Test drive Ford Focus sedan since 2010 sedan
Native, but not "folk"
Modern Ford Focus in the global sense is five assembly products in five key markets The third Ford Focus came out. In Europe. It will appear in us in September (dealers will begin to accept orders somewhere in June). It would seem that the owners of second -generation cars are just right to howl from annoyance and start to save money on a new product. But not everything is so simple: this Focus will no longer be cheap, because it will perform in a more prestigious segment with Golf and Opel Astra.
This is not an assumption. Fact. The management of the Russian branch of the company made it clear that with the strengthening of the positions of class B+ (like VW Polo Sedan), it would not be possible to attract a client due to a low basic value. And despite the fact that from the second quarter of 2010 the sales of the current model grew steadily, it was still decided to send the new product to increase.
However, there is a share of cunning. A car with such an option cannot be cheap in principle. Active damper in the front air intake, a stop-start system, control of dead zones and markings, automatic recognition of road signs is clear that most of these lotions were first drove on Volvo, engineers did not experience any special technological problems with their adaptation. But in any case, they need to be paid off, as well as all other innovations, at least new Ecoboost engines. And in general, it does not matter to the manufacturer that we will not see most of them on Russian cars. On this occasion, by the way, we can only sympathize with us. Focus goes very cool with the new weapons.
Our acquaintance began with a top 163-horsepower turbodiesel. The transmission already known to domestic users PowerShift with two clutches. And for the car, this tandem is almost perfect, unless, of course, lower the little things such as the price tag of the unit itself and the cost of customs clearance.
I would not say that such a Focus shoots or somehow breathtakingly burns in the entire speed range. But it goes extremely evenly. Like a trolleybus. Click the gas accelerates, let go inhibits. And the reactions to the gas pedal are almost non -unique. Everything is within reason and even a little more. Yes, and the transmission is fine. According to the racing track with such a box, you switch it quickly, but in general, it is configured to a fairly calm rhythm of movement. It is worth crushing the pedal electronics begins to make mistakes with the choice, striving to turn on the increased in the ascent, then throw off a couple of steps when it is categorically not necessary. In a calm rhythm, it is almost perfect.
The engine start button for Ford models is quite familiar. But not for Focus. The same applies to most other equipment, in the concentration of which the novelty was equal to the Volvo C30.
I suspect that a 140-horsepower version with the same box (and this tandem seems to be in Russian specifications) will go about the same way, another thing is that only two or three desperate madmen will buy it, for whom the dynamics is more important than the size of the car and ephemeral the prestige of a separate body type. The rest will go in the old fashioned way: only cheap Focus can be better than Focus.
The image on the FOCUS instrument panel is interactive: when the near light is turned on, headlights appear on it, and in motion on the sides the current road marking is displayed. A pair of round windows on top is intended for signs in the area of \u200b\u200bthe action of which you are.
In such a situation, the prospects for gasoline 1.6 EcoBoost are not at all visible. They are not in principle, as it did not have ST or the poisonous green RS. Two or three show-off students who decided to ruin daddy for one and a half to two stolen million, and the same number of rich enthusiasts who would let coup on weekends at some pseudo-detective all. The rest, at the mention of a particular abbreviation, wrinkled their foreheads, knocked out knowingly and went behind the 100-horsepower Focus 1.4 with and without ABS. By the way, this modification was finally sent to the landfill. Now the weakest will be the good old 100-horsepower 1.6, who made the cashier the first two generations. He would also be in the scrap, but who will go for it?
Now, if we suddenly, when buying a car, stopped staring at the price list, trying to get a couple of extra rubles, it turned out that in addition to Priora, Nexia and Logan, there are a lot of cool cars on the market. And instead of the peas made under the king, but cheaply in operation and reliable four (sometimes spitting valves a couple of months after the end of the warranty) there are very good modern motors. And the third Focus is a gasoline Ecoboost. In pairs with mechanics, he makes a hatchback quite combat -ready. Not a track car, of course, however, somewhere in the vicinity of Rome from the old local Punto you will no longer lag behind, even if you learned to drive only in a straight line. The main thing is not to drop turns.
The 6-speed mechanics are good, but the pre-sequential KP is both more convenient and faster.
However, this engine will not come to us even because it will simply choke on domestic gasoline. Gentlemen from Ford do not directly talk about this, but everything, as they say, is read between the lines. And Moscow has nothing to do with it: in the Focus regions have recently been bought no worse than in the capital, but urine tests collected in all nearby clinics, for some reason called automobile gasoline, are not more common there. And such a biofuel was not yet taught to digest this engine. In extreme cases, lead, and even then not for long. In a similar situation, everything will remain in the minus: the owner will spend his nerves on communication with the dealer and a couple of thousand euros for repairs, the seller, and in his face, Ford will lose the location of the client. So, the Americans will earn less, which, of course, is unacceptable.
Moreover, they still need to beat off the money spent on the design. The outgoing Focus is incredibly bored. It was built in the image and likeness. Given the success of the first generation, it was justified, but if the third went along the same path, it would be crash. In general, the guys thought better of it in time, and the newcomer received an exterior in the spirit of the current Fiesta. From the predecessor, but only a characteristic profile of lateral glazing remained
Unlike a second -generation car in the third Focus, sitting is much more convenient. The chairs are located below and the adjustments ranges are now larger.
The car is beautiful, fresh, sports. And this, notice, a five -door! They generally abandoned the cropped version. But the main thing Focus has finally became cheerful and bright. These qualities were always not enough like air, the third now easily settles in Astra's gaining momentum if it does not push it at all.
At the same time, it is strong from all sides. A rectilinear to a dentistry of the predecessor with a dull, stuck in the middle of zero architecture also remained in the past. A new style of style compared to it. It looks great. At first, of course, the brain from such a Nephord number of buttons and equipment simply refuses to think, but then you get used to anything. Moreover, the salon begins to like. And, perhaps, even more than no less pleasant and high -quality interior of the already mentioned Opel.
When under the false floor, the trunk seems large. Our wheel will be full -sized, and will eat about 30 liters.
Inside, literally everything starting with tactile and visual sensations and ending with planting. But just nothing was needed: to take the finished Fiesta panel, slightly inflated it and work more carefully on the structure. Everything, the car is ready. Believe it, many will perceive it, especially in Russia, where even the rise in the cost of Focus has to rest on the laurels of his predecessor for more than one year.
The seats are also good. On the current version, they are quite tough and keep in principle well in the second generation, they had to sit very high. The average driver may not have felt this, but, being a decent healthy man, your correspondent was able to find his landing only in a very sports ST, although in that case it was inappropriate to talk about any comfort. Focus III pleased with very worthy ergonomics. As in the native German cars.
Yes, and he rides almost the same. Almost noise, holds straight. And even in giant puddles. But the suspension density was more impressed. Ford finally had a smooth move. In principle, the old chassis was well tuned, but here almost Volkswagen reactions and composure. Obviously, everything will be simpler with us, at least with regard to sound insulation. Perhaps the suspensions will be shaken, so that the car is better to walk along the launders. And then you can forget about smoothness. Or maybe everyone will leave it as it is. In the end, he is not with VW Polo Sedan now to compete, but with Golf or Astra. In general, only the folk Focus III can be better than the folk Focus II. Someone disagree? There is Polo for you.
Ford Focus III
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions (mm) 4358x1858x1484
Wheel base (mm) 2648
Mass (kg) 1333
Trunk volume (L) 2771062
Engine operating (cm3) 1596
Max. Power (L.S.) 150
Max. Twisting the moment (Nm) 240
Max. Speed \u200b\u200b(km/h) 210
Acceleration 0100 km/h (c) 8.6
Cf. fuel consumption (l/100 km) 6.0
Price (rub.) N.D.
competitors
New Edge
The slogan New Edge, once proclaimed by the revived Ford, today is the best suited for Opel Astra. The old model (which is still sold in Russia) is good, and it looks good in general, but there is no emotionality and charisma in it. And in the new model there is, which, in fact, is confirmed by sales: more than 100 thousand throughout Europe and many months of queue with us. And what is characteristic, this car cannot be called cheap from 580,000 rubles. This means that the new Focus has at least the same chances of success ...
Source: MKOMBIL MASTOM [March 2011]
