by Julia Droz Serafine
Let’s Focus For-d a Minute
While glancing at this vehicle, I was a bit skeptical. Back in the day, the Ford Focus was considered a just plain vanilla or “regular” car. There was nothing special about it except the fact that my hospitality job at the hotel would cover the low payments. It was simple and standard, but got me to where I needed to go. I could also count on the best gas mileage ever especially when sitting in traffic on the 405. That was 10 years ago… pre marriage, pre-babies and pre-baby weight.
So much has changed with this car! Not only is it a bit roomier, but so stylish. The 2016 Ford Focus RS is a charming hatchback with all-wheel drive and a ton of pep, just like my girls. Buckled in the back seat, they asked a ton of questions about the car within a three-block radius of home. They were important things like, why do they call it a hatchback? If you drive a focus does that mean you have to focus on something? The best was, why doesn’t Barbie drive a Focus? Despite the queries of three girls under the age of seven, I was forced to concentrate on shifting gears since there is no automatic transmission in this model.
As my daughter Sofia would say…let’s talk about the “style” of this car. Sofia compares my test drive vehicles to a “who wore it best” competition. She does favor the brighter colored cars so she was absolutely delighted when the Focus sported a nitrous blue-quad coat with a charcoal black interior. Along with the vibrant color, comes the sleek features like many European cars. It includes daytime running lights, LED signature lighting, mirrors with turn signal indicators and Sofia’s favorite, the rear spoiler. I drove the RS package which comes with a six-way power driver seat to accommodate my different moods, beautiful charcoal leather seats, the winter tire and wheel package (the standard comes with summer tires) which of course, in sunny Arizona, is not necessary, but always fun to have. Another “fave” of mine is the heated steering wheel and front seats. I know, I live in AZ, but anything below 60 degrees is freezing for me!
My middle child, Gabby, is a huge fan of anything fast and furious. She likes her cars like her conversation, speedy and loud. The Ford Focus RS I tested had a 6-speed manual transmission. It is superfast and boasts a 2.3-liter four cylinder engine that scores 350 horsepower.
As a mom, you can understand how important safety is. The safety and security features are excellent on this vehicle and makes me comfortable putting my mini-me’s inside of it. We are talking major airbag protection located throughout the car with antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control. The Sync 3 system includes an emergency crash-notification feature that automatically dials 911 when paired with a compatible cell phone. Also standard are integrated blind-spot mirrors, a rearview camera and Ford’s MyKey system, which can be used to set electronic parameters for inexperienced drivers (Edmunds.com).
As cool as the Ford Focus RS Hatchback is, it certainly doesn’t have the room to accommodate a family of five. I have two kids with legs for days and one “threeanger” who is 40 pounds.
This vehicle is not equipped to handle my “large” family but it would definitely work for a small family unit.
The colors and the interior features, make this vehicle extremely fun. It also allows your inner Daytona 500 driver to come out and play. The Ford Focus has come a long way from my concierge days, so if you are a Ford Fan, this would be an ideal choice.
MPG – 19 city – 25 highway
Prices starting at: $36,900
Model Tested – $42,245.00
