- Messages
- 490
- Likes
- 4
- City
- Houston
Ford rolled out its turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine a few years ago to wide acclaim -- this mill picked up the 2013 International Engine of the Year award, and it has found its way into the Fiesta and the Focus. In the Fiesta, the 1.0-liter is offered in SFE trim paired with a manual transmission, but buyers who pick this engine in the larger Focus sedan can choose a stick or automatic transmission. The latter is the version I drove for a week, and it really is one of the most compelling engines in a sedan in this segment.
The Focus we all know; it's been a solid hit from the beginning and it's doing well in a still-relevant segment more than a decade later. The latest generation of the sedan features outstanding ergonomics and an entertaining interior design that avoids appearing industrial and depressing. There are plenty of soft-touch surfaces and a purposeful design that is never boring.
The engine and the six-speed automatic transmission are the stars here: The 1.0-liter turbo offers plenty of pickup from a standstill, and the transmission works through the gears in the same direct way a manual transmission would (except quicker). Put your foot down and the Focus barks into action, offering plenty of torque in low gears. Power stays constant through the gears without running out of breath on the interstate; the 1.0-liter doesn't wail at highway speeds and above; and it offers plenty of power for overtaking bigger stuff on the interstate.
On paper, this version of the Focus is supposed to average 28 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway, but I managed to exceed both of those pretty easily in daily driving.
In short, this is how a 1.0-liter three-cylinder should work and feel, and I suspect that it'll be some time before a rival automaker can make something so small so capable and refined.
The rest of the Focus is just as capable: Ford has given this model 16-inch wheels and wrapped them in tall Michelins that are pillow-soft. The result is a wonderfully smooth ride that brushes off anything today's busted roads will throw at it, without sacrificing agility. The steering is communicative enough and doesn't have the feeling of fake weight dialed in; it makes the Focus a quick handler even though, yes, there are now plenty of versions above this one that are ready for '80s-style Group B rallying. This isn't what this SE sedan is about -- and that's fine with me.
The Focus sedan lives in a cutthroat segment filled with compromised cars that may have the latest e-nannies, but also crashy suspensions, hollow-sounding doors and cheap switchgear. This isn't one of those sedans. I haven't been able to find VHS cassette-quality plastics anywhere, and there aren't any black plastic pieces that look shiny, inconsistent or that could easily be scratched with a fingernail.
With a starting price of $19,390, this version of the Focus is already attractive on paper. The example I drove was specced up to $22,995 and didn't feel like it needed another $5,000 worth of options thrown at it. A car that feels complete at that price and will top 40 mpg on the interstate? Pretty impressive.
Read more on Autoweek.
