30-second summary:

What's nice:

• Well-sorted chassis, handling, and steering.
• Usable trunk space, good overall size
• Solid manual gearbox and clutch feel.

What's not:

• Just doesn't feel premium. Or exciting.
• Frustrating option packaging and trim.
• Curious omissions in feature content.
• Needs 6 speeds at this level.

Full Review:

Ever have a time when everything lined up perfectly, and then it gets messed up by some small trivial mistake?

I was really looking forward to the Focus. Finally, Ford realised that Americans can't engineer good small cars so they decided on a world platform for the new Focus. Even better, now there's a hatchback version so normal people can enjoy the versatility of a hatch without the polar bear-killing, global warming-causing fuel consumption of a SUV or truck.

Wow! My dealer right down the street in Hillsborough NC has a Kona Blue hatch with a manual gearbox- perfect! In fact, the dealer has been constantly getting calls and test drives about that particular because it's the only 3-pedal Focus in the region. Perfect test car.

The first thing that impressed me was the drive. The 2 litre 4 zylinder petrol motor might not be the most advanced or smooth one around, but it has good midrange punch and is reasonably quiet. Combine that with the superb gearbox and clutch that are pretty easy to modulate (surprise, the MT is German), and the Focus drivetrain is flexible and easy to drive. Yes, it needs a 6th gear so the gear spacing isn't so wide but aside from that, it's a pleasant experience.

And because it's easy to drive, you'll be able to focus on the chassis and steering which are also well-sorted. There are no real curvy roads in central NC, but on the backroads it felt planted over pavement undulations and was never upset by mid-corner bumps. The electric steering is well-weighted and provides meaningful feedback, and the brake pedal feel is firm and easy to modulate. Good marks for Ford there.

It's also practical. The boot space is good even with the back seats up and there's enough height in the cargo area to fit taller items. The front seats are reasonably supportive, although back seat legroom is limited no matter how you adjust the front seats. This is still a compact car. But overall, it's a prudent size and parking is a breeze.

So if you're looking for a commuter car with sporting intentions that's value-driven, economical, spacious, and cheap to run, you can stop reading this right now and order a Focus. Unfortunately, that's not the whole story.

First of all, you can never shake the feeling that this car was engineered to a price point. The interior works fine but it never feels like a quality product, much less premium. The cloth upholstery on the SE trim feels like rental-car quality and buttons, stalks, and knobs were clearly sourced from Walmart. Everything clicks and feels cheap when you push or turn it. And the A/C is surprisingly weak even by European standards; I can't remember a car recently that had trouble cooling the interior.

Then there's the curious omissions and features. The upgraded Board Computer looks nice and has a not-very-refined upshift indicator, but lacks instant fuel consumption. The rear headrests are huge and cannot fold. Xenon headlamps are not available. The stereo sounded like a 19th century gramophone. And rear drum brakes?

Fuel consumption isn't particularly spectacular. I averaged 7,2 l/100km (32 US mpg) on the 10-15km test run with moderate speeds and few stops, which is good but the Europeans can do lots better with 4 cylinder engines.

The worst thing though, what ruins this American dream, is the Ford Marketing department. Someone decided that in order to get 4-wheel disc brakes, climate automatic, Parking Assistant, and many other tempting options, one has to get an SEL or Titanium model. Which would be just fine for me but those are reserved for the mediocre DCT transmission only. Sorry, not buying it. Reserving features for upper trims and forcing customers to step up just for the sake of 2 or 3 needed features works in MBA classrooms but not in real world. . A promising car ruined by businessmen.

I was hoping this would make a convincing argument against competitors like the VW Golf TDI and the Opel Astra but it feels like a very good appliance. The design, specs, and feel just define the new Focus as "some car" and it doesn't speak to me. Combined with the limited options availability, I can't find myself buying the Focus. It's very good at what it's supposed to do but little more.

Buyer's Tip: Buy a Golf. It's worth more than the price differential.

Misc Info: Test route was primarily suburban in Orange County, NC. Pavement was fair, weather was clear and 32°C.