Super TestCar reviews - Ford - Focus - rangeFord modelsOverviewFord has expanded the range and the options, but prices fall for the Euro small car9 Jul 2007 By CHRIS HARRIS WE SAID this two years ago when the last Focus was launched, but now we are sure about it: if Ford does not become a force to be reckoned with in the high-flying small-car segment with the safer, better-value and broader-spectrum LT Focus, then Australians simply cannot spot a great car if it slaps them across the face. Even against new rivals from Toyota and Nissan, the latest Focus is one of those rare vehicles that brings pleasure to both the head and the heart. Drive one before you buy anything else in the sub-$25,000 segment. Model release date: 1 July 2007 to 1 April 2009 All car reviewsAlfa Romeo Abarth Alpine Alpina Audi Aston Martin BMW Bentley Chevrolet Chery Citroen Chrysler Dodge Cupra Ferrari DS Ford Fiat FPV Foton GWM Great Wall Holden Haval HSV Honda Hyundai Hummer Isuzu Infiniti Jeep Jaguar Lamborghini Kia LDV Land Rover Lotus Lexus Maserati Mahindra McLaren Mazda Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-AMG Mini MG Nissan Mitsubishi Peugeot Opel Proton Porsche Renault Ram Rover Rolls-Royce Skoda Saab SsangYong Smart Suzuki Subaru Toyota Tesla Volvo Volkswagen Previous modelA MUCH more rounded proposition than its edgy LR Focus predecessor, the LS benefited form significant increases in space, refinement and performance, and many buyers responded. Under the stubby bonnet lies a gutsy 107kW/185Nm 2.0-litre twin-cam four-cylinder engine, mated to a five-speed manual or four-speed sequential shift automatic gearbox. But the real important thing lay underneath these – a four-wheel independent suspension system that sees the Focus lead its class for driving pleasure and overall dynamics. Five models were sold here – the base CL, followed by the LX, Zetec, Ghia and hot hatch class-leading XR5 Turbo. |
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