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| 2012 Ford Focus Electric |
What really sets the 2012 Ford Focus Electric apart, however, is the wealth of new technology offered here. This includes a number of items usually found only on much more expensive models, ranging from a rearview camera to Ford's excellent Automated Parking Assist, which can neatly slip the car into a curbside spot without the driver ever touching the steering wheel. On top of this there's the latest evolution of Ford's hands-free Sync technology and the new MyFord Touch system that largely does away with buttons and knobs in favor of a large center touchscreen and voice commands.
Technology is also on display with the all-new 2012 Ford Focus Electric. Fully electric just like a Nissan Leaf, the Focus Electric uses the same underpinnings as a standard Focus, but will instead gain motivation from a 92-kilowatt electric drive motor and a 23kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Ford also says that it can be recharged in just 3-4 hours on a 240-volt charger. Through smartphone integration, owners will also be able to remotely monitor charging functions, and Ford is working with Best Buy to launch readily available home charging stations.
Of all the things for which the Ford Motor Company has become known over the years, building great small cars has not been one of them. When the Ford Focus debuted more than a decade ago, a great design was compromised by assembly issues, but once quality improved, the Blue Oval neglected the Focus, merely warming it over with midlife refreshes while other automakers rolled out successively superior models. Well, the debut of the 2012 Ford Focus finally puts Ford back in the game. And this time it's got an all-star player.
You can forget what you knew about the previous Focus -- the 2012 car is a monumental improvement. Available in four-door sedan and hatchback body styles, the new Focus benefits from eye-catching styling and a sharply designed interior dressed up with high-quality materials. It also comes with a new four-cylinder engine that's more fuel-efficient, and a suspension that delivers both above-average handling and a refined ride.
Powertrains and Performance
The Focus Electric has a 92-kilowatt electric drive motor that draws power from a 23kWh lithium-ion battery pack. (For reference, the Leaf has an 80-kW motor and a 24kWh battery.) Power is applied to the front wheels through a single-speed direct-drive transmission. Ford promises an effective range of about 100 miles between charging. But as with all electric cars, actual performance will be highly dependent on driving style and environment.
Under the hood, the front-wheel-drive 2012 Ford Focus has a new 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine that puts out 160 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque. Entry-level S and SE models get a five-speed manual transmission standard, while a six-speed automatic transmission that Ford has dubbed "Powershift" (technically, it's a dual-clutch automated manual) is standard on SEL and Titanium trim levels. It is optional on the S and SE.
In performance testing, a Focus Titanium with the automatic went from zero to 60 mph in 8.7 seconds -- on par with similarly powered cars in the class. With the manual, that drops to 8.3 seconds. Official EPA estimates for fuel economy stand at 26 mpg city/36 mpg highway and 30 mpg combined with the manual transmission. The automatic has a 28/38/31 mpg estimate. With the Super Fuel Economy option package those estimates rise to 28/40/33. The EPA has not yet estimated efficiency for the Focus Electric.
Driving Impressions
The 2012 Ford Focus feels like a European car in the way it's been tuned to provide both sharp handling and a refined ride. There's very little body roll in corners, while the sharp, communicative steering is a revelation given that it's electrically assisted. The 2012 Focus is a fun car to drive, especially if it's the Titanium trim level with the Titanium Handling package.
The 2.0-liter engine isn't as much of a standout, but it offers competitive performance and fuel economy. The five-speed manual transmission works well enough and gives the car a sportier feel, though we found ourselves wishing for a 6th gear on the highway.
The automatic has that extra gear, though buyers should note that it's technically a dual-clutch automated manual and behaves differently from a traditional automatic, occasionally rolling slightly back on hills or being reluctant to creep forward when parking. Shift quality is also disappointing and, at times, aggravating. The transmission upshifts too quickly and is too hesitant to downshift unless the throttle pedal is mashed. Both issues likely result from Ford's effort to maximize fuel economy.
Interior Design and Special Features
The front seats are supportive and comfortable over long distances. The rear seats offer adequate headroom, but come up a little short on legroom when compared with some of the competition. The sedan's 13.2-cubic-foot trunk is on par for this class, but the hatchback model is still the better choice for the practically minded, with 23.8 cubic feet of space with the 60/40-split rear seats up and a generous 44.8 cubic feet with them folded down. Cargo dimensions for the Focus Electric haven't yet been released.
While the handsome exterior of this new Focus might be what initially sets the hook, it's the total transformation of the passenger cabin that will reel you in. The interior is attractive and quiet, and the materials are best-in-class. The layout of gauges and controls is intuitive to understand in the lower trim levels, but the MyFord Touch option's touchscreen controls can be tough to figure out at first. Even once mastered, MyFord Touch can be distracting since it requires so much attention to operate properly. Still, technologies like MyFord Touch, Sync, HD radio and the available automatic parking system set the Focus apart from the pack.
Safety
The 2012 Ford Focus gets a long list of important safety features as standard equipment, including antilock brakes (rear drums on S and SE; rear discs on others), stability control, front side airbags and side curtain airbags. The Ford Sync system, which is available on all Focus models, also now includes an emergency crash notification feature that automatically dials 911 when paired with a compatible cell phone. Ford's MyKey system, which can be used to set certain parameters for teen drivers, is standard on every Focus except the S sedan.
In brake testing, a Focus Titanium with the Handling package came to a stop from 60 mph in a remarkable 110 feet. That's better than many luxury sport sedans, but a Focus SE with regular tires stopped in 130 feet, which is longer than average.
In government crash testing, the Focus received four out of five stars for overall crash protection, with four stars for overall frontal impact protection and five stars for overall side impact protection. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the Focus its highest possible rating of "Good" in the frontal-offset, side and roof strength tests.
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