2009 Ford Focus: Cleaned Up a Little

By now you've read our Bottom Line on the 2008 Ford Focus. It's a solid choice if you’re looking for a roomy car that handles well with a base price that starts around $15,000--but let's be honest, it's not the most attractive Ford two-door ever.

Ford's noticed too--so the 2009 Focus two-door is getting a quick refresher course in clean styling. Gone are the front fender vents, and a new front bumper's been styled. Ford says the front end picks up some cues from the new 2010 Ford Fiesta, which isn't a bad car to mimic, and that it's added fog lamps as standard gear on the two-door. The brightwork has been toned down, and a new high-mounted spoiler is added on Focus SES coupes, while the SE keeps its decklid spoiler.

Focus SES coupes also get a tuned exhaust and a new final-drive ratio for their four-speed automatics, which should drop 0-60 mph times. The 2.0-liter four remains otherwise the same, and makes 143 hp with the five-speed manual, 140 hp with the automatic.A PZEV version turns in 130 hp and with the five-speed, gets 35 mpg.

Stability control is now available on the Focus two-door, and the SES versions get standard SYNC entertainment controllers.