Cars
FORD FOCUS TITANIUM HATCHBACK
Replace the Blue Oval on the front grille and the new 2012 Ford Focus Titanium Hatchback looks like a premium-priced competitor for the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz B-Class. In truth, the high-end Focus equipment lines do drive the price up to uncomfortable levels, but the Focus is so well-equipped in the mid-$20Ks that it shouldn't matter.
Any new car buyer willing to accept the fact that they don't need a humdrum midsize sedan or an overpriced entry-level luxury car will be able to accept the Focus's sticker price. On handsome multi-spoke wheels or aggressive five-spoke rims, the 2012 Ford Focus Titanium certainly appears to be a classier proposition than a mid-range four-cylinder Fusion.
Class has a lot to do with the Focus's Good 12 selection. In styling terms - perhaps not in texture - the Focus's interior feels a notch above most of its traditional compact rivals. Rear seat comfort is much better than in the Chevrolet Cruze. Hatchback practicality is something you won't encounter in the 2012 Honda Civic. The engine's refinement and torquey nature won't have you wishing for the Civic's lesser-powered 2.0L, either.
Outside of the upper trim levels, the Focus, particularly in sedan form, retains its attractive lines but is fitted with impoverished exterior trim and cheapskate wheel covers. As an S or SE, the Focus looks like a rival for the Nissan Versa sedan, not the Hyundai Elantra. Move up the ladder and the kitted-out Focus Titanium commands a second and third glance. That's the kind of response that makes you think living with a domestic compact car could be free of compromise and sacrifice.
Engines: 160 horsepower; 146 lb-ft of torque from a 2.0L four-cylinder
Base USD/CAD Price: $22,700 / $25,099
City Fuel Economy: 27 miles per gallon
It's Not Perfect: It's not a feeling shared by everyone who sits in the driver's seat of the 2012 Focus, but it's distinctly possible that you'll feel as though the low roof, nicely-bolstered seats, and wide centre console will invade your personal space. The car is roomy. The cockpit, regardless of its technical dimensions, might lead you to believe you're sitting in a Fiesta or Ka, not a Focus.
Sales Stats: It's not overly surprising that U.S. Focus sales fell 41% between 2002 and 2010 while Canadian Focus sales slid 13% between 2005 and 2010. The Focus was an aging model, not really inspiring anyone to spend money in the latter years of its lifecycle. The new Focus is another story, and despite limited supply, U.S. and Canadian sales were up 1.1% and 11%, respectively, through the first eleven months of 2011. Those figures are still down substantially from what they were a decade ago. Monthly and yearly sales figures for the Ford Focus range can be viewed here.
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- 2012's The Good 12 - Porsche Boxster Spyder
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Cars
2012's The Good 12 - Ford Focus Titanium Hatchback
FORD FOCUS TITANIUM HATCHBACK
Class has a lot to do with the Focus's Good 12 selection. In styling terms - perhaps not in texture - the Focus's interior feels a notch above most of its traditional compact rivals. Rear seat comfort is much better than in the Chevrolet Cruze. Hatchback practicality is something you won't encounter in the 2012 Honda Civic. The engine's refinement and torquey nature won't have you wishing for the Civic's lesser-powered 2.0L, either.
Outside of the upper trim levels, the Focus, particularly in sedan form, retains its attractive lines but is fitted with impoverished exterior trim and cheapskate wheel covers. As an S or SE, the Focus looks like a rival for the Nissan Versa sedan, not the Hyundai Elantra. Move up the ladder and the kitted-out Focus Titanium commands a second and third glance. That's the kind of response that makes you think living with a domestic compact car could be free of compromise and sacrifice.
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Engines: 160 horsepower; 146 lb-ft of torque from a 2.0L four-cylinder
Base USD/CAD Price: $22,700 / $25,099
City Fuel Economy: 27 miles per gallon
It's Not Perfect: It's not a feeling shared by everyone who sits in the driver's seat of the 2012 Focus, but it's distinctly possible that you'll feel as though the low roof, nicely-bolstered seats, and wide centre console will invade your personal space. The car is roomy. The cockpit, regardless of its technical dimensions, might lead you to believe you're sitting in a Fiesta or Ka, not a Focus.
Sales Stats: It's not overly surprising that U.S. Focus sales fell 41% between 2002 and 2010 while Canadian Focus sales slid 13% between 2005 and 2010. The Focus was an aging model, not really inspiring anyone to spend money in the latter years of its lifecycle. The new Focus is another story, and despite limited supply, U.S. and Canadian sales were up 1.1% and 11%, respectively, through the first eleven months of 2011. Those figures are still down substantially from what they were a decade ago. Monthly and yearly sales figures for the Ford Focus range can be viewed here.
The Good 12
BMW 3-Series - Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon - Chevrolet Suburban
Ford F-150 EcoBoost 4x4 - Ford Focus Titanium Hatchback - Jeep Wrangler
Kia Rio 5-Door - Land Rover LR4 - Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
Ford F-150 EcoBoost 4x4 - Ford Focus Titanium Hatchback - Jeep Wrangler
Kia Rio 5-Door - Land Rover LR4 - Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
Nissan Juke - Porsche Boxster Spyder - Volkswagen GTI
The Bad 8
The Bad 8
Acura RL - Chrysler 200 Convertible - Ford Explorer EcoBoost
Honda Crosstour - Lincoln MKS - Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet
Nissan Versa Sedan - Toyota Corolla CE
Honda Crosstour - Lincoln MKS - Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet
Nissan Versa Sedan - Toyota Corolla CE
The Good 12 Rules
- 2012's The Bad 8 - Nissan Versa Sedan
NISSAN VERSA SEDAN It worked fairly well the first time around, so Nissan stayed true to practice with the second-generation Versa sedan by making it as ugly as possible. Where the first Versa sedan was devoid of styling, as though Nissan...
- 2012's The Bad 8 - Chrysler 200 Convertible
CHRYSLER 200 CONVERTIBLE It should be hard to hate a convertible. The very idea of dropping the top and basking in sunshine, while driving, is accepted as a possible definition of the word "fun." But it's easy to hate the Chrysler 200 Convertible....
- 2012's The Good 12 - Volkswagen Gti
VOLKSWAGEN GTI Since the Golf-based Volkswagen GTI first came to market nearly 30 years ago, numerous rivals - both direct and indirect - have come and gone. There are new rivals on the way. Scion's FR-S is a rear-wheel drive boxer-engined...
- 2012's The Good 12 - Porsche Boxster Spyder
PORSCHE BOXSTER SPYDER As if it wasn't enough that the Porsche Boxster was one of the best cars in the world to drive, in Spyder form, it's also one of the best at which to gander. We're nearing the end of the line for the current,...
- 2012's The Good 12 - Kia Rio 5-door
KIA RIO 5-DOOR Less than ten years ago, less than two generations ago, the thought of a Kia Rio entering The Good 12 would have been so unthinkable as to not even be laughable. The 2001-2005 Kia Rio's automatic shifter slammed into...