Whenever I walk up behind the Ford Focus, I always think the trunk is popped open. The shadow across the bottom and the wide seams near the taillights make an optical illusion.
At least I think so. Scott thinks I'm nuts. Do you see it?
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor
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carguy622 says:
06:02 PM, 11/11/08
Kind of; I think the spoiler adds to the problem too. Without the spoiler it would be easy to see if the top of the trunk lid and the rear quarter panel weren't lined up.
carfreak8394 says:
06:53 PM, 11/11/08
I think it looks open. On my dad's Mustang it's hard to tell.
edubya says:
07:49 PM, 11/11/08
Absolutely. I thought it was open the moment I saw the picture, and I hadn't even read the headline yet.
greenpony says:
07:55 PM, 11/11/08
Some cars are going to that sort of styling scheme now, where the trunk looks radically recessed compared to the rest of the rear of the car. Not sure if it has to do with safety requirements/bumper design, but it looks stupid. The Altima comes to mind.
pengwin says:
09:06 PM, 11/11/08
yeah, the shadow of the trunk on the bumper makes it seem like its open
lvmanbag says:
09:17 PM, 11/11/08
Rear bumpers absolutely impact bumper design. Since 04 cars tested by the IIHS have been evaluated for whiplash in rear impacts. Since then bumpers have been made to stick out more. Remember the 06 Accord Mid-Model rear redesign. Active headrests also help mitigate rear impacts.
http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/safety/articles/108912/article.html
nawaaz says:
06:42 AM, 11/12/08
Yeah the trunk does look open....wait, no it doesn't.....wait, yes it does........OH MAN, I'm starting to get a headache now...hahaha.
actualsize says:
06:53 AM, 11/12/08
Totally. At first glance, the shadow at the bottom makes it look like the character line on the trunk lid should line-up with the top edge of the back-up lamps, or something.
Did MC Escher design this thing?
ahightower says:
08:21 AM, 11/12/08
Yup, I see it. It also doesn't help that that character line across the trunk doesn't line up with the bottom of the tail lights. I do see the character line through the middle of the tail lights and along the side of the car, but it's still weird.
Also, I can understand bumpers needing to stick out farther for crash testing, but that doesn't mean the trunks can't go out a little farther to meet them. I don't care for this design trend at all.
felonious says:
08:21 AM, 11/12/08
Actualsize, that's what I was thinking as well, about the trunk's character line. Except I feel it should line up with the bottom of the taillight clusters.
All of those little details combined are what makes the trunk look open. Shame on Ford design.
lvmanbag says:
10:04 AM, 11/12/08
ahightower
Actually the truck doesn't meet the bumper because if they did you would probably have to replace both in a rear end impact. Costs, dollars and "Sense"
lazyhater says:
12:26 PM, 11/12/08
I see it Donna, you are not nut.
adavis2493 says:
02:35 PM, 11/12/08
I see it. It is pretty much clarifying how awkward this car looks.
bradyholt says:
03:21 PM, 11/12/08
lvmanbag, bumper design has nothing to do with IIHS tests. They take the driver's seat out of the car for their test and evaluate only the seat/head restraint design.