2005 Ford Focus Review

Specifications

Ford Takes the Safe Route to Combine Performance and Reliability

The Ford Focus made its way to North America in 1999 as a 2000 model, after having graced the streets of Europe for quite a bit longer. Unlike the domestic-made Escort that preceded it, the Focus has also made its way into the hearts of auto enthusiasts due to its sporty handling and offbeat yet alluring styling.

After a rocky beginning of recall after recall, Fords smallest entry has become a paragon of reliability. Its currently one of the top picks in the small car segment according to leading independent consumer advocacy groups that track vehicle quality and reliability. Furthermore, the Focus has earned itself a spot next to Honda with regards to initial quality, as surveyed by J.D. Power & Associates, putting it well above the industry average.

Now in its second generation in North America - in reality only version 1.5 as the actual version 2 Focus will not be available in North America for at least two years - the Focus has received new enhancements to its 2005 lineup including a 24 percent increase in horsepower to the base model and a 32 percent reduction in tailpipe emissions for all trim levels.

A new ST sedan has also been added, combining the chassis components of Ford of Europes Focus ST170 and SVT Focus, plus the North American debut of the upgraded 2.3-liter version of Fords new Duratec 4-cylinder engine family.

When I look at the Focus (excluding the SVT Focus), sporty isnt an adjective that immediately comes to mind. Practical, nice-looking, and affordable, however, are descriptive words that do. With the introduction of Fords latest performance sedan, the all-new 2005 Focus ZX4 ST, sporty was bound to make its way into my Focus vocabulary. Although new to the lineup, it shares the same redesigned bodywork as its siblings; a new hood, fenders, larger headlamps with reshaped clear lenses, a larger grille with a new crosshatch pattern ringed in chrome, and a new front fascia that incorporates a wide lower air intake and new circular fog lamps (the latter on selected models). Also, a new harder steel alloy is used for the hood, and the plastic fascia is now 11 percent thicker. Exclusive to the sedans are new taillamps and a new rear bumper fascia.

Overall, the exterior styling upgrades make the sedan look a little sportier and less frumpy than its predecessor, but its the STs engine performance and dynamic handling that spell SPORTY in bold letters all over its bright red paint scheme. As mentioned, the ST comes equipped with a new free revving 2.3-liter, 16-valve, Duratec 23, I-4 engine derived from the same family as the Duratec 20, but its larger displacement and performance-tuned exhaust help it to produce 10 percent more horsepower and 16 percent more torque. Developing 150 horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 154 lb-ft of torque at 4,250 rpm, the Focus features a well-endowed engine for its compact class.

I found it as responsive when I put my foot on the throttle as its 150 horsepower specs suggest. Harnessing the power is a well-engineered 5-speed manual gearbox. The shifts were short and smooth while the clutch was stiff, but not unpleasant. Unfortunately
(fortunately for me though), the ST only comes with the one transmission.

The Focus smooth and stable ride comes from its four-wheel independent suspension, as well as a little spike in the mix; the combination of the same front struts and rear shocks used on the European Focus ST170 and the 2004 Focus SVT, making the setup 50 percent stiffer than that used with the SE and SES suspensions. I found the sport-tuned suspension to be a good balance of ride comfort and handling prowess, sporty enough without the need to feel each and every the pebble on the road. Also helping the handling is a hot set of Pirelli P205/50R16 all-season radials wrapped over 16-inch aluminum alloy wheels. These accompany a solid set of 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS, which performed all they were asked to do during a particularly soggy summer week flawlessly.

What wasnt so hot about the Focus however, was the interior. Although the 2005 models pride themselves on a new and improved instrument panel, I was not impressed.
First off, the two-tone black plastic and imitation carbon-fiber trim didnt flow that well. I was also confused as to why the placement of the cigarette lighter was directly beside the volume control of the optional 6-disc in-dash stereo system. Often when I reached to turn the tunes up or down, I ended up turning the cig lighter. I am sure Ford could have found a better place for this amenity instead of by the stereo. Furthermore, the lighter, which showed some pretty cheap looking metal trim at its base, looked as though it was placed in the random spot solely out of convenience to the engineers putting the center stack together. Not a plus in my books.

Another negative was the fact that there was a wire peeking out of the steering column. I could literally touch and pull the black and yellow strands right out of the steering wheel. Isnt that just a tad dangerous? Bottom line, wires poking out of steering columns are unacceptable. Not only does the gap look cheap, it could potentially be dangerous.

I also found that the cabin got quite noisy because of the performance-tuned exhaust. While such is the case with most cars in this class, Dodges SRT-4 being the most aggressively tuned, it was a little much in a car sporting only 150 horsepower. Perhaps I would have liked it better if there was more grunt under my right foot. Dont get me wrong, the ST is a performance machine and needs a sporty exhaust note to enhance the driving experience, but it could have been toned down just a smidge. But on the bright side, even though the Focus doesnt offer the most attractive interior, it is an easy panel to navigate from.

Looking back on a weeks commuting, the Focus ST experience was mainly a positive one. As mentioned, the handling and engine are great. The many standard features, including fog lamps, air conditioning, remote keyless entry, power door locks, airbags, heated front seats and heated power mirrors, also made my test week more enjoyable. The Focus covers all the bases in standard trim, and my test car even featured more optional goodies such as a perimeter alarm, a 6-disc in-dash CD changer with Fords Audiophile stereo upgrade, and side impact airbags.

Fuel consumption was also commendable, at 23 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway. Thats not bad considering how it was to get from point A to B.

If youre wondering why Ford chose to stick with its 7-year old first generation Focus architecture in bringing the updated 2005 model to market, youre not the first. After all, European Ford customers get the much improved generation-two car, which shares architecture with the celebrated Mazda3 and all-new Volvo S40/V50. Just the same, in order to make sure its smallest car remains as one of the categorys most reliable, Fords domestic leaders chose to go with a proven design rather than be left working the bugs out of the new car. The last thing the domestic automaker needs is a bunch of recalls to once again tarnish its image, an image it has worked hard to repair since the inception of Focus gen-one.

So its up to you to decide if Fords domestic execs made the right decision. As for me, Ive made up my mind. Other than interior tactile quality, something few of its rivals do a very good job of either, the 2005 Focus is more fun to drive than many of its competitors despite riding on an “outdated” chassis. Id choose dependability over a few points in performance enhancements any day of the week, and I think most small car buyers will agree.