VIDEO: 2012 Ford Focus Titanium Test Drive
2012 Ford Focus Titanium
The Ford Titanium is made of steel, aluminum and plastic as far as I can tell. Our daughter's first car was a 2001 Focus. She still drives it, and she still likes it. And it's been trouble-free.
This Focus is still fun to drive and economical, but Ford has upped their game in the quality and technology department. Small cars don't mean bare bones these days. This Focus is packed with a lot of whiz-bang electronics and stuff like a capless fuel filler.
Let's focus on the interior. With the Titanium, you get remote, keyless entry, power-door locks and my car came with Fords MyKey, SYNC My Ford Touch Satellite Radio and a very nice sounding Sony Premium Audio System, plus heated seats. This stuff takes a while to get the hang of, even for a tech geek like me.
The two liter, four-cylinder engine makes 160 horsepower. The six-speed transmission is a dual-clutch power shift automatic. I'm warning you that this is a whole new type of transmission. It feels like a manual when it shifts. At low speeds it's kind of jerky. I think the transmission needs a little tweaking.
Overall, Ford has a hit with this all-new Focus. It's great looking and it drives extremely well. For a car in this segment, it's brilliant. It feels like a much more expensive vehicle. If they can just tweak and smooth out the duel clutch transmission, it would be a nearly perfect car.
Specs
| Standard Engine | 2.0L I4 |
| Standard Transmission | 6 Speed Automatic |
| Cylinders | 4 |
| Horsepower @RPM | 160@6500 |
| Fuel Economy Cty/Hwy | 27/37 |
| Combined Fuel Economy | 31 |
| EPA Class | Compact |
| Number of Valves | 16 |
| Torque @RPM | N/A |
| Fuel Type System | Flexible Fuel Vehicle / DI |
| Turbo (Yes/No) | No |
| Overdrive Transmission | Yes |
| Battery Output | N/A |
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Mike West has been on the air in Seattle for more than 30 years as part of Seattle's best morning show teams. He also did mornings on KLOS Los Angeles for a little over a year before returning to Seattle. He currently hosts Breakfast With The Beatles every Sunday morning on the CBS Seattle station KZOK, 102.5 FM.
