Ford Focus Review (Entry Hatches Pt. 2) -- Everyday Driver
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 มี.ค. 2014
- The guys continue their comparison of non-turbo, luke-warm hatches in search of driving fun. The Ford Focus is featured here, with the standard Mazda 3 and Subaru Impreza available in other parts. Can you buy new, affordable, and still fun?
See part 1, the Subaru Impreza, here:
• Subaru Impreza Review ...
See Part 3, The Mazda3 and wrap-ups, here:
• Mazda3 Review (Entry H...
And look for lots more from us on Thursdays!
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I have a 2012 focus 5speed se sport sedan. My wife has a almost identical 2014 with an automatic. Im glad I opted for the stick we have had 4 four focuses 1 from each generation. They are by far the most fun I have ever had in a commuter vehicle. My drive home from work is full of windy roads..the focus never ceases to put a smile on my face.
I recently got a 2011 reg. 1.6L Zetec. It’s my everyday driver to work and I really enjoy how responsive the steering is. It’s like track day everyday 😂
I had a fully loaded 2012 Titanium sedan with a manual transmission, and a few minor mods (Steeda Tri-ax short shifter, K&N typhoon CAI, Cooper Zeon RS3-A tires, Xtreme Stop drilled and slotted rotors and Xtreme Stop ceramic pads, Ford DOT 4 brake fluid, Royal Purple engine oil, LED fog lights, etc). It was a very fun car to daily, it wasn't what everyone else had, and the ride and handling was fantastic for stock springs and struts.
The manual is the ONLY way you should buy/drive a MK3 Focus, regardless of trim level. The ones that were huge mechanical turds, were the automatic equipped ones. Sadly in Canada, the take rate for manuals is super low, and my local dealership told me a Titanium Sedan with a manual transmission is actually the rarest version of these cars (fewer of them sold than the ST and RS). Lots of people do ST swaps to the Sedans all the time, and they are really cool.
I ended up trading my sedan on a 2014 ST, which I still have, and drive daily, year-round.
You guys were correct that the Focus is a LOT more engaging to drive than other vehicles in the same class, and it comes as no surprise you enjoyed it more than the Subie, and likely would like it better than a Corolla too...
I bought the focus titanium version and it is awesome, great review guys, very accurate!
Liked it before watching it, these guys are that good...
Good impressions - but you can get a Fiesta ST for $21,400 which is actually slightly lower than the as-tested price of this Focus. As a driving enthusiast if I had about $21k to spend on a small, relatively economical Ford with a manual transmission, it would probably be the Fiesta ST. In Molten Orange.
Engaging twisty curves to an ideal point of squealing and chirping tires, is fun. I took a normally aspirated 2L 4 banger, 5 sp SE base 2012 hatch, through Deal's Gap Tail of the Dragon, a few weeks before Spring. 1 month old brakes, 6 mos old Firestone sport-touring tires. Copilot within 20 lbs my weight. So 290 lb payload evenly distributed + 1/2 tank of gas, and perfectly functioning hand brake. Mobile 1 oil+ filter, + heavy duty ratio of Motorkote.
FUN. Lateral squeal, often while always in control. Cool dry moist conditions. Open end K&N filter in stock airbox. Subtle growl, slightly better throttle response. So the only mod: the air filter that draws in from it's end as well as it's sides. ECU learned to optimize given more air, in both Sport driving mode, and cruise-for smooth mode. You'd have to pay me to drive a 2012 and newer Focus anything with the automatic transmission, and I'd rather catch up on sleep/ I'm too busy, thanks though.
But a Focus anything with 5 or 6 speed+clutch pedal- who needs sleep. It's 10p on a Monday is perfect.
Recently got my new 2014 Focus SE hatchback with 5-speed manual and Sport package for a very reasonable price. It's flawless; don't have a single complaint or issue. Wonderful to drive; very responsive steering, firm but not rough suspension, light smooth clutch and slick shifting, 160 hp is lots, upscale interior, nice thoughtful touches throughout, and best of all it looks like an American car; the Mazda 3 is a good car but looks too Japanese IMO. People are missing out on fun driving by not considering the fine shifting manual transmission which is also 1000 bucks cheaper than the auto. Best of all any bugs are ironed out by the 3rd model year. Time to drive my 1998 Ford Contour v-6 (with manual transmission) to the junk yard; still looks and works great after 300,000 kms but not worth the repairs to pass inspection.
I've had a 2012 Focus SE Hatchback for 3 years now this October. During my 1st year of owner ship, the electric steering was pulling too hard in corners. They replaced some bolts or such and after that, haven't had any problems. Zip. Nada. Just routine maintenance such as oil changes and new tires. Just had it inspected a few days ago with 47,209 miles on the odo. Passed with the ORIGINAL brakes and rotors. I've had no problems with the DCT. No noise or shudder. No creaks or interior trim noises. And I drive my cars hard at times. So far one of, if not the most reliable car I've owned in the past 30 years. Get 33-34 mpg mixed driving. 39 mpg hwy on road trips. Just been a fantastic car overall.Dont know how they got a 0-60 mph of 8.7 secs. It is more like 7.6 secs for the DCT, 7.3 secs for the manual. Sure the rear seat legroom is a joke, but I'm single so I don't have people in the back seats but rarely. Who says only the Japanese can build reliable cars?
I'm really glad to hear this! I bought my DCT 2014 Focus SE new a few months ago and all I hear are the horror stories. I have only put on 5 thousand miles so far and haven't had any issues. I know I didn't buy a luxury car so I don't expect it to be perfect. I also drive a lot. The car did excellent when I drove it out of town when it was -5 degrees outside and I average the same mpg!
@@podmuse1994lol how did it work out for you?
Terribly. I traded this dump in after 3 years of ownership 🤣@@Ferraridude13
5:54 eek
You guys should have included the MK6 Golf I feel, even though it's being replaced, I still think it is as good if not better than the Focus and Impreza.
belive me its not , its just transportation
We actually wanted to have a Golf included as well, but the Press Fleet didn't have one. It would have been fun to have it, but we can't always gather all the cars and we want. Great thought, though!
I own a 2012 Focus SE hatch with sport pkg, winter pkg, convenience pkg, moonroof. As a daily driver this car has been great. I average 34.6MPG per the computer. I admit it took me a while on how to use the DCT. you have to learn when to shift at the right rpm. Once you have this down, the car is fun to drive when you want to drive a little hard. This car is no ST. Just a daily driver.
Hey! I've heard the focus' transmission makes funny noises and isn't reliable at all! I had one as a loaner for about a week, and loved it. I want to get the titanium one but I got kind of scared by all the negative reviews. How was your experience with yours?
WhoIsNickL Mine did have the transmission shudder. After the reprogram it is fine. I have over 30,000 miles with no issues. I average 34MPG! per the computer. Focus is a great car. Test drive you will see.
WhoIsNickL I don't know about the focus but my dad has a ford f150 and it's a work truck. Usually pulling boats and jetskis or other car parts. It has 140000 miles and has never had a problem other than oil changes and tire changes nothing else has been done to the car still going strong.
I just drove a rental Focus SE 2400 miles in a week. That transmission is horrible, possibly the worst I have every driven. The description of a newbie driver trying to shift into first is apt. Once it gets into 3rd it isn't bad, except it won't downshift, so the car feels like it has no power.
The driver's seat was great for something that can't be reclined (height adjustment, but you can't move the backrest). The first day of my trip, I travelled 900 miles in one day. Despite the distance the seats were great and I felt no back fatigue.
That first day I went over 3 mountain passes, changed the chains 2 times and drove through a pass that I found out they closed due to conditions, but I somehow got in before they shut down the road. The car had really bad summer/all season tires, but the non-invasive traction control and great steering feedback made it easy to drive on ice. On the flip side the bright LCD screens were fatiguing on the eyes and were distracting while driving in a light blizzard. They really need a dimmer or the ability to change the color. Also the flashing traction control light is distracting while you are trying to concentrate.
The headlights were awful, but as this was a rental it could have been they were misaligned or just needed to be replaced. That all said, I came away really liking the hatch and would definitely consider buying a manual or ST version.
200
Dart
focus
Which do you think is best?
Ooo the e46 m3 had a SMG (single clutch) not a DCT
Got a 2013/14 Focus Trend and in an automatic with DCT transmission. The problem I have with the car is when the car accelerates sometimes, there is this engine lag which "revs" on a slight delay. Similar to what they are talking from a manual. Other problem is the indicator, it turns off way too quick
First time I see someone admitting that the focus has a superb precise steering that is even better than mazda,also the ride quality of focus is really great,it's stiff but dosent jarr the bones,and focus dct is no way a drivers car whereas the manual focus is simply awesome,feels much more powerful and more peppy more efficient,and it makes the car much more user friendly as well
5:54
cut to clip of car understeering almost off the road
"...it's light on its feet. It wants to dart into the corner..."
**facepalm**
I have a 2012 Titanium every option but its an automatic and though its growing on me now, I've only had the car for about a month, I feel their auto transmission was a dud. It's horrendous for a newer car. And Ford was so quick to tell me everything was normal, I guess they had a lot of complaints about it but when I went to talk to the service dept. which is also awful but its a Ford so oh well, she had a stack of papers that listed all the strange noises I would hear in the car already printed up. Other than that and the hard seats the car is fantastic.
When this first launched in North America i thought the design was sharp and edgy, now it's starting to show it's age. The Mazda 3 looks another league above this and the Impreza based on looks alone.
DCT in e46 m3???? Those had SMG. The single clutch auto manual. DCT was in the E90's.
Yes, you are correct. Todd mis-spoke here. His description of how they feel similar is correct, but while thinking of the Dual Clutch in the Ford he said DCT for the E46. Sadly, he is not perfect. Thanks for keeping us honest.
Do you guys have any car care tips?
The Mazda is the best to drive, but not the best to own everyday because of the way Mazda packages their options. So you almost have to go with the Mazda 3 Grand Touring and it gets expensive. On top of that, Mazda doesn't typically offer any rebates on their cards. Ford does, and you have more options. I got my Focus SE with the SE appearance package, and the winter package with the leather seats and a manual transmission for around $18K. It's a lot of fun to drive. Maybe not quite as fun as the Mazda, but considering I'm perfectly happy with my Focus and spent around $7K less than the Mazda I was looking at, I'm not bothered.
The interior reminded me of those cheap desktop stereos from the 80s and 90s. Can Ford come up with something cleaner and more modern?
In my place it costs $35,000 X_X , and a Fiesta costs $19,000. Big difference.
Lets see the Dart GT 6spd manual now :D
cool
The odd thing to me is, I think the Focus DCT is one of the best things about the car. Mine is smooth as silk at low speeds, but when you put your feet down, it's a beast. I really wouldn't want anything else. By the way, 0 to 60 in 8.7, wrong! Try mid 7's.
I've seen it reported as 7.1 and 7.4. Not too bad for a commuter car. Air intake and an exhaust and you're slightly under 6.
That's faster than a stock FRS Automatic.
like it
Having owning a 04 focus which i use and abuse, my 04 is cheap to run however stupid shit breaks on it the car is honest and owns up to being a cheap common average car. the NEW focus basicly takes what i drive and covers up that honesty with stupid door chimes, silver glitzy trim and gawdy electronics the focus is like the family extra car in my household and everyone shits over it never washes it and treats it like shit. thats what i like best about it.
Paul, Todd? I live in Ca. How much would you charge to teach me to drive stick? Please respond!
do you really need them to teach you it?? its not that hard...
Find an old 5 speed and learn man, I say old so that you don't cry when you burn up the clutch =P
I agree with everyone else. I learned on an 89 Mustang 5.0 with a half-gone clutch. It'll take practice but you will master it. Then it's like riding a bike, you never forget and get back into the grove after letting off for years in about 5 mins.
Why did they test from an enthusiast perspective with auto transmissions?
Because sadly, most of these cars will sell with automatics, and most buyers (and many enthusiasts) choose the auto transmission because of commuting. We will say always go with the manual, but know that doesn't happen. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Wow, that dash is cringe inducing. No controls should be that low down. Its not safe because it draws your eyes off the road for too long.
Love the show. I drive an older GTI. Why did you review the automatics?? How can the Ford not even have auto-manual mode?? Anyone buying an economy car with any sport enthusiast wishes can never buy the Ford with no way to control the gear. Just strike it off the list right there. Senseless to review it for performance.
You can get a manual transmission
My preowned 2014 Focus SE has transmission issues. Like many of these cars. That's my review in a nutshell. Buyer beware. ;) 2011 - 2016 and even some 2017 models. Ford has extended the warranty on them. No recall even though the problem is obviously a safety issue. Drive safe folks. Life is too short.
my Focus Sits in the shop wont start keeps breaking down pioneer told me i need to wait 5 weeks my job requires a dependable car this is not it? its junk
Just bought the 2014 Ford focus SE manual and is the best MONEY can buy I road test the civic and the corollary and they both suck. The focus is better at everything and looks graet. And can't go wrong is build I Michigan engine build HERE and trans build by ford of Germany think twice people keep the money here employ. Our people stop sending money over seas. Focus is %70 made here with some parts out of the country but most of profits stay here. And is very relayable my neighbor owns one 220000 miles no problem yet just services.
Just bought mine (see post) with manual tranny and love it! Wonderful car, fun to drive.
The transmission sucks, it jerks and has a recall. The radio barely plays on the rear speakers.
By a stick, automatics suck
That's a nasty scrape on the back bumper
Good luck finding a manual 5 speed anymore.
$22,000: Would rather spend the extra few bucks on a GTI
LOL, I'm not the only one that thinks the front looks like a frown?
The Focus' dash is just an ugly mess. What were they thinking?
Mazda 3's just gonna win. Spoiler.
You guys should talk about the RELIABLE factor. Cause the Ford is garbage in this MOST important category. Don't matter how fun to drive when it's constantly on back of a jeer Dan or in shop. Read consumer reports FIRST. Take care
Consumer Reports is garbage. Most 'reliability' issues are minor nitpicks easily corrected by warranty. If you listen to CR you may get a reliable car but a very boring one. No such thing as bad cars these days; just bad maintenance by people who are too cheap or lazy to maintain their vehicles. My current 1998 Ford has 300,000 kms, never stranded me, and I will drive it to the junk-yard.
The Focus is reliable. If you hear people talk about the transmission being broken, they don't know what they're talking about. The focus uses DCT, it will be jerky in slow speeds because that's what a DCT does and it isn't broken.
nothing but a throwaway car transmission is garbage 🗑️
You guys should stick to reviewing sports cars. The Subaru is in a different class, something you both don,t have.
yeah, ever since the SX4 suzuki made has left along with suzuki the impreza allwheel drive has no straight on competition. Fuji uses Toyota's corolla for that market while Subaru is for a niche market.
The focus is so ugly...:((
Subjective
Great car to drive expect gearbox problems
dont buy ford focus.. I own 2012 focus and it it nightmare... the transmission is shit as hell.. car vibrates whenver start off. back seats are too small.. resale value is shit... get civic, corolla, mazda3, jettta, elantra, etc... dont buy 1. dodge dart 2. ford focus 3. mitsubishi lancer. I am done with this garbage shit. I am going to get Subaru Brz or Nissan Maxima or Honda Accord.
Ford is cheap, because its all plastic.
Hatchbacks are ugly, why does everyone like them so much? Sedans are the best looking.