Let’s face it, the Honda Civic is eating the Ford Focus’s lunch. Last month in the U.S. Honda sold 35,452 Civics, while Ford sold just 11,751. That means that for every one Focus sold, Honda moved three Civics off the dealer lot. Clearly the Ford is not the focus for compact car shoppers.
So, what can be done to sharpen Ford’s spear in the compact car sales battle? Outlined below are the steps that could make the next Focus a winner as the current model soldiers on essentially unchanged since its 2011 release.
Out-Style Civic– Currently the Civic is the style-leader in its class. It’s edgy, evocative, modern and doesn’t come across as cheap. The current Focus looks boring in comparison and it never wore the Aston Martin style grille and Kinetic design language as well as the larger Fusion. Ditch the trapezoidal grille. Ditch the dull side panels and taillamps. Make the Focus stand out from the crowd with a nicely crafted design with proper proportions. At a time when even the Toyota Corolla has some design flair, Ford need to up its game.
Clean Up Interior Design– Those with Claustrophobia should steer clear of the current Focus’s interior. The bulging, dark and button-heavy console contributes to a closed-in feeling within the cabin. The Civic has a wider, cleaner and airier design that looks more upscale.
MPG’s– The 2018 Focus Auto gets 28 MPG combined, while the Civic achieves 34 MPG combined. This mitigates the $1,000 or so price disparity between a Civic LX sedan with auto and a comparably equipped Focus SE with auto.
[Images: Ford, Honda]
