Spy Shots: 2008 Ford Focus
by Dan Roth on Nov 30th 2006 at 8:34AM 
Okay, this is just plain defiant. Our friends over at Winding Road managed to snag the 2008 Focus out on a prowl. Don't go getting too excited, it's not platform-deep. Rather than walk their talk, Ford's decided to deny us the lauded C1-based Focus, choosing instead to update the near ten-year old US Focus. The coupe shows obvious signs of a deeper restyle than the last freshening, where they just kinda melted the edges of the front lamps a bit and revised the trunklid and taillight clusters. Underneath that camo is a 3-bar grille, bringing the Focus in line with the new family traits. Out back it looks like the poop deck is high, even discounting the fact that it's been built up under the camo on the test mule, and it appears the new taillamps wrap into the rear quarters with a more rakish angle.More analysis after the jump.
[Source: Winding Road]
The interior furnishings look redone, and were heavily obscured by camo. From the details that are discernible, it looks like the dash is all-new, with more chrome trim here and there and a new instrument cluster. The center console appears to have been given the faux metal makeover, and we wonder if that extends to the well-covered center stack. This restyling will most likely bring NVH, body rigidity and chassis tuning improvements with it (well, it better). As good as those may be, and as good as this car was in SVT trim, this Focus platform is due for the glue factory. Not only that, over at the Mazda or Volvo stores you can get a C1 car, virtually negating any pro-Focus argument other than deep discounts, rebates, and fleet sales...lots of fleet sales. The Focus isn't inherently bad, it's just that everything else has gotten lots better.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Kowell 9:39AM (11/30/2006)
Is that a 2 doors coupe?
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samhain 9:01AM (11/30/2006)
The Focus will not have a 3-bar grille, it's a 2-bar. The Coupe is completely new and the Sedan will have all new sheet metal.
The C1 is a derivative of the C170 and is not the Holy Grail that everyone thinks it is. The C170 Focus is still one of the best handling cars for the money.
Over at Focaljet they have been discussing these particular pics for days now:
http://forums.focaljet.com/team-pit-stop/534238-08-focus-interior-shots.html
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menice 9:43AM (11/30/2006)
die focus die.
they should remake the Maverick!
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Jim in Tampa 9:48AM (11/30/2006)
The picture with the pictograph indicating "NO CAMERAS" is hysterical!
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RaslDasl 10:56AM (11/30/2006)
Has anyone seen a hatch yet? I just bought a 2007 5-door and I love it. I knew a refresh was coming but the deal was too good to pass up. They had a $2500 rebate on the 2007 model in August! I was able to get a C-sized car for a B-sized price.
This car handles great and the 2.0 from Mazda is sweet, even without variable valve timing. Even with the automatic the power is there, the shifts are clean and fast. If this car holds up until it is paid off I will be one happy camper. Just in case, I got an extended warranty for a bargain price of $400 from the dealer.
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BLS 10:32AM (11/30/2006)
Is that giant red plunger button for the ejector seat.
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Michael Karesh 11:07AM (11/30/2006)
There's nothing wrong with the chassis. It's still among the best-handling and -riding compacts, and the old platform is more space-efficient than the new one. Compare rear seat room in a Focus with that in a Mazda3.
The #1 problem is the ultra-cheap, carelessly designed interior they foisted on the car in 2005, the #2 problem is that the styling is very old. Fix those two things, and this car's a contender.
Even today a Focus is a good buy as a new car, and a great buy as a used one. With the new ones, you want the SES or ST. With the SES, you get a lot more stuff than the lower trims, including 16-inch alloys, for just a bit more cash.
The ST is very fun to drive--it's engine has less peak power than the related VVT 2.3 in the Mazda3, but feels spunkier; suspension based on the SVT--and out-the-door costs less than a Honda Fit.
To compare new car prices:
http://www.truedelta.com/prices.php
One problem is that they depreciate quickly. The solution to this is to let someone else take the hit.
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kwc 11:04AM (11/30/2006)
Having owned a Focus at one point, I would say there is absolutely nothing wrong with the underpinnings of the current car. It is still quite competitive. All I thought it needed was a better quality interior and some NVH improvements, and maybe a little better fuel economy. Ride/handling tradeoff is definitely best in class.
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samhain 12:29PM (11/30/2006)
There will no hatchbacks for 2008. 3 or 5-door.
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Infinihertz 12:51PM (11/30/2006)
#9, are you claiming that both 3 and 5-door (ZX3 and ZX5) Focuses are being discontinued for 2008? I know the ZXW wagon is, but I find it hard to believe that's true. From my driving around the past couple years, the hatches seem to be about half of the Focus sales. Even adding in the ZX2, Ford would be crazy to stop selling those.
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Pat 12:57PM (11/30/2006)
The interior looks very nice. A HUGE improvement over the recent models. The car is very fun to drive and I will be very interested in one of these when they are available. On that note, does anyone know WHEN they will be available, or has that not been announced yet?
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Shawn704 6:19PM (11/30/2006)
Why bother trying to bring a C1 based Focus now? The C2 platform is almost here to replace it, with the Mazda 3 being one of the first to use it in 2009 with its redesign. Ford NA should just skipped the C1 and just go straight to the C2. The Mazda3 will grow in sizes, and this will position Ford and Mazda to bring the new Ford Fiesta and Mazda 2 over that is currently being redesigned.
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Infinihertz 1:11PM (11/30/2006)
Pat (#11), a date hasn't been announced yet, but the past couple years, Focuses have been launched around July. Expect a better idea at the Auto Show in early January.
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Aki 2:07PM (11/30/2006)
Why would nebody buy a decade-old style Because of minor cosmetic tweaks? Another stupid decision by Ford. If it thinks little aesthetic changes will dupe consumers into thinking it's all-new, then they're very wrong.
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martymarty 2:04PM (11/30/2006)
One thing that I love about the comments on Autoblog is the continous divide between American car lovers and haters, especially in an entry that is not about an American car. To that end, let me offer this view: Toyota is letting things slide on delaying bringing out the NA replacement for the Corolla. From what we've seen from the Japanese look, it appears that it is a stretched Yaris sedan. So, it is not just Ford or GM who let things languish and design fall by the way side. Although Fords handling of updating that and giving us a decent looking Focus is unacceptable.
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Infinihertz 1:45PM (11/30/2006)
Aki, I disagree. First of all, the aesthetic changes are far from little (I've personally seen new Focuses in Dearborn with a lot less camo), and most people seem drawn to the appearance of new than actually being new. I'm very happy with my older Focus, and if the interior and exterior get a good bump and it gets a couple more mpg, I'll probably upgrade. As most people have already said, it's a great car for the money.
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Andy 2:08PM (11/30/2006)
Importing the British Focus would mean a more expensive car (£11,000). Unlike the US Focus, the UK Focus is not a base Ford. The Focus is four steps up the ladder, with the Ka (£7,100), Fiesta (£8,400), and Fusion (a much uglier version than ours for £10,700) below it. The Focus has thrived on being a low-cost compact here in the United States. Consumer Reports has continuously rated the Focus as the best car in its class. Of the British Fords, the Ka would be the equivalent of the US Focus.
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Aki 2:07PM (11/30/2006)
"I'm very happy with my older Focus, and if the interior and exterior get a good bump and it gets a couple more mpg, I'll probably upgrade. As most people have already said, it's a great car for the money."
I strongly disagree and think that a modest upgrade simply won't be able to compete in the competitive compact car market. "Looks nice" won't cut it, because there are plenty of people reluctant to purchasing a Focus. It needs have a gotta-have-it factor that the Euro Focus has--and that I highly doubt this car would have.
If Ford brought over the Focus Coupe cabriolet style here, now that would be a looker. But a generic, modestly more modern Focus harking back from a decade ago will do nothing to attract those who buy Corolla's and Civics. Ford won't gain any marketshare with this car. Nor does it seem like they care to.
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Tiago do Vale 2:27PM (11/30/2006)
If the old Focus is ssooooooo competetivive, why does Ford-Europe have a new one for years?
Don't be stupid.
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Phil 3:51PM (11/30/2006)
The Euro-Focus has absolutely no GOTTA-HAVE FACTOR.
All of the Euro-testers and I concluded that the styling was mediocre, and the chassis was not a stand-out, just a measure more fun and control than an Astra.
Big freaking deal!!! What Ford needs to do with this new Focus is hold the prices to just below Cobalt levels. It will sell at good enough levels until an all-new car can get here.
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