Ford Axing all cars except Mustang and Focus Active Crossover in North America

UAmach1 said:

Meanwhile the Q50 I have gets worse MPG than my bolt-on Mach1 did. Sure it makes like almost 100hp more, but its also a v6 that even when I TRY cant get more than 15MPG on my daily commute. Mach1 gets 16-17.

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Infiniti's powertrain options are really odd. Their 3.0T makes almost 100 fewer HP than the 3.0T that Lincoln is putting in the MKZ, but with the same fuel efficiency. I can't figure it out.

Loki-GT said:

My wife had a Focus Titanium so it was an expensive Focus. The transmission was utter crap, was still crap when we traded it in and the salesman asked us why we didn't get it fixed. I pointed him to his own service department and said ask them, they had it 12 times in the past year to do just that, don't ding our trade in because Ford built a crappy transmission and can't fix it.

If any Ford comes with that same or similar transmission I'll be avoiding it, no matter what people say about it.

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The Focus did have a bad spell with the DCT, but that's long gone. The new auto transmission is a lot better.

You can also spec a new Focus with a 1.0L EB and 6MT - I'm sure it's under powered, but likely more fun than the DCT.

With that said, the past issues that Ford had with the DCT is not reason to not want the future active lineup - I think they'll be great cars, and I'd think long and hard about a Focus Active RS.

w3rkn said:

Nobody here has explained to me what is wrong with the Focus Active hatchback.. or why they wouldn't own it (if they were in the market for a Focus, or small utility car). Or even once looking to own a Focus RS and now an Active RS..?

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Nothing is wrong with the Focus Active - except there's no word on the Focus ST (or RS for that matter) and some people simply don't like the way CUV/SUV/Trucks drive. So Ford really doesn't have anything for those people anymore unless you go used, and these cars are getting long in the tooth now.

People forget that the Focus was the most popular car sold in the world at one time. Moreso than the Camry, or Accord, it was the Focus. Then they butchered and murdered the nameplate with the DPS6, creating pitiful sales, then said "huh, no one buys it, definitely isn't anything wrong with it so we'll just can it from North America".

Loki-GT said:

My wife had a Focus Titanium so it was an expensive Focus. The transmission was utter crap, was still crap when we traded it in and the salesman asked us why we didn't get it fixed. I pointed him to his own service department and said ask them, they had it 12 times in the past year to do just that, don't ding our trade in because Ford built a crappy transmission and can't fix it.

If any Ford comes with that same or similar transmission I'll be avoiding it, no matter what people say about it.

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I had a fiesta with a faulty transmission. I had it replaced at 50k miles and I never had issues again. I traded it for a Mustang almost 25k miles later.

The new Focus MK4 will use a 8 Speed Auto (co-developed with GM), completely different to the DCT.

cosmo said:

Nothing is wrong with the Focus Active - except there's no word on the Focus ST (or RS for that matter) and some people simply don't like the way CUV/SUV/Trucks drive. So Ford really doesn't have anything for those people anymore unless you go used, and these cars are getting long in the tooth now.

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There-s no word on the Focus ST because it not even presented yet and the RS will not be available until the facelift (mid life change)

Nameless said:

I had a fiesta with a faulty transmission. I had it replaced at 50k miles and I never had issues again. I traded it for a Mustang almost 25k miles later.

The new Focus MK4 will use a 8 Speed Auto (co-developed with GM), completely different to the DCT.



There-s no word on the Focus ST because it not even presented yet and the RS will not be available until the facelift (mid life change)

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This was exactly what happened with the Fiesta. Ford is mum on the point, and doesn't confirm anything regarding product announced for one region specifically.

There very well might be a Focus ST and RS, but not in North America. Watch, the ST will be annouced, and there won't be much of anything in the way of regions mentioned.

w3rkn said:

Gotcha...

You are still angry and thinking Ford doesn't refine or design newer transmissions, in their newer vehicles.

Or that we all shop at your dealership.

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It left a sour note in our experience, I HOPE Ford designed their transmission better but honestly, would you buy a similar car to one you hated?

The dealership I went to had nothing to do with Ford's refusal to allow them to even admit there was a problem the first year and a half, Ford was forced to set it right but that took several bad parts from Ford itself, you can't blame the dealer for a bad design or a bad program to repair it.

Ford screwed people over on the Focus, they flat out refused to own up to the problem until they were forced to, while I understand all monster companies feel they can get away with it I almost dumped Ford because of it.

So yes, I'm still angry they tried to see how long they could get away with it.

Nameless said:

I had a fiesta with a faulty transmission. I had it replaced at 50k miles and I never had issues again. I traded it for a Mustang almost 25k miles later.

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What year was it, ours was a 2013 and it took nearly 2 years before Ford (not the dealer) would stop saying the shutter/shaking was normal. Ford also refused to install a new transmission even with the dealer screaming at them, the dealer stepped up and gave us an excellent trade amount for it (the salesman was stupid, so I bypassed him) so the wife is now very happy with her Fusion.

Bravo said:

Infiniti's powertrain options are really odd. Their 3.0T makes almost 100 fewer HP than the 3.0T that Lincoln is putting in the MKZ, but with the same fuel efficiency. I can't figure it out.

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I dont really get much why they make the lower end 3.0T. The ONLY change is 1 extra water pump to help keep temps down on the 400HP version, and a sensor on the turbo to count just how fast it's spooling, something for safety I think. Neither are really needed on the Red Sport, but nice to have. Otherwise the only change is boost levels.

People are buying the Silver Sport and then just buying a $400 tuner to get the RedSport performance and having 0 issues. The only real gain for the Red Sport is a VERY slightly more aggressive final drive, 3.13 vs 2.98. The VR30DDT is a beast of an engine, but I think they are undercutting themselves by not using the 3.7 in the Silver Sport and making the VR30DDTT RedSport only.

I'm not sure how Fords 3.0TT does but I know the Infiniti one tends to make about 374whp/350wtq on a dyno even with a 7yr old tranny design. It's pretty underrated.

cosmo said:

This was exactly what happened with the Fiesta. Ford is mum on the point, and doesn't confirm anything regarding product announced for one region specifically.

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Nope, it's not the same. The NG Fiesta was designed for "Europe-Only" meanwhile the NG Focus was designed as a "global" car.

cosmo said:

There very well might be a Focus ST and RS, but not in North America. Watch, the ST will be annouced, and there won't be much of anything in the way of regions mentioned.

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Let's wait and see what happens...

Bravo said:

My point was simply that there was a time when vehicle size was directly related to the MPG that said vehicle achieved. That is no longer true.

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So new cars are breaking the laws of physics? :headbonk: Everything else equal, a smaller, lighter car will get better fuel economy. Period.

Loki-GT said:

What year was it, ours was a 2013 and it took nearly 2 years before Ford (not the dealer) would stop saying the shutter/shaking was normal. Ford also refused to install a new transmission even with the dealer screaming at them, the dealer stepped up and gave us an excellent trade amount for it (the salesman was stupid, so I bypassed him) so the wife is now very happy with her Fusion.

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It was a 2012. I used to take the car to the dealer every 6k miles to "have it fixed" (at the same time than the service so it wouldn't waste my time), they kept "reflashing" the TCM and that's it...

In my case it was the other way around. The Dealer didn't want to change my transmission (when it was around 40k miles) so I talked to corporate and they even scheduled my service and everything. They took care of it (because the customer service from the dealer was AWFUL) and got my transmission changed.

Bravo said:

My point was simply that there was a time when vehicle size was directly related to the MPG that said vehicle achieved. That is no longer true.

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While the differences in mpgs between sedans and SUVs/CUVs may not be as great as they were in the past, sedans are still going to get better mpgs than SUVs or CUVs given the same levels of attention to improving them.

Many, if not most mid size cross overs (Rav4/CRV/Escape/Forester/Rogue/etc) can achieve 30MPG with 2.5L engine displacements and AWD. Toss in a turbo and improve drive train efficiencies even further and you're looking at mid 30s.

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I was getting 30 highway mpg in a 2.5L 5-passenger sedan with 1995 engine and engine control technology. Without using cruise control or particularly trying to get big mpg numbers.

Mpg with a turbo is very sensitive to the way you drive . . . it can be made optimum for EPA certification and MPGs for advertising and avoidance of fines for fleet failure to meet standards (the trick seems to be staying out of boost as much as possible) or you can drive it to use more of the power more of the time and watch the mpgs tumble.

You no longer need to drive a tiny sedan to have a fuel efficient vehicle. Ford knows that, and the general public have apparently been aware for a while, as sedan sales have been falling year after year.

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That is precisely the kind of kool-aid that Ford wants everybody to drink. All they need is for people to ignore the fact that the same techniques they're using on your Rav4/CRV/Escape/Forester/Rogue/etc to get their promised mpgs could be applied to sedans (no, not just the tiny ones) and get even higher mpgs.



Norm

But Norm, you're missing a key fact - the majority of drivers don't want sedans. They want AWD vehicles even when they drive in conditions that don't require 4 powered wheels. They want to sit higher off of the ground even when they drive on terrain that doesn't warrant that (and in many cases, drivers in a CUV don't sit all that much higher than a sedan). They want the storage functions of a SUV/CUV.


I very much prefer cars over SUVs, but the statistics don't lie. The trend in vehicle purchasing is changing, and heavily in SUV/CUV's favor.

Bravo said:

But Norm, you're missing a key fact - the majority of drivers don't want sedans. They want AWD vehicles even when they drive in conditions that don't require 4 powered wheels. They want to sit higher off of the ground even when they drive on terrain that doesn't warrant that (and in many cases, drivers in a CUV don't sit all that much higher than a sedan). They want the storage functions of a SUV/CUV.


I very much prefer cars over SUVs, but the statistics don't lie. The trend in vehicle purchasing is changing, and heavily in SUV/CUV's favor.

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The funny thing about trends is they have a nasty habit of changing.

Bravo said:

The Focus did have a bad spell with the DCT, but that's long gone. The new auto transmission is a lot better.

You can also spec a new Focus with a 1.0L EB and 6MT - I'm sure it's under powered, but likely more fun than the DCT.

With that said, the past issues that Ford had with the DCT is not reason to not want the future active lineup - I think they'll be great cars, and I'd think long and hard about a Focus Active RS.

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Any automatic Focus with the 2.0 L is still using the garbage DCT. The automatic paired with the EB seems to be fine though, from the sounds of it.

That said, the Focus actually has decent sales numbers considering how well-known the transmission issues are. It will be interesting to see how the Focus Active will be received.