it was in 6th gear TO FIGURE OUT WHAT MIGHT BE WRONG.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    A related question is, what are the RPMs at 55 mph? If it's in 6th gear, they should be very low, probably below 2000 RPM.

    Or we could have other factors at work--environmental, driver etc. Hard to know w/o more info.
  • podpod Member Posts: 176
    Tire pressures drop about 1 psi for every ten degrees ambient. Tire inflation pressures that give good mileage in summer at 80 degrees are relatively underinflated in winter conditions and can cost 2-4 mpg. Set the tire pressures in the morning before driving the car at all to the pressures on the door pillars.
  • ivan_99ivan_99 Member Posts: 1,681
    heh

    just what are you getting at ;)
  • gogogodzillagogogodzilla Member Posts: 707
    The revs are about 2000, maybe 2100 rpms.

    That said, I wasn't able to properly check anything today as the highway (both morning and evening) was so backed up that I was lucky to go 20 mph.

    It took an hour to go 15 miles, each time.

    I'll try again tomorrow, though. Also, I'm pretty sure it's in 6th gear, with the revs in the low 2000's. My last car, the MkV GTI, was about the same.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    It took an hour to go 15 miles, each time.

    I assume that when you measured 27 mpg on this course earlier, you reset the average FE meter once you got on the highway and checked it when you exited. Also you were able to maintain a constant speed (55 mph) and didn't have the heavy traffic you had today. Correct?

    2100 RPM seems a little high for 6th gear @ 55 mph based on other 6-speed automatics I've driven on 4-bangers. But maybe that is the normal revs for 6th on the Focus at 55.
  • gogogodzillagogogodzilla Member Posts: 707
    No, no... the hour each way was today, where I couldn't get proper readings because of the extreme traffic.

    The only numbers I post are from when the road is clear and I *CAN* maintain a steady speed.
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    edited January 2012
    So it can crawl in stop-&-go traffic w/ the clutch fully engaged frequently.

    That's why slush box doesn't need as many gears.
  • valbasilevalbasile Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2012 Focus SEL and have been really disappointed on a number of fronts with it. One thing I would say right off the bat is don’t buy a 1st year new model. Too many kinks they don’t work them out before they get it on the market.

    I have ongoing problems with my sync system, which in 6 months that I own the car, has been at the dealer for an upgrade twice already. You have to take it to the dealer to upgrade too, an inconvenience to say the least. Voice recognition is sketchy and it decides on its own not to connect to my phone or ipod for days and then all the sudden connects.

    Gas mileage was a key buying point for me and I’m not seeing the range Ford posts of 28-38mpg . I do a combination of suburban and highway driving and I’m seeing after 6000+ miles driven only 28mpg and no more. Prior to this car I drove a 6-cylinder 12-year old Mercury Cougar and got 23 mpg on a bigger engine and larger, heavier car. In 12 years, only 5mpg better????? I can’t even image the possibility of someone getting 38mpg even with solid highway driving!!! If someone is getting that Id really like to know that it’s possible and also know how you are driving the car to get that kind of gas mileage!! I’ve been driving at their “Eco Mode” and its not budging over 28mpg.

    The power shift transmission is sticky and jumpy. The only time I get smooth shifting is if I drive it in the S mode and shift myself. The car slips to 4th gear by 25 miles per hour and then labors to try and find a gear to accelerate???? I guess it’s meant to shift at very low rpms for fuel economy (which is a joke). This also doesn’t allow for quick acceleration if you ever need it - extremely dangerous.

    The car was also in to the dealer a few times already for a vibration from the engine when in neutral, parked or stopped with foot on the brake. When the car is idling, it shakes. I went thru the dealer and Ford customer service and they came up with and downloaded a so called “software update” to ease the vibration but it didn’t quiet it at all. Their response was “sorry, that’s the way the car runs. They all run like that.” So they are done with me.

    I have owned Ford vehicles all of my 30 driving years, drove them until they were done, and have been happy with the cars I’ve owned up to now. I am so sorry I bought this car and will not be a Ford owner with my next vehicle purchase, which will likely be sooner that I want. Buyer be ware!!!!!!
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    There is another software update for the transmission and Motor Trend reports great improvement. There is also a new software update or My Ford Touch that will be mailed to your home and self-installed later this month.
  • gogogodzillagogogodzilla Member Posts: 707
    Well, it's definitely in 6th gear.

    And today, I went on the same drive to check (the traffic was nearly non-existent).

    I set my cruise control for 65mph... and got 40.2 mpg.
    Yet, when I returned home, the fuel economy for the exact same conditions was 32 mpg.

    Here's the route I drove:

    My route

    Starting elevation: 336 ft above sea level
    Ending elevation: 147 ft above sea level

    So, for the 12 miles of highway driving, I drop roughly 190~ feet to work... and climb the same on home.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Fuel economy better going downhill vs. uphill... whodathunk? ;)
  • ivan_99ivan_99 Member Posts: 1,681
    I'm sure this is interesting to read...it's just hard to read an entire paragraph that it italicized and underlined for a link.

    It might be easier to read regular text and then have the link at the bottom like:

    text...text...very interesting here.

    Who can stop reading?

    Not me!

    See: C&D 2013 Focus ST
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    I've stopped reading most of creakid1's posts for that very reason.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Ditto!
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    Sorry, the quotes will be presented in a more legible way in the future.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
    Thanks for being a good sport and taking the criticism well.

    I do think your posts will be appreciated more if less of the text is italicized and highlighted as a hyperlink.

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
    Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
    Share your vehicle reviews

  • Sandman6472Sandman6472 Member Posts: 6,953
    Ditto!

    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)

  • puffin1puffin1 Member Posts: 276
    ya, I read your post and you do your homework.
    I think Shippo does too. Ford doesn't get it. I'd put a 6 spd in the Focus line
    Yes the DCT scares me. What do I know about solenoids(SP) nothing.
    Now, if Hyundai Accent came out with leathereette an lumbar heated seats,I'd be on it like white on rice.Check out the Sonic LTZ GM finishes ahead of Focus with the Cruise too.I bought Ford shares @ $4.00 now down to $1.75.
    Yes, the front seat in the Golf is a pain to bend back,but Golf has it all.
    This is last yr. for 2.5 liter.Next year is a 1.8T scared of that too never been made before and the last VW to have one the motor oil sludged up.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    edited January 2012
    "This is last yr. for 2.5 liter.Next year is a 1.8T scared of that too never been made before and the last VW to have one the motor oil sludged up."

    No reason to be afraid of the 1.8T; there is virtually nothing in common between the 1.8T of yore and the new model (which is simply a reduced displacement version of the 2.0T EA888 engine which has been in production since early 2008 and is in our new GTI) except the displacement size and the type of induction. The good news about the EA888 is that it has been proven to be very rugged, powerful and reliable with none of the oil consumption or sludging issues of its predecessors.
  • lostlost Member Posts: 64
    I think you need to pay a little more attention to the stock you are buying. The Ford motor co is listed as "F" and is at $11.83 right now. IF you are looking at "FORD" you are watching the wrong stock!!
  • puffin1puffin1 Member Posts: 276
    Yup, was lookin' at the wrong stock.The market is up to.. :surprise:
    Now to Shippo, this 1.8T in the VW is a new type never built before.I got in touch with VOA and they said it was a new version,but being built in the old plant that made the previous 1.8T
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    edited January 2012
    The person you talked with apparently doesn't have a clue.

    Per the following very comprehensive write-up of the EA888, the engine commenced production in March of 2008; the 1.8T is simply a destroked 2.0T (both have a bore of 82.5 mm, the 2.0T has a stroke of 92.8 mm and the 1.8T has a stroke of 84.1 mm):

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Volkswagen_Group_petrol_engines#Four_cylind- - - er_EA888_petrols
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Can we please Focus the discussion?
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    Beat me to it ;)
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