Test drive Ford Focus sedan since 2010 sedan
Ford Focus III. Transition to the upper league
Ford Focus III. Price: Not defined. On sale: since autumn 2011 Ford Focus III struck many experts. A completely different car was introduced to the public, which except the name is related to the predecessor. At the same time, the leaders of the American company make high-profile statements: they say, they are ready to compete with premium brands on equal terms. This is not you!
Test pilot
Stanislav Pavlov, 39 years old, editor -in -chief of the magazine, driving experience 21 years, personal car - Mazda6
As often happens, we have two news: good and bad. The good is that soon Ford Focus III will enter the Russian market. Poor news, a popular car stops playing in a cheap segment and goes to the next level. According to Ford Motor top managers, the novelty will now seriously compete with the Audi A3. As a result, the price will increase. How far is unknown.
I was lucky to participate in the test drives of all three generations Focus. I remember very well how, in a prestigious restaurant in the yards of the Golden Ostozhenka, the head of the Moscow branch, shining with pleasure, announced prices for Focus II. Having sustained the Moscow Art Theater, Henrik Nenzen called a truly unreal figure $ 9,000. Yes, as so much was asked for the initial completion of a car from Vsevolozhsk. And not so long ago it was, but that old price tag seems to be fantastic.
Another negligent news: a three -door hatchback leaves the factory’s production program in the Leningrad Region. Yes, I know, the car was taken in small quantities, but what pleasure this two -liter lighter on the handle caused ...
But enough in an old-fashioned way to remember the past, because the time machine has not yet been invented, and the new Focus is already in front of us. On his platform, a dozen more cars will be created that will disperse around the world by millions of print runs. This suggests that we have a really new car, and not carefully disguised restyling.
As for the dimensions of the debutant, they have changed, but it is almost impossible to notice this change. Let's say the wheelbase has become more by one centimeter. The body lengthened as much. But in the width and height of Focus, it became a little less. Design of the novelty ... What are the best characteristics to choose? Modern yes! Extravagant yes! But according to the Hamburg account for an amateur. There was no trace of the previous ascetic-ideal Focus. Something similar happened to Mazda three, which exchanged simplicity falling in love with something complex and obscure.
I get behind the wheel and immediately forget that I am in the car of the car. No, I probably made a mistake and got into the Mark Road, or in the super -secret bathyscaphe. From the abundance of the buttons, ripples in the eyes. To master everything, you will need more than one week. At the presentation of the new Focus, reporters were explained that the new machine differs from its predecessors taking into account the maximum number of wishes of potential buyers. Marketers often use focus groups to identify the most secret dreams of future customers. The method, in principle, is not bad, but it is impossible to please everyone, apparently. During the running tests, Focus earned a solid five. Firstly, wherever you sit, the feeling of comfort does not leave for a second. I specially transplanted from the driver's seat to the place of the right passenger, and then moved to the back row and found no shortcomings. True, it was not possible to ride in the luggage compartment of the station wagon, but there is no doubt about its capacity. Two adults Newfs will fit there without problems.
Praise also deserves visibility. But these are all trifles compared to handling. Focus all generations were famous for this important characteristic, but here it is brought to perfection. The car is tablely obedient that sometimes it seems to guess your thoughts. In fact, this is a well -designed and tuned chassis gives the driver a pleasant feeling of complete obedience from the car. No waywardness, only the fulfillment of the teams of his master. If you figure it out, then the machine still intervenes in the control process. But in some cases, a person notices this, as in the case of a system that prevents the car output from his strip (the steering wheel begins to vibrate), in others everything happens unnoticed. For example, Torque Vectoring Control, slowing down the inner front wheel in a bend, unnoticed. As a result, the car confidently preserves the given trajectory.
The first acquaintance with the novelty took place on the Spanish island of Sherry, where two wonderful engines presented our attention: one 150 -horsepower gasoline, the second 163 -horsepower diesel. Yes, the trouble is, these engines will not supply us to Russia. Therefore, information about Russian units will appear a little later. For those who live in megacities, I unambiguously recommend a robotic box Power Shift, which has earned commendable reviews of all participants in the dough.
In fact, we are not dealing with the next generation of Focus family cars, but with a completely different car. And let us not mislead the slightly changed dimensions. There is almost nothing left of the previous model. Yes, Ford Motor top managers do not hide this, claiming that from now on Focus will compete with representatives of the premium segment. Of course, the price in this case will not remain at the same level. True, on the selected path, a novelty is waiting for one significant threat. The rise in price Focus may stop fighting for first place in the Russian hit parade. If the market marketing from the Ford concern can be preserved by the previous volumes of implementation with an increased price tag, then I can’t say anything but loud brave!
We do not love The robotic box deserves the highest praise. Clear gear shift without the slightest time loss. Perfect
Metalized thresholds indicate a desire to break into a business class. Solid
The driver can carry out many manipulations without tearing his hands away from the steering wheel. Comfortable
Driving
The new Ford Focus deserves the highest rating. And the previous version was good, but now it’s just super!
Salon
Everything is convenient and ergonomic, but a huge number of buttons puzzles.
Comfort
Ford Focus III is able to provide the maximum level of comfort.
Safety
There is no doubt about the Crash tests of Euroncap Focus will receive 5 stars.
Price
The price of the novelty has not yet been determined, but it is clear that it will rise in price.
Advantages and disadvantages
+ Excellent handling, good overview of effective brakes.
- A huge number of buttons in the cabin. Even an experienced driver will deal with this farm for a long time.
Specifications
Mark and model - Ford Focus
Equipped mass - 1258 kg
Dimensions - 4358x1823x1484 mm
Engine - 1.6 Ecoboost, gasoline, 1596 cm3, 182/5700 min -1
Transmission - mechanical, 5 -speed
Dynamics - 222 km/h; 7.9 s to 100 km/h
Fuel consumption - 6.0 l/100 km in mix. cycle
Our opinion
Ford Focus is a car that only the name and size are related to the predecessor. Otherwise, this is a new product designed to compete with higher class machines. Forget about the past. Now Ford Focus seeks to break into a business class.
Author: Stanislav Pavlov
Source: Magazine 5 wheel [April 2011]
