2013 Focus SE Hatchback vs Seda

[suss6052]

Originally Posted by thisisbenji

When I bought my Focus I asked my sales guy about the sedan vs hatch debate. He told me that most of his customers come in looking to purchase the vehicle I bought, but end up with the grey one next to it in this photo.


Untitled by Benji Reynolds, on Flickr

Most people come in looking for an SE hatch and get sold an S sedan? What dealership stocks so many S sedans, lol. Oh so you only meant the body style as a comparison.

I didn't get pushed into a sedan when I came to look the first time. Although they did try to pressure me to take a car from dealer stock which had been sitting around for several months that was the right color but not the right equipment configuration.

Originally Posted by TiStick

Your salesman told the truth? Keep an eye on that guy....

If car dealers actually put people only in the vehicles that the customer asked for, the industry would tank. Salesmen put sheeple in what they have on the lot, they put me in what I custom order and wait to receive.

Yeah the salesman did try to pull that one on me with a car they had on the lot before I explained that I know what I want and that is to order a car specifically the way I wanted it. I wasn't interested in them trying to add in the all weather mats, seat heater pads, and heated mirror caps afterwards as not only would it be more expensive it wouldn't be covered by the new vehicle warranty as it wasn't built that way. It had also been sitting around for at least 3 months during the winter time frame.

In the end I got the car I ordered and they still made a sale, it just wasn't an instant sale like they wanted.

[RonMaiden]

We got totally lucky when buying our's as my wife didn't really intend on replacing her '09 SE but she saw the candy red paint calling her from the lot when we drove by.
When I went in the next day to check it out it turned out to be the only 5 speed on the lot and had everything I would've ordered in it short of the winter package (minor detail)
I went and got a salesman and some keys,test drove,brought in our trade,signed the papers and drove off and was done in less than 2 hours and no pressure and was one of the easiest car buying experiences I've had at a dealership.


Mmmmmmmmmm new.

[cobie56]

Originally Posted by Arco-Zakus

Sexy is in the eye of the beholder. With the ST rear spoiler I'd agree, but the regular hatch rear window looks scrunced down on top to me, especially from the driver's seat of a car following it. I also think the stubby rear over hang does not look as well balanced from the side as the sedan with the trunk lid spoiler. At the same time, the hatch should be easier to parallel park with the shorter rear overhang.

I've always owned hatchbacks (VW, Toyota, Acura), and if the practicality of loading bulky items is important then that matters more than the appearance. If I buy a new Focus, though, I think I'm going for the sedan this time because now my wife has an SUV with plenty of room and I like the styling of the sedan more. Plus, it costs less.

I'd suggest sorting this list by priority for your own use and let it help you pick:

Easy parallel parking (hatchback)
Lower purchase price (sedan)
Loading bulky cargo (hatchback)
Styling (subjective -- you pick)
Road noise (tie)
Handling (some reviews give the hatchback an edge)

also, while test driving both versions, i found the hatch had much more reduced rear and side/rear visibility than the sedan... that may be an issue to folks who drive a lot in urban/suburban traffic.

[RonMaiden]

That's what mirrors are for. Yes,the hatch is a little tighter when looking out the rear.

[Arco-Zakus]

Originally Posted by RonMaiden

That's what mirrors are for. Yes,the hatch is a little tighter when looking out the rear.

True. Also, with power mirrors these days it's easy to adjust them all the way down and in towards the door (on either side) while parking so you can watch the rear tire and not scrape it on the curb while getting really close. (I'd love to have a one-touch return to the previous position when I'm done parking.) That'll work on either the hatch or the sedan, but the hatch will still be easier to squeeze into a tight spot with the shorter rear overhang.

[Arco-Zakus]

Originally Posted by TiStick

By your definition, my Ti hatch is sexy!

Well, that depends on how the rest of it looks -- I haven't seen it yet. Do you have a link to a photo? Not that it would matter to you what I think, but I'd just like to see how it looks.

If for some reason I changed my mind a bought a hatchback instead of a sedan I believe the only body mod I'd do is the ST spoiler. Not really worth it to me to do much else. Was it very hard to get the color matched?

(My favorite look right now is still an Ingot Silver SE sedan with the appearance package (2013) or sport package (2012) and the black/machined 17'' wheels. Same car in Sterling Gray Metallic would be a second choice. But then, there's also Ruby Red, or Performance Blue, and I think even Oxford White looks OK in that combination. Decisions ...)

[flyboyike]

Originally Posted by TiStick

Sedan and sedative use many of the same letters, for good reason.

Hatchback, hatchet and hatchery also come to mind.

[Arco-Zakus]

Originally Posted by suss6052

Your older wagon was also less refined than the newer models, and may not have had any sound absorbing materials in the rear wheel arches to quiet the car down where as a sedan doesn't need it as much usually with the seat up because it forms a bulkhead between the rear of the car and the interior of the cabin. ...

So with the rear seat folded down on both would a sedan be noisier than a hatch?

I'm also surprised that the hatch is (supposedly) stiffer with that huge opening in the back. I would've guessed that with a fixed rear window and smaller openings at the seat back and trunk lid that the sedan would be more rigid. Must be more steel in the hatch since it's shorter but still weighs slightly more than the sedan. (Not sure how much difference the windows and sound deadener would make in the weight).

Guessing is, as usual, no substitute for a test drive. I'll have to drive both, but I hope with the seats down the hatch is not queter by enough to make me spend the extra $1,000. (MSRP for SE)

[Arco-Zakus]

Originally Posted by PandaCar

My BEAM central vac (Industrial 2 fan version) died, and I took it to the local BEAM dealer. He looked out the window, and said "how'd ya get it here?" I replied, "in my Focus"! He almost s**t his pants! Try doing that, in your puny sedan trunk!

I did that kinda' thing with a huge color tv (pre-flat screen) and a little bitty VW Scirocco. It was fun to watch the sales guy's expression turn from disbelief to amazement as that big cardboard box just slipped right into that big opening and onto the folded down back seat. Hatch has the sedan beat hands down for carrying bulky cargo. Worth the extra $1,000 if you need that, but that's why my wife got an SUV.

Those huge tail lights on the Focus hatch and the look of the non-ST spoiler have not grown on me yet. Not sayin' they're ugly, but the sedan still looks more balanced from most angles to my eye.

[Ger's 2012 Focus]

Originally Posted by BertST

Test drove a white titanium sedan and actually like the look better than the hatch...problem is the trunk is unbelievably tiny. I don't think I could even get my golf clubs in there.

Golf clubs?