2012 FORD FOCUS TITANIUM HATCHBACK
BY DAVID COLMAN
 If you think of the Focus as Ford’s VW Golf beater, you’re aiming too low. Golf was just the low hanging fruit in Ford’s quest to redefine the sport compact sedan. The real target was Audi’s A3, a loftier goal indeed. Has Ford succeeded in outdoing the A3? Not quite, but close enough to give Audi reason to be concerned. If you want to build a better sport sedan than Audi, you’d best hire Germans to design it, and that’s just what Ford has done. The Focus was conceived in Germany, and has been on sale across Europe for more than a year. It has already established a successful track record in World Rallye competition as well as World Touring Car track contests. While Focus may be new to the US, it is by no means an unproven entity abroad.
 Looking at this svelte sedan from outside, you are first struck by the clean-lined ethos of its design. The snout sits low while the butt remains slightly elevated to impart a feline rake to the static posture. Horizontal detailing around the front grill is handsome without being fussy. The side view looks racy and succinct, with windshield A pillars so extravagantly flattened that the sedan version posts a stellar wind tunnel coefficient of 0.297. Although the Cx of the five-door hatchback we drove is slightly higher than that, the hatch chassis is stiffer because the five door openings require added structural chassis reinforcement. The solidity of the platform, which Focus shares with the European C-Max minivan, is indisputable. Over the worst road irregularities, the Focus evinced no squeaks, groans or deflections. The interior remains ethereally silent no matter what racket the road surface beneath promises to impart.
 Handling of the base model Titanium hatchback is responsive and predictable. The steering is perfectly weighted, with lots of road feel passed back to you through the fat rimmed, two-tone steering wheel. Continental SportContactPro tires measuring 215/50R17 are standard, but if you wish to upgrade handling, the Titanium handling package, including stiffer anti-sway bars, springs and 18 inch wheels and rubber, is available for an extra $595.  Even without that package, the handling of the Titanium Focus is strong enough to justify sticking with the base suspension system.
 Performance of the 2.0 liter Duratec four cylinder motor is hardly scintillating, especially when coupled to the slow-shifting 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox. If you want more pop underhood you should wait for the 247hp turbo motor, coming sometime in the next year. In the meantime, opt for the 5 speed manual gearbox model to coax the most performance out of the Duratec base motor.
 Where Focus really shines is inside the cabin. All 4 seats are posturepedic, with the fronts luxuriously supplied with multiple electric positioning controls. Even the fixed rears are acceptably comfortable for long day trips. The interior of our test Focus, finished in a pleasing medley of burgundy and black, mimics the cabins of much more expensive vehicles like (no surprise) the Audi A3 or the BMW 1 Series. If you’re in the market for a small sedan with fit, finish and handling comparable to cars costing twice as much, be sure and give the new Focus a test drive. You’ll be amazed at how far Ford quality has come since they hit bottom several years ago.  Â
2012 FORD FOCUS TITANIUM HATCHBACK
ENGINE:Â DOHC, 16 valve in-line 4, aluminum block and head
HORSEPOWER:Â 160 @ 6,500 rpm
TORQUE:Â 146 lb.-ft. @ 4,450 rpm
FUEL CONSUMPTION:Â 25 City MPG/ 36 Highway MPG
PRICE AS TESTED:Â $23,490
PROS
Euroslick styling
Gem-like interior fittings
Razor sharp handling
CONS
Lack of paddle shifters for dual clutch automatic
HVAC dials where radio controls should be and vice versa
Driving concentration distracted by Ford Synch GUI