2013 Honda Accord V6 Touring: Driven
The Honda Accord is now in its ninth generation, and as we reported in our First Drive of the 2013... Read More
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Around The Web
the aggressively Euro-firm cushions encourage Emily Post posture all ’round
Road and wind noise are subdued, a benefit of the stiffer body and the insulation necessary to make the voice-activated SYNC interface system possible.
does not ride very well with the optional 18-inch 40-series high-performance tires
Even pretty serious depressions—the type that would rattle one’s teeth in the last-generation Focus—were eaten up with little clamor.
the front seats are uncommonly good
QUALITY | 8 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
the aggressively Euro-firm cushions encourage Emily Post posture all ’round
Car and Driver
Road and wind noise are subdued, a benefit of the stiffer body and the insulation necessary to make the voice-activated SYNC interface system possible.
Popular Mechanics
does not ride very well with the optional 18-inch 40-series high-performance tires
Edmunds
Even pretty serious depressions—the type that would rattle one’s teeth in the last-generation Focus—were eaten up with little clamor.
Winding Road
the front seats are uncommonly good
Automobile Magazine
Titanium models with the Sport package get upgraded front seats with slightly deeper bolstering, and it results in a glovelike, extremely comfortable feel. The moderately bolstered seats are snug enough to keep you from sliding around from all the grip that the excellent Michelin Pilot Sport SP3 summer performance tires could provide.
Cargo holds in the hatch and sedan are both ample with large openings, but seat-folding is a little disappointing. For one, you can't release the back seats remotely, as you can in some other vehicles; the other thing is that the back seats don't fold completely flat, and unless the front seats are slid far forward, the headrests get in the way.
The 2012 Focus is about average for the class with respect to road noise, while its engine isn't as boomy and raucous as most in this class when revved high. On boulevards and freeways, the ride is on the firm side compared to other compacts like the Cruze, Elantra, and Corolla, but not so much to be punishing.
And while at the time of posting we hadn't yet sampled production vehicles, the pre-production models we tested had a sense of solidity and hefty build quality that far surpasses that of the previous model, even if it isn't that much heavier. Doors close with a nice, satisfying thunk, and door grabs, trim, and center console all seem solidly attached.
Conclusion
Sporty yet comfortable accommodations, and the refinement of a more expensive vehicle, make the 2012 Ford Focus a standout.
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