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2012 Ford Focus

1316 messages,  Last post on Feb 25, 2013 at 4:53 AM

You are in the Ford Focus Forum.

What is this discussion about? Ford Focus, Ford, Car Buying, Future Vehicle, Coupe, Hatchback, Sedan, Wagon

Messages Page 87 of 133

#852 of 1316 Re: the Focus isn't even remotely competitive with the GTI [bpizzuti] by sandman_6472

Nov 24, 2011 (8:16 pm)

Replying to: bpizzuti (Nov 24, 2011 7:51 pm)
I disagree totally...our 2005 Mazda 3s drives so much better than the Focus SE I drove in the beginning of the month. To be fair, the Focus does have the smaller engine so it's not quite an apples to apples comparo. Even still, our 6 year old car has a nicer interior and exterior in my opinion and it beats by a mile the last generation Focus which was low rent in comparison. We did test drive the last generation Focus and couldn't get out of it fast enough, it was that bad!
 
But I've said since day 1 that we're just not Ford people, their products just don't appeal to us. The new Focus hatchback is the 1st Ford product I'd consider buying but after showing the wife a new one this afternoon, she let me know in no uncertain terms that it ain't gonna happen for her next ride!
 
The Sandman

#853 of 1316 Re: the Focus isn't even remotely competitive with the GTI [sandman_6472] by bpizzuti

Nov 24, 2011 (8:37 pm)

Replying to: sandman_6472 (Nov 24, 2011 8:16 pm)
I test-drove a Mazda3 SkyActiv and a Ford Focus back to back last weekend (which is more of an apples to apples thing). They're very close. And Ford beat's Mazda's current interior easily. Admittedly I like'd Mazda's old interior better than their current one. I had a 2004 Mazda3s that drove really well, but also had a lot of road noise, and rotten FE (when I bought it my commute was 10 miles a day...that number has since added a zero).
 
I'm getting the Focus, provided I get the right features at the right price. I do find myself wondering if I can get a set of the Titanium headlamps and put them on the SEL though...they make the front end look nice and mean, but I don't want a Titanium (tired of black interiors).

#854 of 1316 Re: the Focus isn't even remotely competitive with the GTI [sandman_6472] by creakid1

Nov 25, 2011 (12:08 am)

Replying to: sandman_6472 (Nov 24, 2011 8:16 pm)
We did test drive the last generation Focus and couldn't get out of it fast enough, it was that bad!
 
Which Focus did you try out? I was shopping b/t the ST 2.3 stick w/ 50-series 16"s & the 3S 2.3 stick w/ 55-series 16"s. The 3S rides like as if the tires are made of concrete despite taller sidewalls, while the handling is so oversteer-prone that it would seem dangerous in the wet w/o the stability program.
 
The Focus ST 2.3 was totally tossable -- you can drive like a maniac & still able to catch the tail in time.
 
Anyway, today, my right brain just wanna get a bright blue (or light green) new Focus SE sedan stick & replace the driver seat w/ the blue (or green) one from the upcoming ST turbo -- it will be a joy.
 
If I get to rent a car for a day just to blast off & skid around, then the new Focus SE stick will be the choice over the Golf/GTI. But to own one? I'm not sure -- The Focus has cheap/toxic plastic smell when exposed to sun heat, noisier A/C fan, shallower ride comfort than the Golf 2.5...

#855 of 1316 Re: the Focus isn't even remotely competitive with the GTI [bpizzuti] by shipo

Nov 25, 2011 (6:35 am)

Replying to: bpizzuti (Nov 24, 2011 7:51 pm)
"I'll tell you that the Focus measures up to the Mazda3. Does the Mazda3 measure up to the GTI or vice versa?"
 
Yes, the Mazda3 has steering which feels a bit more communicative than the GTI; beyond that our GTI blows our Mazda3 away in every category except purchase price. Said another way, the two cars are a class apart.

#856 of 1316 Re: the Focus isn't even remotely competitive with the GTI [shipo] by bpizzuti

Nov 25, 2011 (6:28 am)

Replying to: shipo (Nov 25, 2011 6:35 am)
Well, I'm thinking the GTI falls flat when it comes to fuel economy.

#857 of 1316 Re: the Focus isn't even remotely competitive with the GTI [creakid1] by shipo

Nov 25, 2011 (6:32 am)

Replying to: creakid1 (Nov 25, 2011 12:08 am)
"If I get to rent a car for a day just to blast off & skid around, then the new Focus SE stick will be the choice over the Golf/GTI. But to own one? I'm not sure -- The Focus has cheap/toxic plastic smell when exposed to sun heat, noisier A/C fan, shallower ride comfort than the Golf 2.5..."
 
You really do need to get out more; for pure driving enjoyment the Focus SE is a very poor second to a GTI.

#858 of 1316 Re: the Focus isn't even remotely competitive with the GTI [bpizzuti] by shipo

Nov 25, 2011 (6:34 am)

Replying to: bpizzuti (Nov 25, 2011 6:28 am)
"Well, I'm thinking the GTI falls flat when it comes to fuel economy."
 
Well, driven in the same manner as my 2009 Mazda3 i TVE 5-Speed, the GTI gets about one MPG better than the Mazda. That said, if I put my foot into the GTI, the fuel economy does drop off.

#859 of 1316 Re: the Focus isn't even remotely competitive with the GTI [shipo] by bpizzuti

Nov 25, 2011 (6:44 am)

Replying to: shipo (Nov 25, 2011 6:34 am)
Hmm, too bad that TVE 5 speed has been replaced with a GDI 2L and 6-speed that gets 30/40. So I"m thinking the Mazda3 gets MUCH better FE than the GTI.

#860 of 1316 Re: the Focus isn't even remotely competitive with the GTI [bpizzuti] by shipo

Nov 25, 2011 (7:09 am)

Replying to: bpizzuti (Nov 25, 2011 6:44 am)
Yeah, the emasculated (from an option perspective) Mazda3 i with the SkyActiv engine and 6-Speed manual will probably deliver five mpg more than the GTI for any given style of driving; but at the economy levels delivered by the GTI, I'd gladly pay the extra couple of hundred per year in fuel costs to have a car with the creature comforts and the huge performance gains of the VW over the Mazda.
 
Now, if Mazda had seen fit to allow us to buy a Mazda3 with the same options available in the "s GT" combined with the SkyActive engine and the 6-Speed manual, I would have been compelled to bump the Mazda3 further up the list. In the end, such a Mazda would have come to within $1,500 of the price of our GTI, and for that price delta, the GTI would probably still have gotten the nod.

#861 of 1316 Re: the Focus isn't even remotely competitive with the GTI [shipo] by bpizzuti

Nov 25, 2011 (8:09 am)

Replying to: shipo (Nov 25, 2011 7:09 am)
I'll take the creature comforts, but keep the MPGs. Hence Ford Focus.

Messages Page 87 of 133

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