USA Focus vs Foreign Focus Features

[Tubeway Army]

Just glancing through various Ford sites, Ford Germany, Ford UK and etc, I see what we do not have in features or options compared to what other countries can get or what's included with various models.

Most of it would not be of much use for most in the USA, sign recognition, active city stop but I see that the UK Focus lineup is quite nice, Zetec S with LED tail lamps and different lower body kit, honeycomb grill inserts and etc, Titanium X which is a step above our Titanium since it comes with Bi-Xenon Headlamps and LED tail lamps standard yet at a cost of roughly $33K, which would not sell too good here since it's not a Audi, Mercedes, BMW or Lexus, public perception I guess?

The engine selection is vast, interiors, wheels and etc. It's very a la carte.

Seems like the only model that comes close to be nearly identical to our choices is the ST.


http://www.ford.co.uk/Hidden/iBrochure/Focus

I wonder if Ford can ever sell a car like the rest of the world can get in it's home base? Seems kinda strange that we have watered down models and Ford would probably have to re-badge the Focus with a Lincoln name and styling to justify the price for the options since that's how it works in the US.

[Sponsor]

[2012silversel]

There's a youtube video out there that demonstrates Active City Stop. It's a low speed accident avoidance safety feature that's pretty cool.

[Tubeway Army]

Originally Posted by 2012silversel

There's a youtube video out there that demonstrates Active City Stop. It's a low speed accident avoidance safety feature that's pretty cool.

I downloaded the 32 page Focus brochure from the UK site, I see that it might be more useful here than I thought.

The City Pack option which is standard on the Titanium X doesn't include that but it does come with power folding mirrors which I think would be useful in some instances.

[Buggy_Wang]

In my country (Taiwan)

Focus sold without any original "option package" for selection, everything comes with your bought trim level.

Active City Stop: Standard for 2.0TDCi hatchback sport
BLIS:Standard for 1.6 Ti-VCT sedan GHIA
Sony 9 speakers audio system:
Standard for
1. 2.0 GDI hatchback sport
2. 2.0 TDCi hatchback sport
3. 1.6 Ti-VCT sedan GHIA

I bought 2.0TDCi sedan trend and i didn't have a chance to get active city stop or BLIS .... even if i'm glad to pay for them.
So do tires and rims (If you don't like factory installed tires and rims......sale them and go for aftermarket, no factory option available)
and .... My Ford Touch not available in my country
(I know lots of folks in my country eager to buy MFT, but the only available choice is poorly made aftermarket DVD players (Piece of crap)....i've heard some cases will cause unexpectedly car shut off while driving )

power folding mirrors.... it is standard for almost all of the focus trim levels (Except 1.6Ti-VCT Ambiente)

[RonMaiden]

It's not just perception it's a fact that the Focus isn't worth over $30k when you have base models at $15k it's still got a lot of cheap quality parts and isn't fit for a $33k price range. Even the ST isn't flying off showroom floors even at sub $30k prices. In Europe the average family has one car so they generally will pay a bit larger price for pricey options plus look at what $30k+ buys you in america.

[Tubeway Army]

Originally Posted by RonMaiden

It's not just perception it's a fact that the Focus isn't worth over $30k when you have base models at $15k it's still got a lot of cheap quality parts and isn't fit for a $33k price range. Even the ST isn't flying off showroom floors even at sub $30k prices. In Europe the average family has one car so they generally will pay a bit larger price for pricey options plus look at what $30k+ buys you in america.

I just think that in the US hatches over $30K are a hard sell, VW tries to keep the GTI under $30K, but they push $30K with options and the Golf R being mid $30s but yet sell the base Golf starts in the $18K range. VW also water downed US Spec cars compared to what you could get in Germany.

The Volvo C30 is loaded with options and features, is a very poor selling car in the US, Lexus CT Hybrid is another that comes to mind.

In terms of cheap quality parts, I agree, there are a few things on my Titanium that do not hold up to previous Volkswagens I owned, the exhaust is probably the biggest visual item that I wish Ford handled a little better. They got it right on the Fusion Titanium, but the Focus it looks no different than the a base S. At least at a minimum they could done what VW did with the Jetta GLI, some nice stainless exhaust tips and a lower valence with an appropriate cut out.

[Tubeway Army]

Originally Posted by Buggy_Wang

In my country (Taiwan)

Focus sold without any original "option package" for selection, everything comes with your bought trim level.

Active City Stop: Standard for 2.0TDCi hatchback sport
BLIS:Standard for 1.6 Ti-VCT sedan GHIA
Sony 9 speakers audio system:
Standard for
1. 2.0 GDI hatchback sport
2. 2.0 TDCi hatchback sport
3. 1.6 Ti-VCT sedan GHIA

I bought 2.0TDCi sedan trend and i didn't have a chance to get active city stop or BLIS .... even if i'm glad to pay for them.
So do tires and rims (If you don't like factory installed tires and rims......sale them and go for aftermarket, no factory option available)
and .... My Ford Touch not available in my country
(I know lots of folks in my country eager to buy MFT, but the only available choice is poorly made aftermarket DVD players (Piece of crap)....i've heard some cases will cause unexpectedly car shut off while driving )

power folding mirrors.... it is standard for almost all of the focus trim levels (Except 1.6Ti-VCT Ambiente)

MFT in my opinion is not that great, it needs a lot of time to mature as Applink is non-existent on it right now. I do use my back-up camera and some of the features, but I would trade it for many other things that I would find more useful. My Titanium had a MSRP of nearly $26K, yet has the same ugly cheap looking exhaust that is found on the base S model.

[RonMaiden]

Plus even with all the Euro options you still have a 160hp car which over $30k is a hard sell to americans.

[Dgc333]

Originally Posted by RonMaiden

Even the ST isn't flying off showroom floors even at sub $30k prices.

The reason the ST isn't selling better in the US is the lack of an automatic transmission.

I have been driving manual transmissions for 40+ years so the fact that the ST only came with a manual was not an issue for me. BUT, if they offered a DCT like what's in my wife's Focus with paddle shifters I would have gone with that.

[Tubeway Army]

Originally Posted by Dgc333

The reason the ST isn't selling better in the US is the lack of an automatic transmission.

I have been driving manual transmissions for 40+ years so the fact that the ST only came with a manual was not an issue for me. BUT, if they offered a DCT like what's in my wife's Focus with paddle shifters I would have gone with that.

I have to wonder, if the state of the economy is to blame? The VW Golf R is not selling well either, one of my local dealers has more in stock than all the Ford dealers combined have of ST's. Of course the Golf R is more expensive, AWD and MT only, don't think DSG would have helped it move.

The Mazda Speed 3 is probably the closest priced competition to the ST, I don't see a lot of those on the roads as I use to. My local dealer also does not have a lot of stock. Not to even mention Subaru WRX and BRZ, those are not selling great either by the looks of it. The BRZ has available auto and RWD which is a strong selling point for some.

The PowerShift DCT cannot handle the ST's torque, so Ford would have had to use another transmission.