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2007 Ford Focus Sedan SE Road Test

After years of trying to build and sell a true world car with limited (at best)success, in 1999 Ford introduced the Focus. It’s a car that from its debut won accolade after accolade and seemed to make all the right moves to be a standout in the small car class. And then the recalls started to roll in… but at least it showed that Ford was on the ball in making sure its cars were as reliable and as safe as could be. A lot of hopes were pinned on the Focus to be the small, sporty car to give the Civic and Corolla a run for their money, however it was not to be as the Focus suffered from discontent and therefore discounting as the model years ticked by. Ironically, the car that would challenge the Civic and Corolla turned out to be the Mazda3, itself built on the platform that underpins the 2nd Generation European Ford Focus! A new Focus

Focus, with rally-inspired body kit, and rally-inspired dusting of snow. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

arrives for 2008 (no, it’s still not based on the Euro platform, although significant revisions were made); a coupe is new but gone are the hatchback and station wagon.

I decided to drive a Pitch Black 2007 SE sedan with the charcoal cloth interior before the new(er) one arrives in the fall. I liked the original Focus somuch I almost bought one to replace my 1996 Contour. On my suggestion my brother in law did buy a 2000 model and although it’s been in the shop to remedy those recalls, it's been otherwise trouble free for almost 120,000 miles. Good reliability

Interior trails in style and quality, though the ergonomics are good. Chunky steering wheel rocks. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

is one of the reasons why the Focus has landed on the Consumer Guide’s Recommended Buy list six years running (model year 2001 through 2006).

The first thing I noticed upon sliding into the driver’s seat was that the quality of the interior has been moved quite a bit down-market since the car's debut. It’s not cheap, per se, or a bad place to spend time, it’s just that some of the cost cutting has become evident. The seats are comfortable and supportive and heat up very fast when the optional seat heaters are installed, which is great on cold snowy nights. Since it was dark when I picked up the Focus, I reached for the radio and mistook the cigarette lighter for the power/volume knob,as they are

2.0-litre inline-four might be getting on in age, but it's zippy and thrifty. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

side by side and the same size. Other than that, the ergonomics are quite good. On the road the Focus is still very tossable and the steering is fantastic; no electric trickery here. It’s a hydraulic rack and pinion system that's very precise and has superb feel. Thanks to the much lauded “control blade” independent rear suspension system, its overall handling is also very sharp. Yes, if you haven't guessed, it's a very fun car to drive. The 5-speed transmission is easy to shift too, and the clutch is effortless.

My SE model was equipped with a 136 horsepower 2.0-liter Duratec four-cylinder with 136 lb-ft of torque. The engine is adequate power-wise, and although a bit coarse it gets decent fuel economy, consuming a mere 27 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway (besting the smaller Chevrolet Aveo in the city and matching it on the highway), but still behind the class for refinement. With

An efficient, fun car. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

the manual transmission, the Focus feels quicker than it actually is, which is a bit of a rarity these days. A 2.3-liter four-cylinder of Mazda origin with 151 horsepower is optional on the top ST model, though it’s only available on the sedan and can only be had with a manual transmission.

The Focus in SE trim starts at a price of $16,099, but mine had quite a few options such as power windows, the aforementioned quick-heating seats and power heated mirrors of the winter package, a 6-disc CD changer and a few aero add-ons. A sporty body kit with 15-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, tachometer, and leather-wrapped steering wheel. Rounding out the new additions for this year are a host of eye-catching colors like Kiwi Green, Aqua Blue and Vermillion. Add every option on (leather included) and the total sticker price jumps to $20,610, which is a bit much for a car of this age and specification. However, it’s pretty easy to negotiate a discount on a Focus, so don't let the list price scare you away. In fact, I would seriously consider one over a similarly priced subcompact.

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