Ford launches the 2.0L Focus Hatchback

The long wait is finally over. When Ford leaked the information early this year that a replacement for the Lynx was on its way to Philippine shores, not a few were expecting the arrival of the car that they regularly saw on the World Rally Championship races on cable television — the five-door Ford Focus Sport. To the surprise of many, it was the more refined four-door sedan version that first made its way to our roads.

Now, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that — especially since the four-door sedan proved to be quite the stunner — but by that time, the anticipation for the hatch was really building up, and it hasn’t exactly stopped. That is, until now.

The best thing about the arrival of the hatch is the convenience of choice instantly accorded to the Ford Focus shopper. Walk up to any Ford dealership with anyone and you’ll likely find yourselves arguing which is the better-looking version of the two. While the sedan speaks volumes of elegance and refinement, the hatch is more up-front and sporty. It’s a matter of choice, really, but the bottom line here is that both versions look good despite being aesthetically distinct. Also, despite the obvious discrepancy in looks, the Ford Focus Sport is made distinct from its European inspired brethren by a more sprightly 2.0-liter (against the sedan’s 1.8-liter) Duratec petrol engine found beneath its hood, which develops 145 PS at 6,000 rpm and peak torque of 185Nm at 4,500 rpm.

The Philippine STAR’s motoring team was fortunate enough to have had ample representation in the regional launch of the Ford Focus a couple of months back. As such, despite the very recent Philippine launch of the hatch, we actually already have driving impressions to share. This writer, together with Manny de los Reyes and Butch Gamboa, took turns in driving both versions of the Focus at the Bira Racetrack in Thailand — and our verdict was unanimous. While our hosts kept stressing that the all new Ford Focus was "a perfect mix of the best in European Styling, the finest German Engineering, and Superior Driving Dynamics", it was clear that among the two, "European Styling" was more right down the alley of the sedan and "Superior Driving Dynamics" was more indicative of the hatch’s performance. "German Engineering", meanwhile, was actually evident on both versions. Even the tests performed made each model’s strengths stand out. While we ran the sedan side by side in relaxed driving exercises with other Japanese competitors that tried to approximate European styling cues into their cars, harsh acceleration and braking tests were reserved for the more powerful hatch. Either way, we certainly weren’t disappointed.

Still, we can safely say that the Ford Focus Sport is the more spartan of the two — and that is not in any way derogatory. Noticeably absent, for example, are the woodgrain highlights found in the more refined sedan version. Instead, a steady hard plastic/steel highlight combination greets the hatch’s occupants — reminiscent in a way of Ford’s great sports icon, the Escort. In its own quirky way, this gives the impression that the driver comes face to face with a cockpit more than a dashboard. We like!

Outside, the Focus Sport’s sloping rear and high, slim tail lamps create a wide tailgate that suggests speed — even in a standstill. It doesn’t exactly make the Focus Sport look like a coupe, but it does make it aerodynamically distinct from many of today’s more clumsy looking yet functional rear bulges. Or to put it another way, the Ford Focus Sport’s rear end does not in any way look like that of any other hatchback out in the market today — it looks much better.

At P988,000, the Ford Focus Sport may seem like it’s worth more than just a wallet-ful but you have to understand, this is the same car that goes up against hallowed rally legends like Subaru’s WRX and Mitsubishi’s Lancer Evolution (or at least their street versions). This is the same car that has experienced tremendous success in Europe, won "Car of the Year" honors on both sides of the Atlantic and won over 80 international awards in its lifespan. The Ford Focus Sport is no pushover in any of the markets it has competed in. This car is for real. And it is finally here.