Ford Focus 2011-12

[Kitdy]

Both cars enjoying spirited sales for now.

Where did you find sales figures for the Taurus?

[Dino Scuderia]

Where did you find sales figures for the Taurus?

38,361 through November '09 which is actually down from '08...there are the economic conditions to consider.

Ford changed the mix because of more demand for the SEL and SHO versions late in the year.

I see a lot of them on the road and have talked to a couple of new Taurus owners who are very pleased with it.

[Kitdy]

38,361 through November '09 which is actually down from '08...there are the economic conditions to consider.

Ford changed the mix because of more demand for the SEL and SHO versions late in the year.

I see a lot of them on the road and have talked to a couple of new Taurus owners who are very pleased with it.

Yes but where did you find that number? When I search for Taurus sales on google all I get is "Taurus for Sale!" etc.

[Dino Scuderia]

Yes but where did you find that number? When I search for Taurus sales on google all I get is "Taurus for Sale!" etc.

REPORT: Ford altering Taurus model mix to build more SEL, SHO models — Autoblog

[Ferrer]

I wouldn't say Ford's are necessarily highly regarded, they are just currently enjoying a resurgence partly out of respect that they didn't have to take bail-out money and partly because people like the new cars they have.

Well here Fords are regarded, usually, as great driving cars. Their handling is second only to BMW and cars that cost several times more than them. However, this last generation they've gone too big. I'm afraid that if we start getting US-designed Fords they may be even bigger.

[Dino Scuderia]

Well here Fords are regarded, usually, as great driving cars. Their handling is second only to BMW and cars that cost several times more than them. However, this last generation they've gone too big. I'm afraid that if we start getting US-designed Fords they may be even bigger.

Ford recently stated that buyers will trend to smaller cars for an extended period to come....but whether their products match their views remains to be seen.

[LeonOfTheDead]

Well here Fords are regarded, usually, as great driving cars. Their handling is second only to BMW and cars that cost several times more than them. However, this last generation they've gone too big. I'm afraid that if we start getting US-designed Fords they may be even bigger.

I don't know if that's still true or if only something people think about Ford.
The previous Fiesta was fun and all only in the ST trim, or to a less extent with the 1.6 S, but it wasn't better than the competition, let alone better than the Clio. The base model given me the feeling of being in a Polo, just with one more cylinder, which was good tbh.
The Focus mk2 was more interesting considering the standard versions, yet it already lost some of its appeal, and the fact that the ST wasn't so special moved the attention towards...wait, Renault!
When I've read the first review on the present Mondeo, the journalist was keeping on writing about how good the previous version was to drive...weird, as they never drove it in the previous 3 years or so. Quite of long time if that's really among your favorite cars, and considering they never lost one single chance to drive the cars they like, even being a Suzuki Swift.
Eventually, they agreed that the new Mondeo is just too large and "comfortable" to be considered sporty.

The S-Max may be a performing MPV, but it's actually an MPV with hard suspensions and a pointlessly low level of comfort given its mass and category. It's sort of a family-man X6, just I can understand if someone wants a decent ride and also has two kids to bring with him and the lady, while I can't see a reason to have a swollen hotwheels with no trunk, visibility, let alone a reason for that ride height given it will sink in a puddle.
Digressing...

Now, if I had to pick a brand with renowned sporty cars at a decent price it would probably be Renault, but I actually think that when you're about to pick a car from the standard versions, many of them don't have any real characteristics which can really justify its purchase, personal taste excluded that is. Probably buying the Hyundai i30 shouldn't leave much room for a spirited driving, but on the other hand buying the base Megane just because of how good the RS is pointless.
Maybe the Focus mk2 is a good choice, especially considering how cheap it was, but I don't think that's enough to say Ford is a sporty brand, or even one with a good reputation of good building great driving cars.

The way I can have fun with a chunky Stilo, a first gen Yaris is enough for me (not that I don't want "more" from a car, but it's enough to say what I've just said).
Sure, I'd never buy the Stilo 2.4 Abarth or the Yaris TS .

[Ferrer]

From experience I can only speak about the older Fords. We had a Mk I Focus and a Puma back in the day and both were brilliant. The Puma was exactly like the Mini, only cheaper and less well built, and for a family car our Focus did deliver the goods.

However I can in some parts agree with you. The specifically tuned versions usually have little to do with the bread and butter versions in terms of driving dynamics. But, the basic engineering is still there so the shouldn't drive that differently. On that basis yes, the Focus 1.6 and the Focus RS may drive very differently, but the basics are still there. In that aspect I prefer a car that goves you something else in terms of driving dynamics, everything else being equal. And I'd say that while the difference may have shrunk from a generation ago, Fords are still at the top, at least form Focus and up.

The supersize issue, is definitely a problem though.

[LeonOfTheDead]

The Focus mk1 and Puma were absolutely and excellent everyday car, but back to those days, many other cars were so. Still they were also pretty cheap.
I like the Focus mk2 because it is simple and cheap, therefore it also resembles those older cars in its feelings and dynamics. These on the other hand is just another car from this segment, and with a pretty ugly face too. I don't know if this has something to do specifically with the fact that it wiil be sold States side too, but Ford got it wrong moving away from the simple and inexpensive path of the previous generations from an European point of view.

Right now I could look at the new Astra, Megane, Bravo and Focus and...without the badge I could say they are all the same ca, basically on the inside as well. Ironically this makes the Golf 5.1 look even older, so get this VAG.

[cargirl1990]

Theres another Ford hatch I can't remember. I saw it on Youtube were this cat puts its head in the sunroof and gets decapitated. That commercial pissed me off!!

[cmcpokey]

i think that was a fiesta

edit: correction, Spork Ka

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn8TBAp96Mk[/ame]

[cargirl1990]

i think that was a fiesta

edit: correction, Spork Ka

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn8TBAp96Mk

Oh right... I hate the fact that I like the way it looks. (the car). And I know THAT was a banned commercial.

[Ferrer]

Then there was the pigeon version. That was funny too.

The Focus mk1 and Puma were absolutely and excellent everyday car, but back to those days, many other cars were so. Still they were also pretty cheap.
I like the Focus mk2 because it is simple and cheap, therefore it also resembles those older cars in its feelings and dynamics. These on the other hand is just another car from this segment, and with a pretty ugly face too. I don't know if this has something to do specifically with the fact that it wiil be sold States side too, but Ford got it wrong moving away from the simple and inexpensive path of the previous generations from an European point of view.

Right now I could look at the new Astra, Megane, Bravo and Focus and...without the badge I could say they are all the same ca, basically on the inside as well. Ironically this makes the Golf 5.1 look even older, so get this VAG.

I see your point regarding the styling. That's especially clear with the Focus which has gone from a daring and different looking family hatchback, I remember whan the Mk I was out and we bought it, it was quite controversial, from unnoticeable blob. It's sad that Ford, which once had the balls to take risks with a very important car in their lineup now have descended into blandness and dullness. The others though have had a different evolution, especially the Astra which used to be Mr.Nobody and now while not especially striking at least you notice it. Bravo and Megane have suffered an beautyfication process and I don't think I can complain too much about that, even if they aren't especially original.

However I was personally refering to the driving dynamics, and while it may not be as a head of the rest of the pack as the Mark I was when it was first launched, the Mark II still is regarded as one of the best, if not the best, driving familiy hatchback currently on sale even considering the base versions. In fact it was the original Focus which made Volkswagen rethink about the strategy with the Golf, since it was so far ahead of the Golf IV that it was almost ridicoulous. Now the Golf, and VAG relatives, have caught on but still there's much to appreciate about the Focus. I can tell because while I like the Delta dynamically it isn't very competent and I can only assume the Bravo is the same and I've read that the Megane is equally unexciting (RS excepted).

So for us, who care about those things the Focus still is at the top end of the scale, or at least near the top.

[LeonOfTheDead]

The standard Bravo aren't that bad it seems, given their market position. Competent maybe not, but it isn't its role either.

[Clivey]

A summary of the European models IMO:

- The Mk1 is interesting (but really ugly in my personal opinion), although they diluted the design somewhat with the facelift.

- The Mk2 is really a boring shape, initially with boring detailing but improved since the facelift.

- The Mk3 is right mixture! Lol

The only good Megane point (RS aside) is cheap power. Other than that I'd rather be in a Leon.

Why specifically the Leon? Is that your personal favourite car from this segment (1'er aside)?

For me, a favourite isn't a straight cut decision. For example; If I were looking for another ~1.6-litre diesel I'd probably go for another C4. However, if I wanted a higher-powered diesel (140 BHP plus), I'd go for a 1-Series and for a <=£20k hot hatch, I'd probably choose the Astra VXR.

The Focus will still drive brilliantly probably.

Hopefully - as IMHO the Mk2 doesn't quite drive as "brilliantly" as some motoring journalists (probably receiving a backhander from Ford) like to pretend. Despite the high grip levels, I found the steering to be quite vague with little feel and quite a lot of play in the first few degrees of turn even when the adjustable system was set to 'Sport'...which doesn't exactly inspire confidence. Also the ride was hard, the gearshift felt like it was from a van and the clutch pedal is in an awkward position.

I'm not saying that it was a bad car to drive, because it wasn't. It just wasn't as good as some seem to think IMO and certainly no better than some of the competition. The only thing that the Mk2 Focus definitely did better than the competition was interior space - and that's because it's a bigger car overall.