Shortly after last decade’s recession, Ford decided to globalize their designs. This allowed them to launch great looking cars with global appeal and save significant money in the process. What this gave birth to was several sleek Euro-inspired Fords that were stylish, spacious, and prioritized fuel economy more than ever before. The Ford Focus was one of the vehicles to reflect the brand’s future.
The Focus, currently in its third generation, doesn’t look like the previous generation at all. In fact, you have to travel to Europe to get an idea of where its design language originated from. Ford basically decided to take the European Focus, evolve the design, add a number of engine choices, and sell it around the world.
So let’s get right to it – here’s what we liked and disliked about the 2014 Ford Focus.

LIKES
Performance

The Focus is quite peppy and delivers the required power upon acceleration. Its engine delivers best-in-class horsepower rating of 160-hp, tying only with the Dodge Dart. A slight touch of the gas pedal from a standstill delivers an instant boost – thanks to its satisfying 146 lb.-ft. of torque. At speeds above 60 km/h, the car uses very little power from the engine to maintain a steady speed.

Handling
Considering its price point, the car delivers outstanding handling at all speeds. During a 10 kilometer run on the bumpy Gardiner Expressway in Toronto, the sport-tuned suspension did a fair job of absorbing the bumps. Although you do feel the bumps, the overall “bounciness” on the car is minimal because the suspension is stiff. Some of its competitors in this segment have softer suspensions that deliver a fairly wobbly driving experience on bumpy roads.
Design
Over the years, we have seen our fair share of unappealing Ford products, many of them badge-engineered and sold as Mercurys and Lincolns. Although the Focus itself was never a victim of this, its design seemed like an afterthought throughout the first and second generation. The current generation however completely disowns any legacy of its North American predecessors – instead evolving off the Euro-spec model. The front features large shapely headlights that extend out to the center of the hood. The grille appears to extend downward, giving the car an aggressive appearance. From the side, the rear and cargo windows slope downward, giving the vehicle a sleek and aerodynamic profile.

DISLIKES

Audio system
The audio system on the Focus is quite disappointing, especially considering the label it bears. The tested model came with a Sony audio system, including speakers. While the Ford Sync system used to control it was quite satisfactory, the sound quality was appalling enough to drive any audiophile off-the-wall. Whatever you listen to, be it the radio, a CD, Sirius XM, or even streaming off your phone, it seems to output low quality audio that leaves much to be desired. The unfortunate part is that this is true of many of the Ford and Lincoln products I have driven to date.