It’s quite funny on how expectations rarely live up to reality—whether it’s The Da Vinci Code, Intel’s Dual Core laptops or the concept of a paperless office. More often than not, the expectations are even higher if the product has had very reputable reviews and is backed up by an excellent company. Unfortunately, the Ford Focus 1.6 Trend belongs in such company.
A glance alone is enough to make you think that you’ve been shortchanged with the Focus 1.6 Trend. Where as the 1.8 Ghia is alright and the 2.0 Sport is beautiful, the 1.6 Trend is downright comical. Sure, it shares the Ghia’s sedan shape, but the removal of aerodynamic trimmings and the reduction of wheel size (now 195/55 R 15) calls too much attention to the bulbous wheel arches, large grab-type door handles and the insect-like antenna. It looks like you’ve placed Arnold Schwarzenegger muscular structure over Mini Me. It shouts “sales rep” from a mile away, and that certainly didn’t do the Focus name justice.
Inside, the story’s the same: bland, plain and every level. Again, although the source is the luxury-oriented Ghia, the Trend removes all the chrome highlights and wood trim until all that’s to talk about is its black/beige color scheme. Overall, it’s built with high quality materials with some good detailing such as the European style oval vents and the thick center console reminiscent of Audis. Perhaps the only things left to improve are the stiff and uncomfortable seats and the matte silver plastic on the center. Both feel crude and cheaply finished. The latter has gaps big enough to fit a Smint—actually causing the front cup holders not to open properly. There’s also a lack of cubby holes inside with the exception of the XXXL glove box which can swallow a large purse, the pet cat and a can of Coke.
As a driver’s car, it’s discontenting to find out that the shortcomings of the Focus extend further to what’s under the hood. Although a 1.6-liter motor still is a decent displacement, the Focus’s porky curb weight means overtaking can be frustrating. There are two transmission options for the Trend: a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic. Both seem to be well suited to the Focus’s relaxed nature, but the 5-speed can certainly extract better performance from the engine’s narrow power band. The shift actions are precise and slick, but the pedal spacing is way too close together for a relaxing drive. Plus, the clutch is high and very tricky (the car died twice) to master. The center console needs some redesign too, as banged elbows are commonplace if you want to shift quickly enough to outgun that articulated truck on EDSA. Meanwhile, the 4-speed automatic has decent shift quality, but there’s some small degree of shift shock at lower speeds, and the reaction times could certainly be quicker.
Perhaps the only rewarding experience with the Trend is its ability to tackle winding bends and zigzag roads with poise and precision. The MacPherson Strut / Control Blade Strut combination makes the Focus very obedient while the tight and transparent steering is the automotive equivalent of Nirvana. The four-wheel disc brakes are equally good and the pedal feel is absolutely solid, confident and spot-on. The Goodyear NCT 5 tires may squeal in protest during spirited driving, but the Focus’s chassis delivers enough driving fun and confidence to take corners a bit faster and leaving braking points a bit later. Sometimes, you would tend to think that the Focus was made to revoke your driver’s license.
Although you may argue that a base model car such as the Focus 1.6 Trend cannot and will certainly not be as well equipped or faster than its higher variant brethren, it feels less car inside and out to justify it as a private purchase. At roughly 96,000 pesos less than a 1.8 Ghia, you can’t help but think that you’re getting a much lesser car. Scrutinize the details: loss of leather bags, in-dash CD changer, electric driver’s seat, lumbar support, passenger airbag, chrome interior bits and trip computer (on the manual model) inside; skinnier tires and unpainted bumper moldings outside. All-in-all, if you add these as aftermarket accessories, it will cost more than just the stock 1.8 Ghia, and that’s not including the extra grunt from the Ethanol-ready 1.8 Duratec HE engine. You still get the handling, but unless you want your Focus with a manual, why shortchange yourself?
By Ulysses Ang | Photos by Ulysses Ang
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