On the eve of the Geneva auto show, Ford has debuted another variation on the new global-Focus theme, the Focus wagon.
Predictably, it is much like the Focus five-door hatch and sedan that the company unveiled at the Detroit auto show. But this version isn't quite so, um, global. In other words, Ford has no plans to sell the wagon in the United States. This is because the percentage share of Focus sales represented by station wagons (when the company sold a wagon here) was often not even in the double digits. And with the five-door hatch and the Grand C-Max Focus-based mini-minivan both confirmed for U.S. sale, a Focus wagon would occupy a pretty narrow niche anyway.
The mechanical specifications for the wagon are essentially identical to those of the Euro-market Focus hatch. Ford notes that this wagon debuts in the same Candy Red paint as was seen on the five-door at Detroit.
In Europe, the Focus is available with two diesel engines, a 2.0-liter and a 1.6-liter. Additionally, the Euro car will be offered with a 1.6-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder turbocharged four-cylinder gas motor. Ford has not announced whether that engine will make it into the U.S. market Focus sedan and hatch, but it will be offered in the seven-passenger Grand C-Max that comes Stateside in 2011. In Europe, that motor makes up to 178 horsepower. Ford hastens to add, however, that the U.S.-market version would likely make more power than that.
estreka says:
09:14 AM, 03/ 1/10
That's ok. I don't see the need for a hatch and a wagon anyway.
stovt001 says:
12:43 PM, 03/ 1/10
I hate the American auto market and its attitude towards wagons. First we get the Venza and Crosstour passed off as "wagons", then Toyota dares to call its dishwasher-in-minivan-form a "swagger wagon" and Ford denies us a real, honest to goodness wagon. What is so difficult about small-to-medium car size, flat roof, and huge square-ish cargo area? It just makes sense.
siarizona says:
05:07 PM, 03/ 1/10
This looks way better than any US Focus. Too bad we won't see it in America. Until gas prices go back up to $5/gal, 'Mericans will still want to drive big trucks/SUVs/vans.
firstwagon says:
06:21 PM, 03/ 1/10
"That's ok. I don't see the need for a hatch and a wagon anyway."
Maybe where you live but here almost all 1st gen Focus are hatches and wagons. Sedans are about as rare as 2nd gen Focus are.
The Fiesta will kill the Focus because it's a hatchback.
05stangdriver says:
08:16 PM, 03/ 1/10
Ford won't sell this here, because it would cut into their SUV sales. Wait. . . what? You haven't been indoctrinated into the 'SUV as replacement for station wagon' program? Well, what the hell's wrong with you? That's downright UNAMERICAN! Don't you know that if you want to haul around a small family, a plain ol' minivan or wagon ain't good enough? Hell no! Gotta drive 3 tons of Detroit iron around, boy!
Okay, removing tongue from cheek. In all seriousness, the plain and simple truth is that if Ford offered a fuel efficient wagon in the U.S. it would only cut into the sales of the Escape, the Explorer, the Excursion, the Excrescence. . . wait, is that last one right?
And yes, I do drive a 2005 Mustang. I have a generally positive opinion about Ford CARS, and a pretty negative one about their SUV's and trucks. I'm looking forward to the Fiesta and the Focus, and even though I wouldn't buy the wagon for myself #I'm single, never married, no kids#, I still think that the American consumer should have the choice to make up our own minds about whether or not we'd like to start buying station wagons again, instead of being told what we do and don't like.
technetium99 says:
06:02 AM, 03/ 2/10
This looks like a shorter CX-7. I would consider one if Ford had guts to sell it here.
daveevad says:
05:31 PM, 03/ 9/10
It is indeed beyond my comprehension that Ford offers station wagons everywhere else in the world.
Ford isn't alone. I've never forgiven Honda for dropping the Accord station wagon after 1997. I'd feel the same way about the 1992-96 Camry wagon except that their product planners made it almost impossible to find even when it was nominally available.
I've downsized to the Focus-Civic-Corolla size range of vehicles - I'm 6'8, and I simply don't fit in smaller cars. My next car will be a wagon of a credible make - which limits my choices to Mazda, Hyundai, and VW. Toyota had a winner in the Matrix, which it woefully failed to market, and let die an ignominious death when GM shut down the Pontiac division (which sold the car under its own name).
It's all a question of merchandising. Mazda never had any interest in pushing the Mazda 6 wagon over the Tribute crossover.