With worthy contenders making their presence felt in the B as well as pick-up truck segments, Ford now feels the time is ripe to introduce a new model to the C segment – the all new Ford Focus.
The new Focus, which we had the pleasure of taking out for a spin in Thailand’s scenic seaside haven of Krabi last month, comes in both sedan and hatchback form and is expected to be priced between RM120,000 and RM135,000 – depending on the choice of variant which comes in Titanium, Titanium + (both sedans), Sport and Sport + (both hatchbacks).
According to Ford, all four variants will be powered by the new 2.0L Duratec Ti-VCT GDi Petrol engine that is mated with a Powershift six-speed automatic transmission.
It is said that the new Focus will be available in 120 markets around the world, and 80 per cent of the parts will be shared worldwide.
"This is to ensure that the quality of the Focus will be the same wherever you drive it across the globe," said Jon Buttress, Ford's C-segment car chief for Asia Pacific and Africa.
David Westerman, Ford's Asia Pacific regional manager said: "Ford is confident that with the introduction of the Focus, it will be able to capture 30 per cent market share in the C-segment, as it has first-in-class features like the Active Park Assist, Active City Stop, Blind Spot Information System, and the Sync voice command system by Microsoft."
Design wise, the new Focus looks sharper than the model it replaces. It is now sleeker, more aerodynamic and sports a bolder appearance, thanks to the eye-catching front fascia and tail lamp.
Unlike the previous generation of sedan, which didn’t look as exciting as its hatchback counterpart, the new sedan, in our opinion, actually looks better than the hatchback.
Inside is where the Focus' real strength lies. Once it is launched here, it will be one of the most technologically advanced cars in its class. It has not one or two, but four features that are class leading, with the first being the Ford Sync system powered by Microsoft.
The feature enables connectivity with mobile devices and media players via Bluetooth or USB. It also enables access to digital music, make phone calls and even read text messages by using voice control. All you have to do is press a button, and say the necessary command out loud.
After trying it out for some time, we realised that as advanced as Sync may initially seem, it turned out to be very easy to use. Unlike some voice command systems that only recognise American or British accents, the Sync system in the new Focus could pick up our instructions without any problems, even when it was dealing with thick Chinese and Indian accents.
The new Focus is not only a car that you can "talk to", but one that can park itself, thanks to the active park assist. This feature, which will be available as standard across the range, allows the Focus to parallel-park itself.
Once activated via a button located at the centre console, the car begins scanning for available parking space, notifying the driver once a space has been identified. The system then calculates the available space and steers automatically into the lot. All the driver needs to do is operate the accelerator and brake pedals.
Also available for the first time in a C-segment car is the "City Stop" feature, where the car will automatically brake when it recognises that that a low speed collision is imminent at speeds below 30 km/h. However, the system can only detect large objects like a car, and not pedestrians or motorcycles.
Another safety feature that is first-in-class is the blind spot information system (BLIS), which alerts the driver when there is a vehicle in the blind spot. Although this feature has been available in many cars before, the Focus is the only car in its segment to offer it.
After driving the Focus on a 255km route along Krabi through a combination of highways and twisty B-roads, we were impressed with the ride quality. The seats provide very good support, even for larger individuals. NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) level is kept low as well.
What impressed us most was the handling. There was minimal bodyroll at tight corners. Surprisingly, the sedan and hatchback both handle just as well despite the difference in length. The only thing we did not like was the “Rocker switch” styled manual override shifters positioned on the gear lever.
Since there are no paddle shifters, and the gear lever cannot be pushed or pulled to shift gears manually, the system required us to press buttons, which means that one hand has to be on the gear lever all the time.
Aside from that, the drive was enjoyable and comfortable. There’s more than enough head and leg space in the front and the rear and the impressive audio system further enhanced the experience.
Overall, the new Focus has imported many features that were once only exclusive in more expensive vehicles. Beyond that, it is also a very exciting car to drive, offering great comfort along with a superb sense of styling.
Although we don’t know how it will fare head-to-head with rivals like the Honda Civic, Volkswagen Jetta and the Toyota Altis, it sure looks like the Focus is primed to give them all a run for their money.
Specifications
Engine: 2.0-litre Ti-VCT GDi direct injection
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Max power: 168hp
Max torque: 202Nm
Fuel consumption: 14.9km/l
Body styles: Five-door hatchback and four-door sedan
Safety: Airbags, ESP, ABS, emergency brake assist, BLIS, active park assist
Price (estimated): RM120,000 - RM135,000
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