[dropcap]O[/dropcap]nce you’re in the Ford Focus, it’s easy to see why it’s so popular; it’s fun, stylish, well equipped and affordable. The 2015 model has many improvements, including extra sound proofing, a redesigned front end and an interior that is more user friendly and comfortable.
Sedan and hatchback versions of the Focus are available and it has a restyled hood, grille and trunk lid; available LED signature lighting for headlights and taillights, and new rear light clusters. Inside, colors and materials have a clean, modern look, with satin chrome detailing, new seat trims and switches, and an available heated steering wheel. Storage is improved with a new center console incorporating adjustable cupholders and an easier-to-access glove box.
Focus comes with a broad range of power options, including an all-electric vehicle, a fuel-saving 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine and an AWD 315 hp RS, along with a few more choices. The remarkably efficient and funto- drive 1.0-liter EcoBoost is mated to a six-speed manual transmission.
The new Focus has suspension and chassis upgrades that include a new shock absorber valve design for improved interior quiet, a new electronic stability control system for improved comfort and a change to the rear suspension to give drivers a more connected “feel” to the road.
Focus is loaded with advanced technologies. A package of sensors brings a new level of convenience to a compact car, adding driver-assist technologies that include a rear-view camera, available BLIS with cross-traffic alert and a lane-keeping system. Standard on Focus for the first time, the rear-view camera image appears on either a 4.2-inch screen or the available 8-inch screen that comes with cars equipped with MyFord Touch.
BLIS uses two multiple-beam radar modules packaged in the rear quarter panels, one on each side, to detect vehicles where the driver may not be able to see them. The radar identifies when a vehicle enters the blind-spot zone and a warning light on the corresponding sideview mirror alerts you that a vehicle is approaching. When backing out of a parking space, cross-traffic alert detects approaching vehicles that may not be visible from the driver’s seat.
If you should start to drift out of the lane above 40 mph without a turn signal on, the available lane-keeping system provides a warning through a series of steering wheel vibrations that mimic a rumble strip. If the unintended lane departure is not corrected by the driver, the aid function of the system actively applies steering torque to help the driver direct the car back toward the center of the current lane.
Focus drivers have access to a host of new functions developers can integrate as they modify their apps to communicate with Ford’s enhanced SYNC AppLink. Android and iOS smartphone owners can download more than 60 AppLink-enabled apps from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Price
The MSRP on the 2015 Ford Focus is $19,335.
[author image=”http://www.communitynewspapers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Grant-Miller-4-C.jpg” ]Grant Miller is the publisher of Community Newspapers. He may be contacted by calling 305-662-2277 or by addressing email to Grant@CommunityNewspapers.com.[/author]
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