Car No. 5

Ford Focus Sport

Ford Focus Sport

Introduction: August 2013

Purchase Price: ¥2.93 million

Total Mileage: 11,892 km

Fuel Economy This Period: 12.7 km/ℓ

Average Fuel Economy: 12.1 km/ℓ

Praised by Men for its Driving Dynamics, but What About Women?

One day, Editor A unexpectedly asked, “We believe the Focus is best-in-class for handling, driving feel, and ease of use, but how does it fare with female drivers?”

Ms. S from the advertising department, who spends her days with our car reporting team, replied, “The Focus? It’s stylish and distinctive, and its size is just right for driving in the city. Plus, despite its exterior dimensions, it can carry a surprising amount of luggage, which is incredibly useful for transporting camera equipment and items for our shoots. It’s been a great help. And if Editor A’s driving were as good, it would be perfect (laughs).” This gave us the impression that the Focus is highly regarded by women, but this was, after all, an internal assessment.

When I relayed this to Editor A, mentioning the positive feedback from our female colleagues, he countered, “No, I’d like to hear opinions from women closer to the Focus’s target demographic, say, late twenties to thirties.” He subtly implied that Ms. S from advertising was perhaps outside that range. But this is a digression, so we’ll omit the rest (laughs).

The story continued, but to avoid turning this into a lengthy anecdote, let me summarize: Editor A wanted to know not just the male perspective, but also how the Focus is received by the general female consumer. There was no reason to refuse his proposal to “get some comments from actual users to see how the Focus is perceived by women.”

However, the challenge was deciding who to ask. Editor A seemed unusually confident, suggesting he already had someone in mind. Based on past experience, his confident demeanor often precedes a project that ultimately fizzles out. Therefore, I decided to approach the upcoming interview with no expectations.

Its Distinctive, Compact Size is Appealing

The sky was overcast, threatening rain. Our meeting point was a certain location in Minato Ward, Tokyo. It felt like an omen, filling me with unease. But when a slender, elegant woman appeared, I had to admit Editor A had impressed me. Yet, a nagging suspicion remained: had he simply hired a model for the photoshoot?

As she introduced herself, we learned she was Ms. Ishii, a friend of Editor H (female) from our department, and the owner of a successful eyelash extension and nail salon in Tokyo. She manages several nail salons and often drives to them, so she uses a car daily for her commute.

She had been thinking about getting a new car recently when the Focus in our office caught her eye. She had mentioned to her friend, Editor H, that she wanted to try driving it. It turned out to be the perfect casting. It was no wonder he had been so confident. She was so striking, I initially thought she was a professional model.

“I got my driver’s license when I had my child. With a stroller and all the extra things babies need, I found myself carrying more luggage. That’s when driving became fun, and now I drive every day. Since I do a lot of driving around Tokyo, being compact, easy to park, and practical are essential. But I also want it to be stylish. That’s when the new Ford car in the office caught my eye. The hatchback also seemed convenient.”
So, the ease of loading and unloading luggage, and the cargo capacity, were also concerns. The male reporters, for some reason, seemed preoccupied with a different keyword, and a palpable sense of despair filled the air. But let’s refocus and ask about her impression of the Focus.

The Focus’s size is indeed a C-segment body, making it easy to maneuver in Tokyo. Compared to its rivals, it might appear slightly more voluminous, but this is a trick of design. While the Volkswagen Golf measures 4,265mm long, 1,800mm wide, and 1,460mm high, the Focus is 4,370mm long, 1,810mm wide, and 1,480mm high. It’s only about 100mm longer, which is essentially the difference in bumper length.

However, the fact that it caught her eye suggests that the Focus’s exterior design is highly rated, wouldn’t you agree?

“I don’t like blending in, so I’m not interested in designs that everyone else would choose. But that doesn’t mean I like anything just because it’s different. I used to like flashy cars that drew attention, but now that I’ve matured, a design with a bit of presence, like the Focus, feels just right. Don’t you think it’s a design that suits women too?”

Wine Red: A Fashionable Body Color

Our long-term test car, the Focus, is painted in Candy Red, a shade of wine red. Other available colors include Winning Blue, Mustard Olive, Frozen White, Ingot Silver, and the sharp Panther Black, offering a total of six body color variations.

“Wine red (Candy Red) is so stylish, isn’t it? It feels like a very contemporary shade of red. It has an image of being an elegant red that you can wear casually. Bright red feels a bit dated, so this wine red tone feels more like an adult color, which is lovely. Actually, this was the color I initially liked, so I asked my friend (Editor) H, ‘I want to see what kind of car it is.’ I’m glad it lived up to my expectations.”

The Focus features seats with a combination design, primarily fabric with leather accents on the side bolsters and parts of the seat and backrest. What about the interior?

“What surprises me most is how spacious the interior is. There’s plenty of room for four people. Even the back seats don’t feel cramped from the sides or behind, making them quite comfortable. The seats… I’m sorry, but the color feels a bit subdued. It feels rather masculine. Perhaps it’s because my current car has a lighter interior. But the seats are soft and comfortable, yet they fit snugly. The interior is quite distinctive, more so than the exterior. I’ve never seen such a three-dimensional dashboard before.”

Unfortunately, this wasn’t a date, so we drove with four people, including the photographer. Since we had the chance, we let her take the wheel of the Focus. As it started to rain, she activated the wipers and remarked, “Oh, they move towards the center of the windshield from both sides; that’s a bit unusual and stylish.”

Come to think of it, while many cars have wipers that move in the same direction, the Focus’s wipers are unique. However, this isn’t a stylistic choice; it’s because this design offers a wider wiping area. It’s a functional feature driven by practicality. But the Focus team wouldn’t mind being told it’s stylish.

Unpretentious, Yet Actually Stylish

Our destination was Estnation, a specialty store in Roppongi Hills, a hub for modern lifestyle information. Ms. Ishii, who runs a nail salon and is dedicated to beauty, planned to shop for her favorite organic cosmetics and a duffle coat for her boyfriend. After enjoying the latest fashion trends in the store for a while, she seemed to have found her favorite shoes. We interrupted her while she was trying them on to ask about her impression of driving the Focus.

“The brakes and accelerator feel responsive, and it was easier to drive than I expected. It feels more compact than it looks, and I was able to park it smoothly even though it was my first time. I feel like I could zip through Tokyo’s congested streets with this. I could tell from just this short drive how agile it is in response to the driver’s inputs. And the brakes were surprisingly effective; they caught me a little off guard (laughs).”

The immediate surge of torque when pressing the accelerator is likely the biggest reason she found it easy to drive. The linear response to the driver’s inputs makes it feel easy to handle. If there were a time lag, it would hinder the direct connection and label the car as difficult to drive.

“Is it fair to say that everything about the Focus just feels right? It’s unpretentious, yet actually stylish. I can drive it without overthinking it, but it still feels a little different from other cars. Younger women might rely on brand names, but I prefer something with a unique character that I can say I chose myself. Rather than flaunting a brand everyone knows and owns, it’s like choosing a favorite item at a select shop – do you understand? It’s that feeling of quality that only those in the know appreciate.”

Cooperation: Estnation Roppongi Hills Store

Address: 6-10-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Roppongi Hills, Keyakizaka Complex, 1F-2F

TEL: 03-5159-7800 (Call Center Hours | 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM)

Business Hours: 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Estnation Releases Christmas Movie

Estnation is now showing a short film titled “X MAS SHARED LOVE” on its official website, set on Christmas Eve with a rare snowfall in Tokyo after 48 years. Actor Kim Jae-wook plays Jay, a super photographer, and model Eimi Kuroda portrays a mysterious top model, unfolding a love story. The film, released from December 23rd to Christmas Eve, depicts the subtle romantic exchanges between the two, conveying the joy of choosing a Christmas present for a loved one.

http://www.estnation.co.jp/topics/201311/xsl.html

The Convenience of a Hatchback is Indeed High

By the time we left Estnation, she had two large shopping bags in her hands. What she purchased… is left to your imagination, but the two bags fit smoothly into the already-filled luggage space alongside the camera equipment. “Wow, it really holds a lot, doesn’t it? This would definitely be useful in everyday life,” she commented.

“My current car is a trunk type (notchback), so having a hatch that opens all the way up is convenient. It feels a bit heavy when you first open it, but once it’s up, it glides open smoothly, so there’s no problem. The wide opening makes it easy to load and unload, and you can see everything inside at once. This design is definitely more practical.”
Indeed, for users who frequently shop or load/unload items, the hatchback style offers greater convenience. The benefit of a wide opening isn't often highlighted, but users of notchback sedans are often surprised by its practicality when they try it. The ability to easily reach items in the back and see everything at a glance are advantages that are truly appreciated.

Now, as this wasn’t a date, we unfortunately had to drive her back to her workplace by the agreed time. Editor A took the wheel this time. From the passenger seat, she remarked, “This car is surprisingly quiet for its size.” Then, it happened. Did he notice? Editor A, with a knowing smile, replied, “Right? That’s why conversations flow so well.” We didn’t miss the look on his face at that moment.

“When it’s quiet, long drives must be comfortable, don’t you think? It makes you feel like you could go further for fun. See? (Smiling)” she continued. We could guess what he was thinking, but we thought, “That’s probably a generalization.” We might need to keep an eye on him to see if he tries to book the Focus for personal use on weekends (laughs), but the fact remains that women in their thirties also gave it a high rating – a fact as genuine as the origin and ingredients of fine produce. There’s no need to worry about causing a stir like a luxury hotel.

Finally, we asked if there was anything she disliked about the Focus. “The spoiler on the rear hatch might be a bit too masculine. I was hoping to buy a car with a more feminine design,” she replied.

“However,” Editor A chimed in, “a beautiful woman driving a sporty car like this, rather than a car that seems obviously chosen by women, looks incredibly cool.”

“I see,” she agreed, and for a moment, I was impressed that Editor A could say something so insightful. But then he added, “So, maybe a pink version of this shape, like a Crown, would be nice too.” No, Editor A, that’s definitely not it.

Miho Ishii

Ms. Ishii, who test-drove the Focus for this feature, is the owner and beautician of a lash extension and nail salon in Azabu-Juban, Tokyo. Her assessment: “Unpretentious, yet actually stylish.”

Riche Eyelash Extension & Nail

3-3-8 Azabu-Juban, Minato-ku, Tokyo

http://www.riche-salon.com

Ford Focus Sport
Body Dimensions: 4,370mm (L) x 1,810mm (W) x 1,480mm (H)

Wheelbase: 2,650 mm

Tread (Front/Rear): 1,555 / 1,545 mm

Minimum Ground Clearance: 130 mm

Weight: 1,380 kg

Engine: 1,998cc Inline 4-cylinder Direct Injection DOHC

Bore x Stroke: 87.5 x 83.1 mm

Max. Output: 125kW (170ps) / 6,600 rpm

Max. Torque: 202Nm (20.6kgm) / 4,450 rpm

Transmission: 6-speed Automatic (Dual Clutch)

Gear Ratios: 1st: 3.917

2nd: 2.429

3rd: 1.436

4th: 1.021

5th: 0.867

6th: 0.702

Reduction Gear Ratio: 3.850 (1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th) / 4.278 (3rd, 4th, Reverse)

Drivetrain: FF

Front Suspension: MacPherson Strut

Rear Suspension: Multi-link

Tires: 215/50R17

Brakes (Front/Rear): Vented Disc / Disc

Fuel Tank Capacity: 55 ℓ

Minimum Turning Radius: 6 m

Price: ¥2.93 million

Ford Customer Service

0120-125-175



http://www.ford.co.jp