2005 Ford Focus Review [Merged]

[LynxMan]

now ladies..have you found the time to read the preview of the new Focus? ii am currently living in the UK and we got the Focus C-max people carrier months before the Focus was released and the front looked like it. and the Focus backlight looked exactly like the the taiwan focus and seemingly was based on the mondeo and s40's backinglights. but that is where the comparison ends. it myt be based on the mazda3 platform but i think Ford has outdone itself in making this new generation car. now the big question is: WHEN? and any projected retail price?

[ssaloon]

its due to be released here around august-september.

[parakitoJDM]

now the big question is: WHEN? and any projected retail price?

Ford is still mum about its pricing, but knowing they'r previous tactics. i'm sure it would be competitively priced (undercut) the Altis and Civic. by the way its based on a really great chassis. Volve S40 & MZ3.

[ssaloon]

may test drive sa fort this coming july 23-24.

[jaeger]

Do you think Ford Group Phils. will ever release this version of the Focus : SVT Focus

Check this out (although it's their 2002 model) : http://www.myfordfocus.com/svt/

170-hp from a NA 2.0 engine (*7,000 rpm)

. . . . and there's plans for a SVT Focus Turbo (temporarily on hold due to relocation of assembly facility)

http://www.svt.ford.com/svtArchiveCo..._three=nothing

[BlueBimmer]

the 1.8 focus is rumoured to cost 900k+...at par with the altis 1.8 and civic 2.0..

[kimpOy]

Preview report by MBT & CarloCarAddict

http://tsikot.yehey.com/preview-2005-ford-focus

[slx]

test drived the focus yesterday. its a nice car with all the amenities you can get in a car including power and comfort. but the problem that i immediately noticed was the distance of the brake from the gas pedal and worse, the gas pedal is close to the center console. the first time i used the brake, my right foot hit the side of the brake pedal. if you lift you foot from the accelerator to avoid hitting the side of the brake pedal, you end up hitting the side of the console. this for me is an unconfortable feeling because you always have to be concious when using the brake which distract you from anticipating the traffic ahead or from enjoying the drive. anybody who test drived the focus noticed this? hope ford do something about this because it is dangerous and may be fatal.

[BlueBimmer]

hmm other testdrives did not mention that problem..

[bilog]

i hope somebody can show pictures of ford focus' pedals. It is intriguing...

[badkuk]

hmmm...i think the focus review somwhere on this site highlighted that center console issue.

medyo malaki kasi ung brake pedal, and medyo close to the gas. pag di pa siguro sanay e masasagi mo sya

[baiskee]

actually they (mbt/ carlocaraddict) did mention the "rubbing" thing with legs...but not the pedals.

Space is surprisingly tight up front, and the driver's comfort is compromised by the fact that his knee will be rubbing the left edge of the center of the dashboard

check the pix...

here's the LINK of their review.

[niky]

I didn't have a problem... maybe if your legs are just *too* long. But then, my right leg rubbed on the center console of our old Sentra, too.

My biggest (and only) gripe is the right-side A-pillar. When I'm sitting in the "good-boy-correct-position" driving position, It covers maybe 4-5 degrees of my vision to the right. If you're sitting "bad-boy" style, and lower in the car, it's not a problem.

[slx]

the close proximity of the brake and gas pedal is more apparent if your wearing sandals as it may snag at the back of the brake pedal as you move your right foot from the accelelator to the brake. have driven other automatic cars before, civic, crv, rav4 and starex but never encoutered this problem. this might also be caused by the gas pedal location which is near the console. anyway this is just my experience. by and large the ford focus is a great car to have.

[niky]

the close proximity of the brake and gas pedal is more apparent if your wearing sandals as it may snag at the back of the brake pedal as you move your right foot from the accelelator to the brake. have driven other automatic cars before, civic, crv, rav4 and starex but never encoutered this problem. this might also be caused by the gas pedal location which is near the console. anyway this is just my experience. by and large the ford focus is a great car to have.

Oh. It's likely then that the AT version shares the same pedal placement as the MT then... After the first time the sandal-snag happened to me (many MANY years ago), I learned NEVER to wear sandals when driving, no matter what the car.

[Dinxx]

the close proximity of the brake and gas pedal is more apparent if your wearing sandals as it may snag at the back of the brake pedal as you move your right foot from the accelelator to the brake. have driven other automatic cars before, civic, crv, rav4 and starex but never encoutered this problem. this might also be caused by the gas pedal location which is near the console. anyway this is just my experience. by and large the ford focus is a great car to have.

i also experienced this while driving my uncle's Focus 1.8 A/T.
i was wearing slippers. ive also driven other cars(accord, dmax, xtrail, innova, trooper, revo), a/t or manual, using the same slippers, but never experienced this. sanayan lang siguro.

[rodski]

Pang heel and toe yan pag nag-rally driving style sa curves. hehehehe. Saw one sa pricemart last weekend libreng test drive. OK na ok para sa akin ang pedal position.

However, very conservative ang design ng sedan for my taste. I'll wait for the 5 door hatch with a 2 liter power plant. Lets see kung gaano ka "mura" yung price.

eni myni moe who will I sell Olive (01 Carnival) or Jamie (04 Picanto)

tnx

Rodski

[BlueBimmer]

lam ko bawal sandal ata pag driving but who the hell follows that law ba hehehe

[ale828]

Hindi ergonomical for me and placing ng gas pedal and brake pedal ng mga american cars especially the SUV. Even if you were able to move the pedals forward and backward, its the realtionship or the distance between the gas pedal and the brake pedal. I just attribute it to the fact that most americans have relaly big feet and heel to toe driving is hard if you have big feet and the pedals are to close together. try driving the 2004 Chevy suburban LT. you really need to put your foot and heel up to be able to press the brakes.

[mendozil]

The question for me is whether the knee rubbing will eventually be too irritating, coz it's not like it would be easy to replace the center console, right?