We’ll spare you the drama, the new Ford Focus sedan is very good indeed, but you’ve probably clued in to that already. The main question – and one that’s asks of many Ford products – is whether the Focus can replicate its success in Europe and take on the might of Toyota and Honda in Asia. Overcoming its modest brand image in the passenger car segment will be key. Remember the Laser/ Lynx? That was a good steer too, yet for all its generous cabin space, class-leading driving dynamics and decent quality, there were few takers. So this time round, Ford isn’t mucking about with rebadged Mazdas, only the most successful passenger car in Blue Oval’s recent history would suffice, a true global Ford car that has sold over five million units around the world.
In return, we won’t muck around with what we think on the looks either. When the new five-door hatchback Focus was unveiled in Europe late last year, we were lukewarm about its appearance. Ford took the safe route, eschewing the previous generation’s cutting-edge design. So indistinct are the aesthetics (of the European model) that this writer strolled past the saloon’s debut at this year’s Geneva Motor Show without realizing that it would be the car tasked with reviving Ford’s fortunes in passenger saloons. We were worried.
Fast forward to last month’s media preview in Thailand and let’s just say the sigh of relief was all too palpable when the curtains were drawn. It’s telling how minor aesthetic tweaks can significantly alter the appeal of a car. No, the Focus still isn’t gorgeous, but with the Asia-specific clear lens tail-lamps and chromed grille, it is much more palatable, attractive almost. If you have already gotten the cheque book out, then the optional body-kit (as seen on our test car) is a must have, it adorns the Focus with much-needed presence. Ford officials did point out that while the previous generation focus captured the imagination of many, its controversial styling divided opinions, it would seem the risk of alienating the masses was just too big a gamble.
The mission to capture a wider audience (read the Corolla and Civic crowd) also warranted a more ‘mature’ interior design. The judicious application of ‘wood’ of a subtle shade, two-tone colour scheme mid smattering of brushed aluminum accents on the Focus cabin is right on I lie money and tastefully executed. The quality is generally good as well, though some plastics aren’t quite Japanese slick (such as the air-con vent flaps and switchgear), but the four-spoke leather steering is good to grip, while the main controls are laid out logically and easy to master. The amenities and equipment list is also generous and thoroughly contemporary, courtesy of the ‘Ghia’ specs. There’s a useful trip computer, a CD player that stacks six, accompanied by satellite controls on the steering column, a dual-zone automatic climate control system with rear air-con vents, clever little cubby holes front and back, a rear bench that folds flat.
Have you ever gotten into a new car and felt immediately at ease by how it drives? We reckon the Focus will do that to you. Apart from the seats that should be more supportive, the relation of the primary driving controls – steering, brakes and throttle – is spot-on, the sensation isn’t dissimilar to say getting into a BMW 3-Series and attaining the confidence to nail all the corner apexes on your way home. The steering might have surrendered some purity and feedback of the original rack in the transition to electric-hydraulic power, but it is no less accurate, and weighs up nicely as the speed increases.
Like its forebear, the new Focus offers a blend of ride comfort and sporty handling contemporaries will find hard to match. It is often debated whether these qualities might be wasted on the average owner who will only deploy the Focus on daily commute to work or the supermarket, which is likely the case, but anyone in the Focus can appreciate the supple (but not soft) ride, the responsive steering, the high resistance to under steer and roll, and the control and ease of modulation when braking. All of which makes the Focus an exceptionally easy drive, and an even more rewarding one for keener drivers.
The flipside to good handling is that it exposes power deficiencies more readily, and while the 130bhp/ 165Nm 1.8-litre Duratec four-cylinder performs adequately in town, on open roads, you’ll be wishing for some extra grunt. An additional forward ratio wouldn’t have gone amiss either, but the four-speed auto is thankfully well-paired with the engine characteristics, and both go about their tasks in a refined, Toyota-like manner. You can dictate matters with the sequential ‘manual’ shift, of which we discovered that the top speed of 190km/h of the Focus is best achieved by leaving it in third.
If the second coming of the Focus is more grounded with a sales pitch targeted at ‘regular’ car buyers (the sportier 2.0-litre five-door hatchback will follow in a month’s time), then it is wholly intended. The new Focus sedan is here for the long haul, styled and tuned for Asia, produced in Philippines, with the lofty objective of giving the Japanese a run for their money. We think it is good enough even if it means being a little less flamboyant.
