Ford Focus: Top 3 facts

I have quite liked the Ford Focus. To say that its been an underdog is quite like it. In North America or elsewhere, if you happen to see, the Ford Focus is one revered car. In fact, it has got multiple awards all over the world. In the Philippines though, the Ford Focus has not quite had the same success story. It is still on the list of top five cars that someone buying into this segment may consider but not quite on the top. It is still one of the most affordable ones in the entire segment. I personally feel its Ford’s fault. They haven’t been advertising or promoting the car as much as the competition does. So, I have taken the onus to advertise for them. No, this isn’t your featured content but something I feel I should do for the car that I love so much. So, here are the top three facts about the Ford Focus.

1) Not really plain Jane

The Ford Focus might look like it but it isn’t. There is an RS trim that is a mad bonkers model, unfortunately not available in the Philippines. After all, it is modeled on a certain Mr. Ken Block’s preferences. The Ford Focus RS features a Drift Mode. Yes, you read it right. The Ford Focus previously used to have a Haldex clutch that you used to send torque to all the wheels or the front depending on the requirement. However, with the 2018 model, there have been changes made. These include the use of a Twinster mechanism that ensures that the rear axle has some amount of power going to it always. Ford has also tuned the mechanism to allow almost 70 percent of the power to go primarily to the rear wheel. The system can also accommodate for the torque to shift from one side of the car to the other side in a jiffy.

There is a dedicated button inside the cabin much like that on the Mercedes-AMG E63S+. This allows one to send power to the outside rear wheel in a corner, thereby causing the controlled slide. Word of caution though. This is to be attempted in a cordoned off area and not in a public place. These actions look quite cool on a Fast and Furious series but not when public lives are at risk.

2) Boom machine

The Ford Focus RS has a 2.3-litre EcoBoost petrol engine that makes 347 PS of maximum power and 440 Nm of peak torque. This turbocharged engine is a gem and while it may not have won too many awards like its 1.0-litre cousin, it is a stonker. Ford offers this engine exclusively with a 6-speed  manual as they feel that the automatic may dull its response. After all, there is nothing like a good ol’ stick shift, eh? Not only this, the engine also offers an overboost function. Find an empty stretch of the road and mash the throttle to the floor. The resultant shove will push you back into your seat and deliver a meter wide grin. Keep the throttle pinned to the redline and the overboost function is activated. For the next 15 seconds, 470 Nm of torque is transferred to the wheels and then cut back to 440 Nm in the interest of saving the engine internals. However, if you lift off after a couple of seconds and edge the throttle closer to the carpet again, lo and behold, you get the full 470 Nm boost. Keep on doing as long as you have the empty straight road to support you. Wonderful, isn’t it?

3) Efficient much

While the RS or the ST may not be the most efficient of the Focus lot, there is that diesel as well as the 1.0-litre EcoBoost. The 1.5-litre EcoBoost is the best mix when it comes to power and efficiency. It blends in both with a panache, taking it closer to the ST in terms of performance stake and nearer to the base trim when it is related to fuel efficiency. The diesel is in an altogether different class and delivers an astonishing 22 kmpl. Even in everyday driving, it will give around 17 kmpl with the air conditioner on (as if we had an option here in our hot sultry weather). The 1.5-litre EcoBoost is known to provide as much as 15 kmpl if driven sanely and 12 kmpl if going flat out. Didn’t it say it gives you the best of both the worlds?

In terms of maintenance, Ford has always been perceived as a manufacturer that is set up on the higher side of the things. However, with the entry of the Focus and the One Ford program, the maintenance costs have gone down considerably. The localisation of certain parts has enabled Ford to price the spare parts very reasonably and the Ford calculator helps a customer understand how much he will be spending at the service.