Video: 2009 Ford Focus

Even though it's only in its second model year, the 2009 coupe receives customer-driven changes according to Ford. In working on the update of the coupe, Ford talks to fans of the Focus and small cars in general and came away with a common theme. And that was that a sportier look for the Coupe would be better able to draw in the millennial buyer. Now Ford defines millennials as people born between 1980 and 1995 and says that 11,000 of them come of driving age every day in the U.S. So what did Ford changed for 2009? Well you can see the Coupe has a much more aggressively styled lower bumper. And it also has a darker version of the Focus's two-bar grill. By comparison, the Sedan has a bright chrome grill. As you come around to the side, you can see the Ford has removed the applicator that used to be here on the front quarter panel of the Coupe and SES trim levels of the car have this spoiler above the rear window and also 17-inch aluminum wheels. For 2009, the Focus retains the two-liter four-cylinder engine that it used last year, but Coupes with the five-speed manual transmission now have slightly more horsepower. They're now rated at 143 horsepower. But if you'd rather let the car do the shifting for you, a four-speed automatic transmission is optional. Models with the automatic get a new final drive ratio that Ford says makes for a quicker acceleration. Gas mileage, though, is unchanged from last year, and it's still good. Models with the manual transmission are rated at 24 miles per gallon in the city and 35 on the highway. And if you get the automatic, it's 24 in the city and 33 on the highway. Front seat comfort is good in the Focus thanks to these bucket seats, which can be finished optionally in leather, and with the leather, they also have one-stage heated seats. Now the back seat of the Focus Coupe is actually bigger than you might expect. It's about the same size as the Sedan's backseat. It's just a little more difficult to get back there. One of the Focus's distinguishing features in the small car category is its available SYNC system, which uses voice activated commands to control compatible cell phones and portable music players. The Focus is a decent entry in the small car segment, but I'm not sure that changes to the 2009 Coupe make it that much more appealing to younger buyers. However, the portable music friendly SYNC system should definitely help generate interest among tech savvy millennials, even if the styling changes don't. <v Announcer>For additional information on this car or any other, go to Cars.com and our blog, Kicking Tires.