2009 FORD FOCUS: Keeping up with competition

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This article was published 28/08/2009 (6112 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Canadians have a preference for smaller cars and the Ford Focus is a key player in the automaker’s portfolio, accounting for about half of its car sales in our country.

In fact, it’s the only small car the Blue Oval offers, at least until the Fiesta arrives from Europe. So, it’s essential that the Focus keeps up with a pack that includes such segment leaders as the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Mazda3.

My tester was an SES-trimmed four-door sedan. The lineup starts with the base S ($14,799) and SE trim levels, while the newly added SEL premium model tops it off. All four sedans are powered by a 2.0-litre Duratec four-cylinder. It produces 140 horsepower and 136 foot-pounds of torque and can be mated to a standard five-speed manual transmission or an available four-speed automatic.

The Focus was fitted with the manual — the transmission choice I prefer in compact cars, as it lets you make the most of the engine’s available power, especially when the automatic is limited to just four speeds. Engine response was decent and the opportunity to stir the gears to maximize that output added a modicum of sportiness. The car won’t be confused with those tuner rockets, but it was still peppy enough to be fun.

Fuel mileage is an important factor for shoppers in the compact segment and the Focus is right in the ballpark with the competition. Transport Canada rates it at 8.5 litres per 100 kilometres in the city and 5.7 L/100 km on the highway. During a week of testing over urban streets and highways, I averaged 7.9 L/100 km.

The ride is a tad firm, but definitely not jarring, while the handling feels tight and responsive. Those characteristics are the result of the performance-tuned suspension and a rear stabilizer bar — both standard features with the SES and SEL. (A front stabilizer bar is standard across the model range.)

Anti-lock brakes and Ford’s AdvanceTrac electronic stability control system are also included with the SES and SEL and are available with the two lower-priced models. Power brakes, with discs up front and drums in the rear, are standard across the lineup and do a decent job of hauling the car to a stop.

One feature that caught my eye was the SES’s sharp-looking alloy wheels. They’re 17-inch aluminum rims with a dark grey finish sprayed over the multiple spokes, carrying grippy P215/45R17 tires. The combination gives the car a very sporty flavour. The trim spoiler on the rear deck lid and fog lights up front add to that look.

The interior is well-designed with a centre stack that flows down into the console. Rather than leave great expanses of black plastic, panels of satin-finished faux metal have been added to the instrument panel with pleasing results. A hood over the instrument cluster as well as a smaller version covering a digital information readout panel in the centre of the dash help give it a finished look.

The steering column tilts, but, unfortunately, it does not also have a telescopic function.

The cabin is roomy enough for a compact. In fact, during my time with the Focus, it carted four adults on a couple of occasions, with no complaints from those relegated to the back bench. However, lengthy spells in the front buckets tend to become less than enjoyable. After a couple of hours of highway driving, both a buddy and I were squirming in our seats, trying to find a position that offered some degree of comfort.

There are no issues, however, with noise in the cabin — it’s quiet like a church. The designers have obviously been generous with sound-damping materials because there is impressively little noise intruding from the road or the engine bay.

With all that quiet, it was an ideal environment to enjoy the car’s upgraded audio package, which was a snap to navigate, thanks to Ford’s wonderful Sync voice-activated operational system. Even technologically challenged users can be comfortable with this system.

With its hands-free Sync and other features such as AdvanceTrac, the Focus is certainly a capable contender in the compact segment.

— Canwest News Service

THE SPECS

Type of vehicle: Front-wheel-drive compact sedan

Engine: 2.0L DOHC four-cylinder

Power: 140 h.p. 6,000 r.p.m.; 136 ft-lbs. of torque 4,250 r.p.m.

Transmission: Five-speed manual

Brakes: Front disc/rear drum with ABS

Tires: P215/45R17

Price: base/as tested: $19,199/$21,279

Destination charge: $1,300

Transport Canada fuel economy L/100 km: 8.5 city, 5.7 hwy.

Standard features: Air-conditioning, heated front bucket seats, 60/40-split folding rear seat, AM/FM stereo audio system with single CD player, MP3 capability and four speakers, Sync voice-activated communications and entertainment system, Sirius satellite radio, tilt steering column, 17-inch aluminum wheels, performance-tuned suspension, electronic stability control, chrome exhaust tip, fog lamps, rear spoiler, power windows and door locks, remote keyless entry, tinted glass, ambient lighting, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, cruise control, anti-theft engine immobilizer