As for the engine, it's the same entry-level powerplant as with the previous Focus, but it's been tuned and tweaked slightly to make 140 horsepower and 130 horsepower in super-clean PZEV form. It's not the quickest in class, but it provides the Focus with acceptable levels of acceleration competitive with the class average. It could do with more power though, something that I could see Ford adding down the road seeing as all performance derivatives have been dropped (SVT RIP - Ed.).
 Zoom In |
| Redesigned intake liberates a few extra horsepower. It can also be heard when you're pressing on the throttle. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
And what about Sync, the new all-in-one multimedia solution that Ford is hyping? The system is easy and intuitive to use for control over your music or your cell phone via Bluetooth. No matter what sort of MP3 player you've got, be it an iPod, a Zune, or a USB stick packed with MP3s, Sync will pick it up and play it through a port in the lower dash. It can even pick up tunes on your cell phone via Bluetooth connectivity, and if you've got one of those MP3 phones with special ring tones it'll play them for incoming calls. And speaking of which, once the system is set up Sync can automatically switch from headset to in-car handsfree without requiring you to hang up. Finally, the system uses speech technology that can read text messages. Because the Sync's platform is based on Windows CE technology, it can be easily updated through its USB port to work with future music formats or devices (Blackberry integration / GPS navigation integration, anyone?).
 Zoom In |
| I wouldn't say it's so much a coupe as it is a two door notchback sedan. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
My qualms for the Focus are quite minor, all of which could be addressed without too much difficulty. The trunk, while bigger than before, and with an aperture that's wider thanks to a new gas strut hinge design, is fine and dandy, but you have to jam your fingers under the tiniest indent I've ever seen to open it. Furthermore, your fingers might not fit if you're wearing gloves, and the space is so small that it could easily be compacted with snow or ice. A simple solution would be to charge the gas struts so that it opens a few dozen centimeters when the keyfob button is pressed, like it does on a Honda Civic. Secondly, there's no handle on the inside of the trunk, which means in the winter time you have to reach over the grimy lid to shut it. There are no rear headrests with this car either (there were previously), and on the Coupe, the driver's side seat mechanism doesn't slide forward when it tilts, making accessing the rear seat difficult. The coupe also doesn't have a spare tire; it uses an inflatable tire sealant system instead.
