Normally, I consider things like panel gaps and such to be a very minor concern - it just doesn't matter to me all that often. But this plastic cover in the rear seat of the Focus is obviously very poorly constructed. What really bugs is that I have to see the popped out cover each time I look back to check on my daughter. I tried pressing the cover back into place but no go.
I genuinely like the Focus and truly believe it's better than many small cars including the Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Accent. But this business with plastic panels is very irritating - too bad I can't use Sync "Plastic cover; pop back into place."
Brian Moody, Road Test Editor @ 12,520 miles
dragonflight says:
12:07 PM, 10/ 1/08
This doesn't compete with the Accent, it competes with the Elantra. And having said that, the Elantra is better in many, many ways.
billt9 says:
12:45 PM, 10/ 1/08
Ford builds great products. Ford is always thinking about customer safety. For the 2009 model year, the 2009 Ford Focus sedan debuts rear headrests.
This exciting new technology restrains the heads of rear seat passengers to prevent deadly head and neck injuries.
Ford Motor Company, always thinking about customer safety, debuts rear headrests for the 2009 model year.
redliner says:
01:02 PM, 10/ 1/08
Id rather have a Chevy Aveo than this thing. At least it looks like it was styled by humans.
redliner says:
01:06 PM, 10/ 1/08
billt9
That was the single most annoying thing when i took a trip in a friends taraus... the lack of rear headrests.
zoomzoom22 says:
01:55 PM, 10/ 1/08
As far as driving dynamics go, the Focus is NEAR the top of its class.
As far as everything else goes, its AT the bottom. The Focus is better than the Accent, but not better than the Elantra overall (which it actually competes with, as dragonflight mentioned). The Elantra is a very nice small car.
I can't believe that Ford didn't put rear headrests in a 2009 vehicle; their rear-seat design and build quality of the rear seat area in general really hasn't changed since the completely-oval Taurus debuted in 1996. I remember being in my friend's dad's Taurus (a 2003 I believe) and he accidentally (and very literally) ripped his door panel off and popped it back into place. Nice car.
Those dumbasses don't even know what year it is.
hondacura4 says:
03:02 PM, 10/ 1/08
If Ford would spend some money on quality materials and better overall build quality Im sure the consumer wouldnt mind paying a bit more for the product. It seems the only reason the Focus sales are good is because its CHEAP. The Euro Fords cant get here soon enough.
uncanny_man says:
03:15 PM, 10/ 1/08
Does no one here know how to snap panels back into place? This is sad to see in a new car, but it should just be a matter of lining tabs up with the holes and pushing back together. It probably wont cost a thing the next dealer visit (or it shouldn't since it'll take 3 seconds).
banhugh says:
03:17 PM, 10/ 1/08
the US spec focus is a hidious car. It seems to me that is designed by an college student during a summer internship.
My hope is that Fiesta will be the same kind of car that is offered in Europe. But then again it will be sold for 11k when the Euro spec costs 22K. I can only imagine the quality of interior. Nevertheless the design of the car will be the same and this is a good thing.
sabastian says:
06:45 PM, 10/ 1/08
My grandfather worked for Ford for 52 years, and has always been very proud of the company. I think that he would be ashamed to see this car carrying a blue oval.
wobbly_ears says:
07:09 PM, 10/ 1/08
Look at that open connection of the rear window heating element! Is Ford too cheap to put some little plastic cover on that lead? Jebus!!
I used to own a 2002 Hyundai Accent (the basic model, had wind-up-yourself windows). But it had excellent build quality & very good construction for it's price.
Ford Motor Company, I owned a lowly Hyundai Accent: I knew Hyundai Accent; Hyundai Accent was a ride of mine. Focus, you're no Hyundai Accent!
ayao says:
07:16 PM, 10/ 1/08
What are the plastic nubs on the carseat for?
briancam says:
07:30 PM, 10/ 1/08
Uncanny - I tried, I've snapped many plastic panels back into place, this one ain't working,
I dont know what the plastic tabs are for - it just came that way.
eclogite says:
07:34 PM, 10/ 1/08
To me, little things like that belie a bigger problem. The Devil truly is in the details. If Ford can't get something simple like that right, what am I to think of the rest of the car?? Just another reason not to buy "American"...
dougtheeng says:
06:19 AM, 10/ 2/08
That piece doesn't even look like it fits the space.
brn says:
07:37 AM, 10/ 2/08
Ford is winning the BS JD Power awards left and right. This is the kind of little thing that wins you the stupid JD Power awards. To say that this panel is typical for Ford is probably not true.
Take it to the dealer. They'll fix it for free. If they don't, find another dealer. Move on.