Description

Introduced for the 2000 model year, the European-designed Focus quickly displaced the Escort as Ford?s top-selling passenger car. Reworked as an early 2005 model, the front-wheel-drive compact features a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder rated at 136 hp replaces both the base 110-hp and optional 130-hp versions of 2004. The 2005 front end echoes the look of Ford?s new Five Hundred sedan. New headlamps have reshaped clear lenses, and the larger grille has a new diamond pattern. Round fog lamps are installed, and the redesigned fascia has a wider, lower air intake. The front brakes have been enlarged for the 2005 model years. The seats are relatively high ? part of a long, tall interior that?s designed to accommodate taller and older people despite the car?s emphasis on the youth market. Large doorways make entry and exit easier. Big, clearly labeled controls are convenient to reach and easy to see. A new symmetrical instrument panel greets the driver of a 2005 Focus. This vehicle features leather trim. A storage drawer for six CDs sits near the driver?s left knee. The European heritage of the Focus reveals itself mainly in the car?s crisp cornering ability and its roomy, upright, ergonomically oriented interior. Ride comfort is firm but above par, and the suspension deals competently with urban bumps. Despite thick pillars, the long side glass helps visibility in the hatchback wagon. There?s a huge amount of front-seat headroom. At 178.4 inches long overall, the Focus Wagon is nearly a foot longer than Focus hatchbacks. Wagon models have 73.7 cubic feet of cargo capacity when the seats are folded down and 35.6 cubic feet with the rear seats up.