If you are like me, then you have winced at times when you tell your friends and family you drive a Ford Focus and really like it. Why? Because you know they are influenced, as you once were, by the dictates of one Consumer Reports Magazine. You say "it handles amazingly and is incredibly stable on the road, etc." but you know they are thinking, " Focus had numerous recalls and is unsafe. Every one in their right mind knows it is a piece of crap because Consumer Reports panned the car and put it in the 'do not recommend' category. ."

Yes, the gods of Consumer Reports have spoken. Judgement has been passed.
Well, it seems Consumer Reports is singing a new tune. [sing]

Consumers Reports has very recently released it's influential New Car Preview for 2004. The Ford Focus ranks at the top of their small car/ and sporty car categories. That is right, not only do they recommend the ZTS and the SVT, both cars lead the pack!

In the small car category, the Focus ZTS is followed by Honda, Toyota, and VW. Yea, you heard me right, I said "followed by"

In the sporty car category, the Focus SVT is followed by, Subaru , Mazda, Mitsubishi.

I get so tired of being right all the time. HeHeHe[8D]

ehh. all i hear is "what kind of car is that?" i say its a focus and then i hear "THATS A FOCUS?!?!" but then again its kind of hard to tell at night.......

I love it. People who don't understand that the Focus is actually a performer, are surprised when I take my stock Focus and tear up some twisties which it actually handles well. The love it but still reply like mofocus said, "that's a ford?"

Yeah- it took awhile, but when I saw the Focus for the first time in 2000, I knew it was something special, and now that I own one (actually one of the "bad" 2000's), I believe these cars are the best value on the market. Though some may not agree, I think the Focus brings us back to an era of once again having European based Ford's in North America. Remember the Cortina, and later the Capri? (I don't mean the crappy Mustang based Mercury Capri- I mean the original British Capri that was sold here in the late sixties to mid seventies). Those were awesome cars, with a serious sport touring car heritage, that we in North America have missed until now. Although the Focus bears no physical resemblance to either of those cars, because we are in a new era, the spirit is there. Let's hope it continues.

Wavey

while I am glad that consumer reports has changed its tune, I despise that mag because of it's bent towards anything foriegn is better than american attitude. I have checked there report of every car I have owned, and NEVER had a problem they listed. I am suspect of any publication that tests toasters and cars in the same issue. I will have to get the copy of that issue to shove in the face of the ricers at work. I am sure they will come up with an excuse though lol

YEAAAA!!! I love my Focus and dont care what anybody else things about it.....it mine all mine, I drive it...mine...mine....mine. Now I got the new consumer reports to back up my beloved little car...

Thank You....

i have to say that my cousins in california use to love crusing it in my old 2001 se. i loved that car and love my new car as well. my cousins all thought it was a confortable car to drive in.

Huh. Pretty cool to hear they changed their tune. But I have to agree with those who have said that people don't even know what the car is, anyway. EVERYONE who has commented on my car has said "hey that's a nice car, what is it?" When I tell them what it is they always say "that's a FORD??" Followed closely by "what's a Focus?" Pretty amazing considering it's been around for four years now and is one of the best-selling cars in the world.

Don't worry about people not noticing the focus.
After The Cat and the Hat movie comes out, we'll be lucky if we don't get taunted for having a car that was in a kiddy moive that looks like Edward Sissorhands...[:)]

Here's the movie trailer with the focus (http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/thecatinthehat/medium.html)

Go Focus!!

It is only fair to note that while CR had never recommended the Focus previously, they were not unaware of Focus' outstanding drivability and overall design.
But think about this. When is the last time Consumer Reports placed an American car at the top of the small car category?! I mean these categories have been dominated by Honda and Toyota for years and years. It is truely an upheavel in the car industry.

well cause im in europe every 2nd house has a focus. but ive a RS and there is only 4 in ireland at the mo! so everyone asks me bout it! GO ON THE FOCUS!

I love my focus...I've said it once and I'll say it again though, ppl ask waht I drive I say a focus, peoples responce is fords suck! :(

Hah! That's great! I always had old men (I'm talking like 65+) come up next to my car and say "Wow! What a neat car!! What is it?" (yes, they said "neat!" how cute) and when I say it's a Ford Focus, they are like "Cool. I will tell my grandson/gdaughter about this car. Looks neat!"
I love it.. awesome. See, those old folks can be really cool sometimes [;)]
I might have to pick myself up this new report and take a look at it. Thanks for letting us know!!!

Oh thank goodness! Before I got my car all I read in Consumer Reports, Car & Driver ect, was that it was an okay car but it had poor relibility, just cause it's NOT a Honda.
But I really don't care because of this info I'm proud to be a Focus owner (not that I wasn't before!)

Most of the people I know that actually know a thing or two about cars don't usually give me much crap about it... others though at times do but I don't care, I just love my focus...

I read the consumer reports on recommended cars in each class. I didn't see anywhere that the Focus was #1, honda #2.... Focus was the first one mentioned on the list, but I don't think that was in any particular order. Am I missing something? Also, they rated the cargo space on the focus with a black circle!! everyone who has looked in my trunk can't believe how big it is. What is consumer reports thinking?

Focus!Focus!Focus!Focus!Focus!Focus!

boy, do i get tired of hearing that crap.

"that's one of those electric cars, isn't it?"

"um... no."

stupid toyota. thankfully, they re-designed the prius to look more like a sailboat than a focus. :)

I like the old....Dman thats a fast little car what is it..Or the why do that to a focus---But the looks on the faces of all the honda and toys at the next lite are priceless. Thats if they dont turn off for gettin smoked by a FORD FOCUS ...

I read the consumer reports on recommended cars in each class. I didn't see anywhere that the Focus was #1, honda #2.... Focus was the first one mentioned on the list

It is listed first because it was awarded more points than any other car in class. This is visually indicated by the bar graph on the far right of the grid.


But don't take my word for it. Read it as written in the Detroit News

By Jeff Plungis / Detroit News Washington Bureau

"Once labeled the most error-prone vehicle in the auto industry, Ford Motor Co.'s Focus compact car is now getting kudos from one of its toughest critics.

Consumers Reports, which releases its influential New Car Preview 2004 today, placed the Focus at the top of its small car rankings....

While the Focus has always won praise for its crisp ride and handling, low reliability numbers and numerous recalls prevented Consumer Reports from recommending it to readers in past years. With improved quality, Focus is now the magazine's top pick in two categories -- small sedans and sporty cars."

That's top, as in #1, numero uno, first in class, magna cum laude of the small cars.

cool... now I can have something to put in the face of the honda ricer crowd at work.

lol I saw that article too (after I picked up my '04). CR is just slightly behind the curve when it comes to cars - like 4 years behind.

It's funny when I start raving about the Focus at the office. Most people are like, 'huh, that's nice.' But when I start talking to the Brits who work there they rave about it right along with me. [:)]

Lots of uninformed people out there, but they don't really concern me.

Here's some info on the Focus at Car and Driver.com (http://www.caranddriver.com/default.asp?section_id=10&cdFlash=4071&cdMake=FORD&cdModel=FOCUS) .

people re so used to seeing the sedans with old ladies driving themthat when they see wone that is modded a hatchback they are like "ur trying to amek a Focus fast?" if it's one of my friends i'm like ok then smart ass get in i'll take u for a ride. ya that shuts them up

It wasn't really Consumer Reports that gave the Focus a bad rep. CR lists the Focus as number one actually. After Ford released the rear suspension recall and then all the other ones the news channels had a field day with it. The BMW X5 had more recalls than the Focus did but it didn't get a bad rep. so I think there wasn't anything to talk about when the Focus came out so the news channels had to talk about something and they chose that.

consumer reports did give the focus a bad name untill this year. CR always like to pan american cars. I think they are a bunch of emplyees from honda and toyota that run CR. And American media is also good at slaming anything American. It is like they are ashamed of being American and are trying to apologize for our success. It is good to see the reputation of the focus turning around though. It is about time.

When i had my first focus, it did nothing but break and I was starting to think that Focus was a bad idea. Come to find out, I just got a poorly built car and my dealer was convinced it was a lemon adn gave me a new '03. Now, I'm loving my car and everything is has to offer! GO FOCUS!!!