The Popular Ford Focus Sports HatchSince the early 1990s, the family hatchback has been the most popular auto sector in the UK. With their appealing blend of performance, fuel-efficiency and cabin space, these vehicles have achieved near ubiquity on European roads. However, no one car maker dominates this essential sector. For example, in the early nineties the Volkswagen Golf was the most popular then the Fiat and later the Tipo. In recent years, the American carmaker, Ford, has performed exceedingly well in the European market with its popular Escort and Ford Focus. In this article we are going to review the Ford Focus sports hatch . This vehicle was introduced to the European market in 1998 where it quickly became a top seller and won the coveted European Car of the Year award. What is the appeal of the Ford Focus Sports Hatch? Though it was designed by an American carmaker, the Ford Focus is often said to have European sensibilities. What does this mean? Well, the car is stylish, but it is also fuel-efficient and fun to drive. The petrol model gets a respectable 35 MPG, while the diesel version gets 41 MPG. The Focus is also an extremely safe car with six airbags and antilock brakes as option on most models. As far as power, the Focus delivers 140 horsepower from its 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine. The petrol version also has a cleaner engine that significantly reduces tailpipe emissions. All models are available in five-speed manual and four-speed automatic versions. Over the years, the suspension system of the Ford Focus has been dramatically improved with a new Sports suspension that is standard on most models. This provides an incredibly smooth ride even on uneven surfaces. The base model starts at about 15,000 pounds and there are a myriad of special add-on and amenities. |