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Ohio switching fleet to Ford Focus, gov't workers not amused
click above for more pics of the 2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe
Fuel economy and CO2 emissions are on a lot of our minds right now, and many of us are re-examining our vehicle needs in an effort to save coin at the pump. The push to downsize has influenced the entire state of Ohio, which plans to switch its government fleet from 90-percent midsize sedans to one fortified with up to 50-percent of Ford Foci. Not only will the Focus save the state at the pump, but Ford's little economy car also costs less to buy. The Cleveland Plain Dealer, which calls the Focus "less stylish", pens the fleet cost of the Focus at about $12,000, while a Chevrolet Impala will run the state $16,000 or more. The switch to a Focus fleet will save the state $242,000 this year alone, and the dollar figures go up as more economy cars hit the fleet.
Of course some of the employees that have to drive the homely, yet practical, Focus are complaining about a lack of head and leg room. Unsympathetic DAS spokesman Ron Sylvester basically told complainers to shed some girth and deal with it. Who knows, maybe the state will use some of the savings to hook up its peeps with SYNC, which could give workers hands-free phone capabilities so they can complain about their car to friends while keeping both hands on the wheel. We're not so sure the rank and file will dislike the Focus though. We kinda liked it.
[Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer via The Truth About Cars]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Biff Baxter 10:38AM (1/25/2008)
Leave it to a gov't worker to complain about saving taxpayer money.
The comments regarding weight are dead-on. If you want to see fat, walk into any state office.
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Andrew 10:39AM (1/25/2008)
I couldn't have said it better myself.
John P. 10:45AM (1/25/2008)
Exactly. Sheesh. I'd happily drive a focus on someone else's tab. Not to mention, the Focus is way better driving than the Impala anyway.
Xcountryflyer 11:56AM (1/25/2008)
My thoughts exactly. Okay so its butt ugly--but you're not paying for the car Mr. or Ms. government bureaucrat.
ENH 11:19AM (1/25/2008)
Not a looks issue, but my 36inch legs will not fit in a focus with out some discomfort. Would be OK for SHORT trips. Then again, it is a free ride...
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Stuka 3:24PM (1/25/2008)
I am 6ft 4in tall and fit in my '05 without any issues. Its actually rather spacious for a compact.
psarhjinian 10:44AM (1/25/2008)
It's not like the Focus isn't roomy--you can sit four people in better comfort in it than in the Impala's awful seats--but that there's two issues:
* The stigma here about bigger=better.
* People, especially front-line pencil pushers, hate change.
For the record, I'm 6'8". I've personally driven both cars and the Focus (small steering wheel, high hip point, supportive seats, tilt/telescoping wheel) is a much easier car to fit in than the Impala (ass-on-the-floor seating, especially in the rear, zero support, tilt-only wheel, big protruding dash and large steering wheel).
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Cesare Consaga 11:03AM (1/25/2008)
Yes, it can sit 4 adult humans in comfort, but not Americans. Just take a look around. As a rule, we don't exercise and we take in more (unhealthy and modified) food resources than other people on the planet. But of course, this discussion is about cars...
Andrew 11:11AM (1/25/2008)
If you were an American you'd know that's just a stereotype. Douchebag.
Mr. Oak 11:59AM (1/25/2008)
Caesare:
1). Girth aside, the Avg. American is bigger than your average anybody from just about anywhere, save maybe Samoa. Has to do with diet, and not necessarily personal choices. In 1925, there was a percieved or real epidemic of enlarged Thyriods in 70,000 Americans. The findings were that the American diet was iodine defficient, causing this "epidemic". Medical Assoc. convinced Govt. the amount of iodine in the diet of Americans should be increased. It was decided that the simplest way to "guarantee" that everyone gets this iodine enriched diet, was to put it in table salt. Hence we now have Iodized Table salt. Scientific research a couple generations later tied the increase in size of the average American to the increased intake of iodine.
The rest of the world did not sign on to this, fearing that too much iodine could lead to "Graves" disease. This was never proven or dispelled.
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There are suspicions that hermones given to cows, in order increase their milk production, are IN PART, responsible for the increase in our waist lines and bottom lines. Of course some lobbyist got the USDA to sign off on these "safe for human comsumption" hermones.
The automoble also shoulders some of the blame for our increasing waist lines. Did not realise how little walking Americans do until I lived outside the NY metropolitan area.
I blame my wife's cooking for my waist getting larger. After 20 years of marriage, I went from a 29 waist to a 33. Still in excellent shape though.
Judy Zik 12:36PM (1/25/2008)
Canada and many other countries also use iodized salt. In fact one of the processes to double fortify salt with iodine and Flouride was developed by the University of Toronto. So Canadians are not really any shorter than Americans and in fact both groups are shorter than Swedes and Norwegians among others. Most scientists attribute height differences to access to health care not iodine. If people from Sweden can fit themselves into small cars then Americans have no excuse for driving boats.
Owain Ozymandias Buck 12:52PM (1/25/2008)
I can think of reasons for having a fat ass, but I really only blame myself. Not long ago when our little girl was born, I quit working out and took over the kitchen to help out my wife. Between the laziness and my cooking, I've gained twenty pounds! My focus feels a little smaller now. But it still has plenty of room.
Come on--I know you have some lard butt jokes for me to make me get back into the healthy routine! ;)
Cesare Consaga 2:42PM (1/25/2008)
Mr. Oak. That was my contention without getting technical. Our food sources are chocked full of hormones and other nasty items. The plastic containers they come in, with their various leaching chemicals are also adding to the mix. I see young women maturing much earlier than they did when I was in high school. In a sense, Americans have supersized themselves in just over a generation. Bigger people require more resources. In a sense, we've almost created a sub-species. Darwin would cringe.
Andrew: Born and raised in the Republic of California. We know cars...it's in our blood.
howard 1:06PM (1/28/2008)
And don't forget the stigma associated with the name; "FOCUS"! A few years back there was a joke circulating about two black girls who were getting their picture taken by a professional photographer and when he put the black cloth over his head one of the girls asked; "what he gonna do" the other one answered; he gonna focus" the first one answered; "bofus"! When i heard Ford was going to name the car "FOCUS" i sent this joke to the division that was building it but they still introduced it as the"FOCUS" My youngest son needed a new car and A Ford Dealer was the only one that could work with him! Since he has had the car where the name FOCUS was on the lower left corner of the deck lid is "MY WIFES CAR" ON A METAL PLAC HE HAD MADE!
JGN 10:55AM (1/25/2008)
This move makes a lot of sense. Government agencies tend to have a fleet of vehicles that range from large trucks to vans, and now to small vehicles like this. It just makes sense that you would get a vehicle appropriate to your needs when it is on someone elses dime. I hope they get them in something other than white though, nothing makes a car look crappier than being in government service as a base model vehicle in white. The Focus doesn't need that image being attached to it.
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Andrew 11:09AM (1/25/2008)
While I don't disagree that it's uncool of anyone driving a free company car (especially on taxpayer dollars) to complain about comfort... as a tall person I must sympathize a little. The complaint was specifically about head and legroom, and losing weight will not make you shorter.
That said, the new Focus has 39.2" of front headroom and 41.7" front leg room. The Imapala has 39.4" and 42.3", respectively. So the Focus is pretty good for a small car. It's those 6 inches of hip room that are gonna be the biggest issue for some of those guys...
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tanooki2003 11:28AM (1/25/2008)
Losing weight can at least allow you to not have your belly control the steering wheel, not allow your body to pour over into the passenger seat next to you, and not tilt the car to one side after taking 15 mins to finally fit in the seat.
psarhjinian 11:49AM (1/25/2008)
What those numbers don't tell you is this: the Focus' legroom is "real", measured on a flat back seat witha nice, high hip point. The Impala's seats are low, angled, and the cushion really short to give the _impression_ of legroom that isn't really there.
It's a short-wheelbase car with bad interior packaging and most of it's size is overhang and width. The Impala's sole virtue is reliability, otherwise it's a pretty mediocre car for it's class.
I'll agree on the hip/shoulder room comment, but that really only applies to three-across seating. In two-across, it's a moot point unless you're really (ie, NFL lineman) broad.
ugg.tryptophan 6:57PM (1/25/2008)
http://www.biggestloserclub.com/ now they can lose that width
Andrew 11:12AM (1/25/2008)
Good points. My new Mazda3 has a little less room on paper than some competitors, but the adjustable seat height and telescoping wheels allow me to get a very comfortable driving position, even if the center console does intrude on my right knee space just a little.
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