2011 Focus out in August.

[dannyhilton]

Pacific Ford sent me an invitation to drive one. Will post up some photos after the day

[kevino]

Go Auto review gave the Ambiente 1.6 ltr 5 speed manual a very good review.

I wonder which is the better way to go - A Fiesta with the 1.6 motor/manual or the new Focus with the 1.6 motor / manual.


I just seem to read a lot of bad comments about the VW DSG and Ford Powershift Autos -not coping with city traffic.

What do you think of Focus v Fiesta (intended use - metro work max 3 passengers).

[dannyhilton]

Just test drove one. Hopefully order sometime next week. Titanium Hatch with Tech Excutive Pack. Car is AMAZING and really good looking in real life.

[In Focus]

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/mot...n-park-itself/

Amazing new Focus can park itself
STEPHEN WILLIAMS, The West Australian
August 6, 2011, 8:00 am
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Aesthetically, it's a bobby-dazzler.

And, technologically, the Titanium model is more futureproof than anything else about $35,000.

The car will even park itself while you wave, both hands, to onlookers. Yet, previously, the Ford Focus had hidden its light under a bushel.

Good car, bland looks. Sensibly, it has been sent on one of those develop-a-warrior-mentality courses and come back with to-die-for looks and lots of attitude.

It's even been brave enough to bring back mustard-colour paintwork. But even more daring is Ford's decision to throw at the Focus the kitchen sink of whizzbang technology.

It's a move that should see the Focus being looked back at as a game-changer - a car that brought top-end features usually seen only in Benzs and BMWs to mainstream small cars.

To get all the goodies, a buyer would need to opt for the pinnacle Titanium model ($32,590 petrol or $36,090 diesel) then add the $2300 executive pack.

This pack is exceptional value, providing bi-xenon headlights, a power sunroof and the wonders of adaptive cruise control. About $6000 worth in a German luxury car. So, the ultimate petrol model would set you back $34,890 (plus on-roads), though the range has one glaring oversight.

Where on earth is the sat-nav?

Oops, it's late - scheduled to be added to the Sport and Titanium models late in the year.

That creates a quandary for buyers. Unless desperate, I'd wait to get the complete package.

Having laid eyes on the car at Melbourne's recent motor show, I was treated to a spin this week. It drives a treat, with the 2.0-litre engines particularly perky. Matched with the dual-clutch auto gearbox, it sips fuel. Just 6.6L/100km for a 2.0-litre petrol auto. Fantastic.

The ride and handling feel like the car is talking to the road while the quiet cabin provides just the ambience such a well-kitted vehicle deserves.

Such major makeovers come only every six or seven years, and Ford has made the best of it.

Here's a sample of the snazzy features in the Focus, which comes in hatch and sedan shapes:


1. AMBIENTE( from $21,990)

Voice control and Bluetooth: Allows functions such as audio, climate and telephony to respond to their master's voice - yours.

Quality audio: Six speakers and all the necessary connectivities.

Torque vectoring control: Improves handling by adding braking to the inside front wheel at corners to ensure both wheels turn at the same rate.

Dual-clutch auto: This high-tech six-speeder causes minimal loss of power and economy compared with a manual. Available in all variants as a $2500 option and standard on Titanium.

Five-star safety: Six airbags, electronic stability control.

Easy fuelling: It's capless. You just poke the nozzle through and it closes on removal.

Engine: 92kW 1.6-litre petrol; 6.2L/100km (manual), 6.6L/100km (auto).

Other: Trip computer, indicators in exterior mirrors, steering- wheel audio controls, spoiler (hatch).

2. TREND(from $24,490)

Direct-injection technology: 2.0-litre engines use precise fuel dosing to provide punchy power and sipping fuel use.

Engines: 125kW 2.0-litre petrol, 7.2L/100km (manual), 6.6L/100km (auto) or 120kW 2.0-litre diesel 5.5 L/100km (auto only).

Other: 16-inch alloys, front fog lights and rear parking sensors.

3. SPORT(from $27,390)

Advanced audio: Nine-speaker Sony, colour screen.

Dual-zone climate: Separate comfort cocoons for each front occupant.

Little helpers: Dusk-sensing headlights, rain-sensing wipers and lights that stay on while you get to the front door.

Eco mode: Gives feedback to driver on economy.

Satellite navigation: To be added late in the year.

Engines: 2.0-litre petrol or diesel.

Other: 17-inch alloys, sports suspension, LED tail-lights and big spoiler (hatch), heated exterior mirrors.

4a. TITANIUM(from $32,590)

Self parking: Identifies a viable spot and will parallel park hands-free.

Easy entry: Key can stay in pocket while door is unlocked with a finger touch.

Engines: 2.0-litre petrol or diesel.

Other: 18-inch alloys, auto, partial-leather trim, heated seats, electric driver's seat.

4b. TITANIUM(with Executive Pack from $34,890)

Adaptive cruise control: The car will adjust its speed, up to a set maximum, to that of the car ahead. Usually only available in high-end cars, it is addictive.

Bi-xenon headlights: Super bright for country driving. Comes with cornering lamps and glitzy LED daytime running lights.

Sunroof: Powered and tilting.

[Dshibi]

Mum ordered hers last weekend but there's some transport issues so it's still sitting at another dealer. Have only seen one on the road so far, a silver sedan in the city. Mum's will be a red 'Sport' model. Can't wait for her to pick it up

Dan

[kocho]

Sat in one of these on the weekend. I'd sat in it in the motor show too, but it was nice without any pressure.

One thing - front passenger side? What's up with the leg room? You barely have any at all. My right leg touches the center console part without even trying. I found that very disappointing. Also, I thought the grab handles for opening and closing the doors were a bit awkwardly placed.

Other than that, seemed OK. The front left had me confused though. It's very strange. Great for the driver though, I guess.

[The Stylist]

The front end is a bit hit and miss for me, I'm sure with some minor detail tweaking it can look better. I wish our market had the option of the two-tone interior that is offered overseas, sure I know some people don't like cream/light tan surfacing but sitting in most other mainstream cars on the market leaves me with the impression that a lump of coal has been used for inspiration.

On a side note I read that NZ is getting the wagon version from next March.

[DJM83]

Im still not sold on these just yet.

[Dshibi]

Mum picked hers up yesterday. I think the front looks better than the back for the moment. But I'm sure it'll be something we get used to. I was a bit unsure of the front when I first saw it but it doesn't look too bad on the higher spec models.

Dan

[Neale]

Originally Posted by csv8

Auto's are safer in city driving..just have to concentrate on driving and braking, not what gear you are in..you can keep an eye out for revenue cameras and other road idiots...

You can also:- do your make up, have breakfast, play with your GPS or phone & any other activity apart from driving because the car does it by itself.

To make the roads safer they should eliminate things like autos, cruise, self park & all those sort of things that lead to complacency.

People are becoming more steering wheel attendants than drivers.

I think when you drive an older car you have to be more aware of your surroundings, because you cant just stop on a dime. You have to watch the guages incase somethings wrong, change gears, etc. Theres no time for anything else.

[Velociraptor82]

Originally Posted by Neale

You can also:- do your make up, have breakfast, play with your GPS or phone & any other activity apart from driving because the car does it by itself.

To make the roads safer they should eliminate things like autos, cruise, self park & all those sort of things that lead to complacency.

People are becoming more steering wheel attendants than drivers.

I think when you drive an older car you have to be more aware of your surroundings, because you cant just stop on a dime. You have to watch the guages incase somethings wrong, change gears, etc. Theres no time for anything else.

In most cases I agree with you. ABS, Trac & ESC should be on all cars for safety reasons however they should all have the ability to turn on and off easily.

For long distance drives in the country, cruise control is a must but in suburbia it is suicide. Without it on long distance drives, i think it drains your concentration faster and as such you get fatigued quicker.

Autos: For the most part I drive mine in sports mode, however the ability to switch back to full auto in bumper to bumper traffic i think is an advantage over manuals.

As for reverse parking assist, variable crusie control, auto parking.... etc... we may as well replace the steering wheel and pedals with a playstation controller, or just give total control over to the computer. For those fools who can't park a car on their own.... How the hell did they get a licence??

[Powdered Toast Man]

Is there any word on when the XR5 replacement (i.e. ST everywhere else) is due for release in OZ? I was thinking of buying a second hand XR5 but after having a look and sit in at the new Focus I like the interior better than the previous gen and am now curious to see what the XR5/XR4/ST, or whatever they call it, will be like.

[dannyhilton]

The US & Europe get it in 2012 matey, so I'd assume we'll see it late 2012. Don't believe Ford Australia have officially confirmed it, but I'd bet my lefty it'll be here eventually.

[wakeboardandy]

looking at getting a small car as a 2nd runabout car.. already have a 2007 territory ghia that does the job for the family.

I'm looking at either the focus sport hatch petrol or the cruze SRI-V. Both are same price. Has anyone driven both and have any comments to share?

Also is the room in the back the same for both? I have two baby seats and whilst the terri will do most of the carting around of the kids, if I did put them in the 2nd car every now and then just wondering if it is roomy enough.

I'm learning towards the focus cause I'm a ford man and at the motorshow, really liked the look of it and the interior. But I always thought the cruze was a great car inside as well.

[dannyhilton]

The best way to check space, is to take the seat with you, and see if they fit. The Focus is roomy, without being a Mondeo, and not as small as the Fiesta. It seems similar in size to the Fiesta until you put your arms out, and you're no longer putting your hands out the passenger side window hehe!

As for the Cruze vs Focus. Just my opinion, the Focus. The Cruze is a very competent car, it rides well, looks nice, has plenty of go, is well built, drives nicely, and doesn't really do much wrong. The Focus however, well it's built beautifully, the ride is superb, the features are great, it looks sensational after truly taking it in from all angles, the engine is wiling and it drives bloody well.

Ultimately it's your decision, but the Cruze is a very vanilla car. The Focus has some soul, and a bit of a spark that seems to be missing in the generic feeling Cruze. Go drive both. Either way, the car has to suit you!

[wakeboardandy]

Thanks Danny for your insight. I definitely need to go and drive them for a start as my last 3 cars have been BA Falcon XT, BF Falcon XR6 and SY Territory GHIA (Still have and will be keeping).

I've never owned a small car so not sure how I will go but sitting in the new focus at the motorshow it sure did feel like a very nice car. I was very impressed. I was impressed with the cruze as well but you are right the focus just seems more polished. The sport hatch seems to be the same price as the SRI-V so that would be the model I'd probably look at.

[dannyhilton]

Good luck! Whatever car you pick, they're both very accomplished cars!

[Pete A]

Originally Posted by Riksta

So Titanium is coming to Australia. Awesome

If only I could afford to buy one brand new. Might start really saving pennies and getting more paid off of the Zetec and see what I can do!

Just ordered Titanium for the missus. Pick it up next week!

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by Powdered Toast Man

Is there any word on when the XR5 replacement (i.e. ST everywhere else) is due for release in OZ? I was thinking of buying a second hand XR5 but after having a look and sit in at the new Focus I like the interior better than the previous gen and am now curious to see what the XR5/XR4/ST, or whatever they call it, will be like.

Interior IMO is a little better but theres one thing it will never have, the I5T theres just something about it that i love.

[wakeboardandy]

change of plan now.. thinking I might get a falcon G6 and use the territory as just a run around car during the week and start slowing down the km's I'm putting on it.

The car I'm getting would be a company car so might as well put the km's on it. Would probably go for the ecolpi..

[Pete A]

Originally Posted by DeKa

I am disappointed there is no EcoBoost engine. I won't buy one until there is.

Pick the missus' Titanium up this Thursday. Looking forward to it. According to the Ford guy, the Ecco boost version is due some time mid next year. Will be something like 170KW job. Obviously the replacement for the XR5.

[wakeboardandy]

Just test drove a focus sport today.. Was impressive, so the focus is still an option at this stage. Just need to see the price difference between a focus sport and a falcon g6. I'm guessing the difference in full fleet or novated leasing to be about $50 a fortnight.. Then I have to way up if I really need two big cars and it would be nice to have a bit of extra room in my garage!

I liked the candy red colour too! Similar to the falcon seduce colour.

[wakeboardandy]

thought I'd go and test drive a cruze today just to see the difference between that and the focus and rocked up to the local holden dealer to find it closed! I've always gone to Ford dealers on a sunday and they are always open. Looked up holden's website and it seems every holden dealer in Melbourne is closed on a Sunday! very strange.. would have though w'ends would bring the most people in.

[vztrt]

http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-new...827-1jf6n.html

Head to head: Focus v Cruze
Stephen Ottley
August 27, 2011

Ford Focus 2.0 Trend

Ford Focus

From $26,790 plus on-road and dealer costs. 2.0-litre 4-cyl petrol; 125kW/202Nm; 6-sp dual-clutch auto; 6.6L/100km and 154g/km CO2; FWD
Advertisement: Story continues below

Value

Only $300 dearer. Standard equipment includes 16-inch alloys, rear parking sensors, cruise control with speed limiter, six-speaker audio with auxiliary and USB input, Bluetooth and foglights. Safety features include stability control and six airbags.

Inside

Borrows a lot of its design from the smaller Fiesta model. The materials are nice and the overall design is good, if busy in places, especially the steering wheel and centre console. Space isn't as good as the Cruze but there's a more upmarket feel.

Engine

More power and torque than the Cruze but because it's not turbocharged, it needs to be revved harder to access that extra urge. Fuel use is slightly better. Quieter and more refined than Cruze's powerplant.

How it drives

Feels solid, tighter and more refined on the road. Ride comfort remains a strong suit. New electric steering is direct and nicely weighted. Gearbox is good but our test car suffered from an odd vibration. Overall, remains one of the best performers in the class.

Technology

Focus has the edge thanks to standard Bluetooth and voice-recognition system. The latter isn't perfect but it's a handy feature and gets easier to use with experience.

Verdict

There's not much to separate these two but the Focus gets the nod courtesy of its more refined driving experience and greater technology.
Holden Cruze 1.4 SRi

Holden Cruze

From $26,490 plus on-road and dealer costs. 1.4-litre 4-cyl turbo petrol; 103kW/200Nm; 6-sp auto; 6.9L/100km and 164g/km CO2; FWD

Value

Misses out on a few big-ticket items. Bluetooth only available as a $500 dealer-fitted accessory, while parking sensors require a step up to the more expensive SRi-V. Still a well-equipped car and gets larger 17-inch alloys. Matches the Focus on safety.

Inside

The design and materials used aren't as appealing as the Focus but the interior is still nice for a small car. Its strength is its size, with better rear space and a bigger boot — 445 litres versus the Focus's 421L maximum (with the optional space-saver spare wheel).

Engine

What it lacks in outright numbers it makes up for with better driveability. Likes to rev but doesn't need to be driven hard, with peak torque kicking in at 1850rpm, compared with the Focus's 4450rpm.

How it drives

Not far behind the Focus but just lacking the same level of refinement, even though the SRi gets a more advanced suspension set-up than the other Cruze models. It can crash over bumps at low speed. The gearbox is a let down, though, and can't match the Ford's dual-clutch unit.

Technology

Misses out on Bluetooth and parking sensors, which are both large selling-points in this segment. Voice-activated controls are a nice extra on the Focus but not a deal-breaker.

Verdict

A closer defeat than the scoreboard suggests. But Holden has the last laugh, with Cruze sales already going strong and a locally designed hatchback to join the party soon.

[Pete A]

Originally Posted by vztrt

http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-new...827-1jf6n.html

After all the comparisons and the analysis on how close the cars are - and they are not actually. I drove both and felt a significant difference. if I understand this right and get past all the specs, it's simple: As far as build is concerned, Cruz = Korea, Russia, Asia, and lots of other places inc Oz. It is a global car, but looks Korean and is Korean. Focus also a global car is built in Germany. If this is true and I'm only sure of the Focus, that is a big deal for me long term and is a big issue in the decision (and was). Am I wrong?

People will probably buy Cruz against Focus for the same reason people buy Commodoms over Falcons. It's actually not that important to Ford. From the Falcon vs Commodom comparo we know which is the better car, and rarely the Holden pips the Ford in any comparo. Meanwhile Ford continues to build it's strong global business even maybe (hope not) at the decline of the local models, while GM continues to struggle globally. Still can't work that out either. Put the Focus next to the Cruz in the parking lot and the Cruz looks very very ordinary.

[XR Martin]

Originally Posted by Pete A

After all the comparisons and the analysis on how close the cars are - and they are not actually. I drove both and felt a significant difference. if I understand this right and get past all the specs, it's simple: As far as build is concerned, Cruz = Korea, Russia, Asia, and lots of other places inc Oz. It is a global car, but looks Korean and is Korean. Focus also a global car is built in Germany. If this is true and I'm only sure of the Focus, that is a big deal for me long term and is a big issue in the decision (and was). Am I wrong?

People will probably buy Cruz against Focus for the same reason people buy Commodoms over Falcons. It's actually not that important to Ford. From the Falcon vs Commodom comparo we know which is the better car, and rarely the Holden pips the Ford in any comparo. Meanwhile Ford continues to build it's strong global business even maybe (hope not) at the decline of the local models, while GM continues to struggle globally. Still can't work that out either. Put the Focus next to the Cruz in the parking lot and the Cruz looks very very ordinary.

Our Focus is built in Thailand

[Joe5619]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Our Focus is built in Thailand

No it isn't.. Germany built for now.. Thailand built Focus's wont come online until 2nd half of 2012.

[In Focus]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Our Focus is built in Thailand

Not yet. German built until sometime next year, then production switches to Thailand.

EDIT: Joe beat me to it.

[Pete A]

That's right. Daughter bought new Fiesta about a month ago, one of the last German built ones, they are also now made in Thailand. Focus will be the same next year.

[dannyhilton]

Believe the Thailand Focus will come online in May next year. Agree with you Pete A in regards to looks, the once handsome Cruze has aged horribly. Admittedly the Focus design is not even a year old, but it should age much better than the Cruze. Not to mention the interior...