2008 Ford Focus Review
Rodney Klinger
Vehicle Overview Ford's popular Focus compact car has been spruced up for 2008 with new styling inside and out. A new two-door coupe has been added to the lineup, too, but only the coupe and sedan models will be available for 2008. Available in base SE or uplevel SEL trim levels, the Focus arrives this fall.
The exterior of the Focus has adopted a version of Ford's now-signature bar-style grille that's on the front of the Fusion and the Edge. The Focus? grille only gets two horizontal bars, though, with a wide gap between the lower bar and the front bumper. The restyled headlights meet the edge of the grille and wrap around into the front fenders, which now have chrome trim pieces on SEL models. New taillights are present, and the sedan's trunklid has a cleaner appearance thanks to the license plate's migration to the rear bumper.
For 2008 the Focus sedan is a little wider and taller than its predecessor, but retains that model's 102.9-inch wheelbase and is about the same length overall. The suspension still uses struts in front and a multilink setup in the rear, but it has new springs, shock absorbers and stabilizer bars. The Focus is available with either 15- or 16-inch wheels.
The five-seat Focus? extensive interior changes include a new instrument cluster, steering wheel, center control layout and dashboard design. Gauges and buttons now have blue backlighting. The SEL's dash, center stack and center console make extensive use of silver-metallic trim pieces, while SE models get a dark stone dash. At 39.2 inches, front headroom is about the same as before; front legroom is up about an inch to 41.6 inches. Cloth seats are standard and leather is available.
The Audio system readout has been consolidated in a dash-top display. While the display is closer to the driver's eyes than a regular stereo head unit's, the ergonomic flipside is that it introduces one more place for the driver to look when changing the radio channel: once at the buttons and then up to the readout to check the results. Selectable ambient lighting for the cupholders and footwells is available, and the system has seven different hues with which to customize the look of the interior.
The Focus can also have Ford's new Sync communication and entertainment system. Sync features Bluetooth-based connectivity for up to six cell phones. It can control MP3 players using voice commands or cabin controls when they're connected to the system's USB port.
Under the Hood The Focus is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces an estimated 136 horsepower (130 hp in California). Five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmissions are available
Safety Side-impact airbags for the front seats and side curtain airbags are standard. Antilock brakes are available.
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