75 may not be such a big landmark (when compared to 50 or 100), yet no harm in mentioning that right? This review may seem absolutely stupid, since I am writing it assuming Focus will come to India (ford hints at that). I have tried to write a preview of its entry into India, and the variants it may come in.
The Ford Focus is a mid size sedan. It is actually a hatchback, with a sedan and estate version. The Focus has been Ford?s bestseller in Europe since its launch 6 years back. It has won numerous awards in various countries. In Europe, its hatchback version sold like hot cakes because of the fun factor and its excellent handling.
=It was a very good all rounder. But there were some small setbacks like its bad quality and rather radical design. It wasn?t very reliable either. But this did not stop it from becoming the class leader. In a surprising move, Ford replaced it with a newer, much improved version. The Focus was a difficult act to follow, but Ford did it very well. They responded positively to customer feedback, and rectified all its previous shortcomings. Now the Focus is all set eat into the already small market share of its rivals.
=The Ford Focus will make an entry into the Indian market in mid or late 2005 or at the latest 2006. The entry D-segment in our Indian market consists of only a few but very competitive rivals. But the Ford Focus won?t exactly be positioned there. It will be placed somewhere where the Lancer and Optra are now positioned. That is, 7-11 lakhs. So one of its advantages will be very good value for money.
=The Ford Focus has a hatchback, estate, and sedan version as I already mentioned. But only the sedan version will make it to India. So it will compete against the Honda City, Lancer, Optra, Corolla, Octavia and Elantra. It has all the qualities required to become a success; good looks, a spacious comfortable interior, lots of features, good performance and handling, and to top it all an extremely capable and efficient common rail turbo diesel motor.
=The Ford Focus first had somewhat radical looks. The new Focus replaces it with more conservative styling. It doesn?t look very striking at first. Sometimes, you feel that the old model was better. But the new model displays a much more mature styling. It feels more solid, and the quality has improved considerably. Its finish is definitely way ahead of the old Focus. That is immediately visible.
=The front is very Mondeo-like. The grille, headlamps and bumper all resemble the Mondeo. The headlamps are attractive multi reflector units. The hatchback version looks much more pleasing when viewed from the side compared to the sedan. The sedan looks okay from the side. The Focus gets nice alloys and the flared wheel arches make it look very European. The rear of it also is like the Mondeo.
=The build quality is said to have improved a lot. The Focus is an attractive looking vehicle, and with its good build quality, it shouldn?t have any problems in this area.
=The new Focus gets all new interiors. The old version was criticized for its bad quality and impractical design. Now, the quality is very good. The interior gets a leather wrapped tilt/telescopic steering wheel similar to that on the Mondeo. The dash looks very nice and is a highlight of the interior.
=The top end Ghia version might get some wood trim, which looks very attractive. The dashboard has soft touch materials of good quality and finish. The Focus also has many features. A CD + MP3 player is standard with an option of a CD changer. A sunroof is an optional feature. Cruise control, which we have seen on the Octavia L&K will be available on the Focus too. You can also opt for leather seats with multi adjustable position.
=The seat fabric quality is said to have improved on the new model. The Focus is quite spacious for its price. The front is spacious while the rear is on par with the best in class. The Focus is very safe as well. All models come with advanced dual-stage front airbags, seatbelt pre-tensioners for front occupants, three-point belts in all five seating positions and ABS. So what you get is a high quality spacious interior with all necessary creature comforts as well as safety. Perfect.
=The Focus comes with a range of engine options, which includes a couple of diesels too. The options are- 1.4 liter petrol, 1.6 liter petrol, 2 liter petrol, 1.6 liter diesel and a 2 liter diesel. Of these, the 1.6 and two liter petrols and the 2 liter oil burner and maybe even the 1.6 TDCi are likely to make it to India. The 1.6 liter Duratec petrol is a refined unit which pumps out a very good 110 bhp. This engine will fight the Optra 1.6, Lancer 1.5 and City. The 2 liter petrol is quite powerful with 143 bhp, likely to be the best in its class. It will lead the fight against the D-segment kings. What is sure to catch the fancy of the Indians is the efficient 2.0 TDCi Duratorq common rail diesel motor.
=It is powerful with 134 bhp and its torque is an amazing 320 nm!!! It is a common rail and so will be very refined too. The Focus has always been known for its peppy performance. The 2 liter petrol can hit 100 km/h in around 10 seconds which is on par with the competition. The top speed of the 2.0 petrol should be at around 185 km/h. The diesel is supposedly an amazing performer. It is surprisingly even faster than the petrol with a top speed of 190 km/h. All these with the excellent handling will make the Focus a lot of fun to drive.
=The Ford Focus has been renowned as the best handler in its class. Everyone, fans and critics alike have appreciated the handling prowess of the Focus. The steering wheel is supposed to be very sharp and precise during turns, and the feedback that it gives will sure make driving fun. But this may be at the compromise of ride quality.
=The engines including the diesels are quite refined, but that isn?t the problem. In Europe, they say the ride comfort is good. But their roads and our roads aren?t the same even by the wildest stretch of imagination. The irregularities on our road will compromise the ride comfort, but hopefully Ford will try to sort out that problem before bringing it into India. The delightful handling will definitely attract some buyers who drive on their own. With awesome performance, it will be the perfect combination.
=In Europe, the Focus is considered an economical transport. In fact, in the US it has earned the name of being a cheap to buy and run car (that is obvious, because they know only about the Colorados, Suburbans and Grand Cherokees). But in India it will be tagged as a luxury car, and so with high running costs (at least the petrol models). The 1.6 liter petrol should be able to give close to 13 km/l in mixed conditions. The 2 liter petrol has an estimated 11 km/l fuel economy.
=These figures are good but the diesel Focus is much more frugal. According to Ford, it runs 18 km/l in mixed conditions! The 1.6 diesel is even better with around 20 km/l!! I feel the diesel version, if priced spot on, will steal the sales of the petrol model.
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