Long-Term Road Tests
2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
July 1, 2009
Below are the fuel economy numbers for June 2009. We've listed the best, worst and overall average tanks.
As always, we were missing a few cars that were out of town or unavailable at the time of this writing. I'll continue to add them as they come in and let you know in the comments.
| |
Car |
Best
|
Worst
|
Average
|
| |
2009 Audi A4 Avant |
26.8
|
17.5
|
21.9
|
| |
2009 Audi S5 |
22.3
|
11.3
|
18.0
|
| |
2008 BMW 135i |
27.7
|
13.9
|
19.8
|
| |
2009 BMW 750i |
21.8
|
12.4
|
17.9
|
| |
2002 BMW M3 |
23.5
|
12.3
|
17.5
|
| |
2009 BMW M3 |
20.5
|
12.7
|
16.1
|
| |
2009 Ford Flex Limited |
26.7
|
13.7
|
19.2
|
| |
2008 Ford Focus SES |
40.6
|
16.6
|
26.7
|
| |
2007 Honda Civic GX |
47.3
|
12.7
|
31.6
|
| |
2009 Honda Fit Sport |
39.0
|
24.9
|
31.0
|
| |
2009 Hyundai Genesis |
24.4
|
14.3
|
20.4
|
| |
2009 Infiniti FX50 |
21.8
|
10.7
|
16.9
|
| |
2009 Mazda 6 |
29.3
|
19.4
|
23.5
|
| |
2008 Mitsubishi Evo X GSR |
22.6
|
11.0
|
17.0
|
| |
2009 Nissan 370Z |
24.4
|
13.7
|
17.9
|
| |
2009 Nissan GT-R |
21.8
|
11.5
|
16.4
|
| |
2008 Smart Fortwo Passion |
43.4
|
23.5
|
33.6
|
| |
2009 Suzuki SX4 |
28.3
|
18.6
|
22.5
|
| |
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI |
43.0
|
28.0
|
34.6
|
After the jump you can see the list sorted by best average MPG.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (15)
- Posted by: Donna DeRosa July 1, 2009, 3:16 PM
- Categories: 2002 BMW M3, 2007 Honda Civic GX, 2008 BMW 135i, 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe, 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR, 2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe, 2009 Audi A4 Avant, 2009 Audi S5, 2009 BMW 750i, 2009 BMW M3, 2009 Ford Flex Limited, 2009 Honda Fit Sport, 2009 Hyundai Genesis V6, 2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD, 2009 Mazda 6 i Grand Touring, 2009 Nissan 370Z Touring, 2009 Nissan GT-R, 2009 Suzuki SX4, 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI
June 30, 2009
This is a tough one. But after hours of soul searching and a large Italian sub with extra Provolone I was able to make my choice. I'd F the Suzuki, marry the Fit and kill the Focus. What would you do?
Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief
June 26, 2009
Manufacturers use drum brakes for one reason: They're cheap. And guess what? It shows. Especially behind alloy wheels. Here's a shot of one of the Focus's rear drums.
Aside from the many performance reasons to use disc brakes, I'd argue that simply looking at brake drums through alloy wheel spokes is among the biggest incentives to avoid them. I'll pay extra, thanks. Am I crazy?
Josh Jacquot, Senior road test editor
- Permalink | Comments (30)
-
- Posted by: Josh Jacquot June 26, 2009, 9:50 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
June 19, 2009
OMG, you guys! This was the best one yet. LOLs all around.
Thanks to ampim for this week's favorite.
But it was so hard to choose. It was a real crapshoot. Heh. I can't believe no one put "Separated at Birth" but I guess the Mechanic had the day off.
Here's the honorable mention list:
Quality is Job 1, Sometimes 2 (ergsum)
Camouflage. (sabastian)
The only way you can leave skid marks in a Focus! (ergsum)
Ugh! I think your carbon footprint stepped in something! (ergsum)
Stinks like it goes. (carfanatic17)
Stare at this picture for 1 minute...Did you spot the Ford Focus? (jasbra)
Is that a Euro peein' Focus? (mnorm1)
The Cannonball Runs (ergsum)
United wee stand (mnorm1)
The OTHER EcoBoost (canadia)
Who put this potato in my tailpipe? (canadia)
Come on Ford, even the Port a Potties have functional vents (subaru123)
What is a Ford doing at GM headquarters? (vwthing1)
Uh oh... Intermittant wipers are standard equipment. (vwthing1)
Only one of these will get your date to drop trou. (vwthing1)
The New Ford EcoPoo-st Focus (powell_jr)
Ford Focus: Endangered feces? (mnorm1)
Ford appears before another Senate Subcommittee. (ergsum)
Focus meets first eharmony match. (wobbly_ears)
What was your favorite?
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor
- Permalink | Comments (12)
-
- Posted by: Donna DeRosa June 19, 2009, 4:07 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
Scott Oldham snapped this shot of our Ford Focus the other day at a track test.
Our caption: "Comparison Test, and the Focus takes #2"
Aw, poor Focus. Don't take it personally. We like you. It's just that the picture is so funny.
We thought about "Goes Like Stink" but it really doesn't.
What are your captions?
We'll post our favorite at 4:00 PM West Coast Time.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor
- Permalink | Comments (167)
-
- Posted by: Donna DeRosa June 19, 2009, 3:00 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
June 8, 2009
Its pretty clear that the biggest draw of the Ford Focus is its affordability. As I tooled around town in the coupe this weekend, I mused for the thousandth time, "This car is the opposite of exciting, but it delivers lots of features for very little coin."
I came across a news story that pointed out that the Focus can save you money in accident situations, as well. In recent crash tests, IIHS concluded that the Focus had the lowest repair costs of the 20 compact cars tested. The Focus sustained two-thirds less damage than the Toyota Prius and the Volkswagen Rabbit, which both logged more than $4,000 worth of damage in a single crash test. IIHS credits the Focus' bumpers for this achievement, saying that they do a great job of protecting sheet metal and other expensive parts from damage.
Warren Clarke, Automotive Content Editor @ 20,846 miles
- Permalink | Comments (10)
-
- Posted by: Warren Clarke June 8, 2009, 3:29 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
June 3, 2009
I made this one too easy. You guessed it right away.
2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
I should have used this shot:
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (6)
-
- Posted by: Donna DeRosa June 3, 2009, 3:53 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
June 1, 2009
Here are the fuel economy numbers for 2009. We've listed the best, worst and overall average tanks.
As always, we were missing a few cars that were out of town or unavailable at the time of this writing. I'll add them as they come in and I'll let you know in the comments.
| |
Car |
Best
|
Worst
|
Average
|
| |
2009 Audi A4 Avant |
26.8
|
17.5
|
22.0
|
| |
2009 Audi S5 |
22.3
|
11.8
|
18.0
|
| |
2009 BMW 750i |
21.8
|
12.4
|
18.2
|
| |
2002 BMW M3 |
23.5
|
12.3
|
17.5
|
| |
2009 BMW M3 |
18.8
|
9.6
|
15.4
|
| |
2008 Cadillac CTS |
32.5
|
9.9
|
19.3
|
| |
2009 Dodge Challenger R/T |
22.3
|
10.3
|
16.0
|
| |
2009 Ford Flex Limited |
26.7
|
13.7
|
19.4
|
| |
2008 Ford Focus SES |
40.6
|
16.6
|
26.7
|
| |
2007 Honda Civic GX |
47.3
|
12.7
|
31.7
|
| |
2009 Honda Fit Sport |
39.0
|
26.0
|
31.5
|
| |
2009 Hyundai Genesis |
24.8
|
15.5
|
20.7
|
| |
2009 Infiniti FX50 |
21.8
|
10.7
|
17.0
|
| |
2009 Mazda 6 |
29.1
|
19.4
|
23.3
|
| |
2008 Mitsubishi Evo X MR |
27.2
|
11.7
|
17.3
|
| |
2009 Nissan 370Z |
24.4
|
13.7
|
18.2
|
| |
2009 Nissan GT-R |
21.8
|
11.5
|
16.5
|
| |
2008 Pontiac G8 GT |
24.0
|
12.0
|
17.5
|
| |
2008 Smart Fortwo Passion |
43.4
|
23.5
|
33.4
|
| |
2009 Suzuki SX4 |
28.3
|
18.6
|
22.6
|
| |
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI |
43.0
|
28.7
|
35.0
|
After the jump you can see the list sorted by best average MPG.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (25)
-
- Posted by: Donna DeRosa June 1, 2009, 3:34 PM
- Categories: 2002 BMW M3, 2007 Honda Civic GX, 2008 Cadillac CTS V6 DI, 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe, 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR, 2008 Pontiac G8 GT, 2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe, 2009 Audi A4 Avant, 2009 Audi S5, 2009 BMW 750i, 2009 BMW M3, 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T, 2009 Ford Flex Limited, 2009 Honda Fit Sport, 2009 Hyundai Genesis V6, 2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD, 2009 Mazda 6 i Grand Touring, 2009 Nissan 370Z Touring, 2009 Nissan GT-R, 2009 Suzuki SX4, 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI
May 23, 2009
Would I buy one? It's a question I ask myself whenever I slide behind the wheel of a car. Would I drop my hard earned money on one of these? Would I want to own it? Drive it for years? Look at it in my driveway? Tell people it's mine?
It's also the question you the reader ask me the most. So I've decided to go through all the cars we now have in our fleet and decide whether or not I would buy one. I also included a few recently departed vehicles. Seems appropriate since they just left us.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (28)
-
- Posted by: Scott Oldham May 23, 2009, 5:00 AM
- Categories: 2002 BMW M3, 2004 Toyota Prius, 2005 Volkswagen Jetta GLS TDI, 2006 Lexus RX 400h, 2007 Ford Edge SEL, 2007 Honda Civic GX, 2008 Audi R8, 2008 BMW 135i, 2008 Cadillac CTS V6 DI, 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT, 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe, 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR, 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR, 2008 Pontiac G8 GT, 2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe, 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, 2009 Audi A4 Avant, 2009 Audi S5, 2009 BMW 750i, 2009 BMW M3, 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T, 2009 Ford Flex Limited, 2009 Honda Fit Sport, 2009 Hyundai Genesis V6, 2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD, 2009 Mazda 6 i Grand Touring, 2009 Nissan 370Z Touring, 2009 Nissan GT-R, 2009 Suzuki SX4, 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI
May 14, 2009
So I figured out what the L in PRNDL does. It sucks, that's what it does.
The 'gear' (according to the manual, which I really did read) is designed for enhanced engine braking on long descents and holding a gear going up long, steep grades. I figured it might be good for sluggish freeway traffic. Wrong-o. It is, in fact, good for nothing. While the D 'gear' is too concerned with fuel economy to shift properly, the L 'gear' is too concerned with grenading the motor, shifting poorly and generally making your commute terrible to be of any use.
It holds onto each gear for an impossibly long time. Only when the motor sounds like a thousand blenders being blended by a giant, evil blender, does it slam itself into the next highest gear where it repeats the gear holding, engine blending process all over again. Downshifts are similarly no good and lack any refinement or grace. I even used it on a long downhill only to find the gears to be so far apart that there seemed to be no sweet spot where the car ever felt comfortable or smooth. The engine was either ready to puke its guts out and slowing down too much or the transmission would not relinquish the higher gear and in fact caused me to ride the brakes to hold a steady speed, completely defeating the purpose of the L 'gear'.
Was there something wrong with the PRND321 setup?
Kurt Niebuhr, Photo Editor @ 20,134 miles
- Permalink | Comments (20)
-
- Posted by: Kurt Niebuhr May 14, 2009, 12:02 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
May 4, 2009
As noted before, our Focus' fake quarter panel vent is cheesy as Cheeto nachos. But I realized this weekend that fake vents go way back -- at least half a century back without even looking further.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (14)
-
- Posted by: Mark Takahashi May 4, 2009, 11:00 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
May 1, 2009
Thanks to gjupp for this week's favorite.
There were a lot of good entries this week, some a little naughty, some more than a little silly.
Here are the honorable mentions:
This Ford takes a licking and keeps on ticking (toye)
Your car clean...lickity spit! (rick8365)
Even Santa is feeling the economy pinch! (e10rice)
Ask about our Musk carpet treatment! (bkapps)
It's not clean until it's STAGWOW clean! (ergsum)
Cleans everything but the Sync (mnorm1)
Ask about our special Beaver waxing. (ergsum)
Today's Special: Free Turtle Wax (actualsize)
This one by ergsum was way too long but I liked the effort:
Deer Inside Line,
Hoofing fawn racking up the miles. Got a wash, only two bucks, so little doe. Locals drooled over my ride. Thought it was a MuskStag.
Bambi
What was your favorite?
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor
- Permalink | Comments (3)
-
- Posted by: Donna DeRosa May 1, 2009, 4:10 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
Here are the fuel economy figures for April 2009. As usual, we've listed the best and worst tanks and the average over the entire life of the vehicle.
We're missing a couple of cars that were out of town or unavailable at the time we took the readings.
| Car |
Best
|
Worst
|
Average
|
| 2009 Audi A4 Avant |
26.8
|
17.5
|
22.3
|
| 2008 BMW 135i |
27.7
|
9.5
|
19.8
|
| 2009 BMW 750i |
21.8
|
14.6
|
19.1
|
| 2002 BMW M3 |
23.5
|
12.3
|
17.5
|
| 2009 BMW M3 |
16.8
|
9.6
|
14.8
|
| 2008 Cadillac CTS |
32.5
|
9.9
|
19.2
|
| 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T |
18.1
|
10.3
|
16.3
|
| 2009 Ford Flex Limited |
26.7
|
13.7
|
19.6
|
| 2008 Ford Focus SES |
40.6
|
16.6
|
26.7
|
| 2007 Honda Civic GX |
47.3
|
12.7
|
31.7
|
| 2009 Honda Fit Sport |
39.0
|
26.0
|
32.0
|
| 2009 Hyundai Genesis |
24.8
|
15.5
|
20.7
|
| 2009 Infiniti FX50 |
21.8
|
10.7
|
17.1
|
| 2009 Mazda 6 |
29.1
|
19.5
|
23.5
|
| 2008 Mitsubishi Evo X GSR |
22.6
|
11.0
|
17.2
|
| 2008 Mitsubishi Evo X MR |
21.3
|
11.7
|
16.8
|
| 2009 Nissan GT-R |
21.8
|
11.5
|
16.5
|
| 2008 Pontiac G8 GT |
19.4
|
14.1
|
17.3
|
| 2008 Smart Fortwo Passion |
43.4
|
23.5
|
33.7
|
| 2009 Suzuki SX4 |
25.0
|
18.6
|
22.5
|
| 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI |
43.0
|
28.7
|
35.3
|
| 2005 Volkswagen Jetta on Biodiesel |
49.1
|
26.2
|
38.8
|
After the jump you can see the list sorted by best average MPG.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (35)
-
- Posted by: Donna DeRosa May 1, 2009, 1:24 PM
- Categories: 2002 BMW M3, 2004 Toyota Prius, 2005 Volkswagen Jetta GLS TDI, 2006 Lexus RX 400h, 2007 Ford Edge SEL, 2007 Honda Civic GX, 2008 BMW 135i, 2008 Cadillac CTS V6 DI, 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe, 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR, 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR, 2008 Pontiac G8 GT, 2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe, 2009 Audi A4 Avant, 2009 BMW 750i, 2009 BMW M3, 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T, 2009 Ford Flex Limited, 2009 Honda Fit Sport, 2009 Hyundai Genesis V6, 2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD, 2009 Mazda 6 i Grand Touring, 2009 Nissan 370Z Touring, 2009 Nissan GT-R, 2009 Suzuki SX4, 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI
Our associate editor Mark Takahashi took this photo of the Ford Focus at a very unique establishment.
I suggest "Spit Shine"
What's your caption?
We'll post our favorite at 4:00 PM Santa Monica time.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor
- Permalink | Comments (64)
-
- Posted by: Donna DeRosa May 1, 2009, 3:00 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
April 27, 2009
The arrival of spring and summer means more than just the final bell of the school year. It's bug time. And this weekend's 950-mile roundtrip drive on I-5 cut through California's central valley farmland, a haven for all sorts of grille-loving insects.
With 37-plus mpg from the Ford Focus, we breezed past fuel stations, skipping the typical road-trip windshield and bumper washings, which got me thinking: What's your favorite tried-and-true method of cleaning splattered insectual roadkill off your car's front end?
Kelly Toepke, News Editor @ 19,568 miles
- Permalink | Comments (7)
-
- Posted by: Kelly Toepke April 27, 2009, 3:46 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
April 23, 2009
Our Ford Focus has been praised quite rightly for its Sync system. I too, enjoy the easy connections made with my iPod and cell phone.
However, despite this advanced electronics system, Ford was nice enough to include a traditional auxiliary audio jack in addition to the fancier USB port. This allows me to plug in my Samsung Helix portable XM radio and MP3 player. Yes, the Focus has Sirius, however, I own my XM player solely for the MLB play-by-play channels -- the only feature that didn't transfer over to Sirius in the satellite radio merger. And in case you're wondering, Sync is capable of controlling my Helix's MP3 files, but its XM stream is beyond Sync's comprehension.
Many cars with USB ports and iPod interfaces leave out the traditional auxiliary audio jack (Mercedes for example). But some provide both (Hyundai), or leave the regular aux jack behind to boost sound quality and iPod control via a dedicated double iPod cord. BMW, Ford Sync and the Cadillac CTS would be examples of this.
Either way, this baseball fan is thankful.
James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 18,511 miles
- Permalink | Comments (6)
-
- Posted by: JRiz April 23, 2009, 10:58 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
April 22, 2009
Over this past weekend, I headed out of town with our 2008 Ford Focus. The plan was to put about 300 miles on the clock for a trip up into our local mountains. My initial reaction was, "7000 feet elevation and a wheezy four-banger under the hood? Ugh!"
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (9)
-
- Posted by: Mark Takahashi April 22, 2009, 2:15 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
April 14, 2009
What's it like working at Inside Line?
I get this question almost daily from somebody, and my answer usually blows their mind. I say, "Well, everyday this guy Mike walks up to me with a clipboard that contains a list of 15 to 30 cars ranging from a Smart to a GT-R and he says, 'Scott, what do you want to drive home tonight.'"
It's true.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (61)
-
- Posted by: Scott Oldham April 14, 2009, 5:00 AM
- Categories: 2002 BMW M3, 2004 Toyota Prius, 2005 Volkswagen Jetta GLS TDI, 2006 Lexus RX 400h, 2007 Ford Edge SEL, 2007 Honda Civic GX, 2008 Audi R8, 2008 BMW 135i, 2008 Cadillac CTS V6 DI, 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe, 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR, 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR, 2008 Pontiac G8 GT, 2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe, 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, 2009 Audi A4 Avant, 2009 BMW 750i, 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T, 2009 Ford Flex Limited, 2009 Honda Fit Sport, 2009 Hyundai Genesis V6, 2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD, 2009 Mazda 6 i Grand Touring, 2009 Nissan 370Z Touring, 2009 Nissan GT-R, 2009 Suzuki SX4, 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI
April 6, 2009
Just looking for an interesting picture to show you. I'm sure you're tired of seeing close-ups of the information screen.
I find myself choosing the Ford Focus a lot lately. I lost my Aux cable and until I get a new one, I can't play my iPod in all of the cars unless they have a direct connection. I can't stand listening to the radio, even satellite.
When you finally learn the words that Sync likes to hear, it's easy to operate, and the sound quality is pretty good. So I've finally learned to plug in the iPod, Sync tells me "Line In", I tell it "USB" and we're ready to go. I've had no problems with voice recognition lately. It even understood French names.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor @ 17,798 miles
- Permalink | Comments (5)
-
- Posted by: Donna DeRosa April 6, 2009, 2:03 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
April 1, 2009
Here are updated fuel economy figures for the month of March. We've listed the best, worst and average fuel economy numbers over the life of the vehicle. Keep in mind that some of these tanks may be based on a partial fill-up.
This is missing a few that were not available at the time I was compiling this list.
| Car |
Best
|
Worst
|
Average
|
| 2009 Audi A4 Avant |
26.0
|
17.5
|
21.6
|
| 2002 BMW M3 |
23.5
|
12.3
|
17.6
|
| 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T |
20.4
|
12.9
|
17.3
|
| 2008 Ford Focus |
40.6
|
17.1
|
26.4
|
| 2007 Honda Civic GX |
47.3
|
21.4
|
31.6
|
| 2009 Honda Fit Sport |
39.0
|
28.0
|
32.1
|
| 2009 Hyundai Genesis |
24.8
|
15.5
|
21.1
|
| 2009 Infiniti FX50 |
20.9
|
10.8
|
17.4
|
| 2009 Mazda 6 |
29.1
|
19.5
|
23.3
|
| 2008 Mitsubishi Evo X GSR |
22.6
|
11.0
|
17.1
|
| 2008 Mitsubishi Evo X MR |
24.7
|
15.0
|
16.8
|
| 2009 Nissan 370Z Touring |
21.6
|
14.0
|
18.4
|
| 2008 Smart Fortwo |
43.4
|
25.7
|
33.8
|
| 2009 Suzuki SX4 |
25.0
|
18.6
|
22.1
|
| 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI |
43.0
|
28.7
|
35.6
|
| 2005 Volkswagen Jetta on Biodiesel |
43.9
|
35.5
|
39.3
|
After the jump you can see the list sorted by average MPG.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (39)
-
- Posted by: Donna DeRosa April 1, 2009, 2:58 PM
- Categories: 2002 BMW M3, 2005 Volkswagen Jetta GLS TDI, 2007 Honda Civic GX, 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe, 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR, 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR, 2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe, 2009 Audi A4 Avant, 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T, 2009 Honda Fit Sport, 2009 Hyundai Genesis V6, 2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD, 2009 Mazda 6 i Grand Touring, 2009 Nissan 370Z Touring, 2009 Suzuki SX4, 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI
March 30, 2009
We've certainly had our gripes with the cabin of our Ford Focus. Crappy ergonomics. Loose door handle.
Still, you have to give credit where credit is due, and this weekend I was pretty struck by how pristine the car's interior looks. It's been in our care for over a year now, and has over 17,000 miles on the odo. We're not exactly known for having a kid-glove approach when it comes to our test cars, yet our Ford's cabin still looks pretty much the same as it did when the car first rolled into our garage.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (19)
-
- Posted by: Warren Clarke March 30, 2009, 1:10 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
March 23, 2009
Our Ford Focus just got its 20,000-mile routine maintenance ahead of schedule. We took it in at just over 17,000 miles because it had its last appointment early.
We took our little blue guy to Ford of Santa Monica for a routine oil and filter change, tire rotation, and brake inspection. Everything checked out A-OK. The total for this visit was $43.43 with a special coupon.
Looking back through our posts on the Focus, it seems we never blogged about the previous appointments. We must have been too busy rattling on about the Sync system.
Here's the history:
At around 13,500 miles we had the 15,000-mile service. I don't remember why we did it early. I think it was just a scheduling issue. This was the big one with a multi-point inspection of the brake lines, cooling system, drive shaft, steering, suspension, etc. etc. etc. Total cost for parts and labor was $126.99.
At 10,000 and 5,000 miles, we had the normal oil and filter change and tire rotation. Both appointments were $58.12.
I shouldn't say this out loud because I don't want to jinx it, but outside of a loose passenger door handle, we've had good luck with our Ford.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor @ 17,260 miles
- Permalink | Comments (4)
-
- Posted by: Donna DeRosa March 23, 2009, 4:06 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
March 2, 2009
Here is a list of most of our long-term vehicles with their best, worst and average fuel economy numbers over the life of the vehicle.
This list is missing a few that were not available at the time I was compiling this list.
| Car |
Best
|
Worst
|
Average
|
| 2008 Audi R8 |
20.3
|
11.7
|
15.3
|
| 2009 Audi A4 Avant |
26.0
|
17.5
|
19.9
|
| 2008 BMW 135i |
27.7
|
13.9
|
20.5
|
| 2002 BMW M3 |
23.5
|
12.3
|
17.5
|
| 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan |
30.8
|
12.0
|
18.6
|
| 2009 Ford Flex |
26.7
|
13.7
|
19.8
|
| 2008 Ford Focus |
37.4
|
16.6
|
26.4
|
| 2007 Honda Civic GX |
47.3
|
16.6
|
31.4
|
| 2009 Honda Fit Sport |
37.1
|
28.0
|
32.1
|
| 2009 Hyundai Genesis |
24.8
|
15.7
|
20.9
|
| 2009 Infiniti FX50 |
21.8
|
10.7
|
17.4
|
| 2009 Mazda 6 |
29.1
|
19.5
|
23.6
|
| 2008 Mitsubishi Evo X GSR |
22.6
|
11.0
|
17.0
|
| 2008 Mitsubishi Evo X MR |
24.7
|
11.7
|
16.8
|
| 2009 Nissan GT-R |
21.8
|
11.5
|
16.6
|
| 2008 Pontiac G8 GT |
24.0
|
12.0
|
17.4
|
| 2008 Smart Fortwo |
43.2
|
29.7
|
33.7
|
| 2008 Subaru WRX STI |
24.4
|
12.3
|
18.9
|
| 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI |
40.4
|
30.0
|
35.7
|
| 2005 Volkswagen Jetta Biodiesel |
50.4
|
30.3
|
39.3
|
Follow the jump to see the list organized by average so you can see how they stack up against each other.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (41)
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- Posted by: Donna DeRosa March 2, 2009, 4:30 PM
- Categories: 2002 BMW M3, 2005 Volkswagen Jetta GLS TDI, 2008 Audi R8, 2008 BMW 135i, 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT, 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe, 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR, 2008 Pontiac G8 GT, 2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe, 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, 2009 Audi A4 Avant, 2009 Ford Flex Limited, 2009 Honda Fit Sport, 2009 Hyundai Genesis V6, 2009 Nissan GT-R, 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI
I've spent a lot of time in our Focus -- so much so that I've pretty much tuned out its shortcomings. Poorly designed interior door handle? No problem -- I barely notice any more, since I've gotten used to nudging the door open with my elbow. Engine too whiny? No big deal -- I just crank up the stereo.
But the Focus was pretty new to the friends I ferried to the movies this weekend. One of them felt compelled to diss the car's rackety engine note as it struggled to pass an SUV on the freeway. Always nice to get a fresh perspective, I guess. And hmm -- guess the engine wasn't the only thing whining in the Focus that evening. On a more positive note, though, everyone was pretty impressed with SYNC.
Warren Clarke, Automotive Content Editor @ 16,940 miles
- Permalink | Comments (8)
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- Posted by: Warren Clarke March 2, 2009, 12:19 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
February 25, 2009
I don't usually carry my iPod with me, but happened to have it in my purse last night when I signed out the 2008 Ford Focus Coupe for the drive home.
Finally, I thought, a chance to check out the SYNC system while alone in the car.
Maybe it's the Focus' noisy cabin at speed, or perhaps it's my nasally Midwestern accent, I don't know, but no matter how many different "Play Artist" and "Play Track" commands I confidently issued, SYNC always provided Lou Bega's Mambo No. 5 as either my first or only option.
I've never been that fond of the song to begin with, but today I hit the delete button on both Lou Bega and SYNC.
Kelly Toepke, News Editor @ 16,639 miles
- Permalink | Comments (13)
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- Posted by: Kelly Toepke February 25, 2009, 3:06 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
February 24, 2009
I've complained high and low that our 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe represents an unsightly transformation from a useful hatchback (ZX3) to a much less useful coupe. But even I have to admit it has a nice big trunk for a coupe -- 13.8 cubic feet. And this morning when I loaded my expanded, overpacked rollaboard carry-on, I realized I could throw it in there at any angle I wanted thanks to the Ford's huge trunk opening.
It still doesn't make up for the 140-horsepower, 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine's excessive noise and vibration under light throttle, but it's something.
Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 16,770 miles
- Permalink | Comments (24)
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- Posted by: Erin Riches February 24, 2009, 3:46 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
February 18, 2009
Our blue 2008 Focus SES coupe has been dutifully snaking through L.A. traffic for just over a year now. Here's a snapshot of the 140-horsepower coupe's fuel economy numbers while in our hands:
Best tank: 37.4 mpg
Worst tank: 16.6 mpg
Average over 16,000 miles: 26.3 mpg
The EPA rates the 5-speed manual-equipped 2008 Ford Focus Coupe SES at 24/35 city/highway. Our car has the optional four-speed automatic.
Kelly Toepke, News Editor @ 16,556 miles
- Permalink | Comments (33)
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- Posted by: Kelly Toepke February 18, 2009, 1:05 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
February 10, 2009
There is lots of talk these days about a turn to basic transportation, simple automobiles meant to serve a generation of practical consumers. But as you can see from this picture of Henry Ford with a 1921 Ford Model T, this is not exactly new thinking.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (13)
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- Posted by: Michael Jordan February 10, 2009, 3:00 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
January 5, 2009
Over the weekend, the battery in the key fob of our 2008 Ford Focus said farewell to this sometimes cruel world. Its demise seemed a bit sudden, considering the car is only 11 or so months old.
Anyway, the situation called for a new battery. The car's owner's manual provided the relevant details and instructions.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (21)
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- Posted by: Warren Clarke January 5, 2009, 10:20 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
December 22, 2008
I'll be the first to admit I love technology. As a self-admitted early adopter, I'm pretty fearless when it comes to embracing the latest, greatest whatever. If there's one thing I like most about our Focus, it's Ford's Sync. Seriously folks, it's not very often that the technology fantasies of our youth come true in a production car. But the one thing that really irked me from the get-go was the center stack control layout.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (13)
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- Posted by: Mark Takahashi December 22, 2008, 3:00 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
December 15, 2008
When it's raining, and you're stuck behind a driver who insists on crawling at 5 mph as if this were the Storm of the Century instead of just a light drizzle, you find yourself pondering life's mysteries in a desperate effort to pass the time. Why do water bottles have a "best if used by" date? Why is "Dancing with the Stars" such a big hit? And why do some cars -- like our Ford Focus -- have those utterly non-functional vents, located by the A-pillars?
They don't blow air like the HVAC vents. Why are they there? What does it all mean? Has it stopped raining yet?
Warren Clarke, Automotive Content Editor @ 14,942 miles
- Permalink | Comments (19)
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- Posted by: Warren Clarke December 15, 2008, 12:54 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
December 8, 2008
A lot of budget-priced cars look chintzy after dark, thanks to gauge/instrument panel illumination that has about as much cohesiveness as a Kmart clearance bin. However, cohesiveness is the name of the game in our Ford Focus, thanks to gauges and controls that are illuminated mostly in a single shade of blue. This consistency makes things look more upmarket than they would have otherwise, and it extends even to the auxiliary controls on the car's steering wheel.
The cabin feels pretty soothing when the gauges are lit up -- not surprising, since blue is known for being a tranquil color. Ford's designers may have chosen this particular shade for its high-end associations -- known as Tiffany blue, it shares its hue with the boxes used by the famous jeweler. If this color choice was part of some grand scheme cooked up by the car's designers to trigger a favorable subconscious response, then well done, Ford. Oh, and as we've mentioned before, the variable interior lighting is pretty cool as well. If only the same level of thoughtfulness had gone into other aspects of the cabin...
Warren Clarke, Automotive Content Editor @ 14,653 miles
- Permalink | Comments (3)
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- Posted by: Warren Clarke December 8, 2008, 1:52 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
December 5, 2008
Every time I see this Focus in the parking garage, I'm reminded of what might have been. It's drowning in bad design now, covered up with lazy sheetmetal flourishes and embarrassing chrome devices, transformed into some kind of shrunken Mercury Marquis. But once the Focus represented the leading edge of thinking at Ford, and all the best engineers and stylists worked on the project.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (21)
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- Posted by: Michael Jordan December 5, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
December 1, 2008
Americans by and large prefer a coupe or sedan body style to a hatchback. Though the latter are more practical (easier to load and more capacity) and popular in less image-concerned Europe, our dear citizens equate hatchback with "cheap, entry-level car". Even prestige brands can be dissed -- remember the BMW 318ti and the Mercedes-Benz C230 Kompressor "Sport Coupe"?
Yet to provide the best of both worlds, hatchback functionality with more upscale coupe or sedan styling, a few car makers have disguised hatches quite well. The 2008 Mazda 6 five-door hatchback is a good example.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (17)
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- Posted by: John DiPietro December 1, 2008, 1:14 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
November 24, 2008
I landed our long-term 2008 Ford Focus for the weekend.
I again enjoyed its respectable point-and-shoot power on the freeway while simultaneously feeling annoyed at its four-speed automatic transmission. It seems antiquated next to most five-speed autos. The space between gear ratios is too wide for comfort, and the delay on downshifts is, well, a delay. It occurred to me that it might be fun to take the Focus on a back road on Sunday afternoon, but the transmission talked me out of it.
This morning I opened the hood to check the oil. It's not pretty in here, but the dipstick is right there at the edge, and the tube is nice and straight, so I didn't get even a smudge of grease on my hands. The oil level registered smack in the middle of the range on the dipstick.
Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 14,061 miles
- Permalink | Comments (13)
-
- Posted by: Erin Riches November 24, 2008, 4:04 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
November 21, 2008
I've spent the better part of four days in our long-term 2008 Ford Focus SES coupe. It was my daily driver to the LA Auto Show and accompanied me to the Beverly Wilshire Hotel for the Mini E event. If you're wondering, yes, the Focus was the least expensive car to pull into the hotel's valet drive, but no, no one made fun of it.
Still, the Focus is not a favorite of mine and hasn't been since Ford mucked up the steering feel, ride quality, driving position and even the styling -- by trying to turn a fine looking hatchback into a lumpy looking coupe.
Still, even I have to admit that our Focus coupe's 2.0-liter inline-4, rated at 140 hp and 136 lb-ft, has a pretty nice mid-range. It doesn't sound great, nor does our car's four-speed automatic provide a terribly efficient or enjoyable means of getting at the power. But this engine is scrappy enough to accommodate decisive driving in heavy traffic.
Trouble is, I could say this about almost every engine in almost every current compact car, so I don't know if I'd call this an advantage. The best I can say is that our Focus got me where I needed to go and didn't do much to bother me in the process.
Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 13,992 miles
- Permalink | Comments (11)
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- Posted by: Erin Riches November 21, 2008, 4:43 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
November 17, 2008
With many calling October 2008 the worst industry sales month since the dark days of World War II, it's no surprise that Ford Focus sales have taken a nosedive. Last month, Focus sales plummeted 18.2 percent relative to October of 2007. Guess it takes more than Sync and decent mileage to ward off the bad ju-ju when the economy tanks.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (10)
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- Posted by: Warren Clarke November 17, 2008, 1:33 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
November 12, 2008
We're nearing the 14,000 mile mark on our Ford Focus. Our average fuel mileage to date is 26.4 mpg.
Our worst tank was a couple of weeks ago at 16.6 mpg. But that was really only about a half tank before someone filled it up. The next worst tank was 21.4.
In May, we drove our best tank at 37.4 mpg.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor @ 13,842 miles
- Permalink | Comments (8)
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- Posted by: Donna DeRosa November 12, 2008, 11:38 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
November 11, 2008
Whenever I walk up behind the Ford Focus, I always think the trunk is popped open. The shadow across the bottom and the wide seams near the taillights make an optical illusion.
At least I think so. Scott thinks I'm nuts. Do you see it?
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor
- Permalink | Comments (14)
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- Posted by: Donna DeRosa November 11, 2008, 5:00 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
October 30, 2008
We basically bought the Focus to try out the Sync system and we've mostly been impressed with it. While we've blogged about using Sync a few times, no one has actually got around to demonstrating how to use it. Oh, Magrath and I had big plans of doing a fancy video done by our crack video staff, but we never got around it. So when I got the keys last night, I figured I'd finally do the long-awaited Sync how-to video. So here, enjoy.
And I only had one take with this and no way to edit, so don't give me any crap. But I think my few missteps show some of the system's limitations.
That Flight of the Conchords song is actually just called "Bowie," but that didn't work either. Only brought up "Bones" by the Killers. The Conchords' "Leggy Blonde" brought up "We Belong" and "Move Along." Their song "Mutha'Uckas" was a no-go.
Again, not perfect, but Sync offers something nobody else does. The phone works pretty well too, expect that video sometime next June.
James Riswick, Automotive Editor
- Permalink | Comments (9)
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- Posted by: JRiz October 30, 2008, 9:35 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
October 6, 2008
I like the variable lights. They are pretty. It's like driving around in a rock show.
I don't care if you think this is the dumbest blog entry ever, it's the truth.
Scott Jacobs, Senior Photographer
- Permalink | Comments (14)
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- Posted by: October 6, 2008, 4:20 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
October 1, 2008
Normally, I consider things like panel gaps and such to be a very minor concern - it just doesn't matter to me all that often. But this plastic cover in the rear seat of the Focus is obviously very poorly constructed. What really bugs is that I have to see the popped out cover each time I look back to check on my daughter. I tried pressing the cover back into place but no go.
I genuinely like the Focus and truly believe it's better than many small cars including the Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Accent. But this business with plastic panels is very irritating - too bad I can't use Sync "Plastic cover; pop back into place."
Brian Moody, Road Test Editor @ 12,520 miles
- Permalink | Comments (15)
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- Posted by: Brian Moody October 1, 2008, 8:41 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
September 24, 2008
I was thinking the other day (always a dangerous proposition, I know) and wondering how all the current (or really, really recently departed) Edmunds/Inside Line long-term vehicles stack up against each other in fuel economy, at least the fuel economy we've been recording during their time with us. So I made a list. For you and for me. In case we were both wondering.
The only current vehicles missing from my list are the Audi R8 and the Dodge Grand Caravan, and that's because no one has entered any fuel data into the tracking spreadsheet for those vehicles yet. The very top and the very bottom of the list aren't going to surprise anybody (I don't think), but the middle is kinda interesting. Seeing the Rondo and the WRX so close to each other made me raise my eyebrows. Ditto the Ford GT's spot above the Veracruz. Ready to check it all out? Follow the jump with me.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (46)
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- Posted by: Bryn MacKinnon September 24, 2008, 10:06 AM
- Categories: 2002 BMW M3, 2004 Toyota Prius, 2005 Ford GT, 2005 Volkswagen Jetta GLS TDI, 2006 Lexus RX 400h, 2007 Chevrolet Silverado LT, 2007 Ford Edge SEL, 2007 Honda Civic GX, 2007 Honda Fit Sport, 2007 Kia Rondo, 2007 Saturn Aura XR, 2007 Toyota Tundra SR5 Double Cab, 2008 BMW 135i, 2008 BMW X5 4.8i, 2008 Buick Enclave CX, 2008 Cadillac CTS V6 DI, 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe, 2008 Honda Accord EX-L V6, 2008 Hyundai Veracruz SE AWD, 2008 Mazda CX-9, 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport, 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR, 2008 Pontiac G8 GT, 2008 Scion xB, 2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe, 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, 2009 Ford Flex Limited, 2009 Nissan GT-R
September 12, 2008
Despite the weird styling, cheap-ish materials or the fact that Europe gets, what is by all accounts, a pretty bitchin' new Focus, our Focus does drive pretty well. There's plenty of feedback from the steering and the suspension seems well sorted. It's a little sporty and that reminds me of the original Focus, which is a good thing.
Unfortunately, you'll find it difficult to get much out of the Focus in handling department because of the steering wheel. Looking at the picture above, the Focus has what is essentially a three spoke steering wheel. That part is good. The bad parts are the two spokes at 9 and 3. In order to accommodate all those buttons, the designers/stylists have put in two of the biggest steering wheel spokes I've seen in decades. The size of the spokes (more or less 4 fingers high!) effectively prevents you from wrapping your hands around the steering wheel. People who prefer putting their hands at 10 and 2 might not even notice, but for me (a die-hard 9 and 3 guy) it all but writes off the Focus as being fun to drive.
Kurt Niebuhr, Photo Editor @ 12,066 miles
- Permalink | Comments (9)
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- Posted by: Kurt Niebuhr September 12, 2008, 11:55 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
September 8, 2008
This weekend, to enliven the boring errand-running I had to do in our 2008 Ford Focus, I hooked up my iPod to find the perfect soundtrack to picking up moving boxes five miles away. (Hmm, maybe '80s New Wave? Duran Duran's "Hungry Like the Wolf"?) Since my iPod basically lives in my purse and its "Hold" button doesn't work, I knew it would be dead by the time I pulled it out. And sure enough it was but I figured hooking it up to the Sync system would recharge the battery.
Even the Sync Web site's FAQ section notes that, with most music players, the battery will start charging up anytime it's connected to the system's USB port while the car is running. However, when I hooked up my iPod...nothing. I pressed buttons on my Preciousss and its screen remained blank. I fidgeted with the wires, making sure they were plugged in and still got no response. I have used Sync with my iPod before but since it's been awhile, I don't recall if it charged my player when I used it. So either this doesn't work for iPods or it's not working in general. Later when I got home, I plugged my iPod to a charger and it worked just fine, so at least that means my iPod isn't broken.
Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 12,066 miles
- Permalink | Comments (12)
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- Posted by: Caroline Pardilla September 8, 2008, 10:13 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
August 25, 2008
This weekend was my second time in the Ford Focus. The first time I only moved it from one parking spot to another. This time I had it for the whole weekend.
My initial impressions: I think the Focus is attractive in our particular shade of blue. It was fine to drive around in. The interior has a lot of plastic and the seats are hard. But it's perky. No trouble merging onto the freeway. It's relatively inexpensive. I did some grocery shopping and found the trunk was nice and deep. Sync didn't seem to like my iTouch. Too many leftover Napster tracks it didn't want to play. It said something about not being able to recognize them. I can't remember the exact words the loud lady used. But she played my store-bought music without complaining.
Then my passenger got in and said, "this door pull is broken."
Argh! Didn't we have that fixed once already? It's not as bad as when James reported it the first time it happened. But it is indeed separating from the door. Nice.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor @ 11,697 miles
- Permalink | Comments (30)
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- Posted by: Donna DeRosa August 25, 2008, 4:43 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
August 19, 2008
As Karl and I have both stated in the past, we don't mind taking the Focus during the work week. When you're resigned to traveling 5-20 mph all the way home on L.A.'s infamous 10 "trapped-way" as I am (thankfully I'm only 6 miles from the office), things like the Focus' handy Sync system count for a lot more than class-leading 0-to-60 mph or slalom times.
Though I love Sync, it has one very annoying characteristic -- it greets you in a rather rude fashion.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (4)
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- Posted by: John DiPietro August 19, 2008, 10:18 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
August 14, 2008
Ever have that kind of day when it seems like everything is going wrong? Like when you mistakenly get off the wrong floor from the elevator or you dribble coffee on your newly cleaned white shirt? Well, operating our 2008 Ford Focus made me feel like that.
Last night, without fail, every time I got in the car and went to turn on the headlights, I would end up activating the windshield wipers. OK, I'm just an airhead. For some reason I didn't get it that the windshield wiper stalk is located on the left side, not the right...in THIS car.
We get into so many different cars, a different car every night so I know this is not going to be an issue for someone who lives with the Focus on a daily basis. And maybe it's a dumb gripe. But I just wondered why Ford put the windshield wiper on the left instead of on the right. Left is usually lights/high beams/turn signal -- all lights. See how that works? Here, the stalk functions as both windshield wiper AND turn signal. Thus my confusion.
And since I'm on a griping roll, why does the display have to block out the odometer/trip reading with "Emergency Brake On" when I'm parked, the doors are closed...and I want to take a picture of the tripmeter? Frickin frackin! This is in addition to the red brake warning light that already appears on the display.
Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 11,420 miles
- Permalink | Comments (22)
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- Posted by: Caroline Pardilla August 14, 2008, 11:06 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
August 13, 2008
Everyone in this office is fond of saying how great the Microsoft Sync system is in our 2008 Ford Focus, and they're mostly right. But I''ve got a new 80Gb iPod and I'm falling out synch with sync.
Just about every iPod-ist I know keeps their's in a protective case. So do I. Every case has a little slot designed to allow the standard white iPod sychronization cord to fit through and connect, so the case can stay on with the cable plugged into a PC.
So what's with the massive blob of plastic that is the Ford Sync's sync cable? It is so ginormous that I simply cannot get the cable properly seated--it won't fit through the port in my case. My iPod case isn't easy to remove and reinstall, and even if it was I shouldn't have to do that EVERY SINGLE TIME I get into a car.
The iPod came first. Cases came soon after. Those who build true iPod connections in their cars can't develop them in a vacuum. They need to make them work with the existing products out there. And the best way to do that is to make your in-car sync cable EXACTLY the same size and shape as the original Apple part--the white one on the right.
What did I do? I carry a plain-Jane Aux cable. I bypassed the iPod connection entirely and hooked-in old school.
Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing @ 11,435 miles
- Permalink | Comments (11)
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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds August 13, 2008, 4:45 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
August 4, 2008
A friend of mine is in the market for an economy car. She saw me in the Focus this weekend and cornered me for a relentless 45-minute interrogation asked me a few questions. The car's excellent fuel economy has earned it a place on her list of contenders.
She wanted to know if I'd recommend the Focus. I told her that the car has its strengths, but whether it's a match for her would depend on her priorities. She said that fuel efficiency is important, but that what she really wants is a car that's "kinda fun" -- something that "doesn't feel too cheap." She really likes luxury cars and wishes she could get an Audi A4, but it's not in her budget right now.
"Take a look at the Volkswagen Rabbit," I said. True, its fuel economy isn't as impressive as that of the Focus, but it offers a more engaging driving experience and impressive luxury for a vehicle in that price range. Just like an Audi, it feels well-planted and Germanic on the road, and its cabin is remarkably polished.
I also told her to take a look at the Mazda 3 and the Honda Fit. Still, if she'd said that fuel efficiency was the only item of her list of must-haves, the conversation would have been different.
Warren Clarke, Automotive Content Editor @ 11,006 miles
- Permalink | Comments (21)
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- Posted by: Warren Clarke August 4, 2008, 3:25 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
August 1, 2008
I like Ford's Sync so much it has me happily driving our long-term Ford Focus on days when I'm more concerned with hands-free phone operation and/or iPhone music libraries than I am with corner apexs and stoplight getaways.
But during my most recent Sync session I discovered a rather troubling trait -- Sync's voice recognition software can't tell the difference between "Tesla" and "Def Leppard." No matter how many times I asked for "Play Artist -- Tesla" in as clear of voice as I could muster I got the response, "Playing Artist -- Def Leppard."
It would be interesting to remove all the Def Leppard songs from my iPhone to see if it then recognized "Tesla" requests. But who knows, maybe it would just start playing "Jethro Tull" files instead.
I suppose the other fix would be to stop wanting to listen to Tesla, but at that point I might as well just get out and walk, right?
Karl Brauer, Edmunds.com Editor in Chief
- Permalink | Comments (13)
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- Posted by: Karl Brauer August 1, 2008, 5:12 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
July 21, 2008
I admit that the reason I chose our 2008 Ford Focus as my car for this past weekend was that I wanted to play with its Sync system. It worked great with my phone and I had so much fun asking it to play certain songs and artists even if I didn't really want to hear those songs or artists. "Play this, play that" I said as I sat in the car in my driveway and then would giggle when the voice repeated back what I just said and then do what I told it to do. Neat!
But I noticed that when I was driving on the freeway, with windows up mind you, that its hearing wasn't so great. "Play artist Radiohead," I said. "Playing artist Madness," she replied. "Noooo," I whined. "Play artist RAY-DEE-OH-HED," I repeated. "Playing artist Madness," she replied again. Arrghh. I also tried yelling out my commands while annunciating but she'd still come back at me with something totally different or with four other possible options, none of which were close to what I requested. Finally, I just gave up and put on Sirius.
Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 10,485 miles
- Permalink | Comments (15)
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- Posted by: Caroline Pardilla July 21, 2008, 12:02 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
July 17, 2008
For those who enjoy driving, our long-term 2008 Ford Focus SES -- despite its "upgraded tires...as well as...front and rear stabilizer bars for improved handling," in the words of our model review -- is only slightly more pulse-quickening than a dump truck. On second thought, the edge might go to the dump truck; I've never driven one, so I'll have to reserve judgment. Yet there are evidently plenty of non-enthusiasts who like the Focus just fine, judging by the car's 28% sales spike through June. Could it be that our blue bullet isn't so bad after all?
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (31)
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- Posted by: S.B. True July 17, 2008, 6:47 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
July 15, 2008
The more time I spend with our 2008 Ford Focus coupe, the more worried I feel about Ford's future. Not only is this refreshed Focus a far cry from the second-gen, European-market Focus TdCi I drove a couple years ago, I feel it's a couple steps back from the 1.0 version of the Focus sold from 2000-2007.
I'm not just talking about de-contenting (goodbye, telescoping steering wheel), nor the needless complexity Ford added to the interior (yes, there's Sync, but there are also about 3 times as many buttons and lights). I'm talking about the driving experience, and this one just doesn't measure up. The old car had a terrific freeway ride, yet despite its soft-tuned suspension, it felt light and tossable, and had great steering feel -- and you didn't have to take it on a back road to appreciate its athleticism. I feel almost none of that in this 2008 Focus SES. The highway ride is harsher, yet the old playfulness is gone. The car feels heavy and the steering has about half as much feedback as before.
I had fun with every single one of the old Focuses I drove, including a beater, Euro-spec ZX5 with a weakling 1.6-liter engine I rented once. But driving this one is only a step up from drudgery and I can't even work up the resolve to pair my cell phone and iPod with its Sync interface. Not even those ST knock-off wheels can change my mind.
I know this Focus is selling well right now, but I think it has little to do with the car itself. Instead, it's about Sync and a general feeling of desperation over high gas prices.
Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ about 10,500 miles
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- Posted by: Erin Riches July 15, 2008, 1:36 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
July 3, 2008
On the eve of Independence Day, I thought I'd peruse our garage for the most American metal. Amongst the many long-termers presently in the long-term fleet, we have quite the selection of cars built by domestic makers. Some are excellent representives of this great land, others ... not so much. And that's not counting the pretty cool American cars that reside in our editors' own garages: Trans Ams, Challengers, Corvettes and Schmidt's big ol' F-150.
Of course, what constitutes an American car these days is up for debate given the Focus is hecho en Mexico and our Hyundai Veracruz is hecho en Alabama. But I'll leave those determinations up to you. And the nominees for our Most American Car are...
Buick Enclave
Cadillac CTS
Chevy Silverado
Dodge Caravan (oh dear god, I hope not)
Ford Edge
Ford Focus
Ford GT
Pontiac G8 GT
Saturn Aura
James Riswick, Automotive Editor
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- Posted by: JRiz July 3, 2008, 9:12 AM
- Categories: 2005 Ford GT, 2007 Chevrolet Silverado LT, 2007 Ford Edge SEL, 2007 Saturn Aura XR, 2008 Buick Enclave CX, 2008 Cadillac CTS V6 DI, 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT, 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe, 2008 Pontiac G8 GT
June 30, 2008
With gas prices the way they are, you would think we'd appreciate anything that would seemingly help one achieve more fuel efficiency. And we would, if it made sense.
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- Posted by: John DiPietro June 30, 2008, 2:55 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
June 24, 2008
As gas prices climb higher and higher, fuel-efficient cars like our Ford Focus look more and more attractive. Let's take a look at the latest numbers:
Current mileage: 9,491 miles
Best over life of test: 37.4 mpg
Worst over life of test: 21.4 mpg
Overall average: 27.2 mpg
Official EPA estimate: 24 mpg city, 33 mpg highway
Warren Clarke, Automotive Content Editor @ 9,491 miles
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- Posted by: Warren Clarke June 24, 2008, 1:22 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
June 16, 2008
I'm not sure why, but whenever I mention the Ford Focus, most people wrinkle their noses and make "eeeww" noises. Why is this? If they'd only drive it, they'd find it to be a well-balanced car that steers and handles much better than a lot of the compact competition. It's a kinder, gentler tune of a Mazda3-ish chassis that some find too performance-oriented. Sure beats the heck out of the Corolla's road manners. And our 2008 Ford Focus SES has a PZEV engine that is green and clean and gets high 30's mpg on the highway--only an MPG or two behind a Corolla or Civic.
OK, I'm pretty sure why: it has to be the styling, inside and out. The original one looked a bit spacy (but tolerable as a 3-door hatchback), but the assymetric interior was a horrid festival of plastic. Outside, this new US-spec coupe is a step backwards, or at least sideways; it looks like a old Daewoo, or something. Meanwhile the interior, while a lot easier to look at than before, still seems dated and made of low-rent materials.
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- Posted by: June 16, 2008, 11:35 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
June 5, 2008
I'm one of those people who checks the alarm clock setting three times before I'm satisfied that yes, indeed, the alarm is all set to wake me at the chosen hour. When I lock or unlock a car's doors, it's the same deal, I like some sort of confirmation, either visual (flash the lights say once to confirm it's locked and twice to show it's unlocked) or audible (brief horn chirp, not a loud honk). Or even both.
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- Posted by: John DiPietro June 5, 2008, 3:20 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
I drove the I-5 this past weekend. If you haven't been on it at night, it's like any other long interstate in the middle of nowhere. Basically if you closed your eyes for a couple of hours you'd see more than I did during my drive through the Central Valley.
My girlfriend was asleep in the passenger seat so the music was turned off, it was near midnight with another couple hundred miles to go and I was bored out of my mind...
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- Posted by: June 5, 2008, 2:56 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
May 15, 2008
It's almost getting too easy to pick on our 2008 Ford Focus, what with that passenger side door handle falling off, the way the headlights (and horn) don't activate when you hit "unlock" on the keyfob, and such. (Though it's possible that the Focus can be reprogrammed for the lights to flash when you press "unlock," how many people will take the trouble to figure that out?) I'd like to add one more gripe, but, to be fair, counter that with a compliment or two.
First, the gripe: I hate the way the coupe's shoulder belt anchor is positioned. Granted, this is a coupe, so I guess it's not that unusual to have to reach all the way behind you to the b-pillar to grab the belt...
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- Posted by: Joanne Helperin May 15, 2008, 1:41 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
May 12, 2008
If you focus on the Big Things when evaluating our long-term 2008 Ford Focus you get all caught up in the whole ancient chassis thing. But if you focus on the little things it doesn't get much better. For instance, immediately after getting behind the wheel several weeks ago I confirmed that the "new" Focus doesn't have a telescoping steering wheel. This is doubly disappointing because it used to have a telescoping wheel, so while the Focus' chassis dates from the Clinton Administration, this "little thing" has gotten worse.
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- Posted by: Karl Brauer May 12, 2008, 3:45 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
May 7, 2008
We're an enterprising sort around here. With the Focus' faulty door handle placement, we thought it wouldn't be too hard to correct this problem without the need for millions of dollars worth of R&D. So DiPietro and myself took a trip out to J.W. Higgins Auto Yard in Crenshaw to search for our solution...
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- Posted by: JRiz May 7, 2008, 9:32 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
May 5, 2008
We've blogged before about the poorly placed door pulls on our Focus Coupe. They are located too far forward and subsequently don't provide enough leverage to easily close the door. This is not only a problem for weak-armed folks, but for the handle itself, as the passenger side one now comes out every time you try to pull the door closed. As the below video shows, it doesn't take a lot of force to do it.
This is simply a design flaw and a curious one given the previous Focus' handles were placed at least six inches aft of their present location. We'll try to get the handle fixed at our next appointment, but there's no getting around the faulty positioning. I'm curious to know if other Focus buyers (sedan and especially coupe) have had their handles pop out. In the mean time, I'll just keep closing the driver side using the plastic trim piece lip at the base of the window.
James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 7,213 miles
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- Posted by: JRiz May 5, 2008, 9:24 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
May 2, 2008
The Focus is back and all spick and span from our two-day fuel-sipper smackdown to, from and around Las Vegas. I logged about 200 miles in the Focus, including about 130 miles of aimless wondering around the greater Las Vegas area for city mileage testing. After covering that distance, I have mitigated my stance that the Focus is an unmitigated crap can. It's still a class bottom dweller to be sure and a complete half-cocked effort on Ford's part, but there are bits and pieces that work well enough.
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- Posted by: JRiz May 2, 2008, 12:34 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
April 28, 2008
I got the keys to our 2008 Ford Focus SES on Thursday evening and immediately zeroed out the fuel economy meter. By Monday morning I had driven about 100 miles, about 60 percent of which was on the highway. As you can see Ford lived up to its 30+ mpg promise.
True, there are a lot of things the Focus doesn't have...
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- Posted by: Philip Reed April 28, 2008, 8:59 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
April 14, 2008
In some ways, car-journalist world is like a funhouse-mirror version of the real world where aspects are exaggerated and what's opposite is true. In the real world, I'd gulp and squirm at the thought of putting too many miles on my daily driver. However, in car-journalist world, putting some miles on a test car leaves me with sense of real accomplishment, like a newly potty-trained toddler surveying his first porcelain-bound number two.
I had to make a couple of treks to a distant land called Orange County this weekend, and in the process, put about 200 miles on the 2008 Ford Focus...
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- Posted by: Warren Clarke April 14, 2008, 3:00 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
April 7, 2008
I'd be the first to admit that we automotive journalists are a persnickety bunch. We wail and fuss and moan about the slightest of missteps when it comes to automotive design and performance, because, well, that's our job. The truth of it is, a large percentage of these missteps are anthills, not mountains, likely to escape the attention of all but the most discerning and demanding buyers.
However, the Ford Focus bears a design misstep that I'm fairly certain would be noticed by pretty much everyone: It lacks a useful interior door handle...
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- Posted by: Warren Clarke April 7, 2008, 2:15 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
April 3, 2008
Shorty after our long-term Ford Focus arrived a few months ago, Magrath and I had the following conversation regarding the Focus keys sitting on my desk (pictured).
Magrath: "Hey, have you seen the keys to the Focus?"
Me: "Yeah, they're right here."
Magrath: "Oh god. I was hoping those were to your Mom's '86 Sable wagon."
Do they open the doors? Yes, and I suppose that's all they need to do...
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- Posted by: JRiz April 3, 2008, 9:15 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
April 2, 2008
It bothers me that there are no numbered gears on Ford's shifters. What ever happened to selecting a specific gear for climbing a hill or for engine braking? Call me old fashioned, but I Iiked it when I had options other than "Low." I guess the days of choosing your gear in a Ford went the way of the throttle cable. It's too bad, cause I liked those too...
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- Posted by: Josh Jacquot April 2, 2008, 2:51 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
March 19, 2008
Sometimes we get so many cars in our editorial test fleet that we run out of places to park them in our reserved section of the garage (not pictured above). And it's times like that when it's great to have a car that flashes its lights and/or beeps when you press the unlock button on the key fob because you never know where the previous driver of the car parked it.
However, last night when I went down searching for our 2008 Ford Focus it wasn't located in our usual spots so I pressed the unlock button on the key fob as I usually do. Um, no response...
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- Posted by: Caroline Pardilla March 19, 2008, 1:24 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
March 14, 2008
And now, the award for the most overused styling detail of 2008 goes to -- the chrome quarter panel vent. Yes, from the $80,000 Jaguar XJ all the way down to our $18,000 Ford Focus, no new car is complete without a glimmering chunk of chrome pop riveted to its flanks. Our Focus cheapens the idea even further by not even bothering to have an actual vent. Instead, there’s merely a piece of not-very-convincing black plastic...
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- Posted by: Ed Hellwig March 14, 2008, 3:30 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
March 10, 2008
Out of curiosity and maybe a bit of masochism, I stuffed my wife and 8-month-old daughter into the Ford Focus coupe this weekend for a 600-mile roundtrip drive to visit the in-laws. It was a good opportunity to put some highway miles on the car and test out Sync.
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- Posted by: Brent Romans March 10, 2008, 12:20 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
March 7, 2008
Having been driving our 2008 Ford Focus for two weeks now, I've noticed two main interior design missteps that I find annoying on a daily basis. The first is the too-far-forward placement of the door hand grips. They just don't provide much leverage to aid the front passengers in pulling the doors closed, and there are no secondary grips in the armrest. As such, our coupe's doors feel heavier than need be, like they came off a Ford Torino or something.
The other annoyance is the design of the gauges...
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- Posted by: Brent Romans March 7, 2008, 11:51 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
March 3, 2008
There are a few of us here at the office who have been around long enough to remember Edmunds' first long-term Focus, a 2000 ZX3 hatchback. In our September, 2000, update for the car, I was quoted as saying:
"The ZX3 has all the typical versatility of a small hatchback ... you know, haul the groceries, park at the mall to see a movie, stuff like that. But what you don't expect is how Ford has made the car fun to drive. [The] steering is quick and responsive and the suspension does an excellent job of providing a comfortable ride and sticky handling."
Here's the thing about our new 2008 Focus SES coupe: to me, it's less versatile and seemingly less fun to drive.
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- Posted by: Brent Romans March 3, 2008, 10:55 AM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
February 28, 2008
You've probably seen or heard Ford's "Where MPGs meet MP3s" ad campaign for the Ford Focus. The MP3 part would refer to Ford's new Sync system, and MPG boasts about the Focus' respectable fuel economy.
It's not all hype, either. With an EPA-estimated rating of 24 mpg city and 35 mpg highway, the Ford Focus is one of the most fuel efficient small cars you can buy...
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- Posted by: Brent Romans February 28, 2008, 12:10 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
February 19, 2008
When shopping for our 2008 Ford Focus Coupe SES I found a new wrinkle in the buying process.
A big part of the reason we bought the Focus was to test the new Sync system which ties together BlueTooth phone systems with MP3 players using a voice activation system. When I arrived at Santa Monica Ford to pickup the car I met Dean Schneider, the fleet manager. He told me I'd be getting a tour of the sync system from Todd Shak, their product consultant. Dean climbed in the back of the Focus while Shak took the driver's seat.
"Your phone?" Shak said, getting down to business right away. I handed over my Motorola Razor. "I'll get the Bluetooth working for you." When I hesitated he said, "You do have Bluetooth, right?"
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- Posted by: Philip Reed February 19, 2008, 12:37 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
February 11, 2008
I recently left our Ford Focus at the airport as I took a quick trip to Chicago. The trunk space was just about right and could have held much more - seems about perfect for a weekend trip for two. Our SES Coupe has the audiophile sound system and that means a subwoofer. As you can see, that eats up a little space...
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- Posted by: Brian Moody February 11, 2008, 3:32 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
January 31, 2008
It's well documented that the 2008 Focus is the second freshening of a car that debuted for the 2000 model year, while Europe is enjoying a midlife refresh of the superb second generation car. It's rather unfair. As our track testing showed, however, the geriatric first-generation Focus platform still has some life in her. Acceleration and braking were pretty depressing, but the slalom and skidpad showed the chassis and steering remain pretty good.
If you compare its numbers to a Saturn Astra, the Focus looks pretty lame. But they're pretty close to a Civic sedan we tested two years ago.
James Riswick, Associate Editor @ 1,760 miles
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- Posted by: JRiz January 31, 2008, 1:28 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
January 23, 2008
We've added a 2008 Ford Focus SES to our long-term fleet.
It's an affordable entry-level coupe with youthful appeal and a 140-horsepower 2.0-liter inline-4. The SES trim level comes with Microsoft Sync, a voice-activated system that integrates your phone and entertainment systems.
Read the Ford Focus Introduction on Inside Line...
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- Posted by: Donna DeRosa January 23, 2008, 6:36 PM
- Categories: 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
