Several years ago, a motor industry marketing person from an upscale marque said something at a media event that I've carried with me ever since: "I've got bad news for you journalists: people don't buy cars. They buy brands."
If that's true, then Ford has a problem with the new Focus. It's a brilliant new model, with a level of build quality and chassis sophistication that puts it absolutely at the top tier of small cars. Here's the thing: the price reflects those abilities. The Sport version tested here costs $44,990. Look at our alternatives panel below and you begin to see the problem.
It's not even as if the Focus Sport is dripping with high-tech gear. Over and above the mid-range Trend ($38,490), you get sportier suspension with 17-inch alloys, automatic headlights, fancy looking LED lamps at the rear, dual-zone air conditioning, an ambient light package inside, premium Sony CD system (with iPod integration) and a roof-mounted spoiler. All good stuff, but not exactly cutting-edge. No leather, no keyless entry/start. For that, go to the Focus Titanium, which really pushes the boundaries with gear-like active-cruise control, sat-nav and self-parking ... and costs $49,490.
I have to say at this point that you can see where the money went. Focus looks and feels truly upmarket. The cabin bling may not be to everybody's taste, but the fit/finish and soft-touch materials are deeply impressive in a segment where so many makers are cutting corners to keep costs down (mind you, they're also, ahem, keeping the cost of the car down). The driving position is just-so, the interior noticeably more roomy than the car it replaces.
Focus is a delight to drive as well. Gone is the overtly sporty edge of the old car - the new model is not as immediate in its steering and chassis responses, but that's not to say it's less capable. In fact, I'd argue quite the opposite. That slap-you-in-face sportiness has been replaced by a more progressive dynamic attitude, and a remarkable depth of ability that becomes apparent at higher cornering speeds. Focus has the kind of unobtrusive-yet-high-achieving chassis that you'd expect to find in, well, a premium car.
