[JustHereFTM]

I just purchased my 2010 SES with full knowledge the 2012 was on it's way. I knew I wasn't going to pay over $20k on a fully loaded focus and seeing the estimated $27k is crazy. I paid $17k for my new 2010 SES with moon and tune and heated leather seats a little over a week ago and I will have no regrets and no intentions of purchasing a 2012. [thumb]

i started a thread a while ago asking, thats right, NA MKII owners how they felt about their purchase with the new 2012 focus on the horizon. almost everyone who responded had no regrets nor had any intentions to ditch it and get the MKIII right away. it kinda came as a shock to me, i guess i figured people would crack under the hate for the current focus from media and some other focus owners. but people love their NA MKII's it seems [woot]

 

[r1derbike]

I've bashed my previous '09 SE because of problems. Bought the 2010, because of that. Yeah, it's dated, slow and is a sheep in wolf's clothing, but is the most comfortable and quiet small sedan I've driven. It's quieter than my wife's fusion was (sold).

The front seats are so comfortable, hours on the road melt away.

I'm ready to put her FIT out of its misery after 2 hours driving. Those seats are the worst I've ever encountered. My back and haunches ache pathetically, in that thing.

I suppose that once the Focus got bashed early in its life cycle, it was hard to crawl out of the crater, when so many surrounded the rim, ready to kick it back to the bottom. It must have deserved it, given the 10 year cycle of this platform here.

Charles

 

[Paladin]

^^ The only thing is,at the point that you're paying close to 25K for a loaded up Focus,you can get the same features in a Fusion for about the same price(or less if Ford decides to have rebates on it,which they likely will). And recently some of those have been going for $17-18K.

the fusion is going upmarket as well. or disappearing idk. so fusions will start where the focus stops price wise. and the focus will start where the fiesta stops. if that makes sense.

 

[DrkKnight614]

^^ The only thing is,at the point that you're paying close to 25K for a loaded up Focus,you can get the same features in a Fusion for about the same price(or less if Ford decides to have rebates on it,which they likely will). And recently some of those have been going for $17-18K.

First off, you will not be able to get the same features in a Fusion as a fully loaded 2012 Focus. Loaded fusions are in the high 20s. Also this doesn't really matter because a lot of people do want a small car and their fuel efficiency and small size. If I'm buying a focus, I'm not going to be like oh wait, I could get a fusion for the same price....b/c thats not what I'm looking for. Yes if someone is just going out there and seeing what the biggest car they can get for their money then yea a fusion might steal focus sales and the focus might steal fiesta sales. But bigger doesn't always mean better.

Also the next gen Fusion will most likely be moving slightly upmarket as well when it gets redesigned in 2013 along with the Mondeo and they share the same platform.

 

[mjd4277]

First off, you will not be able to get the same features in a Fusion as a fully loaded 2012 Focus. Loaded fusions are in the high 20s. Also this doesn't really matter because a lot of people do want a small car and their fuel efficiency and small size. If I'm buying a focus, I'm not going to be like oh wait, I could get a fusion for the same price....b/c thats not what I'm looking for. Yes if someone is just going out there and seeing what the biggest car they can get for their money then yea a fusion might steal focus sales and the focus might steal fiesta sales. But bigger doesn't always mean better.

Also the next gen Fusion will most likely be moving slightly upmarket as well when it gets redesigned in 2013 along with the Mondeo and they share the same platform.

Yeah but Fusion's redesign is till a good 3 years or so off. And given the fact that dealers are discounting 2010 models now (and maybe 2011,2012 in the near future) don't be surprised if customers cross-shop the two to get the best deal. Fusion may not be as economical as the 2012 Focus(with exception to the hybrid models)but it's not fuel thirsty either.

 

[JustHereFTM]

i think ford is headed in the right direction. i mean, the mazda3, which the focus will compete with technology and feature wise, is no cheap set of wheels with a base price of just over $16k with steel wheels, power accessories but not much else. and optioned out, they are about $22k-24k and ive seen several brand new 2010 mazda3 GT's out there. people could have cross shopped it with a mazda6 easily especially the sedan owners, but they knew what they wanted was a 3 with those high-tech features. i think the focus and fiesta will do just fine, price hike and all.

 

[FOCUSRS03]

One of the things we all have to remember about our current US Spec Focus, it is still a Mk1 with new sheet metal. It is miles behind the Focus WE (USA) should have got. I understand Ford putting the Mk2 in the US as a Mazda 3 for testing, but come on!! I am tired of hearing my uncle in Ipswich, England constantly taunting me about how great his car is!!! He's a lucky S.O.B., he has had all of the RS cars since the early Escort days(1971) including the Cosworth cars!!

 

[JustHereFTM]

so does that mean the new mazda3 is an MK1? it has new sheet metal, a reworked interior but the same platform and a carry-over 2.0L engine...

 

[mmmoose]

Somewhat off topic... but I test drove a 2010 Mazda3 (2.5L) Sedan a while back. Thought it was going to be a fun drive... but I was extremely disappointed. The steering felt numb and the pedals felt mushy. All of which were probably due to new electronic assist crap. My '02 ZX3 felt a lot sportier with its tighter steering and SVT suspension upgrade. The Mini Cooper S I test drove also felt a lot closer to my old Focus, but obviously a little better. It's so rare to find a car like that nowadays, sadly.

It's just like... WTF did Mazda do to the car?!? The fact that they advertise this sedan as being sporty is a complete joke. Sporty is more than just mashing the gas pedal down and achieving a respectable 0-60 time. It also involves precision steering and tight cornering. Also, all the convenience features like GPS, sat radio, bluetooth, steering buttons, etc. made me wanna puke. When I asked the salesman if I could get a 2.5L model without all the extra electronics crap I didn't need, he kept dodging the question by trying to show me some lame feature in the car. Sigh...

I think I'll be avoiding Mazdas for a while... [poke]

I REALLY hope the 2012 Focus doesn't get the same treatment, as far as being packed with standard electronic crap up the wazoo and imprecise/numb steering/responsiveness.

 

[JustHereFTM]

i dont know whats going on over at Mazda... they used to be fun cars with the soul of a sports car. now everything is dumb, heavy, ugly, and slow

 

[mmmoose]

Unfortunately they're catering to all the casual drivers now. Which is okay to some degree, since they make more money that way. However what angers me is how some manufacturers advertise their car as being "sporty", when really it's more of a "luxury/comfort" upgrade. Just because you slap in a higher displacement engine and throw a "GT" badge at the end of the name doesn't make the car sporty. Ughhh!

Ford got it right with the Mk 1 Focus. Mazda got it wrong with the 2010 Mazda3. I'm actually kind of glad Ford and Mazda are becoming more separate entities for that reason. I really can't wait to test drive the Fiesta when it hits US dealerships. I'm hoping the handling is identical or better to the Mk 1 Focus... because everything else about the car looks great (not so much design... but being a barebones, fun, no-nonesense, and bang-for-your-buck hatch that this country so badly needs).

 

[GSpeedRacing]

Every time that Ford(U.S.) start getting close with styling cue then they break a new model out, and start the whole process again. Why could we not get the Euro RS version here. Look, closely at the new 2012 model, it looks more family oriented then sporty looking. The 2010 wasn't so bad but Ford should of had a 2 door hatchback version. Look at the 05-07 3 door, again close, Ford could of widen the fenders and wow that would of been cool. Well, you get the idea.

 

[r1derbike]

i dont know whats going on over at Mazda... they used to be fun cars with the soul of a sports car. now everything is dumb, heavy, ugly, and slow

Kind of like my 2010 SES, no? [hihi]

Charles

 

[Birdman330]

I never could like the 08+ Focus for NA. Its like a celebrity face lift ordeal. First Face Lift was fine, it added a more European look to the Focus which was scoffed at. At the time Ford is promising that the MK II will be on our soil by 08, then suddenly Ford unveils this thing that looks like it's had way too much plastic surgery. The only thing I like was the fact there were better looking 16 rims for that Focus. Which I put on mine.

 

[sailor]

No knocks to those who bought a current gen. focus - it's what was avail. new when they wanted new! But I like my '04 's 1st gen looks. It's a love it or hate it styling, but it isn't drab or look like everything else!
A gent I work with rented a new one and hated it, when he rode in mine he loved it, the main diff.(in his opinion) was that the interior didn't seem "cheap" or just like a chevy, saturn etc..
IMHO - it helps to be unique to some degree for anyone to LOVE the look, OR hate it for that matter!
Otherwise just buy a box on wheels, (oh yeah, they make those too now...xb ) but even THAT got screwed up in the second edition! Once it got popular, they had to "improve" the funky look right out of it!
SO - Bring on the new Focus! It's got STYLE! Some will like it, some will like the fiesta better, some will HATE it! At least it will be recognizable, & not just a clone of all the other small cars out there...

(anyone else having trouble telling cars apart from the rear these days? even a civic and a small BMW look alike from the rear...)

 

[Birdman330]

I can't wait for the new Focus, it LOOKS like a Focus. Its everything I've wanted in a Focus Sedan. If they do an ST Hatch I'm tempted to buy one just to have another ST in my collection. Otherwise another Sedan.

 

[DrkKnight614]

Yeah but Fusion's redesign is till a good 3 years or so off. And given the fact that dealers are discounting 2010 models now (and maybe 2011,2012 in the near future) don't be surprised if customers cross-shop the two to get the best deal. Fusion may not be as economical as the 2012 Focus(with exception to the hybrid models)but it's not fuel thirsty either.

Posted via FF Mobile Its sooner then you think. They already started and i think theres even been mondeos in camo and ones spotted in dearborn. Its slated to come out for the 2013 model year, and considering the 2012 focus has already been shown and will be out in a year we can expect the new fusion to be in showrooms a year or less after.

 

[JustHereFTM]

lets not forget the fusion i saw testing in colorado where none of the body panels fit together and it didnt sound like a fusion. driver confirmed that it may or may not have been a mondeo powertrain and platform in a fusions body