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#21 ·
My wife drives 45 mins each way 5 days a week with my 5 and 9 year old boys. No issues. As for leg room, I am 6'1" and can sit in the back with no issue in terms of leg and head room. Boys think the car is a rally car and continuously try to get me wife to "drift" around corners like Ken Block........
 
#22 ·
Mr Scott said:
The wife and I are both tall - I'm 6'2", she's 5'11" - and we have two kids, one almost 3, the other just turned one in March. Neither of us can put the seat in a position where we are comfortable with them in the back. We've done it, and it's not terrible, but this will never be our family car. If we were shorter, I could see us really thinking about it, but as it stands now, it's just not practical for us.

We have a 2006 Mountaineer we use as the family vehicle, but with a combined 15MPG on a good day, we are looking at trading it in. The Mazda5 or possibly CX-5 are our first choices. I'm hoping to see a "SkyActive" version of the Mazda5 with 30+ MPG in the future since it shares so much with the Mazda3.

Had ford brought the C-Max "mini van" over here, we'd probably own one already. Instead, we get the Hybrid/Electric only line with no option for one with sliding doors...
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We love our Mazda5, the only minivan that I would ever dirve, the second row seats slide to create more room, we even had my mom & step dad in the third row for an hour trip, and they said it was fine. I also tested a CX-5 when looking at the Focus and I think it is the best driving CUV out there, however, to get the options that the Focus has, I was up to around 24k (5K more than the Focus) and the interior is pretty boring. If you buy the Mazda5, make ysure that it comes with second row HVAC vents, ours does not, and the third row takes awhile to warm up.
 
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Discussion starter · #23 ·
Wow - lot's of differing opinions here.

As far as the Mazda3, I hear they're fun to drive, and a couple of more inches of rear seat legroom definitely would make a difference, but I just can't get past the looks. Also, lately I'm sort of inclined to buy an American car this time around.

Like I said, my biggest concern is the rear-facing car seat, but to be honest, how many long trips does one take with an infant anyway? As few as possible, lol. And I think even with more space it would be unpleasant. Also, the rear-facing phase is 12 months and then it's over forever. So, happy to hear some folks with a couple of kids think it's do-able (I sort of fell like, in general, people over-estimate the space they need when car shopping - of course, it's probably better to err on the side of caution, but still).

Today I passed a Focus while taking my son to school (in my BMW 128i, which has 2 doors and almost comically undersized backseat). Anyway, it looked pretty roomy! I know I need to go down to the dealer and sit in one, and that looks can be deceiving, but I could kind of see it working.

I think what I'm going to do is wait, and keep my eyes peeled for the MY2013 order guides. Maybe compare to the new Fusion order guide when that comes out. Then go down to the dealer and kick some tires and maybe test drive. In August, we're flying out to OR to visit my wife's family for a week. We always fly into Portland, and then have to rent a car for the three-hour drive to the coast. This time I went ahead and booked a Focus - it won't be a 5MT, but other than that it should give me a solid idea of the car's livability for us. Just hoping it's a 5-door! (I think all of the fleet models I've seen are).

Anyway, thanks again.
 
#24 ·
Bimmer-Bob said:
I think what I'm going to do is wait, and keep my eyes peeled for the MY2013 order guides. Maybe compare to the new Fusion order guide when that comes out. Then go down to the dealer and kick some tires and maybe test drive. In August, we're flying out to OR to visit my wife's family for a week. We always fly into Portland, and then have to rent a car for the three-hour drive to the coast. This time I went ahead and booked a Focus - it won't be a 5MT, but other than that it should give me a solid idea of the car's livability for us. Just hoping it's a 5-door! (I think all of the fleet models I've seen are).

Anyway, thanks again.
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Most of the rental fleets have more of the four doors rather than the hatches from my previous experience, although they might have a few hatches, its not as common in their compact car class, they would try and push you into renting an SUV instead for more money.
 
Discussion starter · #26 ·
JSanford1974 said:
I had a 05 Scion XB a few cars ago. I only had one child at the time. But that car could haul some stuff. I put 2 68 Camaro Front fenders, core support, hunting cloths, rifle case, and my sons baby stuff in that Scion one day (that is with the seats down). You will not have that kind of room in a Focus. My XB was as reliable as any vehicle I've ever had. I just didn't feel safe in it with my son. It felt like a tin can. And I knew we were going to try for another. And that thing blew around the hwy like no other vehicle.

I have a 2012 Focus hatch now. I have a 3 year old and an 8 year old. The kids are fine in the back seat. It's mainly my commuter vehicle. But around town, it's our main vehicle. We always hop in my car to go anywhere. I think I have more room in the cargo area than the XB did. I definitly have more power, better mpg (33-36mpg), and I feel safer with the kids in the Focus. I only got around 31-33mpg in the XB.

As for long trips, we haven't taken any in my car. My wife drives an Acadia. So that is our long trip vehicle. But I think we would be fine since our kids are older. As for carrying a baby on a long trip in it, I'm not so sure I would. You know the stuff they require. But for around town, it's perfect for us. I haven't had any problem with my Focus at all.

If you want any specific comparison to the XB, PM me. I'm sure I could give you some advice since I've owned both.
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I'm trying to PM you, but it doesn't look like they're going through...maybe I'm too new to the forums? Can you let me know if you're getting them or not? Thanks.
 
#27 ·
i am about 6'1 and with my seat adjusted i've jumped in the backseat and i've had no problem sitting there actually. So i'd say a child is more than fine in the backseat.
 
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#29 ·
kam327 said:
We had this long argument on another thread a while back. I say it's too cramped for anything other than around town trips with two toddlers in car seats in the back. Their knees are pretty much right up against the seatbacks. But that's coming from a Taurus before this and an Explorer now. If I had bought the Focus for anything other than commuting, I would've gone up a size to the Fusion or similar.
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^ This, on the money.

Wife and I are 30 with a 3-year-old and an infant. I'm 6'2", wife is about 5'2". We also own a 2004 Taurus.

There is NO WAY that I would take this Focus on any kind of trip with the entire family in it; that's what the Taurus is made for. I bought my Focus as a cheap, reliable, gas-sipping commuter car, and it is damn near PERFECT in that regard.

However, it is NOT a familymobile. Look at the Fusion.

If you're really stubborn and cheap [like me ;)], I can tell you that it is possible to fit a rear-facing infant seat behind the driver seat and be reasonably comfortable, but you can probably plan on sliding the driver seat forward or tilting the seat back forward, installing the infant seat, and re-setting the driver seat position. My 3-year-old goes behind the front passenger seat a couple times a month with that passenger seat slid forward, which is fine if you have nobody or a smaller person riding with you up front.

Bottom line: For the occasional trip to daycare with the kids, this is a fine car. But if you're looking to carry people in the back seat daily (whether they're 6 months, 3 years, 15 years, or 40 years), I hate to say it, but forget about the new Focus.
 
#30 ·
I sat in the back for the first time since I bought the car when I installed the new MFT update. Not only was I completely comfortable, I could fit in my knees and feet no problem which shocked me since I'm 6'1 with a size 15 shoe.
 
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Discussion starter · #31 ·
Well, I think I'm just going to have to drive the car! There are people saying no way, people saying maybe, and people saying absolutely...I think it comes down to how much space folks are used to having. In Europe, the Focus hatch would be considered a fairly large family car (some friends thought our xB was Humvee-huge). I'm more concerned with safety and refinement than a cavernous interior.

I think spending a week in the car this August will be the truest test. By then, more info will be available on the MY2013 Focus (as well as the new Fusion, which cold be a contender depending on price, among other things).

IMO the current Fusion is U.G.L.Y. and only available with manual transmission in highly decontented S trim. No thanks. Plus the new model is right around the corner.

The Taurus looks pretty good, but no manual means no-go. Plus, it's a little more spendy than I want to go with this. I kind of got my fill of large car payments with the BMW, and now that it's paid off I want to go with something a little more reasonable, especially with my wife getting ready to stay home full-time.
 
#32 ·
I would think it would be fine if you have small kids. I have a 16 year old and an 8month old. If all 4 of us go anywhere together we take my wifes escape, if my son isn't with us we take my focus and it works fine. Both front seats can be all the way back if you put rear facing carseats in the middle of the back seat.
 
#33 ·
Pretherius said:
^ This, on the money.

Wife and I are 30 with a 3-year-old and an infant. I'm 6'2", wife is about 5'2". We also own a 2004 Taurus.

There is NO WAY that I would take this Focus on any kind of trip with the entire family in it; that's what the Taurus is made for. I bought my Focus as a cheap, reliable, gas-sipping commuter car, and it is damn near PERFECT in that regard.

However, it is NOT a familymobile. Look at the Fusion.

If you're really stubborn and cheap [like me ;)], I can tell you that it is possible to fit a rear-facing infant seat behind the driver seat and be reasonably comfortable, but you can probably plan on sliding the driver seat forward or tilting the seat back forward, installing the infant seat, and re-setting the driver seat position. My 3-year-old goes behind the front passenger seat a couple times a month with that passenger seat slid forward, which is fine if you have nobody or a smaller person riding with you up front.


Bottom line: For the occasional trip to daycare with the kids, this is a fine car. But if you're looking to carry people in the back seat daily (whether they're 6 months, 3 years, 15 years, or 40 years), I hate to say it, but forget about the new Focus.
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we all drove 500 miles to gattlinburg from detroit and it was great. we are almost exactly the same heights and age as you guys....I am coming from a mountaineer...i think its all relative to your expectations of seating room. We here are used to lots and lots of room to move around. THats fine, but less room can be just as fine. It takes a mental adjustment for sure though.

We put the rear facing seat behind the passenger seat. that way, when I drive (6ft) our 3 year old sits in his booster behind the driver, and my wife can sit in her normal seating position in the passenger seat with the rear facing seat behind her. NO moving of the passenger seat is required to install the infant seat in its base.

IF you want safety the Focus is there. Check out the threads where Focus's get totalled, and they walk away. One guy was test driving one with the sales guy and they got hit, totalling the car. HE went back to the dealer and bought one, as he could walk away from a car that was MANGLED.

Refinement: Focus has it, best in class to me. I drove a 2011 Chevy Cruze as a rental last week. It was not a base model. Equivalent to an SEL Focus...Felt like a nice hotel room, but the Focus feels like a Frank Loyd Wright home..
 
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#35 ·
I am 6'2" and my wife is 5'4"ish. I have a 2 y/o in a front facing seat. I usually drive with the car seat behind me and have to scoot up a little bit. Makes for slight discomfort but I don't live in my car so its not a big deal to me. I don't see adding a rear facing seat behind the passenger as being a problem.
Space in the hatch is much better than I thought it would be(I have the subwoofer back there too)
I find my car very entertaining to drive. Nothing like my 300zx but it definitely scoots around!

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk
 
Discussion starter · #39 ·
Made it down to the dealer this morning and have a few notes:

SE Sport interior impressed me very much. Build quality and materials seem very, very good for the price point (the sport cloth seats definitely seem better quality than the standard seats - I was wondering if there was more to it than color scheme, and I'd guess yes). One little niggle is that, from inside the car with all 4 doors closed, you can easily see the color of the car around the lower rear door frame. Seems odd that interior trim panels didn't line up to hide the metal. But not a major deal. Anyway, I was worried that the two-tone sport seats and the center stack with all it's buttons and faux aluminum plastic would seem too busy and kitschy for me, but it was actually much more subdued than pictures lead me to believe.

Color was Yellow Blaze. Looks pretty good in person! But don't think the wife would go for it, and anyway I don't think I want to pay extra for paint.

Cargo room in the hatch looks quite impressive. Rear seat room is surely not class-leading, but it doesn't really seem bad to me? I set up the driver's seat for me: I'm 5'10", but I sit pretty upright and relatively far forward - a driving position adopted from tracking and autocrossing - and I got out of the car and sat behind myself. I was perfectly comfortable. Sat behind the passenger seat, same thing. The least comfortable spot was actually the passenger seat, because the center stack and door seemed to taper sort of. But I didn't play with the seat, so I probably could have gotten more comfortable.

I didn't drive the car. I didn't think I had enough time to (it turns out I did) and anyway there were no manuals on the lot. I'll probably go in sometime next week and just drive an automatic, and will probably bring a car seat to test fit.

Anyway, I feel pretty good about it. Seems like a pretty solid car so far. Now I just need to sell the wife on it (assuming the test drive goes well).
 
#40 ·
Bimmer-Bob said:
Anyway, I feel pretty good about it. Seems like a pretty solid car so far. Now I just need to sell the wife on it (assuming the test drive goes well).
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If you want to sell the wife on it, do what I did.... Test drive the Fiesta first; then, drive the Focus. You will be amazed at the difference. With the current incentives, they are close in price.

My wife was convinced that we deserved the Focus.

Ours will be here in eight weeks.

Good Luck.

.
 
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