2012 Ford Focus impression, mpg data
 

So I was in Las Vegas for work and rented a Focus from Payless car rental. The guy at the counter said it was a 2010, I was disappointed hoping for a new one. Happily suprised though when it turned out to be a 2012 SE with the auto. It already had about 16500 miles on it!

The computer had the average mpg at 31.2, so it was probably driven like most people drive a rental. It took several miles to get the seat adjusted just right with the correct combination of height and tilt and fore/aft to fit my liking. Once dialed in though the seat and ergonomics were spot on. Except for the headrest which was too far forward, pesistently giving the bedhead back o' the head look to my $10 haircut.

I drive with momentum, and the Focus loves to rip around corners. It even tracks well through mid-corner bumps. The manual trans version would probably be a pretty good sedan in autocross. I was really impressed with the suspension and steering, especially on a car at this price point. I'm wierd on steering feel and like to feel the texture of the road. The Focus isolates this from the driver quite well, so that would be the only thing I would want to change if (when?) I buy one. The firmness was perfect, offers excellent driving control but long day comfort was high as well.

I didn't like the auto trans but I prefer manuals anyway so I don't think I'd like any automatic trans.

The MPG, this is what impressed me the most. Once I spent a few minutes to figure out how to reset the average MPG display (okay I'm a little slow), I reset it at a fuel stop. The drive I did was about 99% freeway from Las Vegas, NV to Barstow, CA at about 60F temperatures. I was driving along with a pre-run of a potential Craig Vetter challenge with 5 streamliner motorcycles. It included rolling the windows down, accelerating ahead and maneuvering around to take photos of the riders underway. No real hypermiling techniques used. Tires were pumped up to 55psi vs the 51 on the sidewall. Otherwise stone stock.

From Las Vegas to Barstow the average MPG readout was at 39.9 mpg. I had to speed back to Las Vegas for my flight home so I simply set the cruise at 75 and ended at 39.2 at a gas station near the airport. As most computers are a little off, the manual calculation produced 40.38mpg for the tank.

Suprisingly, the 75mpg speeds and using cruise yielded a solid 40!

This with no special driving techniques, mid size room, good power and great handling dynamics. I'm as impressed as I was hoping I'd be with the Focus. America IS producing great vehicles after all, which gives me great hope that we are doing something right.

Translating this information to my normal commute would yield much better figures. For my commute anyway, I'd guess at least 45mpg without trying very hard.

nice!

I like the new Focus.

I told my old lady the same thing this weekend, Im looking forward to my next "beater" in five years or so. a nice focus or equivalent rated at 40mpg's would likely yield 50mpg's with good driving techniques.

Ive been doing pretty good with my 05 focus at 40mpg's average with a grill block and light hypermiling. :turtle:

Gotta love those freeway miles. They really boost mpg! :)

I'm driving the 2012 Focus and it's awesome. In my opinion it's one of the few 40mpg cars out there that doesn't feel like I'm sacrificing something by driving it. Recently I posted about getting 50mpg over 1000miles. I've driven another 1000 miles and averaged 38mpg or so. Therefore I think it was a data error or unseen change that made the mpgs jump.

The car feels great on the road and I'm glad I got the hatchback. I have the 203a package with auto in sonic blue.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net...79860804_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net...93630576_n.jpg

[QUOTE=TXwaterdog;272885]In my opinion it's one of the few 40mpg cars out there that doesn't feel like I'm sacrificing something by driving it. QUOTE]

Thanks TXwaterdog, that really hits the nail on the head.

The new Mazda3 should be an impressive car as well. I'm guessing they still share some blood with the Fords, no?

No projector headlights? Weak.

Maybe it's an option?

Standard on almost every hyundai and kia. Makes me wonder where else Ford cut corners.

I wouldn't consider lack of HID lights to be cutting corners, and I don't believe they are standard on most cars now (although I'm not current on trends). Edison bulbs are much cheaper and proven to work. The savings of "cutting corners" is passed on to the customer.

My TSX has HID, Nav, heated this and that, airbags everywhere, as standard equipment, but it also retails for much more than a Focus.

Every manufacturer sets a price point for every model of vehicle, and spending that extra 50 bucks to add this feature or that is unacceptable (from a business standpoint).

That said, I believe the Koreans are building exceptional value these days. The Elantra and Sonata were on my radar for their affordability and relative fuel efficiency. The TSX won my attention for something completely irrational; the silky 6 speed gearbox is an absolute joy to row through.

Who said anything about HIDs? Re read my post, i'm talking about PROJECTORs not HIDs. Projectors can have either halogen or HID bulbs. Most new cars (even very cheap ones) have projector headlights with normal hallogen bulbs. Reflector headlights on the Focus just screams of cutting corners. It was pretty easy to see the cost cutting when the jetta ditched its projectors for reflectors even on the high end models.

Kia rio low beam projector with halogen bulb
http://new-car-collection.com/wp-con...ht-500x332.jpg

Scion xb
http://image.superstreetonline.com/f..._headlight.jpg

Smart
http://media.caranddriver.com/images...s-1280x782.jpg

Projectors with halogen bulbs SUCK. They don't put out as much light on the road as 9006 halogen bulbs in reflector housings. Projectors look pretty and have a nice sharp cutoff but my old Corolla had a pretty sharp cutoff.

The only thing with halogen projectors is that you can throw in HIDs with reasonably controlled glare, although the glare is still there. But my brother got HIR (halogen infrared reflecting) bulbs for his Mitsubishi Outlander which claim to pump out 2,200 lumens vs. 3,000 lumens in a 4300k HID bulb vs. 1,000 lumens in a typical halogen bulb. They don't look fancy and have the same colour temperature as a regular old halogen. It looks noticeably brighter than a stock halogen bulb for sure.

Anyway back on topic, I test drove a 2012 Focus manual, I loved the car. The shifter feels superb, but too bad it's only a 5 speed. My wife doesn't like it though, it's quite cramped in the back compared to Hyundai Elantra and even Mazda 3.

I was unaware that projectors were even offered with Edison bulbs, so thanks for pointing this out. Regardless, my overall idea stands, that what you might consider cutting corners is actually just a company trying to meet a particular price point.

I would pay extra to have HID projector lamps in my car, but many people would not. I trust that Ford knows what the average consumer demands and is willing to pay more than I do. Sometimes a consumers lack of interest in a particular feature isn't due to being unimpressed with the technology, but instead sheer ignorance of its existence.

Now, if many people don't know what a projector lens is, or they don't care to pay extra for the technology, is Ford to blame for "cutting corners", or are they just delivering what they believe the consumer demands.

Every single thing in life is a cut corner (compromise).

What speed were you driving to achieve 50 mpg? What hypermiling techniques did you use, if any? I'm averaging around 43 mpg in my 2012 Focus S sedan so far, and am always looking to improve my gas mileage. Thanks.

Some of the changes for the 2012.5 that are now in full force for the 2013 MY included adding a manual no cost option to the Titanium, dropping sonic blue, and Flexfuel certification(If you're like me and care about factory Ethanol support). They also dropped the SE handling package into the $2500 appearance package. So if I want the handling package with the hatchback I'm looking at $22500. :-/

I was looking at the Focus SE as a cheaper alternative to the Toyobaru Twins since the Focus has decent back seats and cargo room. But now if I want 6spd, dark blue, and disc brakes I can go with the Focus ST. Only problem is now the price is the same +-$1k. The Focus ST has more HP but it's also 400lbs heavier than the Twins. It's still too early for me to think about test driving anything, even though I'd like to.

Hella 90mm projector with H9 halogen bulb. Makes aftermarket HID kids look like dim narrow spectrum toys.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...g?t=1296938553

9006 bulb in Bosch projector makes 9006 reflector housing blue with envy.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s2/Pict051.jpg

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications...ure_12_web.jpg

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications...ure_13_web.jpg