Ford Focus 2008 Owners Manual

ONLY £2.99 Per Manual

Take one legendary hairpin-crammed French road, add the latest version of Britain’s largest selling car and what do you get? Proof the Ford Focus is an absolutely brilliant car.

We couldn’t wait to drive the Ford Focus along the route of the opening car-chase in James Bond flick Golden Eye and the revamped car more than lived up to expected values.

Adrian Higgins gets all gooey-eyed over the new look Ford Focus.

When you get the opportunity to tackle a fantastic road, in a beautiful location all you really NEED is a driving licence, a sense of fun and a car.

But what you WANT is a car which will enable you to exploit the opportunity, look the part and make you feel like saying “thank you very much” to it afterwards.

The original Ford Focus made the car industry sit up and notice when it was first launched in 1997, setting new standards for the small family hatchback market. Its sharp looks stunned with a superb drive and brought unrivalled packaging to the segment.


Evolution was the key for the Mark II Focus, with Ford fearful of messing with a phenomenally successful formula. The second generation refined and improved the small hatch, ensuring it remained top of the pile for ability and sales.

Indeed, the Focus has led the sales charts every year for the past nine years, an astonishing record that Ford is unsurprisingly keen to extend. So just three years on, with at least another three to go before it's replaced, the second generation Focus has gone under the knife.

The Focus shares its basic underpinnings with the more upmarket (and expensive) Volvo S40 and V50 and the Mazda3, plus with the Focus C-Max compact MPV. It's available as a three- or five-door hatchback, a roomy estate, four-door saloon or even as a folding metal roofed coupe-cabriolet (which will be updated in line with the facelift in March 2008). A high-performance ST version, with a 225bhp turbocharged 2.5-litre engine as in the Volvo S40/V50 T5, will also be available in refreshed form in March 2008.

On the exterior, only the roof panel carries over from the original Mk II design, the Focus inheriting the new design language introduced by the Mondeo. Swept-back headlamps and a large trapezoidal front grille dominate.

Under the skin the Focus remains unchanged, but the Ford gains a new Powershift dual clutch gearbox in March 2008 to replace the unloved CVT-auto.

With environmental concerns pressing, the brand has also launched a range of ECOnetic models that reduce CO2 outputs to as low as 114g/km on certain models, thanks to improved aerodynamics and mechanical revisions.

Vehicle Highlights

The 2008 Ford Focus is substantially updated, receiving fresh styling and new features. Focus comes as a 2-door coupe and 4-door sedan. Hatchback and wagon models are no longer available. S, SE, and topline SES trim levels are offered. The only engine is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder with a standard 5-speed manual transmission or optional automatic. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, curtain side airbags, and front side airbags. Newly available is Ford's Sync. Sync provides voice control of certain cell phone and MP3 player functions. Sync is standard on SES and available on SE models. Also available are leather upholstery and remote engine start.
Rival

Consumer Guide Automotive places each vehicle into one of 18 classes based on size, price, and market position. Compact Cars comprise popularly priced sedans, hatchbacks, and wagons with wheelbases 99.4 inches or longer.


Our Best Buys include the Honda Civic, Nissan Versa, and Scion xB. Our Recommended picks are the Hyundai Elantra and Mazda 3.

New or significantly redesigned models include the Ford Focus, Mitsubishi Lancer, Saturn Astra, Scion xB, and Subaru Impreza.