Detroit Auto Show: 2008 Ford Focus gets Sync'd

I really cant deside if I like the styling of the new focus or not...well its between buying this or a Fusion and I think the Fusion won...but only if the fusion get the new "ice blue" lighting for '08

I kind of like it, but I could see others not. But the Sync system is going to be huge. Just saw a demo of it at jalopnik.com. So let me disagree - Honda should be nervous.

This is definitely a huge upgrade from the previous generation. The interior looks much nicer. I wonder how much this whole sync thing will cost. I especially like the fact that it is usable with flash drives. A 1 gig flash drive can be had for close to $10 these days. I also wonder if it will connect to wireless internet. I live in a county that's supposed to get county wide wireless soon. Phone internet plans are really expensive. Nice for those who have then though.

I like this car a lot more than the old model, I think this one might have potential.

That front end looks like a Nissan. And that's a horrible looking coupe. It just looks like a sedan without the rear doors. Also, the rims (which I imagine are 15s) look tiny. And I agree with fordlepka, what teen needs bluetooth?

The car looks like much more than a simple refreshening and I like the new look. But I wish they got rid of those ugly square fog lamps and replace it with a rounder design. The rear-quarter windows on the coupe can't look any worse.

I'm not a fan of the Tiburon-like gill and side strake. It really looks contrived on this car. Besides that it's an improvement over the refreshed Focus, which was a deprovement over the original, imo.
 
On the downside, the coupe reminds me of the previous Accent coupe and of my old Tercel. I did like my Tercel a lot, but I doubt that was the desired effect.

Why bother? The Euro Focus is so much better...The Ka, the Fiesta and the Euro Focus would all do well here, and should be designed to meet US standards for the next go round. Well they had to do something I guess, but since they did such a great job with the Fusion I just don't see why they did not transplant that face, including the wonderful agressive headlights to the focus. Sigh, I am curious how much expense account sushi and pizza went into this Sentra beating example of ole 'merican can do (a second rate job)!
Honda need not worry, Civic sales buyers will not add Ford to their shopping list, but your next trip to Omaha might feature a new Ford from the rent a car place.
 
 

No teen NEEDS Bluetooth, but I guarantee you they all WANT it...

They totally destroyed a good car. No more practical hatchback. The Euro focus beats the hell of this thing. Proof is the mazda 3, which rides in the same platform as the new euro focus. and the volvo c30. The Ford Sync thing is the only cool thing.

Two things don't make sense to me.
 
First, why did they drop the 2.3 liter engine? The only reason I can think of is that they wanted to maintain a similar cost despite improving the car and adding the Sync capabilities.
 
Second, why did they even add Sync? This is not a feature belonging on an economy car. True, most cars these days are becoming technological wonders, but maybe Ford should work on making the Focus just a good car before adding doo-dads.

hmm I wonder how stoned or drunk the designer was when he thought of this. and why even bother with the sync drive before you concentrate on adding sync and other electronic gizmos to the car Ford should focus on making the Car more driver friendly Its kinda pathetic when Ford took out the 2.3 and replaced it witha engine that makes only a anemic 130 horses. I can even out drive this thing in my 2001 malibu with the 170hp 3.1 liter  LG8 V6

I don't think it looks THAT bad... It was quite stupid, however, for them to use the same old platform instead of the Mazda3 platform like the European Focus...

It is unfortunate that Ford has yet to see the importance of the growing small car market in North America. To me this car offers:

    Styling worse than 90% of the competition
    Drivetrain less powerful than 90% of the competition
    An almost 10 year old chassis
    Some cool options that are never going to make up for 1-3

This "new" Focus is an also-ran even before it hits the dealer showroom. That is a sad fact when Ford has a great small car chassis (Euro Focus/Mazda 3), and good powertrain options (2.3L I4 or even 2.3L DI Turbo I4), and the styling ability (Fusion, Edge, Mustang...not to mention Jags, Aston Martin, etc.)
The small car market is very competitive these days, and this new Focus is certainly not a "must have" offering that is going to bring people over from their Mazda 3's, Honda Civics, or Dodge Calibers.

Congratulations, Ford: you've lost me as a repeat customer. Not because this new car is all that ugly (except for the rear), but because you've dropped the most useful Focus of all- the wagon.
 
Wagons may not excite the masses in the States, but my little '05 wagon handles fairly well, doesn't contribute all that much to Big Oil's bottom line, and can haul a lot of stuff when called to do so.
 
Oh well. Next time, I guess I'll be looking at a Subaru, or maybe a Mazda3 hatch or Mazda5 vanlet.

If FOMOCO TRULY wanted a good car, they should have just 'slapped' the oval badge to the back of the Mazda 3. At least it would have been easier on the eye than this re-designed Focus. Seeing this car is proof that Ford can't seem to get it together. Honda has NOTHING to worry about w/the Civic compared to this hideous thing!