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If there is a bright spot in Ford’s present predicament, the Ford Focus may be it. (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=87267)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2008_US_based_Ford_Focus.jpgWayne Gerdes - CleanMPG (www.cleanmpg.com) - April 17, 2008

2008 Ford Focus – Redesigned for an improved driving experience and better FE plus vastly improved safety features are now standard.

Clean yet more efficient engine

Focus offers a 130-horsepower 2.0L engine that qualifies as a Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV) while delivering up to 35 mpg. This engine is standard in the states of California, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine. PZEV availability in the cross border states of Arizona, Connecticut, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island is available but limited.

For 2008, the transmissions have revised final drive ratios, which let the engine turn at a lower rpm rate during highway driving and get better fuel economy. In addition to powertrain refinements, fuel economy gains were also achieved by weight reduction and aerodynamic improvements. Compared to a comparably equipped 2007 model, the new 2008 Focus is approximately 100 pounds lighter.

An all-new air intake and cooling system, both of which were designed to improve efficiency and reduce back-pressure in the exhaust together with the weight reduction and improved gearing helped to increase the 2008 Ford Focus’ Fuel Economy by up to 4 percent.

Significant safety improvements

Ford’s Personal Safety System® includes Thorax side air bags and side air curtains increasing safety coverage in the event of a side impact crash. Ford’s Safety Canopy™ side air curtains deploy in certain side-impact collisions to help protect front and second-row outboard occupants. The curtains remain inflated for several seconds after deployment to enhance protection during an extended crash event. The air curtains also feature “roll-fold” technology. If occupants are improperly seated and resting their heads against a window, the Safety Canopy™ is designed to slide between the glass and occupants as it inflates.

Production -- by the numbers

North American production of the Ford Focus will increase by almost 30 percent in 2008 to keep pace with strong demand for the recently redesigned compact.

In the first three months of 2008, Ford sold 49,070 Focus’ – an increase of 23 percent from the same period a year ago.

“Our employees are determined to deliver high-quality vehicles to our customers,” said Wayne Stamping and Assembly Plant Manager Dale Wishnousky. “Our work force understands the Focus is the gateway to Ford Motor Company and knows it is a great car and it’s great to see that our customers know it – and love it – too.”

Based on the strong demand, Ford is increasing production in order to build a total of 245,000 Focus units in 2008, up from 191,000 in 2007. The plan means Wayne Stamping and Assembly’s 2,800 employees will work some overtime and Saturday shifts for the rest of the year to meet demand.

Nothing is mentioned about a real nice 6 speed manual transmission with "revised final drive ratios, which let the engine turn at a lower rpm rate during highway driving and get better fuel economy".

Might be too much fuel economy?

I don't get the 6-speed reference. It is not sold with one, was it inferred that it was?

It's ugly, but apparently the timing is right for Ford.

'its ugly' - your taste brother hypermiler - I think it looks good.

Clean yet more efficient engine

Focus offers a 130-horsepower 2.0L engine that qualifies as a Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV) while delivering up to 35 mpg. This engine is standard in the states of California, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine. PZEV availability in the cross border states of Arizona, Connecticut, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island is available but limited.



Does the rest of the country get a lower fuel economy version of this motor?

Brad in MO

Hi Brad:

___The non-PZEV motor (2.0) receives the same FE as the PZEV variant (2.0e) but has a few more ponies under the hood.

___If anyone were to purchase new, I would highly recommend that they purchase a PZEV for everyone’s benefit although at just $500 less than a similar redesigned Corolla with similar amenities, size and FE, I would push someone towards the Corolla for resale and reliability :(

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Wayne,
You're right, but the Corolla doesn't have rebates/incentives, nor does it have Sync.

Those are probably the 2 key items that are helping sell the Focus.

Arguably, the Corolla also lacks style (which they always have). Although the Focus "style" is definitely not to my taste, it's not the blandmobile which is and always shall be the Corolla.

I have not driven this Focus, but the 1st Gen drives and rides nice. You sit up high, and it feels spacious. In other words, it feels like a bigger car. To people who may be downsizing or buying a smaller car out of necessity or regret and not choice, these are probably positive selling points to them.

Hi Brad:

___The non-PZEV motor (2.0) receives the same FE as the PZEV variant (2.0e) but has a few more ponies under the hood.

___If anyone were to purchase new, I would highly recommend that they purchase a PZEV for everyone’s benefit although at just $500 less than a similar redesigned Corolla with similar amenities, size and FE, I would push someone towards the Corolla for resale and reliability :(

___Good Luck

___Wayne

yne,
You

All I can say to that article is: But still no hatchback....

I really like the Focus redesign. I really like that it can get est. 35 Hwy as well. Please stop haten on the American auto industry. They are doing things right for a change, give them some slack and buy AMERICAN!!!!

I think its great that Ford is having an upswing with one of their newly redesigned (for the better) cars. Its great to see it gaining some ground. I've heard from many sources that their quality has vastly improved in recent years. Resale may still be a problem, but at least things are turning around. Kudos to Ford for doing something right. I hope the trend continues.

Hi Aca2983:

___Remember what incentives and rebates do to resale … They are great up front but if you are on the back side, you’re screwed.

___When we receive the global exterior/interior in 2010 or so, I think some might be surprised but the looks of the current 4-door remind me of something only an older person would drive. When I pull pics for stories, I try and pull them in their best light and the US based Focus is only a looker from dead on front to just offset from the same. I have placed Corolla shots for News from all-angles as it has a Camry like stance all the way around.

___Maxx, one of my favorites was the ZX3/ZX5 hatches. Why Ford is only producing the 2 and 4-door now is beyond me but it was probably the hatches did not sell as well? I never did receive any stats on the split before the hatches were discontinued in the US. In Europe, the hatches are all the rage. And of course the 1.6 and 1.8L diesel’s with 50 + mpg highway numbers are a far cry from the aging 2.0 Duratec’s we see here even after the minor tweaking for improved FE …

___Here is a little pictorial splash for all to peruse.

Euro based Focus’

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2008_Euro_Ford_Focus1.jpg
2008 Euro based 5-door

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2008_European_Ford_Focus.jpg
2008 Euro based 5-door

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2008_European_Ford_Focus_5-door_Hatch.jpg
2008 Euro based 5-door

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2008_Euro_Ford_Focus.jpg
2008 Euro based 5-door


http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2006_European_Ford_Focus_ST.jpg
2006 Euro based 5-door hatch (ST)

US based Focus’

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2008_Ford_Focus1.jpg
2008 US based from a front only vantage point.

AND

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2008_Ford_Focus.jpg
2008 US based from a front only vantage point.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/550/2008_For_Focus_Silver_Exterior.jpg
2008 US based 4-door -- Notice the more profile based angle shows some ugly here?

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/550/2008_Ford_Focus_Coupe.jpg
2007 US based 2-door -- Notice the same?

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2007_Ford_Focus_PZEV.jpg
2006 US based PZEV on a ZX5

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/508/06_Focus_Front_Right.jpg
2006 US based 4-door -- one of those special angles again …

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/508/Focus_ZX5_Left_Rear.jpg
2006 US based ZX5

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2002_Ford_Focus_Wagon.jpg
2002 US Based Wagon

___Hopefully you can see what I mean about the profile of the current US based Focus being on the ugly side of center vs. the Euro centric hatches having a bit nicer profile?

___Good Luck

___Wayne

I really like the Focus redesign. I really like that it can get est. 35 Hwy as well. Please stop haten on the American auto industry. They are doing things right for a change, give them some slack and buy AMERICAN!!!!


#1 Proper spelling ("haten"?)
#2 Slapping a new front and rear end on the same old Focus, adding Sync to spice up an otherwise unappealing car with technology and attempting to pass it off as all-new isn't going to win most educated consumers over. The Focus, with a 35 mpg rating, is about the only Ford vehicle that gets anywhere close to acceptable mileage. Of course they're sales will go up, what else is there on the lots of Ford dealers that combines lower cost and higher mileage, with the exception of a used Honda or Toyota.

Please, don't get me started on the "buy American!" line straight out of a UAW pamphlet. My Civic was made in Japan but my other Honda was actually built in America, by hard-working non-union labor.
The big 2.5 continue to forget about 2 major words--Relevant and reliable. So far, neither word appears often in reviews of domestic autos. Initial quality is of relatively little importance. What matters is how well a car operates 5 years and 100,000 miles down the road.

I really like the Focus redesign. I really like that it can get est. 35 Hwy as well. Please stop haten on the American auto industry. They are doing things right for a change, give them some slack and buy AMERICAN!!!!

As soon as they put out something that's at or beyond the efficiency of my current car, I will. Until then, why?

I really like the Focus redesign. I really like that it can get est. 35 Hwy as well. Please stop haten on the American auto industry. They are doing things right for a change, give them some slack and buy AMERICAN!!!!

Uh, no. I don't hate the Big 3, in fact virtually all of my family's cars have been Detroit iron except for an Opel in the 70s. BUT, the designs that Detroit has out now are completely outclassed in interior room, reliability, Fit & Finish, Ride, MPG and virtually every other criteria.

The Focus gets 24/35 with a stick? Big whoop. The Corolla, Civic, and assorted others all get better mileage with your choice of stick, auto, or CVT. The interior room's a lot better as well. Resale's not even close.

Detroit's efforts are so bad that my 83 y/o Grandpa (whose never even stepped onto an import lot) recently told me that his next car will be a Honda after 1 ride in the Civic.

Buy American? I'll buy Big 3 when they get their heads out of the sand. Until then, my Honda Motors of America Civic was assembled in Ohio out of North American sourced parts.

2009 Focus = 24/35
2009 Corolla = 26/35

Not a world of difference there. I haven't seen the new Focus in person yet, but I have seen the new Corolla. So, (IMO) fit and finish are still questionable. As I mentioned earlier, the newer Focus has got a lot of hype as far as how reliable it is supposed to be. I've talked with a few different people who say Ford has made pretty good progess in this area in the past few years. Is it up to Toyota standards? I really don't know. Obviously, resale is still a pretty big downside. Also, a hatchback Focus would be great to have again... Dunno why they didn't offer it. But, even at the odd angles, I still like the new Focus. If I was in the market for a new car of its size, I'd definitly look into it. IMO they are headed the right direction with this one fellas.

Hi Aca2983:

.....................

___When we receive the global exterior/interior in 2010 or so, I think some might be surprised but the looks of the current 4-door remind me of something only an older person would drive. When I pull pics for stories, I try and pull them in their best light and the US based Focus is only a looker from dead on front to just offset from the same. I have placed Corolla shots for News from all-angles as it has a Camry like stance all the way around.

___Maxx, one of my favorites was the ZX3/ZX5 hatches. Why Ford is only producing the 2 and 4-door now is beyond me but it was probably the hatches did not sell as well? …

.................................
___Hopefully you can see what I mean about the profile of the current US based Focus being on the ugly side of center vs. the Euro centric hatches having a bit nicer profile?

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Glad I'm not the only one who thinks they "redesigned" the Focus' exterior by clobbering it in the a$$ end with an ugly stick. I've heard that the later Focuses (Foci?) got over most of the reliability problems of the early MY's, so if you need to buy that sort of car it might be worth test driving.

euro ford>american ford....something isnt right about that.

The base model, 2dr, 5spd, with air cond. was recently on sale here in Cincinnati for $9,900.00.

Can I have the Euro Focus with the FEH's drivetrain? That would be awesome.

Which means Ford will never ever build that :(

The reviews on the car are great. I would buy one if I needed a another car. I just got my mother a Mazda 3 yesterday. She did not want a Ford. I wonder how long that reputation will last? I think they are great cars.

Louis B

euro ford>american ford....something isnt right about that.

That's because the European small car market is much more demanding than the American small car market has been. Until recently, the average American car buyer cared squat for small cars and saw the Focus only as a cheap first car to get for their college or high school- aged kids. If Ford tried to sell the American version of the Focus to the more discriminating European car market, it would have been as big a seller over there as the Edsel was over here. Its also a case of you get what you pay for. The American Focus is a low priced car, the Euro Focus is a mid-priced car.

I just got my mother a Mazda 3 yesterday. She did not want a Ford.

Isn't Mazda wholly owned by Ford?

I applaud the effort though I still think Ford is behind Toyota and Honda. 130hp seems like a really small amount for a 2 liter engine. I agree that the car doesn't look very good. The hatchback European version looks soooo much better. I don't know what's up with the front grills of cars recently - all of this shiny plastic does not look good.

Isn't Mazda wholly owned by Ford?

When I bought my 2004 Mazda MPV new, somewhere it said it was built with 49% Ford parts and 51% Mazda parts...for what that's worth.:)

Also, as far as "American" brands: My 2000 Focus was built in Mexico, and the 98 Buick Regal I used to have (and loved) was built in Canada.