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Ford Focus Sedan

1997 messages,  Last post on Aug 02, 2009 at 5:57 PM

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What is this discussion about? Ford Focus, Sedan

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#1971 of 1997 Focus by scape2 Aug 20, 2008 (2:04 pm)
has been a great car. Very overlooked on purpose in my opinion by the media. Civic has an image advantage over the Focus. When people are educated and actually drive a Focus they can see they get a great little car for a very fair price. They don't have to pay the extra $$ for image. Took my daughters Focus on a 300mile trip and at speeds of 70mph we averaged 38MPG! with the AC on at that!
#1972 of 1997 by rapidrick Sep 05, 2008 (4:51 pm)
"Have the dealer install a rear shim kit. I went through 3 sets of tires by 45000, had the kit installed no more trouble. Currently have 73500 mi on car with the tires I put on at 45000 with lots of life left on the tires. Good Luck. Worked for me. "   Greetings. What kind of Focus do you have?
#1973 of 1997 2000 FF - REAR Coil Springs? by walterq Sep 24, 2008 (9:30 am)
So one of my front coil springs snapped a few weeks ago and I had both replaced under Ford extended warranty program for these.   THEN, next day, Rear LH coil spring snaps.   Has anyone had this problem; assume Ford will not cover since their letter pretty specific to front.   Just seems like quite the coincidence?
#1974 of 1997 2005 Ford Focus? by andersonnc Oct 27, 2008 (7:23 pm)
Will two car seats fit well in the backseat of the ZX4?   Currently I am driving a Chevy Malibu, so Im a bit concerned about transitioning from mid-sized to compact.   Thanks Replies to this message: micweb (Nov 22, 2008 5:23 pm)
#1975 of 1997 Re: 2005 Ford Focus? [andersonnc] by micweb Nov 22, 2008 (5:23 pm)
Replying to: andersonnc (Oct 27, 2008 7:23 pm) I just got a new Focus and a forward facing infant seat fits fine. Two will fit fine, since forward facing car seats don't extend much beyond the seat cushion, if at all. It's a different story with REAR facing newborn seats, which are REAL space hogs.   I'm pretty sure a rear facing infant seat won't work well in the ZX4, I know it didn't work for us with a Neon unless we pushed my wife's seat too far forward for comfort and made it max upright (I couldn't drive with the seat behind me or in the middle). We traded in the Neon on the much roomier, in the back seat, PT Cruiser, and later a Dodge Caliber and Nissan Versa also worked, but now that both kids are in forward facing seats, I got a Focus and it works fine too.   The Focus definitely doesn't have a much "behind front seat" room as the Caliber, PT Cruiser, and Versa, but those three are the exceptions to the "not much rear seat room in small cars" rule. All the small cars are ok for kids up to 10 or 11, but adults aren't very happy back there, at least American size adults.
#1976 of 1997 Focus Sales Up by pf_flyer HOST Nov 24, 2008 (11:21 am)
http://www.freep.com/article/20081123/BUSINESS01/811230406/1014/BUSINESS01 For much of the year, the Ford Focus compact car, which averages 27 miles per gallon and comes with optional cutting-edge Sync telecommunications and entertainment technology, climbed the sales charts. So far this year, the vehicle built in Wayne is up 20.5%.
#1977 of 1997 Early Impressions on 2009 Focus Sedan 5 speed by micweb Nov 25, 2008 (12:26 pm)
Sometimes a lot of small changes can accumulate to make what drives like a whole new vehicle.   I have owned 5-6 (I'm too lazy to rummage through my folders to count) Focii since 2000, and the 2009 is definitely the best yet. Some reviewers complain about Ford's decision not to use the same "platform" for this car in both Europe and the US, but I think Ford's decision to focus on incremental improvements instead of introducing a completely new design with "bugs" was a wise one. They have squashed all the bugs from that first year while making year after year of subtle and not so subtle changes.   First, the quiet, ride, and handling are what you'd expect from Honda, if they built this car, which is a little larger than the Civic but a lot smaller than the Accord. It is an order of magnitude quieter than the 2009 Cobalt I bought two months ago (and that is a quiet car, in absolute terms) and a LOT quieter than either the 2008 Honda Fit or 2008 Nissan Versa that were my trades.   The engine isn't as strong as in the Cobalt, but it is VERY smooth (part of the NVH - noise vibration harshness upgrades) and rev's very willingly. Driven at lighter throttles, it is actually more pleasant to drive than the slightly gruffer Cobalt. At almost full throttles, the Cobalt really moves out, the Focus is strong but not as dramatic.   Handling and ride are MUCH better than on the Cobalt - which in turn was MUCH better than the Fit or Versa. In a nut shell, I'd say the Focus handles like a driver's car, rides like a riders car. The Cobalt is more of a riders car, but very competent when pushed.   The Focus feels 1 size larger than the Cobalt. I know on paper many measurements are similar, but the Focus feels closer to midsize (except for rear seat legroom, which is sacrificed in trade for an enormous trunk). The Cobalt feels closer to compact. The Versa had the most spacious feeling cabin, and both the Versa and Fit had much more usable rear seat space for adults. The Versa "floated" like a French car (bobbled a bit) but gripped the road well. The Fit handled like a go-kart, but felt vulnerably tiny.   For enthusiasts, I highly recommend the Focus or Fit - both drive well. The Focus is more comfortable and much quieter than the Fit. The Fit has "mini-station wagon" abilities. Overall I'm happier to be in the Focus that the Fit, which felt a little squirrely and was a little too noisy for very long interstate drives (I did drive it from SF to LA once).   If I had my latest round of purchases to do over...I wouldn't change my choices. I think the Cobalt is a better choice for an automatic - the extra horsepower in the Cobalt makes up for the slush box. For a stick shift I'm glad I went to the Focus instead of buying another Cobalt - yes the Cobalt with a stick shift would have been an acceleration monster, but I like the better steering feel from the conventional hydraulic power steering on the Focus, and the better handling feel from the fully independent rear suspension.   BTW, for enthusiasts, the Focus coupe has 3 extra horsepower (possibly with increased noise due to a less restrictive muffler setup), 1" or 2" larger wheels and wider tires, and a slightly stiffer suspension. Of course you lose the practicality of four doors. If you want slightly better handling in the 4 door than I am getting in the SE edition, if you pop the luxo bucks and get the SES you get a rear sway bar - although Ford has tuned the '09 without a rear sway bar to handle as well as my old ZX3's with a rear sway bar. Also Steeda offers a rear sway bar kit with all the parts you need to mount it for a nominal $160 or so.
#1978 of 1997 This car is much smoother, solid, quiet by micweb Nov 26, 2008 (10:20 am)
and handles and rides better than the 2009 Cobalt (1,500 miles on it), 2008 Honda Fit (7,700 miles at trade), 2008 Nissan Versa (7,000 miles at trade).
#1979 of 1997 You gotta see by scape2 Nov 27, 2008 (12:52 pm)
the European Focus. go to google and type in Ford of europe. Then navigate to the cars and to the Focus. This is a nice car! If Ford can bring this to the U.S. the Civic is done. In Europe the Focus actually bests the Civic. Rumor is the 2010 Focus is supposed to be of European design. Replies to this message: micweb (Dec 01, 2008 9:19 am)
#1980 of 1997 Re: You gotta see [scape2] by micweb Dec 01, 2008 (9:19 am)
Replying to: scape2 (Nov 27, 2008 12:52 pm) The American Focus is actually much improved. I give Ford credit for making gradual, incremental improvements over the years since its introduction in 1999 as a 2000 model. When Ford Europe went to the "second generation" platform and we didn't, I initially felt we were being cheated, but when I drove the Mazda3 which DID get the upgraded platform, I wasn't impressed - the car had gotten smaller and shorter, it didn't have the "high seating" position which makes the Focus feel like a larger car. I did some research and found out that the Europena platform had been changed mainly to allow all-wheel drive so it could be used for small Volvos etc.   I have no doubt that the European Focus is - well - more European than our Focus. Which generally means a little noisy, a little harder ride, better handling, slightly better driving dynamics. But my '09 American Focus is definitely a nice ride compared to the other cars I've driven lately - other American compacts and some Japanese compacts and subcompacts. It's really quite a nice car now, and as a result of making incremental improvements rather than starting all over, it's had an enviable reliability record the past 6 years.   Supposedly Ford is going to "rationalize" its domestic and international manufacturing so that more design and parts are in common. I doubt that will happen. The American Focus platform is so solid and reliable and such a known factor now (and so "tweaked" with the latest generation improvements to body solidity) that it would probably cost more than it's worth to start over with the next generation (3rd) Euro platform. For what, anyway? We don't do AWD here, at least not on compact cars. It would probably take Ford 3 years to get the bugs out of a major platform change, and even if Europe and Amerca started out in synch they would begin to diverge anyway - European subcontractors and American subcontractors make different subassemblies for different tastes etc.   Finally, the Chevy Astra, a hot competitor to the Ford Focus in Europe, came over here virtually unchanged (it is built in Belgum I believe) as the Saturn Astra and opened to so so reviews and little interest. Likewise the Focus SVT, a fine, fine auto, languished over here.   There isn't much of a market for upscale, hot, small cars. Such market as there is, is owned by Mazda with its 3 Series. The Focus is a car for the masses, and those of us who actually like to "drive" cars, are lucky that Ford has been willing to keep the "European feel" of this fine little car as much as they have. Most single moms, starving students, and cheap seniors don't care, all they want is reliable, cheap transportation.

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