it is actually pretty balanced - especially in its conclusions - unlike the others that praise the car to high heaven to conclude with some weird claim how it is inferior to the competition.

Igor

 

I thought everyone was singing the "sport-tuned suspension" praises....

Whereas driving the previous generation Focus was like lacing up a pair of high-tops, the new car feels like slipping on a pair of well-worn sneakers. It's comfortable, as evident by the softer suspension that soaks up bumps like a Buick. The downside is some extra body roll and vulnerability to cross winds on the highway, but the nicely weighted steering that never feels overly assisted communicates exactly what the wheels are experiencing.

 

I was thinking more of there comments on the much loathed fender vents

 

Autoblog did an admirable job of reporting on the car's numerous flaws without it turning into a bash session. I think they realize this is just a stopgap till the new Focus is available....we shouldn't expect much.

 

They really hit the nail on the head in the first few paragraphs.

I like the "Fix your foot by putting a band-aid on your ear" analogy... :lol:

dave.

 

At least the people at the carwash place thought it looked good...

 

at least you can peel of the "fender applique"

is that fords new word "applique" they use it like 4 times with different thingso nthe car on their site.... its so annoying

 

But that is exactly what it is... nothing more.

It resembles the piece that they have on the Super Duty trucks... but those acutally vent the engine bay and help cooling. This serves no function, and as you can see from FocusSport's STC car, can be removed pretty easily.

 

That sea of silver plastic, is that painted like in the 2000-era Foci? If so that will get scratched to hell in a hurry.

I had to laugh at the comment about it riding like Buick.

I guess it's nice for $14,000, but if you're paying for a $20k one you're on crack if you get this over a Mazda3 2.3.

 

You'd be on crack for paying $20+k for this car if it was the only car in production. Ever.

 

interesting review... and the part about the band aid on the ear was pretty funny.... My dad told me he saw one on the road the other day and to him it looked hideous. My girlfriend said the same thing. Honestly, I don't know where Ford gets their market research from but its GOT to be wrong.

 

We know their Market Research was dead wrong with the immediate about-face they did on the foglights. They completely abandoned the mega squares for those round things which, for my money, look equally out of place (round peg fitting in a square hole anyone?).

The fact is, they had this in the pipeline and spent too much money on it to just abandon it. They had to go forward with it, regardless of the impact.

I'm pretty sure Ford makes money because of the Focus' CAFE numbers and fleet sales, so they're gonna be OK with it... but its not going to be turning heads like the original version.

 

That sea of silver plastic, is that painted like in the 2000-era Foci? If so that will get scratched to hell in a hurry.

Why is that? Mine has held up well... not a scratch in 7 1/2 years.

 

I saw the new Focus at the dealership today. I'll try and go tomorrow and give it a test drive. If the dealership allows me to, I'll give it a go on a certain mountain pass and give my feedback then. If I have the time, I'll do exterior and interior shots too.

 

Why is that? Mine has held up well... not a scratch in 7 1/2 years.

Mine chipped to all hell around the air conditioning buttons.

 

Ford screwed up... unfortunatley my fear is that this car could do so badly that it tarneshes the focus name, and the focus goes by the wayside (ala Probe, Escort, etc...)

Great Article though

 

Ah...the comment section is filled with funny rhetoric

"Ford claims they can't bring their European designs to the US, because they don't meet Ford US's Gillette Mach 3 design language? Well this one looks like a Bic disposable."

"New focus looks great… for me too poop on."

"Wow, that is holy s***-hideous. I'm no industrial designer but am friends with several and they would chop off their own hands after first gouging out their eyeballs had something so poorly realized left the studio. Let alone make it through even one focus group (no pun intended)!"

"The new Focus will fight nothing but slow sales."

 

Hey.... NO PARKING.
Somebody call a tow truck and have this thing impounded until a better looking design comes out.

 

Hey.... NO PARKING.
Somebody call a tow truck and have this thing impounded until a better looking design comes out.

True that my amigo.

 

BTW guys...I also do Tint and I've tinted about 30+ of these for the dealership that I work for. Don't try to tint them if you're not a pro....:lol:

As for driving them.....the 5 speeds have a nifty little shifter, but really...doing the little bit of driving the new Focus as I have...it still feels like a Focus...

dave.

 

doing the little bit of driving the new Focus as I have...it still feels like a Focus...
dave.

Just don't turn on the lights. Sometimes it better to do it in the dark.

 

The thing I find funny about this whole thing is that people hated the 00-04 designs (trianglar headlights? WTF) the 05-07 Design (oh no it looks like a 500) and now the 08 design (the headlights, wtf where they thinking?)...I really doubt what people think here are going to have a huge impact on sales. Remember talk is cheap on the internet.

IMO, the car isn't that bad, but the styling could be better on it. Then again which car in its class is excactly good looking? I like the Lancer the best, but I think alot of people would find it overstyled.

My prediction is that sales rise a bit (mostly due to cost of gas) with the new gen Focus...

 

Next time you are at the dealership, go look at that "side vent" on the 08 Focus. I looked at 4 different 08s at my local dealership and all of them were put on crooked........not straight with the door line.

And they were all off at different angles on each car. :bang:

 

The thing I find funny about this whole thing is that people hated the 00-04 designs (trianglar headlights? WTF) the 05-07 Design (oh no it looks like a 500) and now the 08 design (the headlights, wtf where they thinking?)...I really doubt what people think here are going to have a huge impact on sales. Remember talk is cheap on the internet.

IMO, the car isn't that bad, but the styling could be better on it. Then again which car in its class is excactly good looking? I like the Lancer the best, but I think alot of people would find it overstyled.

My prediction is that sales rise a bit (mostly due to cost of gas) with the new gen Focus...

It's some what true about the headlights, but the 00-04 have sold way more then 05-07 and for sure the '08.

 

Where has SVT gone??!!

The only ones who knew what they were doing