“So ... I was recently in the market for a compact car. I looked at Ford’s lineup. Garbage.”
Sad thing is, the Focus they sell in Europe has gotten rave reviews. The one we get here blows.
Every few years when I travel to Europe, I am astounded by Ford’s offerings “over there.”
Yes, it is sad ... If it was a decent car I might have bought one. All the on-line reviews (edmunds, autobytel ...) I read were lukewarm at best, and to actually see one was disappointing. Fit & finish were bad, and the thing just felt ‘cheesy’.
This is very true...it just blows my mind why they don't just introduce that one into the US market. It's an excellent car, I've seen it firsthand this past summer in Italy. Additionally, Ford stopped making the hatchback version of their Focus in the USA for 2008. That was their most attractive small car. Dumb management, Ford needs an influx of new blood with an eye for design.
“Sad thing is, the Focus they sell in Europe has gotten rave reviews. The one we get here blows.”
They sell the new version Focus in Europe. They sell the old version Focus, in the US.
If you want the new version Focus in the US, you can buy a Mazda 3, or a Volvo S40, which are the same chassis as the new European version Focus.
This way, Ford gives American consumers an opportunity to own the outdated model. Ford doesn’t think you are smart or sophisticated enough, to know the difference.
And the story goes on.
When I bought my Escape, I noticed that there were a ton of Focuses (Foci?) on the lot. Commented on it to the salesman. His reply was that it "Was a real piece of junk."
This from a salesman. I'll never, ever consider buying one.