Ford Focus 2012

[Big Guns]

I went to the motor show yesterday as I'd narrowed the choice for my wife's car down to the Mazda 3, Mitsubishi Lancer and the Ford Focus. The specification of the Ford is so much better than anything else in the class. It comes with a 2000cc engine with 170 bhp and a 6 speed dual clutch Powershift Auto gear box. It has bluetooth, USB/Ipod connectivity, keyless entry, 4 airbags etc etc. The top model has some good gadgets for those people who can't drive like active city stop which automatically applies the brakes if you get too close to another car and active park assist which helps with parallel parking. The 4 door is 959,000 THB for the Titanium and 1,069,000 for the Titanium+ and the 5 door is 969,000 for the Sport and 1,079,000 for the Sport+.

I put a deposit down on the 5 door Sport in black and it should arrive in August as long as its not another Ranger type calamity. Ford included free; insurance, lamina, tax, mats and 500 B of petrol. Also people who bought at the motor show received a 'VIP' package which includes a trip to the factory and a day experiencing the car's technology and safety features. Roll on August it looks like I might be borrowing my wife's new Focus now and then

[culicine]

That was an easy choice:) Lets hope lots of Thais like it, so the resale is better than the previous model. Looks quite upmarket to me and should easily out perform all others in its class.

[Big Guns]

That was an easy choice:) Lets hope lots of Thais like it, so the resale is better than the previous model. Looks quite upmarket to me and should easily out perform all others in its class.

I agree that residuals are a concern. However, looking at the quality and the specification of the car there was nothing else that came close. It really has blown away the others in the class when you compare it to the Mazda, Toyota, Mitsubishi etc. I'm replacing a Honda City so I would have considered the Civic but you couldn't even look at the interior. Also the Ford has got some rave reviews from the UK. There were stacks of Thais looking at the Focus so lets hope the residuals improve.

[funcat]

...and also has a telescopic adjustable steering wheel,which makes it very comfortable...

[WarpSpeed]

No diesels on this new model yet though correct? Are those city safety features you mentioned such as automatic braking automatic or is it possible to disable them with buttons?

[bubba]

Big Guns - what sort of entertainment centre comes with the Titanium+? Is it the LCD display and includes GPS? Looks like all that is included in the American version, but it's hard to tell from the limited information on the Ford Thailand site.

[Big Guns]

Big Guns - what sort of entertainment centre comes with the Titanium+? Is it the LCD display and includes GPS? Looks like all that is included in the American version, but it's hard to tell from the limited information on the Ford Thailand site.

I don't know if it includes GPS. It has an LCD screen, it has USB connectivity and bluetooth which allows your phone to synchronise with the car. From what I understand the dealers won't have cars until about July. If you want to see the car and its various features I would recommend that you go to the motor show.

[VocalNeal]

I put a deposit down on the 5 door Sport in black and it should arrive in August ....

I should've had a v8RS

[bubba]

I had a chance to see the new Focus at the motorshow last week, and answer my own question. No, the top line Focus does not have GPS, unfortunately. Actually, the entertainment system appears to be sort of downgraded from what I saw on the American Ford Focus site, which is a disappointment. It seems sort of odd that For dumped GPS while they retained the expensive active assist automatic parking feature, which I doubt many of us would use frequently in Bangkok since there is very little street parking anyway. I use GPS with traffic updates nearly constantly when I am driving and would gladly trade our the automatic parking feature for GPS. Also, for some reason, the American version has two USB ports located inside the armrest compartment, while the Thai version has a single USB port that is located at the bottom of the dashboard panel, and requires some sort of strange twin plug adapter to connect your iPhone. And of course the adapter is not included.

All in all, I was impressed with the specs, and it's a nice looking car for the price, but sort of disappointed that they cut corners on the entertainment centre panel technology, especially with the lack of a GPS option. Nissan even put GPS into their top model pickups now.

By the way, by the time I got round the the motorshow last Thursday, they were quoting September delivery.

[culicine]

I hope that sunroof has a real dark tint too:) Looks cool, but not sure it's a good idea for this climate.

[FarangBuddha]

I hope that sunroof has a real dark tint too:) Looks cool, but not sure it's a good idea for this climate.

I'm sure there is a sliding screen...like the Mazda 3.

[culicine]

I hope that sunroof has a real dark tint too:) Looks cool, but not sure it's a good idea for this climate.

I'm sure there is a sliding screen...like the Mazda 3.

Probably, but I wasn't really looking for that when I saw it from the inside. Would hope it's got one! Would be nice on those cool mornings up in the mountains (a few times a year:)

[Pdaz]

Shame there is no manual gearbox option for people who enjoy driving

[culicine]

Shame there is no manual gearbox option for people who enjoy driving

Not for bkk use though. And this box will shift faster than any manual anyway to keep you in the power band.

[WarpSpeed]

Shame there is no manual gearbox option for people who enjoy driving

Not for bkk use though. And this box will shift faster than any manual anyway to keep you in the power band.

More misinformation, a transmission can not predict the need to shift so therefore it only responds when you press the accelerator but a human can see what's coming and downshift (upshift to some) well before it's required to be prepared for acceleration thus bringing the RPM's up into power range.. The only time an auto is quicker is in a straight line for all upshifts like drag racing..

And BTW a "sun" roof is just for that, "sun" so this is the perfect climate for one and there is always a screen as another poster mentioned and they usually have a venting feature too which allows it to vent the car without getting rain inside so it's perfect for hot climates and even if not when you first get in and the car's hot if you open it the cooling effect is substantial and dramatic venting from the top..

Edited April 10, 2012 by WarpSpeed

[VocalNeal]

More misinformation, a transmission can not predict the need to shift so therefore it only responds when you press the accelerator but a human can see what's coming and downshift (upshift to some) well before it's required to be prepared for acceleration thus bringing the RPM's up into power range.. The only time an auto is quicker is in a straight line for all upshifts like drag racing..

But modern constant mesh, multiple clutch gearboxes have steering wheel mounted buttons or stick shift +/- so one can do just that, if speed and rpm are compatible.

But yes this is true: Relatively lengthy shift time when shifting to a gear ratio which the transmission ECU did not anticipate (around 1100 ms, depending on the situation)

Edited April 10, 2012 by VocalNeal

[WarpSpeed]

More misinformation, a transmission can not predict the need to shift so therefore it only responds when you press the accelerator but a human can see what's coming and downshift (upshift to some) well before it's required to be prepared for acceleration thus bringing the RPM's up into power range.. The only time an auto is quicker is in a straight line for all upshifts like drag racing..

But modern constant mesh, multiple clutch gearboxes have steering wheel mounted buttons or stick shift +/- so one can do just that, if speed and rpm are compatible.

But yes this is true: Relatively lengthy shift time when shifting to a gear ratio which the transmission ECU did not anticipate (around 1100 ms, depending on the situation)

Yes they do and I have test driven this exact model, well to be accurate the previous model but no significant difference and I can tell you while it is very smooth and quick there is still a delay that doesn't exist on a true manual. They also will resist changing up (or down depending on your terminology) at certain rpm's they are programmed as potentially damaging but as the driver I want to be the judge of that not my transmission..

Edited April 10, 2012 by WarpSpeed

[steveromagnino]

there is a substantial difference between the DSG type gear boxes (a true clutchless manual car like what you find on a VW or Porsche which is engaging the gear above and below so you can manually change gears when you want and it goes straight into the next gear) and some of the paddle shifter 'manuals' which are more like an auto where you have some ability to select gears, but it makes changes in its own time using the 'brain' of the control unit. many of the paddle shifter units are not the dual clutch system, some are.

The VW Golf 7 speed DSG is well worth a test drive, it supposedly outperforms a manual with clutch gear box in quite a few operations, although many purists still don't like it.

[VocalNeal]

The VW Golf 7 speed DSG is well worth a test drive, it supposedly outperforms a manual with clutch gear box in quite a few operations, although many purists still don't like it.

Maybe Ford is inferior it was DSC I was referring to, Polo GTI. Purist maybe but some road testers say it is good enough for them. They don't mind on a Polo if there is no mechanical manual option. I think in a situation where a down shift is anticipated a change to sport mode would probably be good as well.

Edited April 10, 2012 by VocalNeal

[Big Guns]

The Ford is the only car with a dual clutch auto gearbox in its class i.e circa 1m THB cars. Unfortunately it doesn't have paddle shift its got a button on the side of the gear stick. Its also the most powerful car in its class with 170 bhp. In Thailand comparisons with a VW Golf are a bit pointless unless you want to spend another 1m THB. Personally I'd rather spend the extra cash on a Ducati and I did If the Focus turns out to be ok I might buy a ranger 3.2 if they ever get round to building them.

[WarpSpeed]

The VW Golf 7 speed DSG is well worth a test drive, it supposedly outperforms a manual with clutch gear box in quite a few operations, although many purists still don't like it.

Maybe Ford is inferior it was DSC I was referring to, Polo GTI. Purist maybe but some road testers say it is good enough for them. They don't mind on a Polo if there is no mechanical manual option. I think in a situation where a down shift is anticipated a change to sport mode would probably be good as well.

I'll tell you something else to consider, when doing a repair the DSG is a specialty item and as such requires expensive qualified mechanics and parts and this gap is getting wider the more technology advances so I'll opt for a simple clutch change on occasion instead of mortgaging my house to get my DSG repaired, thinking more long term of course which is a consideration in resale..

Edited April 10, 2012 by WarpSpeed

[WarpSpeed]

The Ford is the only car with a dual clutch auto gearbox in its class i.e circa 1m THB cars. Unfortunately it doesn't have paddle shift its got a button on the side of the gear stick. Its also the most powerful car in its class with 170 bhp. In Thailand comparisons with a VW Golf are a bit pointless unless you want to spend another 1m THB. Personally I'd rather spend the extra cash on a Ducati and I did If the Focus turns out to be ok I might buy a ranger 3.2 if they ever get round to building them.

The new Focus has a button on the gear shift now?? Gawd that's aweful!! Last years model had the gear shift moving foward and back to shift and I liked that as it's more natural but a button? No way!!

Edited April 10, 2012 by WarpSpeed

[VocalNeal]

The Ford is the only car with a dual clutch auto gearbox in its class i.e circa 1m THB cars. Unfortunately it doesn't have paddle shift its got a button on the side of the gear stick. Its also the most powerful car in its class with 170 bhp.

I agreed with the car and motor bike choice but I think you need to cast your net a bit wider as far as car selection is concerned. You might find 178hp.

thinking more long term of course which is a consideration in resale..

That's where you and I differ. I would just buy the car I want to drive not the car I want to sell to someone else.

Edited April 11, 2012 by VocalNeal

[Big Guns]

The Ford is the only car with a dual clutch auto gearbox in its class i.e circa 1m THB cars. Unfortunately it doesn't have paddle shift its got a button on the side of the gear stick. Its also the most powerful car in its class with 170 bhp.

I agreed with the car and motor bike choice but I think you need to cast your net a bit wider as far as car selection is concerned. You might find 178hp.

thinking more long term of course which is a consideration in resale..

That's where you and I differ. I would just buy the car I want to drive not the car I want to sell to someone else.

Which circa 1m THB medium size car has 178 bhp? I must have missed it. At the end of the day its the wife's car and as she's coming from a 120 bhp City I reckon its enough.

[WarpSpeed]

thinking more long term of course which is a consideration in resale..

That's where you and I differ. I would just buy the car I want to drive not the car I want to sell to someone else.

No we don't differ on that point I do the same thing but that's the prevailing thinking here in LOS both with expats and with the locals so that's the position I took..

[WarpSpeed]

The Ford is the only car with a dual clutch auto gearbox in its class i.e circa 1m THB cars. Unfortunately it doesn't have paddle shift its got a button on the side of the gear stick. Its also the most powerful car in its class with 170 bhp.

I agreed with the car and motor bike choice but I think you need to cast your net a bit wider as far as car selection is concerned. You might find 178hp.

thinking more long term of course which is a consideration in resale..

That's where you and I differ. I would just buy the car I want to drive not the car I want to sell to someone else.

Which circa 1m THB medium size car has 178 bhp? I must have missed it. At the end of the day its the wife's car and as she's coming from a 120 bhp City I reckon its enough.

More then enough IMO.

[culicine]

Shame there is no manual gearbox option for people who enjoy driving

Not for bkk use though. And this box will shift faster than any manual anyway to keep you in the power band.

More misinformation, a transmission can not predict the need to shift so therefore it only responds when you press the accelerator but a human can see what's coming and downshift (upshift to some) well before it's required to be prepared for acceleration thus bringing the RPM's up into power range.. The only time an auto is quicker is in a straight line for all upshifts like drag racing..

Yes we can see how much faster the manual is than a dsg is around a track here. A focus won't do this though, no paddle shifters.

Edited April 11, 2012 by culicine

[Lopburi99]

I just tonight discovered the upcoming new Focus. Seems awesome, and a real looker too. Incredible technology. Price is right when compared with (for instance) a Toyota Altis which is old-world compared to the new Focus. We are taking delivery of our new Altis in the next few days. Had the new Focus been already in production I would take a close look at it before closing on the Altis. Candy Red/black interior - gorgeous. Save your keystrokes - I know how the impracticality of that combo.

[Jim's_a_Thai_Fox]

I had a chance to see the new Focus at the motorshow last week, and answer my own question. No, the top line Focus does not have GPS, unfortunately. Actually, the entertainment system appears to be sort of downgraded from what I saw on the American Ford Focus site, which is a disappointment. It seems sort of odd that For dumped GPS while they retained the expensive active assist automatic parking feature, which I doubt many of us would use frequently in Bangkok since there is very little street parking anyway. I use GPS with traffic updates nearly constantly when I am driving and would gladly trade our the automatic parking feature for GPS. Also, for some reason, the American version has two USB ports located inside the armrest compartment, while the Thai version has a single USB port that is located at the bottom of the dashboard panel, and requires some sort of strange twin plug adapter to connect your iPhone. And of course the adapter is not included.

All in all, I was impressed with the specs, and it's a nice looking car for the price, but sort of disappointed that they cut corners on the entertainment centre panel technology, especially with the lack of a GPS option. Nissan even put GPS into their top model pickups now.

By the way, by the time I got round the the motorshow last Thursday, they were quoting September delivery.

Hi there,

I have the Fiesta 1.6 S and if it has a similar sound system, don't worry about the iPhone adapter cables.... you play anything on the iPhone via the bluetooth (and if you call, it stops the audio and restarts where you left off)

I initially had the AU cable for the iPhone, but only found out I could play podcasts/audio over the bluetooth after about two weeks!

As an aside, the dual clutch on my Fiesta is horrid. It hols gears 2 and 3 for far too long and feels like it 'rides the clutch' when it doesn;t have to. I don't know if it is feature of the car, but if I accelerate slowly in first, the rest of the gear changes will happen around 2000RPM and change quickly. It's only when I rev past 2000 RPM in first that a second sequence of gear changes comes in, those at higher revs.... this is super annoying at low, city speeds as numerous times I am driving in third doing 2200-2300 RPM and it doesnt change for several seconds (it feels a lot longer)... along with the obvious loss of fuel economy, it makes for a much jerkier ride at low speeds as any engine braking is higher. I took it in to Ford as it was driving me bonkers - they said ;it's normal'.

I am seriously considering selling it and getting a manual. any manual.

Cheers

James

[sjonburi]

fyi

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/639599-ford-focus-fiesta-mk3-2012-transmission-update-resolves-dct-gearbox-shudder-grinding/