New Ford Focus

Stevie Dakota

Saw my first one today at a Ford dealer, saloon, black Titanium, looked good, certainly more up market and not as awkward as some of pictures I've seen. I also see Ford Ireland have prices and specs, even before Ford UK. May have to take one for a spin.

Mc Love

Ford UK have had the prices and specs up for ages! So the rumours of no saloons for Ireland wasnt true

Stevie Dakota

Mc Love wrote: »

Ford UK have had the prices and specs up for ages!(

Link? Don't see it here...

http://www.ford.co.uk/Cars

no1beemerfan

They have a silver one in Finlays in Newbridge. Front is nice but the back is all wrong imo. Also silver isn't the nicest colour....in fact I can't stand silver cars!

Interior is good, you'd think they'd have a rhd one on the Irish site though

Mc Love

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

Link? Don't see it here...

http://www.ford.co.uk/Cars

http://www.ford.co.uk/SBE/ConfigureYourVehicle/ConfigureVehicle/p=1204903584104

http://www.config.ford.co.uk/fordconnection/multimedia/gbr_en/00i/yyh/gbr_en00iyyhdimspc.htm



And its only a 5 door and estate on their site

R.O.R

Spent all morning driving various different specifications across the Sally Gap, in glorious sunshine

Corners brilliantly thanks to the torque vector control - couldn't get any squeel or spin despite my best efforts - until I turned the traction off.

Very comfortable, well laid out interior. Edge model isn't terrible, but doesn't have an armrest (which is a must for me). Titanium in standard form is a very nice place to be. Drove one with all the electrical and safety gizmo's, but didn't get a chance to test them. BLIS was picking up bushes on the left, and the road wasn't wide enough to test the lane departure.

95ps is a very good engine. Smooth, quiet and poky enough. 115ps is better, but not by that much. Can't remember what the price difference is between them, but if it's not much I'd take the more powerful version, but if it's a lot then the 95 is pretty good.

Also had a controlled demo of the city stop function, and parralel park assist.
As per usual for one of these demo's, the first attempt by someone ended with the cardboard car stand in, under the car. Worked the rest of the time and is a very strange sensation, that hopefully no-one will have to experience.

Parralel park works - used it before though on other cars so wasn't much of a wow factor.

Only petrol we got to drive was in the city stop test so only 1st & 2nd gear, but it felt very smooth and was very quiet in the underground car park.

Hatch is actually much better looking in the flesh than the pictures, but the boot is very small. There was a high spec LHD estate on static display which is pretty good looking, but the pick of the line up is the saloon, in black or silver, Titanium spec, with the wheels that look like BBS alloys. Boot in the saloon is a decent size, estate is fairly large but not cavernous.

Will see many base or Edge versions with no extra's, will see very few Titaniums with the gadgets or gizmo's. There weren't any base or Zetec models there, but the white looked very well in the rear view mirror - even in edge trim. Silver suits the saloon in Titanium (and I don't generally like Silver cars). Majority of the cars were Candy Red which is OK, but the Mustard is horrible.

Bodhan

Couldn't go to that thing in Wicklow but I have it on test in a few weeks. Here's the pricelist though

Focus:
1.6 VCT 105 PS petrol priced from €20,825 (Band
1.6 TDCi 95 PS priced from €21,725 (Band A)

Edge:
1.6 VCT 105 PS petrol priced from €22,075 (Band
1.6 TDCi 95 PS priced from €22,575 (Band A)
2.0 TDCi 115 PS automatic Powershift priced from €27,825 (Band

Zetec:
1.6 VCT 125 PS petrol priced from €23,725 (Band
1.6 TDCi 95 PS priced from €23,425 (Band A)
1.6 TDCi 115 PS priced from €24,275 (Band A)
2.0 TDCi 115 PS automatic Powershift priced from €28,675 (Band

Titanium:
1.6 VCT 125 PS petrol priced from €24,875 (Band
1.6 TDCi 95 PS priced from €24,575 (Band A)
1.6 TDCi 115 PS priced from €25,425 (Band A)
2.0 TDCi 115 PS automatic Powershift priced from €29,825 (Band

Henry Ford III

Viewing one in the morning. Any sign of the 1.6 Ecoboost engines?

Mc Love

How'd you get the invite to that? Would have loved to go!

Have to admit the saloon looks pretty good

Mc Love

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Viewing one in the morning. Any sign of the 1.6 Ecoboost engines?

where? where?

waxon-waxoff

A few months back i seen two of those new Focus in convoy in Dublin, German reg and full of gadgets so Ford must have done some testing over here. Somebody else seen them too and mentioned it on HWIST.

Mc Love

Mc Love wrote: »

How'd you get the invite to that? Would have loved to go!

Have to admit the saloon looks pretty good

No doubt he's expected to order a lash of them

Drummerboy08

I'm pretty much gonna echo what ROR said. Very nice to drive, although I'm sure today's weather and the Sally gap had something to do with that. I'm a little bit shocked at some of the pricing though of some of the cars we drove (one of the cars had a list price of 30k).

No sign of an EcoBoost car at the launch today, tbh it's not going to be a massive seller here.

IMO, the saloon is the pick of the bunch this time round. There was a gorgeous black Titanium with nice wheels which we got to drive today. I think I'd have the saloon over the hatch. Estate (Wagon in Ford lingo) is also a nice looking machine, but no chance to drive one of those either.

Highlight of the day was the cardboard cutout getting mangled by the failed Citystop system! It worked well on my go (if not a little weird...)

Henry Ford III

I drove one earlier today.

Felt solid and well made. Refined 1.6TDCI unit. 95bhp felt adequate. 115bhp will be that better presumably.

Interior is nice, even on the Edge model.

I didn't order anything, yet.

Mc Love

There is a launch in Cavanaghs of Charleville this friday and saturday - cant go unfortunately

Plug

Underneath there is very little change from the mk 2 or the mk 1 for that matter, goes to show how great them cars were I suppose. For me I'd have to go for the eco boost engine.

Henry Ford III

No Ecoboost lumps available, yet.

Leonard Hofstadter

Henry Ford III wrote: »

No Ecoboost lumps available, yet.

I don't think they're being brought in here, sure we're only getting a crippled 115 PS 2.0 diesel rather than the proper 140 or 163 lumps.

The basic model is shocking for equipment, and the 'Edge' version is quite poor as well.

You're talking about spending €24k for a decent Focus (Zetec 115 PS diesel) really.

thats interesting

Saw it in a garage at the weekend and I was very dissappointed in the design.

No doubt it is probably a brilliant car to drive and that is hugely important.

However, I compared it to the Fiesta parked nearby, and I didn't think it looked as well.

The new Focus I felt was like a Fiesta gone wrong (and the Fiesta is a great looking car). Lines were missing from the side panels, the front lights had a slight kink in them, maybe because the Focus always had sharpish lights, and if the Focus didn't have the cool triangles in the front bumper, it would look very bland.

Then you come to the rear lights, and I thought they looked well, even though they are oversized.

The spirit of the Focus lives on the the driving experience and that's great. However its dead on the outside.

Plug

thats interesting wrote: »

The spirit of the Focus lives on the the driving experience and that's great. However its dead on the outside.

I thought the same as you but it grew on me after a few hours around them, it just takes a bit of getting used to, like any new car I suppose.

squod

Mk2 looks a lot better.

Mc Love

squod wrote: »

Mk2 looks a lot better.

Mk2.5 looks the best

20goto10

squod wrote: »

Mk2 looks a lot better.

Depends on the angle. Looks like a van from behind and quite dated (as in a bit 90's looking) in the rear view mirror.

Think they've failed again on looks with the new one. I actually prefer the back and think they've messed up the front. But nobody buys a focus for the looks :-)

gazmc18

Think they've failed again on looks with the new one. I actually prefer the back and think they've messed up the front. But nobody buys a focus for the looks :-)

Failed again? When did they fail the 1st time? Just because you personally dont like the design of a car dont mean its a failure. Obviously a lot of people buy Focus for its looks its been one of the top selling cars of the last ten years.

Cant make my mind up on the rear of the new one but i like the front. Still getting used to it.

20goto10

gazmc18 wrote: »

Failed again? When did they fail the 1st time? Just because you personally dont like the design of a car dont mean its a failure. Obviously a lot of people buy Focus for its looks its been one of the top selling cars of the last ten years.

Cant make my mind up on the rear of the new one but i like the front. Still getting used to it.

Yes obviously i am giving my opinion, as are you. People seriously buy it for it's looks? Mk2 looks fantastic from the side profile, I'll give it that.

gazmc18

Yes only an opinion, just stating the focus design was never a failure in the past. The Focus would never of sold as much if it had of been an ugly car so it seems people to buy it for its looks. Of course everyone has their own opinions.

Mc Love

and it just reached 100,000 units sold in Ireland - pretty impressive

Stevie Dakota

Drove the new one, road noise and suspension (in particular) better isolated, but too much wind noise, there was a whistle coming from the drivers side window that would drive me insane. Interior was better but still the same crappy cheapo looking rotary controls for the heater in most models lowers the tone.

It's a better car, but when I left the showroom after looking at the new Astra I left far more impressed.

R.O.R

captainspeed wrote: »

I don't think they're being brought in here, sure we're only getting a crippled 115 PS 2.0 diesel rather than the proper 140 or 163 lumps.

The basic model is shocking for equipment, and the 'Edge' version is quite poor as well.

You're talking about spending €24k for a decent Focus (Zetec 115 PS diesel) really.

Glad you've already dismissed the 95ps as not being good enough. Take it you've had extensive drives in both to give your expert opinion?

Not sure why they'd be bringing in the 2.0Tdci 115ps There's a 1.6Tdci 115ps that has replaced it in the whole Ford range. Don't remember seeing it on the price list Ford sent me either.

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

Drove the new one, road noise and suspension (in particular) better isolated, but too much wind noise, there was a whistle coming from the drivers side window that would drive me insane. Interior was better but still the same crappy cheapo looking rotary controls for the heater in most models lowers the tone.

It's a better car, but when I left the showroom after looking at the new Astra I left far more impressed.

Didn't notice a whistle on any of the ones I drove, but wasn't looking out for it. Was too busy chatting really and testing out all the gadgets. Agree about the rotary controls on the Edge model.

Astra looks good, but have you driven one? Handles well, but on all the ones I've driven (1.4i, 1.6T, 1.7CDTI 110 & 125ps, 2.0CDTi 160ps) the engines are shocking bad. Nothing in the 1.4 at all and the diesels have such holes in the torque curve that they are only any use at steady motorway speed. 1.6T felt nowhere near the alleged 180ps.

Such a shame as if it wasn't for the engine's it would be a contender. Wonder what the 1.4T is like?

VolvoMan

Appleyard were displaying two five door models out the front of Dundrum Town Centre today. One looked high spec and the other looked poverty.

I had a look inside and the dashboard looked like a late 90's boom box.

VolvoMan

VolvoMan wrote: »

I had a look inside and the dashboard looked like a late 90's boom box.

I reckon some of the following will be posted shortly..........

FordFanBoys wrote:

Volvos are muck rabble rabble rabble........

Pete2k

Have a 1.6 TDCi (115) on order. Went for the Titanium, as others have said the rotary controls on the lower models really should be replaced, am surprised they don't offer the digital controls as an option on the Zetec but no only the Titanium. Was gonna go for the Sony radio to finish off the dash but €850 for just a radio is way ott in my opinion especially when they offer it as standard in the UK Titanium. Settled for the bluetooth upgrade instead. It also looks like the head units aren't going to be as easy to replace as in the mk1 & 2's, shame as I'd pick a sony up on the cheap from ebay in a few months and swap it out if they were.

YouTookMyName

Massive let down compared to the MK 2.5 it's replacing.

The lights in the panel and not in the pillar beside the back window means it just doesn't look like a Focus.

Mondeo-lite maybe?

Twiki

Pete2k wrote: »

Have a 1.6 TDCi (115) on order.

Did you test-drive both the 95 and 115 versions? I drove the 95 and it wasn't bad at all.

DoubleBogey

Hi guys,

I'm about to buy one of these and was wondering how the diesel and petrol engines compare? I have a mk2 1.6 petrol and have never owned a diesel. Test drove the focus 95bhp diesel today and it was good enough. There were no petrols to test drive, so going from the price list alone the petrol is alot more powerful but is the cheaper option?! This suggests to me that the diesel is the better engine, but just wondering does anyone know why?

Pete2k

Twiki wrote: »

Did you test-drive both the 95 and 115 versions? I drove the 95 and it wasn't bad at all.

Defo ok when just urself in the car and was more than happy with it but when a couple of friends came with me, with the added weight I just felt it could do with that bit more power when accelerating. Dealer only had the 95 so thats all I drove.

veetwin

VolvoMan wrote: »

Appleyard were displaying two five door models out the front of Dundrum Town Centre today. One looked high spec and the other looked poverty.

I had a look inside and the dashboard looked like a late 90's boom box.

Yeah saw those as well. One was Mustard coloured Titanium spec with nice alloys. The other was an Edge spec and looked fairly bog standard and low spec(steel wheels with hubcaps!). As a Golf driver I would not be tempted by either though they do look nicer in the flesh than in pictures. No bargain though for either spec.

Interior no great shakes either though the handbrake looked massive and stuck out like something you'd see in an autotest car.

Leonard Hofstadter

DoubleBogey wrote: »

Hi guys,

I'm about to buy one of these and was wondering how the diesel and petrol engines compare? I have a mk2 1.6 petrol and have never owned a diesel. Test drove the focus 95bhp diesel today and it was good enough. There were no petrols to test drive, so going from the price list alone the petrol is alot more powerful but is the cheaper option?! This suggests to me that the diesel is the better engine, but just wondering does anyone know why?

If you do mostly town driving and/or are planning on keeping it for a long time, then get the petrol.

Diesels have DPFs and DMFs which tend to give trouble after a few years.

DPFs in particular do not take kindly to someone driving the car in town all the time.

The petrols are far less complex and far less likely to give problems in the long run. The 1.6 in the Focus has been around for ages and it is 100% reliable. The diesel is good too for reliability apart from the DPF on models that spend a lot of time in town, and the DMF, but that affects every modern diesel.

On the other hand, if you're only going to have the car three or four years, then get the diesel. It will be much easier to sell on secondhand, and is not a lot dearer to buy new.

Henry Ford III

captainspeed wrote: »

...The petrols are far less complex and far less likely to give problems in the long run. The 1.6 in the Focus has been around for ages and it is 100% reliable....

Not entirely true. The 2 petrol 1.6s are both ti-vct units, which wouldn't have been that commonplace up to now.

Leonard Hofstadter

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Not entirely true. The 2 petrol 1.6s are both ti-cvt units, which wouldn't have been that commonplace up to now.

They've been around since 2005 in the outgoing Focus? And the Mk4 Mondeo had them too. I take the point that they are not that common in Ireland because of our obsession with small capacity engines and becuase not many Mondeos have them due to the fact that the Mk4 Mondeo only came out a few months before we changed our VRT system and we all bought diesels instead.

Anyway, I haven't heard of any problems with those engines.

Henry Ford III

captainspeed wrote: »

They've been around since 2005 in the outgoing Focus? And the Mk4 Mondeo had them too. I take the point that they are not that common in Ireland because of our obsession with small capacity engines and becuase not many Mondeos have them due to the fact that the Mk4 Mondeo only came out a few months before we changed our VRT system and we all bought diesels instead.

Anyway, I haven't heard of any problems with those engines.

Yes you are correct on all that.

They were only available on Titanium and Ghia model Foci up to now though, and Fiesta Zetec S's.

EPM

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Yes you are correct on all that.

They were only available on Titanium and Ghia model Foci up to now though, and Fiesta Zetec S's.

I'd actually be tempted to go for that over the diesel. It's pretty economical and imo one of the best small N/A engines you can get.

Stevie Dakota

Did I read that correctly, no bluetooth as standard on the Titanium? If so that's seriously shoddy.

JoeA3

I sat in one of these on Saturday in the local Ford dealers. It was a white Titanium model and I have to say I was mildly impressed. It looked good, white really suited it and the interior finish was generally very good. The red base model parked next to it looked just that - base and cheap. You'll see plenty of these with Hertz/Avis stickers I reckon.

As others have said, the radio/centre console looks like an 1980's ghetto blaster but the climate control (standard on Titanium) buttons/controls definitely help lift the overall look quite a bit. Overall though the plastics, fit and finish is leagues ahead of the outgoing model.

Couldn't believe there were drum brakes on the rear though - ford still fitting drum brakes in 2011...

No, bluetooth isn't standard, but they're not alone. VW charge extra for it right across the Golf range too.

JoeA3

JoeA3 wrote: »

Couldn't believe there were drum brakes on the rear though - ford still fitting drum brakes in 2011...

Not a biggy really, the difference to braking is minimal if not negligable on the rear, aesthetics would be the bigger negative really.

bazz26

RoverJames wrote: »

Not a biggy really, the difference to braking is minimal if not negligable on the rear, aesthetics would be the bigger negative really.

A pita though, drums stick when parked up after a day or so of rain.

I know the lads at Ford struggle with making engines and need Yamaha, Cosworth, Volvo and Peugeot to help them out but I'd be confident they can make a reliable drum brake assembly :pac:

JoeA3

Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of the Focus (I owned 2 MK1's!), but the rear drums do smack of cost-cutting and they do look crap to say the least if you have nice shiny alloys over them! I'd imagine the higher powered engines (the 2.0 Diesel?) probably has the rear discs. The VW Golf has had discs all-round since the MK4 was launched.

Pete2k

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

Did I read that correctly, no bluetooth as standard on the Titanium? If so that's seriously shoddy.

Nope. An extra €200 which is quite annoying considering the UK gets the Sony as standard on their Titanium. The Sony is €850 extra above the base model radio here. The bluetooth radio is slightly different to the base one in that there are extra number buttons on the right and slightly different layout on the left but the general style is the same.

Zubeneschamali

LIGHTNING wrote: »

But VW removed the indepedant rear suspension for the newest model Golfs, hence why Focus can run rings around a golf.

April 1st again?