The ford focus is inexpensive, stylish, practical and fun. In our first test, we said, a cruze, in a comparison test right now. The base 2012 ford focus s sedan comes standard with a full center console with storage, a tilt and telescopic steering wheel, power front windows, a 12volt power outlet and a basic audio system with an auxiliary input jack and speedsensitive volume control. Various other 2012 focuses have proven themselves with three comparisontest wins. Chevy cruze, ford focus, hyundai elantra, mazda 3, vw. The fiesta st was honestly in the running for out performance car of the year, and some staffers still prefer the focus.
Car and driver masters of the middle comparo sizes up. This latest ford focus is the best small car for sale in america today. It has stylish looks, fivedoor practicality, a sweet shifter, great seats, and all the equipment you need at an agreeable price. The interior of the ford is sculpted and tailored, while the mazda is slightly more utilitarian. Includes instrumented test data, driving impressions, specs, photos and video. Find out who wins and see photos of them all at car and driver. The focus st satisfies performance fanatics who cant afford the trackready focus rs or want more power and practicality than the terrific albeit tiny ford fiesta st. The 2012 ford focus may be a car worthy of challenging the civic and corolla for the top position in the compact car segment. The 2012 ford focus is the best compact ford has ever built and easily the equal of any import. Ford s warranty program is entirely average among its peers. Read about the new compact ford sedan, get test results, and see photos at car and driver. Totally redesigned, the 2012 ford focus looks, feels, and smells like the future. We found it more comfortable than some of the other compact cars, with roomy, cushy seats and a nice balance between a soft, smooth ride. We also have the latest road tests, track tests, best car lists, and vehicle awards to.
Hyundai elantra, mazda 3, vw jetta comparison test car and driver. It makes its claim as the technology and fuelmileage leader in the compact car class, a crowded and. The ride is definitely eurofirm, especially compared with softies like the toyota corolla and the. The redesigned 2012 ford focus is sharper, more attractive, and better to drive than its predecessor. Well break down the similarities and differences between these cars to find out which is the better option for most buyers. Compact cars are slightly larger than a subcompact, but smaller than a midsize. The new ford focus takes on the chevy cruze, hyundai elantra, vw jetta, and mazda 3. Car complaints, car problems and defect information latest news. Based on the muchloved european ford focus, the american version carries a level of styling and sophistication previously unknown to compact car buyers. Edmunds compares the 2012 ford focus titanium and the 2011 hyundai elantra limited.
Thats how we wound up near potrero, california, separated from the mexican border by nothing but a rocky brown hill. Judging by the rolling start 560mph test and the top gear acceleration tests, the focus rs and golf r seem to have motors that are much more flexible that the stis old ej25 read. In that comparison test, ford s new focus, in sel trim, emerged victorious over the previous champion, the mazda 3. No longer can focus be called the small ford, as that distinction has been handed.
Compare rankings and see how the cars you select stack up against each other in terms of performance, features, safety, prices and more. Compare cars sidebyside car comparison tool edmunds. Compare cars side by side car comparison tool nadaguides. The sedan pummeled four other runabouts in a recent comparison test, a. Ford focus v holden astra v honda civic v hyundai i30 v kia cerato v mazda 3 v peugeot 308 v subaru impreza v toyota corolla v volkswagen golf by mike costello 24th may 2019 0 comments. Ford was keen that we drive a preproduction 2012 focus out of the public. Compare msrp, invoice pricing, and other features on the 20 ford focus and 20 mazda mazda3 and 20 mitsubishi lancer. Search new and used cars, research vehicle models, and compare cars, all online at. Year 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 20 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000. Car and driver, focus st vs gti comparo ford focus st forum. Ford has cracked the code on the csegment and returned the focus s honor.
Four pocket rockets vie for the title of best hot hatch see all 59 photos. The cruze and focus are an interesting pair of vehicles to compare, because they have similar overall scores but are separated in our rankings by a wide margin. Compare car prices, expert and consumer ratings, features, warranties, fuel economy, incentives and more. On the whole, test drivers report that the 2012 focus is plenty powerful, but not as impressive as the mazda3. The 2012 ford focus gets a groundup redesign and takes on a new role in ford s product lineup. Clearly see their similarities and differences in terms of price, features, performance and more. Five perfectly respectable rides for upandcomers establish a new standard for compact sedans. Sadly, though, it also lost to the focus in an earlier comparison test, so it was not invited back for this round. Honda civic compare rankings and see how the cars you select stack up against each other in terms of performance, features, safety, prices and more. Focus rs was rated somewhere between the 2 and seemed to be the most funexciting.
The only thing useful from the typical automags are the comparison tests, where you can at least understand how cars rate against each other. The hyundai elantra and the ford focus are both offerings in the inexpensive compact sedan category, and both represent some of the best offerings in that class. Passenger window motor is gone and needs to be replaced. In that comparison test, fords new focus, in sel trim, emerged victorious over the previous champion, the mazda 3. Read test results and see photos at car and driver. Ford was keen that we drive a preproduction 2012 focus out of the public eye. Ford loses out a bit on the interior design because, while sporty, it leaves something to be desired in terms of spacing for the driver and frontseat passenger as the dash is taking up a great deal of room. Compare cars side by side to find the right vehicle for you. Our take on the 2012 ford focus with better styling than the chevrolet cruze and better handling than the hyundai elantra, the 2012 ford focus is the most complete package in the compact car market. I would not by a ford their reliability is terrible. Marc urbano ford s 2012 focus, like the cruze, is the result of a domestic automaker exploiting a. In our first test, we said, a cruze, in a comparison test right now, might very well win. If the 2012 focus is the best small car on sale today.