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2013 Focus Observations

42K views 187 replies 62 participants last post by  Mr Rutherford 
#1 · (Edited)
We got a few 2013 Focus on the lot and I noticed a few items:

The speedometer and tach have less hash marks (larger speed and tach increments). The speedo doesn't show every 10 MPH anymore, it goes 20, 40, 60, 80, etc.

The fuel and temp gauges also have larger text. Must of been complaints from older folks not being able to read them.

The auto dimming mirror, rain sensing wipers, and garage door opener built into the sun visor are now gone and no longer available, even on the Titanium model.

The base Titanium rims are now the previous SEL premium package rims. the SE now gets standard previous SE sport package rims. Much better than the hubcaps.

You can't get cloth seats and get fog lamps anymore. I see more SE's with the leather package because of this, and it's the same sew pattern as the Titanium leather. It's lost the uniqueness and options between trim levels, along with the blacked out headlamps from the Titanium on the SE appearance package. Why?

Performance blue is nice looking, pretty much the same as Sonic Blue last year, hint of purple to it.

Do like the standard rear view camera on the Titanium without having to buy the parking package. Also standard remote start that's integrated into the car from the factory is much better.

Driver's knee airbag has been added like the 2013 Escape, but doesn't note it in the order guide or functional descriptions.

LED interior dome lamps are gone, replaced with conventional bulbs

Interior trunk release added to headlamp switch surround.
 
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#2 ·
I was playing with the online configurator and noticed:

- SE can be equipped with NAV and MFT now
- you have opt for the expensive SE style package with leather to get fog lamps and 4-wheel disc brakes
- if you outfit an SE with NAV, MFT, and style package it is more than a Titanium similarly equipped!
 
#47 ·
Did that titanium have leather seats though? Still ridiculous though.



I love one one touch windows (at least for the front I could do without the rear since I can't see them while driving), and the homelink was super easy to program.

I'm not sure if I have the auto wipers or not it hasn't rained yet...

Usually the next year models have improvements, I can't believe they are cutting those things.
 
#4 ·
It's lost the uniqueness and options between trim levels, along with the blacked out headlamps from the Titanium on the SE appearance package. Why?
Most times when a company launches a new or remodeled car, the first model year has LOTS of options so the company can get an idea of what people will actually buy. The features and options of the following year will reflect sales.

Another factor is supply of parts. If the parts required to offer those options are no longer available then Ford can't list them. It may be that Ford will add options after the first builds go out and parts become available. They sold a LOT of Focuses last year so the parts bin might not be able to meet demand.
 
#5 ·
The auto dimming mirror had problems in the 2012 with not staying in place, which is why it got pulled, and the rain sensing wipers are pretty bad at sensing rain, so those features were needing to get pulled.
 
#6 ·
There were complaints about those to be sure but both features on my car work as expected, as does the universal garage door opener. I'm glad to have all 3 of them. I noticed the UGDO is sourced from a separate company called "Homelink." So I wonder if costs or licensing fees or something increased leading Ford to kill it. I wonder if other Ford models recently deleted that feature as well.
 
#9 ·
It might mean nothing to a lot of people but they are things that I liked. Especially the garage door opener. I have the 2012 Titanium and was looking to buy another Titanium this winter. This change will probably get me to search other vehicles.

I went to the Ford because of the amenities. Love the car but now they seem to be going backwards...
 
#19 ·
A couple of other things:

2013 has integrated turn signals on the forward side of the rear view mirrors (on the SE trim, at least).

SE Sport Cloth Interior is no longer available.

Rear parking sensors are now an option on 2013 SE.

Interior trunk release was added (at least on SE and above).

Piano Black Grilles, Disc Brakes, and Fog Lights are only available on the SE with Appearance Package (and above).
 
#30 ·
I don't know. I was looking at new 2013 pictures on a local dealer's site and all the SEs had matte black grilles.

Then I checked the Ford Canada and USA sites and there is no mention of piano black grilles in the SE appearance package. On the USA site it says "grille, black" and for the Ti it says "grille, piano black". So no more piano black grilles on the SE.

That's a huge deal breaker for me. Those matte black ones are gross and look cheap (no offense to anyone with them).

I too am very disappointed with the packaging changes. Sure, maybe there were too many options/trim with the 2012 (ie the SEL) but they've taken too much away just to shoe horn people into a base SE or a fully loaded Ti.

Yes, getting rid of the SEL was a good idea when I first read about it.

But I assumed that they would be keeping the SE Sport package which basically put the SE in SEL territory.

Also, what's with making people spend $2500 just to get foglights? That's crazy. I thought Ford has been making fog lights essentially standard equipment (except on maybe the S) on all their models?

And even with the SE appearance pack, now you are forced into getting the MFT. Maybe people don't want the much maligned system just to get fog lights!

To add salt to the wounds, now there's no rain sensing wipers, auto dimming mirror nor garage door opener. All things that someone like moi notice and use on a daily basis (esp the garage door opener).

Not impressed Ford.
 
#20 ·
No issues with garage door opener or rain sensing wipers on my '12 Titanium. Work as I would expect them to. Not sure about auto dimming mirror. I'll have to check it tonight.

All those little touches - things like the door handle lock/unlock, three flash lane change, etc - add up. Coupled with the overall quality materials and interior fit and finish (on my car at least), the car feels very upscale for it's size and price.

Would be a shame to go backwards.

Tim
 
#22 ·
Except the base SE doesn't come with rear discs, sport cloth seats, fogs, or piano black trim. The stuff that really matters.

To get the aforementioned items, instead of spending just $695, you now have to spend $2530, and you get a bunch of stuff you may not necessarily want. Leather would have been a total deal-killer for me, and there's no way to opt out of it with the appearance package.

Yes, it's definitely streamlining, but I think they took it too far. There needs to be a middle rung, or at least a couple standalone options.
 
#24 ·
Update: According to the vehicle specifications for the 2013 Focus it is stating that one-touch down driver window is standard on the SE and one-touch up/down for all windows is standard on the Titanium. Sorry for the panic I may have been looking at the sticker for a leather clad SE but I was sure it was a Titanium. Anyway, the specs for the vehicle state that it is in there.
 
#29 ·
Must of been complaints from older folks not being able to read them.
I've been a licensed optician for many years and here's what comes in my offices...Most everyone over wears their contacts to some extent, some more than others...those would be the under 30 crowd. They wait until the problem gets so bad that they have to admit to over wear(duh, your eyes are swollen shut and red!)and when the Dr. tells them they can't be helped until their cue balls for eye balls have to heal, which can take weeks AND, the fee is $50-$125 for each follow up visit AND they have no back up glasses(why would I need glasses, I have CONTACT LENSES)AND, no, I can't give you trial lenses to wear because you've ruined your eyes for the next few weeks because you've worn the same 2 week disposable lenses for a month and never took them out...they become rather violent/hostile/unwieldy. These MIGHT be some of the people you mention in your post about
The fuel and temp gauges also have larger text.
. Cuz when ones eyes are swollen shut from lack of common sense, they can't see the DASHBOARD let alone the little tiny teeny hash marks warning them they're approaching redline. Yeah, they drive to my offices in that condition.

You see, older people come in just about every year for a new exam and eyewear. When things get a little fuzzy...they don't call the car manufacturers to make text bigger( I can see it on the news now.."Older generation surrounds GM headquarters...demands BIGGER TEXT!!NOW!!).

Another rant from a getting "older" Focus guy with fuzzy vision. I just felt like spouting off. Don't read too much into this...hopefully,[pray] one day, you'll find out.
Peace, brothers.[8D]
 
#31 ·
I was incorrect earlier - you don't get the Piano Black grille with the appearance package.

You CAN get them on an SE with the Appearance Package AND the Appearance Package Black Pack - but by then you have spent as much or more than a base Ti (and you lose the SE Sport Rims and the Silver headlights, which I personally prefer).

For those two features (grilles and fogs):

  • The grilles are fairly painless (other than the labor and time) and the parts are around $325. The forum seems pretty mixed on them, so with luck you can find someone locally with the Piano Black grilles that prefers the flat black and make an even trade.
  • The fogs (See Link) are around $250 including the switch and the harness, but you might have to have the dealer enable the fogs in IDS.
Total parts cost for both mods is $565 - which is a lot for things that were standard in 2012 - but less than buying installed from Ford as part of the appearance packages.

(I was considering both mods to a 2013 SE, but we ended up finding a 2012 SE Sport Appearance on the lot and got it.)
 
#34 ·
I was incorrect earlier - you don't get the Piano Black grille with the appearance package.

You CAN get them on an SE with the Appearance Package AND the Appearance Package Black Pack - but by then you have spent as much or more than a base Ti (and you lose the SE Sport Rims and the Silver headlights, which I personally prefer).

For those two features (grilles and fogs):

The grilles are fairly painless (other than the labor and time) and the parts are around $325. The forum seems pretty mixed on them, so with luck you can find someone locally with the Piano Black grilles that prefers the flat black and make an even trade.
The fogs (See Link) are around $250 including the switch and the harness, but you might have to have the dealer enable the fogs in IDS.

Total parts cost for both mods is $565 - which is a lot for things that were standard in 2012 - but less than buying installed from Ford as part of the appearance packages.

(I was considering both mods to a 2013 SE, but we ended up finding a 2012 SE Sport Appearance on the lot and got it.)
I like the silver lights much better too.

Question, why do the '13 SEs on this site have those base SE hubcaps from 12 on them? I thought they got the 12 SE Sport's base rims?

http://erinwoodford.com/search/year/2013/type/car/model/focus/condition/all/

Also notice the matte black grilles on the SEs with the appearance package. I don't see a "black pack package" on Ford Canada's site.
 
#36 ·
I'm guessing that either this is a difference for the Canadian market or using left over steel wheels for non SE SFE models. I've seen 2013 Focus SE models with the SE sport wheels with rear drum brakes so they are out there already here.
 
#40 ·
I would expect them to discount the price somewhat if the car was supposed to have alloys and instead had steel wheels.

That should make the customer's feel better.

(I couldn't find any Focus's on their website without fogs and with alloys, though, so I can't say if they are doing that or not ...)
 
#41 ·
It looks like the mid-level radio (more buttons, large color LCD, 6 speakers) is standard on the SE now, as well as MyFord and SYNC. Didn't you have to get an equipment group on the 2012 to get those features?

Shame about needing the super expensive Appearance package to get rear disc brakes, fogs, and spoiler though. I'm going to look at 13's on thursday, but my local dealer also has a few '12 SELs and Titaniums.
 
#42 ·
I become happier and happier that I got a '12. Colour aside, I wouldn't have been able to get exactly what I wanted, and it would have been decently more expensive too for something close.
 
#44 ·
I have owned a '12 Tit. And now a '13 Tit. The microphone on my 2013 works much better than it did on the '12. I do miss the rain sensing wipers. But the backup camera and remote start are great. My '13 does have one touch down on all windows, and the inside hatch opener is handy...
 
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