Great car-Great proce

First and foremost I have to admit I am a bit biased about the Ford Focus, as I did work for a Ford dealership when I purchased my 2000 Focus LX. But it wasn't the fact that I worked there that convinced me that this was a great small car at a great price. It was my test drive of both a 5-speed and automatic that convinced me, along with the roominess, the features, and the fact that, although it was new in the US, it had been tested and sold in Europe for three years.

My wife and I had already bought a '97 Escort (from the same dealership I went to work for, but long before I worked for them), and were very satisfied with it. We also owned an Olds, and this was the car being replaced as it was in its death throes. Because of our experience with the Escort, I wasn't a bit hesitant buying another Ford, it was just a matter of which one.

So that I would be very familiar with our newest product, I test drove both a 5-speed and an automatic, and I was impressed...impressed with the spaciousness of the interior, the comfort, and the peppiness of the engine, which is the same basic 2.0L as the Escort, but with a little more horsepower.

The 5-speed shifted with the smoothness of an European sports car, that is short, crisp throws on the stick. The automatic shifted so smoothly I was beginning to wonder if it had actually changed gears. The get up and go was great for a small car, and I actually scared myself when I realized I was up to 80 mph in a very short distance.

The exterior size of the car is a little larger than our Escort, primarily because of the higher roof line, but the interior was very surprising. It actually felt like I was sitting inside something larger, like a Taurus.

Although I am only 5'8", I have long legs, and had more than ample room to get comfortable. And one of the many little features that are standard helped even more with that feeling. That feature is a hand crank on the bottom right side of the driver's seat, allowing the seat to be raised or lowered, and this makes a world of difference. When demonstrating the car to a potential customer, I told him that even he, at better than 6' tall would feel right at home, and he left the dealership a little over an hour later with a new Focus.

The roominess extends to the rear seat. We have two daughters (5 & 8), and they are extremely pleased with all the room that they have. And, I don't get kicked in the back by whomever is sitting behind me. They not only have room, they are comfortable as well.

Behind the back seat, is a trunk that is HUGE in comparison to the one in our Escort. I have packed in more than a dozen bags of groceries, without crushing anything. And speaking of things getting crushed in the trunk, the designers made sure the trunk hinges wouldn't interfere with the room in the trunk by moving them to the rain wells on the side. They also took the radio speakers out of the trunk and put them into the back doors.

Since the Focus would be driven primarily by my wife, I was concerned about handling, especially in emergency situations, but again my fears were put to rest. In sharp lane change maneuvers, the car handles like a more expensive sports car, without a lot of roll or loss of control in the rear end, and in emergency stops, the nose barely dips down. I knew that my wife and daughters would be relatively safe in this car.

The final selling point for me was the little features usually found on more expensive cars. The remote trunk release is on the left side of the dashboard, within reach without fumbling around or getting my hand stuck between the door and seat, or having to empty out the glove box to find the switch. Also, as I am a smoker, having the ashtray and lighter right there on the dash on the right side of the wheel is great. I don't have to fumble around looking for either. And the lighter has a light ring around it that makes it easy to find, even in the dark.

To sum it up, the Ford Focus, with three body styles, has something to fit every lifestyle, without breaking the bank. The two door hatchback, is great for someone just starting out, and looking for something sporty, while the LX and SE sedans fit young families (especially those with children), and then there is the station wagon. The size, cost, efficiency, and reliability will make this a best seller here, as it has been in Europe, where it was named the '99 Euro Car of the Year. I give the Focus a five-star rating.