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2009 Ford Focus Coupe

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I guess some 2009 models are coming out early at Ford.s.
The Focus coupe get some small changes for the new year. Already.
None of them are any improvement. The new front bumper is supposed to make it look more like the upcoming Fiesta.
And I just hope these horrible looking wheels and the spoiler are options.

And I kind of miss the little vertical piece of chrome on the front fender. I actually liked it.
It might look odd on some pictures, but really added a little something to the car in real life.
The sedan might still have it.

The new Focus has been pretty successful for Ford. If you remember, I really enjoyed driving it and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.
If you can live with the blocky design and the 1980’s inspired interior.
It offers good features. Even some amazing stuff like Sync.

You can see more of the revised coupe on American Idol tomorrow night.

Conversation 19 comments

  1. Ok, I sell these things, but that is hideous! Looks like a Sport Appearance Package like they have on the Fusion.

    At least they got rid of the fender vent! (though people seem to like it actually…)

  2. In some ways it’s an improvement…such as the new bumper and eliminating the fake side vents. However, I dont like the new rims, spoiler (what’s up with that?), and the black chrome. It was already a great car to begin with and sales proved this. I hope they don’t mess up with this tweak.

  3. Did someone in the Ford design studio find some drawings from 1984 and decide it was time for a retro-Tempo?! How could Alan Mullaly who admits the current Taurus is the “Homer Simpson” of design actually sign off on THIS mess?
    Ford- cut your loss, shut down production and wait for the domestic Fiesta.

  4. Ugh. You liked the fake front fender vent? I think you’re in the minority there.

    I’ve seen plenty in real life, and it just looked tacky.

    I agree with the wheels, but otherwise I think all the improvements are good. It just looks like a mundane cheap car now – which is exactly what it is – which in my opinion is better than looking like a mundane cheap car with a bunch of tacky bits trying to make it look more upscale than it really was

  5. And not even rear headrests…

    Ford’s success with this iteration of the Focus is largely a fluke, as it happens to coincide with runaway (but inevitable) gas prices. Nevertheless, compared to what else is out there, Ford continues to gets an “F” for effort (see May ’08 Car & Driver), making even the relative popularity of this car a mystery, high gas prices notwithstanding.

    Really, who’s buying it? Rental agencies or people whose wallets are being strangled by the gas-pump but who refuse to buy foreign brands?

  6. I didn’t think it was possible to make this any more ugly. I was wrong. Ford has out done themselves with the 2009 Escort GT.

  7. The new (North American) Focus is one of the most disappointingly feeble designs of the past few years. Faced with good looking competitors like the Honda Civic it’s incredible that Ford would market such a homely looking car. Having said this, I can actually see some reason for the initial success of this vehicle. Setting looks aside the new Focus is quite a competitive offering. It’s a couple of cubic feet larger in interior space that the current Civic and Corolla … and it’s trunk is also noticeably larger than in these vehicles. Horsepower for the Focus is about the same as in the Corolla … slightly less than in the Civic. Highway fuel economy for the new Focus pretty much matches both the Civic and the Corolla … on the downside the Focus is a bit thirstier (2 or 3 mpg) in the city. Obviously some people are able to get past the exterior design and see that this is a reasonable little car.

  8. Can it get anymore frumpy looking? The person who designed this thing must be one of those self-lothing/life-hating freaks…aka, Artist.

  9. I’m glad they got rid of the side vents. I like side vents, but I like tastefully done vents, not the cheesey ones on the last Focus. I like the top spoiler but I agree it should be an option. I like the guages but that huge silver panel on the dash still needs work. Other than that I kinda like it.

  10. Good points, tokyoplumber.

    A lady I know bought a loaded 2008 Focus Coupe for her daughter going off to college this fall. I’m certainly no fan of Ford, but my friend got it for a really good price, it gets good gas mileage, build quality and materials seem very nice, it drives just fine, rides good, it’s comfortable even for my 6’4″ body, has great standard safety features, the Microsoft Sync is a delight to use, and her daughter is happy with it.

    The Focus seems like a good, solid choice for a car that will likely be driven hard for the next four or five years.

  11. Wow, I really don’t know what to say. This is just awful. It would be so easy to visually clean this car up. But they’ve just made it cheezier by adding the wing.

  12. Wow. What a difference!…. or not. Small detail changes can’t save this car. When the 2008 Focus was unveiled, I threw up a little in my mouth. It’s just so ugly and unrefined. The sharp, abrupt angles that are completely overdone, the square, blocky look, the plain decklid/trunk that is completely void of any detail…. there is nothing to like about the exterior of this car. I found the 2007 boring but less offensive than this mess.

    I don’t even see the point in this “refresh” for the coupe (why just the coupe?!) for one year. Isn’t the 2010 model supposed to be the long-awaiting new model that’s going to be shared with Europe? I realize gas is pushing $4/gallon, but I would never, EVER consider this Focus as a cheap econo-car. Give me a Corolla or Civic.

  13. because small cars are so popular right now, why doesnt ford invest a little in its car department? how about making this cheaped-out focus the new escort (and let’s face it, with the huge discounts everyone is getting, why not just lower the base price to boost resale values and draw in customers?) and bring in the euro focus to be the new focus. so what if it costs a little bit more?! I am willing to pay for a quality product!

    which is why i bought a civic

  14. this is not a good coupe… the tC is a good coupe/3 door hatch(add a 3rd door, Ford).
    We have the SES sedan… nearly 15,000 miles in 6 months. Great car. Only gripe is no telescopic steering column…but if it had that, it’s so comfortable, I’d probably fall asleep on the highway(quiet/comfortable car).

    34-37.5 MPG for automatic(best was 38.9,when oil was changed and 75 degrees, recently, mainly on hwy/auotmatic.. remember, iirc, this engine is a tweaked Mazda engine).
    A larger engine , same mpg, is a good thing, though.

  15. This reminds me of when the Toyota Echo first came out. If you could get over the butt-ugly styling, it wasn’t a bad car…like this one.

    Just don’t go comparing it to the one the rest of the world gets or you’ll be disappointed.

  16. Yeh, typical ford, they will drive this puppy into the ground like ranger, taurus, freestar, crown vic……………….

    They have slashed cost, but, they still haven’t improved their products.

  17. I like it…
    the changes are a considerable step in developing the details on what is imho a very Very nicely shaped car
    -but-
    the amazing things are that Ford listened AND made so many changes on a recent release that already had an 88% retail sales increase!

    Can’t wait to see what they do next!

    …like maybe Reflex-shaped headlites and…
    a MERCURY version!!!
    (with the 2.5)

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