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SPORTY FORD FOCUS 2000 PROVIDES FEELING OF SPACIOUSNESS

In these times of a good economy, and ever-better automobiles, there has been a seemingly voracious appetite for mid-luxury automobiles, a segment that has split itself into several levels and where the challenge for the consumer has become one of asking if $44,000 Luxury Car X is really worth $14,000 more than Luxury Car Y, or even $20,000 more than Luxury Car Z.

Quietly, but effectively, another segment, one of very good, comfortable but inexpensive cars, has been inexorably expanding. Long in this class were the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla; then the Chevrolet Cavalier, Saturn SL and Wagon, and Dodge/Plymouth Neon.

Now comes Ford, with its new 2000 Focus, and its goal of building a small car that is roomy, economical, and bordering on sporty. With the Focus, Ford has done it.

The Focus comes in three basic models: three-door, four-door sedan, and station wagon. They also offer the top-end ZTS four-door sedan. Prices range from just over $12,000 to just under $16,000.

Even the sedans are almost van-like in their aura. The hood rolls up sharply to a massive windshield, which continues that edge to a high roof line, drops down to a smaller rear window, and ends abruptly at a high, chopped rear. Ford calls the design “New Edge,” and by substituting sharper lines for the awful ovals of recent years, it has built a car that is sporty looking.

Outside, it may look like a tight little car. But no. Inside, the feeling of spaciousness is grand.

The doors are tall and the glass in them is big. The roof is quite high, and as you look out the windshield you do not see the hood — again it is almost van-like in feel.

The trunk, because of the car’s rear height, is long and deep. Fold down the 60/40 split rear seats and you turn the Focus into a virtual hatchback.

The two front seats are broad and quite comfortable, if a bit soft. The wide back seat holds three comfortably; leg room is plentiful.

For the driver, all instrumentation is straight ahead behind the wheel: tachometer and speedometer each big at the center; at either end of the elongated oval cluster are the fuel and temperature gauges; and climbing in arcs from each end of the cluster are the warning lights.

To the left of the driver are controls for mirrors, lights, and door locks. In the center of the dash, audio and climate controls are wonderfully simple.

The glove compartment is big, a surprise these days since many manufacturers have given this space over to air bags (the Focus has front air bags, with side bags an option). There are also respectable storage slots in each front door.

The Focus has two engine options: an SOHC in-line 4-cylinder that puts out 110 horsepower and 122 lb.-ft. of torque, and a 16-valve DOHC in-line four that produces 130 horsepower and 135 lb.-ft. of torque. Both use plenty of aluminum — cylinder heads, pistons, oil pan — to keep weight down, and these are light cars, ranging from 2,551 for the three-door to 2,717 for the wagon.

Four-speed automatic and five-speed manual transmissions are available.

I drove the ZTS, which has the more powerful engine, with a five-speed manual transmission.

It is a surprisingly supple and quiet car, cruising at 55 m.p.h. at just 2,100 rpms and 75 m.p.h. at 3,000. For passing, a quick drop into fourth gave a steady surge even at higher speeds, and if you don’t need to get by someone quickly, fifth does just fine. There seemed to be little loss of torque from takeoff right up through 6,000 rpms, and the car moved nimbly in and out of highway traffic, slower only than those who were traveling way too fast and wanted the Focus out of their way in too much of a hurry.

Hauling kids to soccer, trash to the recycling center, and myself along the interstate to work, the Focus ZTS got just over 26 miles per gallon, a figure that likely would go up fter the engine is broken in.

As with any front-wheel drive, there was some torque steer, but at the horsepower levels of the Focus engines, that is not a problem.

On corners, I found it a little softer than it needs to be — almost a big-car feel — and that’s not necessary. Ford seems to have gotten caught between sporty stiffness and soft comfort and I would have erred toward stiffness in a car so light and tall.

The suspension up front is struts, coil springs, fully independent dampers and antiroll bar. There is fully independent rear suspension with separate damper units and antiroll bar.

Brakes are discs all around (ABS is an option, standard on the ZTS).

So Ford has accomplished what it set out to do. Built a front-wheel-drive car (think snow), that is inexpensive, roomy, and sporty enough to attract young buyers.

And they’ve also gone a bit European in letting drivers use lifestyle options to “customize” their Focus: a sports package that includes racks for gear and backpacks that slip over the rear of the front seats; pet packages that include bed and bowl; an “express yourself” package that includes seat covers of fleece, neoprene, or jersey; and a professional package for the business traveler that includes a voice recorder, illuminated notepad holder, and mobile work station.

Nice touches:

– The V-shaped, dedicated vents built into the far corner of each end of the dash. They are dedicated to defrosting the side windows and they do it very well.

Annoyances:

– The emergency brake handle between the seats takes up space where a large storage console could have been placed. They could have split the space with a shorter handle, or moved the handle and gained a big bin.

– The windshield wipers just did not do a good job of handling the rain. On glass that big, you need bigger, heavier blades.

SIDEBAR:

The numbers

Base price: $15,165 (ZTS model)

Price as tested: $15,585

Horsepower 130 /Torque: 135 lb/ft.

Wheelbase/Overall length: 103 inches/174.9 inches

Width/Height: 66.9 inches/56.3 inches

Curb weight: 2,564 lbs.

Seating: 5 passengers