In the words of one reviewer, "it's hard to hide the disappointment" with the new 2008 Focus from Ford Motor (NYSE: F). While the car is "serviceable," it lacks the pizazz of the new compact cars from Honda, Mazda and Volvo. This is particularly annoying since Ford owns Volvo and has a stake in Mazda. To make matters worse, there is a new Focus made by Ford in Europe which is earning rave reviews. But the American version of the car will not use the more advanced platform of the European model. It's the same old story: American consumers get the boring version of Detroit's global efforts. In this case, they even have to put up with cheesy fake air vents glued to the fender.
The good news is that Ford's new Sync electronics system is getting lots of positive reviews. As our own Brian White noted (Mr. Softy climbs in with Ford), Sync was developed with Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) and allows drivers to use their MP3 players and cell phones in the car with voice-activated software. The reviewer at The New York Times thinks it's a great system, going so far as to say that it is far better than BMW's iDrive. Our pals at AutoBlog agree, and they claim that Sync is actually helping Ford sell more cars. So even though the car itself may be dull, at least you'll have a cool computer system to keep you from noticing too much.
Nuclear power is on the comeback trail
Apple backs AT&T in continuing spat with Verizon
Closing Bell: The recession is still over, still... do you feel it?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-04-2008 @ 11:56AM
jpdr1100 said...
The previous version of the Focus was also a generation behind the Euro model. That makes the current one at least two generations behind.
Then Detroit will use its poor sales as "proof" that Americans won't buy small cars.
Give us the good stuff and we might!
1-04-2008 @ 4:26PM
Robert said...
If produced at Wayne, the Euro-spec Focus would sell for a base price around $17k, about $3k more than the current car. The investment to bring the Euro Focus here (emissions, crash, powertrains, tooling) was similar to a significant refresh of the old model. It's not as easy as "pick it up and sell it here," and Ford had no plans to make such a move when initially developing the C1 Focus in Europe.
It's a catch-22 really. Ford doesn't offer a really stellar small car, but even if it did, Ford doesn't have the brand strength to sell it at the price they would have to, because people wouldn't believe they have a really stellar small car - seeded by years of Ford not having a really stellar small car.
Detroit knows that people will buy small cars. Don't kid yourself. The Ford Verve due out in 2009 and next gen Focus due here in 2010 will be significant if not class-leading players. The problem in the short-term is dealing with their higher fixed costs (soon to be reduced) and trailing perception that demands low pricing strength (high costs, low revenues) and the lack of integrated global development programs that could have mitigated some of the cost side by de-contenting to U.S. standards without losing the character of the original vehicle or requiring expensive rework.
So, we have the 2008 Focus. From a design perspective, it has few good angles. However, behind the wheel, I found it very quiet and a good drive - on par with the Civic overall except with much better handling dynamics. The platform actually received a bit of an overall, so while it technically trails the EU by 1 gen and a refresh, the fundamentals are much better than the last Focus I rented (2006, maybe) and close to (although never really at) the Mazda's level.
Unfortunately, many people cannot get past its gimmicky styling - and neither can I. It is the car's primary weakness. Almost everything else, however, is on par or ahead of the class if you actually give it 30 seconds to show you. Personally, though, I'll wait for the C2 in 2010.
1-05-2008 @ 2:12AM
Gumby said...
The trouble with small cars is that rednecks really like to breath a lot of gas fumes that small cars cant produce enough of that. Vrooom! sniff vroom! sniff vroom! Also, rednecks believe that excessive gas consumptioin help making our economy stronger. Fill er up fill er up fill er up !!! Soon enough Coke will bottle gasoline for rednecks to drink!! Such dumb rednecks as usual!
1-05-2008 @ 4:20AM
Gumby said...
Ford always has the best drivability and ride, thanks to Ford unique ball steering system that had been used for decades. It is a classic.. for the ride, iti s very relaxing and anticipating unlike foreign cars which feel like bicycle wheels.