CTC Review: 2008 Ford Focus SES

[wing]

Cortina, I went out with the camera but it had been moved to play in my camera bag and the battery was dead

[siwash]

What were they thinking by discontinuing the wagon and hatch?? Ford MUST be run by a bunch of idiots....

Any intentions to re-release the the wagon/hatch?

It's actually a decent looking car...

[Cord]

What were they thinking by discontinuing the wagon and hatch?? Ford MUST be run by a bunch of idiots....

Yes, similar to the idiots that run Honda, Toyota, and Nissan where they don't make wagon or hatch models of the Civic, Corolla, or Sentra. Now, Ford is late to the party in that they don't yet have a competitor to the Fit, Yaris, or Versa hatchbacks. In North America, hatchback=entry level economy car. That's why the above companies do not produce hatchbacks except on their cheapest entry level cars.

[initial_D]

Ford Euro has the answers?

[Cortina]

Cortina, I went out with the camera but it had been moved to play in my camera bag and the battery was dead

Gotcha.

[gosteelerz]

What were they thinking by discontinuing the wagon and hatch?? Ford MUST be run by a bunch of idiots....

Yes, similar to the idiots that run Honda, Toyota, and Nissan where they don't make wagon or hatch models of the Civic, Corolla, or Sentra. Now, Ford is late to the party in that they don't yet have a competitor to the Fit, Yaris, or Versa hatchbacks. In North America, hatchback=entry level economy car. That's why the above companies do not produce hatchbacks except on their cheapest entry level cars.

[Cord]

January U.S. Focus sales were up 33% over last year. It'll be interesting to see the Canadian numbers.

[Mitlov]

Yes, similar to the idiots that run Honda, Toyota, and Nissan where they don't make wagon or hatch models of the Civic, Corolla, or Sentra. Now, Ford is late to the party in that they don't yet have a competitor to the Fit, Yaris, or Versa hatchbacks. In North America, hatchback=entry level economy car. That's why the above companies do not produce hatchbacks except on their cheapest entry level cars.

The Matrix is a Corolla hatch.  You're right as to Honda and Nissan though.  It's interesting that nobody screams bloody murder that we don't get the Honda Stream (Civic wagon in Japan) or the Megane (the new Sentra platform-shares with the Renault Megane, which comes in three- and five-door formats).

[Wolfe]

January U.S. Focus sales were up 33% over last year. It'll be interesting to see the Canadian numbers.

Considering that these numbers represent a shiny new model vs. one that had been on the market for 7-8 years the year over year sales increase isn't all that surprising. It would have been quite a surprise if there had been no increase.

[Cortina]

I don't like tiny fuel gauges in cars. Thats what bug me most about the Chevy Cobalt. I think it should be bigger. You could almost accuse them of stealing the gages. They are almost Identical. 

I also have a hard time understanding 8 AVG L/100 gauge at a glance. Why not put Kilometers per gallon. It would be a lot easier to read at a glance.

I'm doing 40 KPG. thats lot better to understand. Than say doing a load of maths to convert.

[Cord]

The Matrix is a Corolla hatch.

Different name, different body, different interior, different rear suspension on XRS, .... sounds almost like a different car.

[tpl]

The Versa is not all that close to the Megane, its based on a different platform called the Tiida elsewhere.  I thought it was a Megane as well...

[Cord]

January U.S. Focus sales were up 33% over last year. It'll be interesting to see the Canadian numbers.

Considering that these numbers represent a shiny new model vs. one that had been on the market for 7-8 years the year over year sales increase isn't all that surprising. It would have been quite a surprise if there had been no increase.

Man, some of you are defensive. It's almost like any little fact that might be construed as a positive for this car must be squashed. Sheesh.

[Mitlov]

The Versa is not all that close to the Megane, its based on a different platform called the Tiida elsewhere.  I thought it was a Megane as well...

The Versa isn't close to the Megane.  It was the Sentra that I mentioned, which does platform-share with the Megane.

[Wolverine]

January U.S. Focus sales were up 33% over last year. It'll be interesting to see the Canadian numbers.

Considering that these numbers represent a shiny new model vs. one that had been on the market for 7-8 years the year over year sales increase isn't all that surprising. It would have been quite a surprise if there had been no increase.

Man, some of you are defensive. It's almost like any little fact that might to construed as a positive for this car must be squashed. Sheesh.

 

[Schmengie]

You may be the first person to ever describe the previous Focus as "good looking."

IMO the previous Focus hatch was always good looking, and the 4 door was fine as long as it had a trunk spoiler. The problem was it hadn't changed much in 7 years, and the slight redesign it got actually took it backwards, especially with the interior.

With the new Focus someone needs to have a word with the web page designers for the build and price section, they are not even trying to make it look appealing. Compare with the Mazda3 image.

Is it just me, or does the Focus in that pic look vaguely like a Chevy Vega? Sorry...

[Seafoam]

January U.S. Focus sales were up 33% over last year. It'll be interesting to see the Canadian numbers.

Considering that these numbers represent a shiny new model vs. one that had been on the market for 7-8 years the year over year sales increase isn't all that surprising. It would have been quite a surprise if there had been no increase.

Man, some of you are defensive. It's almost like any little fact that might to construed as a positive for this car must be squashed. Sheesh.

I agree, it's the same in the Corolla thread,all negative.If it doesn't look like a ferrari, have 400 hp it's crap.

[walk0080]

I am so very disappointed Ford discontinued the hatchback design and didn't bother bringing in the Euro-Focus platform to North America. Then again, after owning a 2000 Focus ZX3, I have no intention of ever buying another Ford product again! I'll drive that Focus to the ground... and even though it's still fun to drive, I will not be sorry to see it go someday.

[Cord]

Even with a few missing features, like no astray in a vehicle with the “smokers package” ...

The smoker's package consists of a lighter and ashcup. Somebody probably got rid of it previous to your use to discourage smoking in the car.

[wing]

There isn't even a place to put them!