2008 Ford Focus SES: Recommended?

A used 05.5 or 06 A4 can be had on the cheap, and the 2.0T gets better MPG than the thirsty 5cyl in the Rabbit. Not to mention its just so much better.

How about a new Mini Cooper? Even the base model (non "S") would be lotsa fun given the trademark go-kart handling and the peppier engine it got when it was redesigned last year.

Great fuel economy (28 city / 37 highway / 32 combined) is an added bonus!

what about the astra!???
please don't forget about it.
i went to see it the other day and loved it (even though i'm not in the market for a car now). I still page over the brochure i got every now and then. it has many cool features (including automatic rain-sensing wipers!!!)
please, warren also mention the astra to your friend.

cx7lover - You're right about the used A4. But she has her heart set on buying something new, and she was only interested in hearing about new cars.

John - The Mini is fun - I'll mention that. I have a feeling, though, that it may be a bit too "cute" for her tastes.

What about a Civic Ex? Great fuel economy, somewhat fun to drive, nicely equipped, decently priced, doesnt feel cheap. Not as polished as the German cars youve mentioned but its still a quality piece.

Make sure she checks out a 3i. The 3s is a gas hog (but oh-so-fun to drive).

I have yet to see an Astra on the road. I'm afraid that it's dead in the water.

I'd recommend either a basic Mini Cooper, a Honda Civic EX, or a 3i. Good mileage and fun to drive. If she gets the Rabbit she'll be disappointed with the mileage.

You'll only be disappointed with the mpg initially, because that's what the media's relentlessly, hysterically bashed into your head.

After you had the fun to drive and realized the gasoline bill doesn't make much of a difference in your monthly finances, nor does it contribute much to pollution (since your car has the most currrent emission system), you'll started visiting the gas station every other day.

I'd say get a GTI. I love mine. LOVE! I cross shopped the car with more expensive Audi's and the GTI came out on top regardless of price. The fact it is far cheaper only makes it even better.

W/o knowing what her price range is, it's hard to make a recommendation. But a VW rabbit is a good suggestion. Or even a Mini, if two doors is ok for her. Both are euro and should like the feel of the cars

I was in the same boat 6 months ago, I literally checked out the dealers of all the major car makers, before settling for a Scion xB. It's fuel economy is not the greatest, but I can still get close to 29-30mpg on the highway (which is 80% of my commute). But things like safety package and being able to fit a rear facing child seat in back seat took priority over fuel economy. Most cars 16K and under are not great family cars, so picking the scion was a no brainer.

Ditto on checking out the non-S MINI - but make it a Clubman.

The 3i is also another one to consider, along with the new Vibe/Matrix and a lower-end Honda CR-V FWD. All are within the price range of the Rabbit 4-Door.

I just bought a 4-Door GTI after about a year of cross-shopping and absolutely love it. Stepping into it from an '04 Passat GLX, I really don't feel like I'm giving up too many essential features in return for a more engaging driving experience and better fuel economy.

I considered the Rabbit 4-Door, but the 2.5L I5 didn't return better overall mileage than the 2.0T, and the Rabbit was missing a few features that the GTI included (xenons, steering wheel controls, etc.).

I did cross-shop many of the aforementioned vehicles and while more thought was put into it, my overall conclusions were as follows:

MINI Cooper Clubman S: An absolute blast to drive, one of the best manual transmissions I've ever driven, but still too small for my purpose and teh dealer noted that they sold all their '08's, hinting that negotiating was out of the question.

Mazda 3S Hatch: Loaded with every conceivable luxury feature (xenons, rain-sense wipers, LED tail lights, power driver's seat for '09, etc.) and fun to drive, unfortunately the economy of the 2.3L was dubious and the clutch/shifter combo was horrible. The quality of the interior was not up to par with the VW, and it was missing a few details (illuminated vanity mirrors), that hinted at the cost-cutting measures taken. Still, a great car at a great value, but I feel I would find myself justifying the purchase to myself every day.

Honda CR-V: Again, lots of value here. AWD, Dual Climate Control, Power Driver's seat, etc. The CR-V does nothing wrong, and would get you there reliably, but don't expect an engaging driving experience to be part of the package. The steering is numb and the power supplied by the 2.4L is adequate at best. While not a reflection on the vehicle quality, the dealer soured the experience quite a bit (what kind of salesman tries to sell a customer a car over the phone while taking you on a test drive?)

Anyway, just a few notes from my experiences. I will also say the 0% financing for the VW also had quite a bit to do with my decision as well. Can't beat using somebody elses money while mine keeps earning interest....=)

if someone is considering a focus primarily because of fuel economy it makes no sense to recommend import compacts that get worse economy than the focus. "fun to drive" isnt important to most people. A 3 handles better than a Focus but for most commuters that is irrelevant. There is more to a car than at the limit handling and most drivers aren't enthusiasts. If you want a compact and you want economy your list should start with Corolla, Focus and Civic.

The Astra just had its best sales month in July now that Saturn finally started doing TV ads for the car. No ads = no sales success.

The Vibe/Matrix get mediocre fuel economy.

How about she test drive all (many?) of them, including the Focus? I find that many people are often unable to articulate what they really want. Also, what you consider "kinda fun" and "doesn't feel too cheap" might be different than her.

A better answer would to say that the Focus is a good car and she should drive it. Also, you (she) may want to drive these other cars too...

I too prefer the VW Rabbit among the choices given, but I think your friend would be better off with the Honda Fit. Much better fuel economy and a fun spacious ride with good resale value. If she doesn't like a hatchback, then I think the Mazda3i is the best bet and they are selling at $14K here in Miami to start with a manual tranny.

The Mini should've been an obvious choice for luxury, fun, and cost.

However, the Mini (or any VW) won't be as bulletproof as a Civic. If you wan lux you can get heated leather seats. If you want fuel economy you can get a hybrid. If you want both the wait for the 2009 Civic Hybrid with heated leather seats.

nf

I am a fan of the Astra's styling and overall packaging, but it doesn't make sense as an economy car when the 2009 Aura 2.5 gets better mileage!

The Rabbit's mileage is indeed disappointing, but what really puts me off the car is the long-term reliability and dealer/service experience.

I think the CR-V is a pretty good value, but why, why, why doesn't Honda make a proper Civic wagon? They need something between the tiny Fit and the heavy CR-V.

I like the utility of the xB, but hate the interior; same with the Matrix/Vibe. Guess I'll just have to wait for the next Focus or Fiesta...

Thanks for all the suggestions.

hola_dan - I haven't driven the Astra, but those who have say it's got decent road manners and a great interior. I'll recommend that she take a look at that one as well.

"any VW won't be as bulletproof as a Civic"

Try getting t-boned in a Jetta by a 40 mph van with 1000 lbs of people in it, then suggest "any VW" isn't a tank. Those "safe happens" commercials are true to life.

"Try getting t-boned in a Jetta by a 40 mph van with 1000 lbs of people in it, then suggest "any VW" isn't a tank. Those "safe happens" commercials are true to life."

Crashworthiness has nothing to do with reliability. Most people lack confidence in VWs long term reliability.

"Try getting t-boned in a Jetta by a 40 mph van with 1000 lbs of people in it, then suggest "any VW" isn't a tank. Those "safe happens" commercials are true to life."

I've been T-boned in my VW Beetle....built like a tank. I walked away in one piece. But that's not enough for me to run back to VW and buy another car from them....reliability is not that awesome. And the crooks at the dealership will rape you for poor service.

My dad drives nothing but Toyota and over the last 15 years, all his Toyotas lasted to 100K with only needing schedule maintenance. Engine, tranny, and all the other bits worked flawlessly ( except the A/C compressor died at like 80K on his '95 corolla).

In my VW NB, By 100K I had already replaced major suspension components, along with brake calipers, leaking intercooler, busted turbo (@37K), busted window regulators, leaking oil pan, etc......

But it WAS a safe car...one of the safest in its class when I bought it new. But since 2005, Honda, Toyota, etc have made major improvements to their cars, improving their Crash worthiness. So I'm no longer impressed with VW and its marketing. My 08 Scion has 8 airbags/curtains, trac control, stability control, ABS, brake force distribution, tire pressure sensor, even a simple first-aid kit, all standard.

The only VW I'll ever get, is one with the new TDi engine, when (if) it comes out.

As for VW issues I have had good luck. We use to own a 99 Cabrio and had nothing but scheduled maintenance and a minor hose go bad. Same with my current A4 (add in a bad sensor), and all scheduled maintenance under warranty was free! My sister in-law had a 98 Bettle that ran great for her.
If you have to get a new car I would go with the Rabbit (GTI if affordable), Mazda3 (S preferably), Corolla (S or XRS), Lancer (GTS or higher).

I think people aren't understanding fully why Saturn isn't advertising the Astra: they are hemorrhaging cash on every one they sell. This car was designed to be brought into the states when 1 EUR = 1.25 USD; obviously that has drastically changed.

That being said, the Astra is a nice car (although Saturn's 'no-haggle' MSRP-only pricing is a turn-off to me).

I can't help but chuckle - where are the Focus cheerleaders from previous posts? Perhaps reality has finally set in about how mediocre this car truly is.

The Fit is probably the best bang for the buck - especially since the new one is coming out and your friend might be able to get a decent deal on the remainders on the lot (Fit and deal aren't words that are paired together often).

The Mazda3 is long in the tooth but still a fantastic car. The GT package with leather, xenons Bose, etc. is hard to beat for price and fun.

The Civic will be the most fun to drive among the traditional compact cars. The EX also gets a leather option for '09 and some new front and rear end treatment, I believe.

The Corolla is about as engaging to drive as a sewing machine (I'm not knocking the other merits of the car - in fact, I own one). The snooze factor here though cannot be ignored.

VW has beautiful interiors and high 'fun-to-drive' factor, but quality control scares me (concurred by J.D. Power and Consumer Reports).

Mini - see VW above. At least the Mini will hold its value better than any of the others.

It's a shame that Ford really didn't put the best foot forward with the new Focus - the Fiesta hatch can't get here one day too soon.