2012 Ford Focus Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 Ford Focus review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 Focus, and includes Ford Focus safety, reliability, and fuel economy information.

The Ford Focus is a compact car sold in five-door hatchback and four-door sedan format. A global car – meaning that it is sold all around the world with similar design, tuning, and packaging elements – the Focus competes with the Chevrolet Cruze, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, Mazda 3, Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Sentra, Subaru Impreza, Suzuki SX4, Toyota Corolla, Volkswagen Golf, and Volkswagen Jetta.

The totally redesigned 2012 Ford Focus is available in five-door hatchback and four-door sedan body styles, in a variety of trim levels ranging from the Focus S Sedan at just under $17,000 to the Focus Titanium Hatchback at more than $29,000 with every option.

The result of a global development program under Ford Motor Company’s “One Ford” business philosophy, the new Focus was developed in Europe and will be sold in 120 countries. Designed to exceed global standards for occupant and pedestrian protection in a crash, the new Focus features Ford’s “Kinetic” design language, long used in Europe and different from the company’s recent U.S. styling direction.

Ford promises top-quality interior materials inside every Focus. Equipment highlights include an available Bluetooth-based Sync with MyFord Touch technology, which replaces the dashboard’s traditional knobs, buttons and displays with colorful LCD screens and touch-sensitive or voice-activated controls. The new Focus is also available with Active Park Assist, HD Radio with iTunes tagging, Intelligent Access with push-button start, a rear view camera, and torque vectoring control.

A Ford Focus Electric model will join the lineup during the first year of production.

Initially, the 2012 Ford Focus will be sold in S, SE, SEL, and Titanium trim levels. The S model is available only in Focus Sedan format. A Focus Electric is also planned for later in the model year, available as a Focus Hatchback.

The Focus S Sedan is reasonably equipped for an entry-level model. It includes air conditioning with cabin filtration, power door locks with remote keyless entry, power blind-spot side mirrors, power front windows, a tilt and telescopic steering wheel, a four-speaker stereo with a CD/MP3 player and an auxiliary audio input jack, cloth seats, and a four-way adjustable driver’s seat. The Focus S Sedan rolls on 15-inch steel wheels with plastic wheel covers, and is equipped with Ford’s Easy Fuel capless fuel filler system. Options are limited to a Ford PowerShift transmission, remote engine starting, a cargo area management system, and a bunch of stuff you really don’t need but that the dealer would like to sell you.

If you’re adding accessories to this Focus S, maybe what you really want is the Focus SE. This model comes with MyKey programmable safety features, Sync hands-free calling and music streaming, power rear windows, automatic headlights, fog lights, and larger 16-inch wheels. It also gets front floor mats, a center console, illuminated entry, and a map pocket on the back of the front passenger’s seat. The Focus SE Hatchback also includes a 60/40-split folding rear seat, a cargo cover, a rear wiper/washer, and a rear spoiler.

The Focus SE is your ticket to a wide variety of options. Cruise control, satellite radio, an upgraded sound system, MyFord Driver Connect, a power moonroof, remote engine starting, a Ford PowerShift transmission, and a variety of alloy wheel choices are available. Or you can choose from a variety of option packages, such as the Sport Package (alloys, sport seats, four-wheel-disc ABS, leather-wrapped steering wheel), the Super Fuel Economy Package (rear spoiler, low-rolling resistance tires, special aerodynamic wheel covers, four-wheel-disc ABS), the Interior Style Package (two-tone leather seats, premium floor mats), or the Winter Package (heated side mirrors, heated front seats, all-weather mats).

The Focus SEL is even better equipped with a standard Ford PowerShift transmission, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, one-touch operation for all four windows, an upgraded sound system, ambient interior lighting, MyFord Driver Connect technology, a HomeLink universal remote, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a 60/40-split folding rear seat (sedan models). The SEL also has 16-inch alloy wheels, four-wheel-disc ABS, upgraded exterior trim, and side marker lamps on the mirrors. Other details include rear floor mats, a rear 12-volt power outlet, dual rear seatback map pockets, reading lights, illuminated visor vanity mirrors, and an overhead console.

MyFord Touch and a Sony premium audio system are optional on the Focus SEL, along with satellite radio, HD Radio, a navigation system, a power moonroof, remote engine starting, and polished 17-inch alloy wheels. Option packages include the Premium Package (leather, 17-inch alloys, rain-sensing wipers, reverse sensing system, auto-dimming rearview mirror), the Winter Package (heated side mirrors with puddle lamps, heated front seats, all-weather mats), the Interior Style Package (two-tone leather, premium mats), and the Parking Technology Package (reversing camera, front parking sensors, Active Park Assist). The Active Park Assist feature helps the driver slot the Focus into a parallel parking space. All the driver needs to do is operate the brake and accelerator pedal while bumper sonar and the electric steering take care of the rest of the operation.

At the top of the Focus lineup sits the Titanium model, which adds Intelligent Access with push-button start, MyFord Touch, a Sony premium sound system, satellite radio, HD Radio, sport bucket front seats, 17-inch alloy wheels, and a spoiler (sedan models). As you might expect, options on this loaded version of the Focus are limited to a power moonroof, remote engine starting, navigation, a selection of machined- or polished-finish alloy wheels, and several option packages. The Winter Package, Parking Technology Package, and Interior Style Package are identical to the Focus SEL models. The Premium Package contains leather, a six-way power driver’s seat, rain-sensing wipers, a reverse sensing system, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. Exclusive to the Titanium model is a Handling Package with 18-inch wheels, a sport suspension, summer performance tires, and a full-size spare.

Initially, every 2012 Ford Focus is equipped with a direct-injected, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with Ti-VCT (twin independent variable camshaft timing). This powerplant makes 160 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 146 pound-feet of torque at 4,450 rpm. It is available in Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (PZEV) tune in some parts of the country.

The Focus S and SE come standard with a five-speed manual gearbox. A new six-speed, dry-clutch, Ford PowerShift automated manual transmission that works just like an automatic is optional on these models and standard on the SEL and Titanium. The PowerShift transmission can be outfitted with SelectShift manual gear selection.

Ford promises fuel economy improvements across the board, with at least one model hitting 40 mpg on the highway. With a manual gearbox, the Focus gets 26 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway. Opt for the PowerShift transmission, and fuel economy improved to 28-city/38-highway (40 highway for the Focus SE with the Super Fuel Economy Package). With SelectShift manual gear selection, the Focus gets 27-city/37-highway.

Ford also includes what it calls torque vectoring control, which works like a limited-slip differential to reduce understeer, improve corner turn-in response, and aid traction. With this, Ford promises “handling characteristics that will flatter novice drivers and reward expert ones.”

Other hardware features include electric power steering and, unusual for the small car class, a four-wheel independent suspension. The Focus S and SE are equipped with front disc brakes; four-wheel-disc brakes are included in the SE Sport Package and on both SEL and Titanium models.

When the Ford Focus Electric arrives, it will be a pure electric car, not a gas/electric hybrid or an electric car with a range-extending gasoline engine. Ford says the Focus Electric will recharge in four hours or less using an available 240-volt charging station. Top speed is 84 mph, but total range is not finalized as this review is written.

Every 2012 Ford Focus is equipped with traction control, stability control, antilock brakes with brake assist, and six airbags. Because the Focus is designed for markets all around the planet, it is engineered to meet crash protection standards for its occupants and for pedestrians in 120 countries.

As this review is written, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not performed crash tests on the redesigned Focus. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, however, says the new Focus is a Top Safety Pick thanks to top-rated performance in the frontal offset-, side- and rear-impact crashworthiness assessments, as well as for roof crush strength.

As for reliability, J.D. Power and Associates is predicting that long-term dependability will be slightly better than average, but Consumer Reports is waiting for additional owner feedback before making any forecasts on this front.

To find out how the redesigned 2012 Focus drives, we borrowed a loaded Titanium model in sedan format, and an SE hatchback equipped with the optional Sport Package and a manual transmission. With few exceptions came away impressed.

This globally designed car’s European influence is obvious in the steering, ride, handling, and braking departments, though we’ll warn potential buyers that the 18-inch wheels, sport-tuned suspension, and low-profile performance tires included in the Titanium Handling Package do produce deterioration in ride comfort. If you like to feel – and hear – the road surface, by all means, sport your Focus up. Otherwise, we’d recommend sticking with standard wheel, tire and suspension setups.

Comfort is also a Focus strong point. The seats look sporty but when you sit in them you’ll find that they’re actually rather flat, seemingly designed to accommodate folks that spend a little too much time noshing in front of the TV and not enough time guzzling water on the hiking trail. Though flat, they’re supportive, and in combination with the tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel, it’s easy to get comfortable behind the wheel.

The back seat is comfortable, too, even if legroom is lacking. The bottom cushion sits high off the floor, providing great thigh support. And the front seatbacks are plush and padded, so even if passengers’ knees and shins are in full contact with the front seats the level of discomfort is minimal.

A stylish interior includes soft-touch materials where you’re likely to rest your arms, and the dashboard is also soft to the touch. Ford has improved gloss and graining, too, giving the Focus an upscale look and feel. Controls are laid out logically, though some items take on a unique shape and appearance.

As is expected in a compact car, there is some noise, vibration, and harshness that reminds occupants that the Focus is designed to compete against other mainstream small cars and not entry-level luxury models. Our early-build Focus Titanium test car’s sport suspension and 18-inch performance tires contributed to an almost excessive level of noise and vibration that came up through the structure and into the cabin. Plus, we discovered that many of the car’s bits and pieces squeaked, creaked, and buzzed. In this regard, our nearly new SE Sport hatchback model proved superior, much quieter and better screwed together.

If there’s anything about the redesigned 2012 Focus that requires immediate improvement, it’s the PowerShift automated manual transmission that buyers who cannot operate a traditional clutch pedal must purchase. PowerShift works like an automatic transmission in terms of operation by the driver, but its inner workings operate like a manual gearbox. We found this transmission to operate unobtrusively most of the time. But on every single drive, no matter how short, PowerShift would do something unexpected, or fail to do something expected, drawing negative attention to itself.

For this reason, we much prefer the standard manual gearbox that came in our SE Sport hatchback test car. With this transmission, the Focus went from frustrating to drive to fun to drive. Unfortunately, Ford offers a manual transmission only on the SE model, so if you want the SEL or Titanium, you’re stuck with PowerShift.

Both of our test cars disappointed in terms of fuel economy. We averaged 24.6 mpg with the Focus Titanium Sedan, which sounds pretty good until you consider that EPA fuel economy ratings are 27 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway, for a combined rating of 31 mpg. We missed that combined number by 6.4 mpg, and it wasn’t because we crept along in traffic for 400 miles.

The SE Sport with the manual transmission delivered 28.7 mpg during our testing, which is great until you find out that our number included a five-hour round trip run on freeways. Considering that, we should have landed much closer to the EPA’s 37-mpg highway estimate.

An additional benefit with the Focus Hatchback is that it provides greater cargo-carrying flexibility. Whereas the Focus Sedan’s trunk measures 13.2 cubic-feet, the Focus Hatch can carry 23.8 cubes of cargo behind the rear seat. Fold the back seat down, and the car swallows up to 44.8 cu-ft of your stuff.

By all indications, the 2012 Ford Focus appears to be a class leader among compact cars. We must reserve final judgment until further data is available regarding fuel economy, crashworthiness, and reliability, but by all indications, Ford is likely to sell a whole bunch of these new stylish, Euro-bred, upscale little sedans and hatchbacks – especially now that gas costs four bucks per gallon.

By Christian Wardlaw