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Time to focus on Focus.

Forget Escort. Ford has, turning its attention to the Focus sedan, coupe and wagon, a trio aimed at taking Escort’s role in getting youth on limited budgets into a Ford.

And with Focus, Ford intends to get folks into the fold early. The lineup is aimed at about 80 million Echo Boomers and Gen Xers.

At a preview of the 2000 Focus here we didn’t understand all the marketspeak definitions of Echo Boomers and Gen Xers, other than they are more into body piercing and tattoos than business casual.

With 80 million potential buyers running loose, Ford doesn’t care if they are pierced or permanently inked as long as they drive a product with a blue oval bolted to the hood.

Focus is a subtly styled and deceivingly roomy compact that comes in five varieties, powered by a choice of two 4-cylinder engines, a 2-liter, 107-horsepower 4 that’s standard in the LX and SE sedans and SE wagon, and a 2-liter, 130-h.p. ZETEC 4 that’s standard in the ZX3 coupe and ZTS sedan and a $200 option in the SE sedan and wagon. The ZETEC is fairly sprightly, the base 2-liter is rather anemic.

Unless you live in the flatlands, you’ll find, as we did, trying to zip through the mountains here in an SE sedan with the base engine, that it’s several horses shy of carrying the load when the road rises. Same hills don’t seem as steep in a ZTS sedan with standard ZETEC engine.

As we chugged up a hill in the SE with the base engine, a Ford official noted that a study is under way to develop more low-end torque in the 4-cylinder for improved off-the-light and up-the-hill acceleration.

A 5-speed manual is standard in all cars except the SE wagon, which only comes with a 4-speed automatic that’s an $815 option in the others. There are two 5-speeds, one for the base engine, another smoother, quieter, more refined one for the ZETEC that shifts effortlessly and gets every ounce of power out of the engine.

Ford boasts Focus “redefines customer expectations of small cars.” Actually, it redefines customer expectations of small Ford cars. For several years, it has become clear that folks want bigger small cars with more creature comforts and not just spartan machines that get lots of mileage.

We spent time in each, the most in the ZTS and SE sedans. Oddly, the suspension is the same on all, though you’d swear the ZTS is tuned with more forgiving, long-distance refinement. All come with 15-inch radial tires except the LX sedan (14-inch).

The suspension does a more-than-adequate job in keeping road harshness from filtering back into the cabin. Lateral control was noteworthy for a low-priced compact. Despite an ample dose of twisting roads, Focus didn’t exhibit excessive wander or lean into or out of the curves. Adult-size 15-inch treads and a power-steering system tuned for quick reaction to wheel input helped, as did the special attention taken to minimize wheel shake to provide solid, stable feel in the wheel.

With stability control coming soon, Focus could exhibit exceptional manners for a small car.

Focus also offers surprise-and-delight features–items you wouldn’t expect in a small car, such as a lever on the radio to remove the face, including all buttons and dials. If, after seeing a radio with no face or controls, the thief still decides to take it, t he radio wi ll not work.

Among other noteworthy features are side air bags in the seats (optional at $350), anti-lock brakes (standard on the ZTS, optional at $400 on all others) and sealed-for-life transmission with no scheduled fluid changes.

There also are beefed up brakes to reduce stopping distance, wide-open doors for easy entry/exit, a raised roof line to provide ample headroom in the cabin though seats are raised for that sit-high-to-look-down-the-road feeling you get in a sport-utility vehicle. Ford raised the roof line based on research that, since 1995, the public has grown by a half inch.

Also, there’s a slot in the instrument panel to hold gum or coins along with cupholders/pen or pencil holders in the center console; a “battery saver” automatically switches off lights left on after 10 minutes; rear seats flip and fold for added storage; and safety belts have pre-tensioners and load-limiting retractors to keep occupants in position in an impact.

Also, controls are large and easy to reach and all letters/numbers are large for quick deciphering, a feature that aids older drivers but is equally appreciated by Echo Boomers.

Focus is the first car designed using the automaker’s “New Age” suit, which resembles a straight jacket and forces young designers working on cabin features to take into account the physical limitations in reach, vision and mobility that come with age. One result, for example, was placement of the trunk-release button on the dash to the left of the driver rather than on the floor under the seat.

As for the trunk, it’s huge, and support struts are outside the opening so they don’t get in the way of loading or unloading.

Rear-seat room is exceptional. Considering the compact exterior dimensions, the interior feels as if it’s a midsize sedan. If the driver is 6-feet-4, the person designated to sit behind him or her might suffer a tad in legroom, however.

As for the wagon, engineers are to be commended for a design in which the cargo hold is wide and flat without wheel protrusions like in the Saturn wagon that block loading or unloading.

And there are annoyances.

A major disappointment is the absence of power seats in Focus. You must use a large and awkward twist handle under the driver’s seat to adjust height. The device was a Ford of Europe creation that resembles the crank once used to start a car. Absurd.

Worse, when you use the crank, only the seat bottom cushion moves up or down. When moved down, the bottom separates from the seat back to create a gaping hole between the two, big enough for any wallet kept in the back pocket to fall through and end up on the rear seat floor.

Another annoyance is that traction control, stability control and power sunroof are not available, even as options though all are offered on the Focus (manual sunroof, not power) sold in Europe.

The front-wheel-drive Focus goes on sale Sept. 30. Prices start at $11,865 for the ZX 3 coupe, $12,125 for the LX sedan, $13,565 for the SE sedan, $15,380 for the SE wagon and $15,165 for the ZTS sedan. Add $415 for freight on all.

All have dual air bags as standard as well as body-colored side moldings, AM/FM radio, rear-window defroster and side-window demisters, solar-tinted glass, accessory power plug, power brakes and steering and trip odometer.

Standard features increase as you move up the series until you get to the ZTS, which adds air conditioning, ABS, leather-wrapped steering wheel, power windows/mirrors/locks, remote keyless entry, tilt and telescoping wheel and aluminum wheels.

Among popular options are air conditioning for $795; power locks with remote entry for $395; power windows for $295; leather seats for $695; side-impact air bags for $350; AM/FM stereo with single-disc CD changer for $140; and smoker’s package, basically an ashtray where a cupholder sat, for $15.

In catering to youth, Ford takes a few novel approaches to prom ote Focus such as the use of live TV commercials; putting the car in the hands of local celebs that youth admire; giving new buyers a welcome package with watch and picture frame; and offering “lifestyle” packages with pet seat belts, voice recorders to dictate messages and jersey seat covers, portable ice cooler, in-dash candy dispenser and removable backpack.

Focus basically is an economy car in terms of mileage and price, but not in room, comfort or features. It will compete against the Honda Civic, Chevrolet Cavalier and Toyota Corolla.

Focus was designed and developed by Ford of Europe. At one time Mazda was to get involved. It didn’t, other than to help design one of the 5-speed manuals.

Until production gets up to its 325,000-unit annual capacity, Ford will offer the four-door Escort sedan and two-door Escort ZX2 sports coupe built in Mexico for about two years.

Ford also will produce a multi-activity vehicle, or MAV, off the Focus platform, initially for Europe but no doubt the U.S., too, probably in 2002.

>> 2000 Ford Focus ZTS sedan Wheelbase: 103 inches Length: 174.9 inches Engine: 2-liter, 16-valve, 130-h.p. ZETEC 4-cylinder Transmission: 4-speed automatic Fuel economy: 25 m.p.g. city/32 m.p.g. highway Base price: $15,165 Price as tested: $16,470. Includes $350 for side-impact air bags, $815 for automatic transmission and $140 for AM/FM stereo with single-disc CD changer. Add $415 for freight. Pluses: Lots of cabin room. Pleasant ride and handling. 15-inch radial tires. ABS standard. Excellent mileage. Subtle styling. Minuses: Crank seat a pain. Traction and stability control and power sunroof not available in U.S. >>