The 2013 Ford Focus gets a long list of important safety features as standard equipment, including antilock brakes (rear drums on S and SE rear discs on others), stability control, front side airbags and side curtain airbags. In Edmunds performance testing, the Electric went from zero to 60 mph in 9.6 seconds, which is about the same as the Leaf. With a 240-volt home charger, Ford says the Electric can be recharged in 4 hours. But as with all electric cars, actual performance will be highly dependent on driving style and environment. The EPA also estimates the Focus Electric has an effective range of about 76 miles between charging. The EPA gives the Focus Electric an energy efficiency equivalent rating (MPGe) of 110 mpg city/99 mpg highway and 105 mpg combined. (For reference, the Leaf has an 80-kW motor and a 24kWh battery.) Power is applied to the front wheels through a single-speed direct-drive transmission. The Focus Electric has a 107-kilowatt (143 hp) electric drive motor that draws power from a 23kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The Super Fuel Economy option package raises those estimates to 28/40/33, which we confirmed to be accurate in extensive Edmunds fuel economy testing. Official EPA estimates for fuel economy stand at 28 mpg city/38 mpg highway and 31 mpg combined with the automatic transmission. With the manual, that drops to 8.3 seconds. In Edmunds performance testing, a Focus Titanium with the automatic went from zero to 60 mph in 8.7 seconds - a bit quicker than the norm for this class of car. The automatic comes standard on the Titanium, though the manual transmission is still available. Entry-level S and SE models get a five-speed manual transmission standard, while a six-speed automatic transmission that Ford has dubbed "Powershift" (technically, it's a dual-clutch automated manual) is optional. The front-wheel-drive 2013 Ford Focus has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that puts out 160 hp and 146 pound-feet of torque. Yet even in this solid grouping, the Ford Focus impresses by being a sophisticated, highly refined and fun-to-drive small car that earns one of the highest compliments we can pay a car - it looks and feels as if it should be priced higher. ![]() The 2013 Ford Focus nonetheless has some serious competition in the form of the well-made 2013 Chevrolet Cruze, stylish 2013 Hyundai Elantra and well-rounded 2013 Mazda 3. Owners can also keep tabs on their electric Focus' charging state via smartphone integration. Propelled by a 107-kilowatt (143-horsepower) electric drive motor and fueled by a 23kWh lithium-ion battery pack, the Focus Electric can be recharged in about four hours from a 240-volt power source, which is about the same amount of time as this year's updated Leaf. There's more high-tech in the form of the Focus Electric, which is strictly battery-powered like Nissan's Leaf. These systems have taken a hit from a usability perspective, and although Ford has improved these systems through software updates, they do remain rather complicated. There's an abundance of "infotainment" features as well, such as the Sync voice control system and the MyFord Touch configurable control screens. Add in a wide range of trim levels that include all-electric and high-performance variants and it's easy to see why this is one of our favorite small cars.Īs far as those available features, they rival those you'd usually find only in much more expensive models, and they range from a rearview camera to an automated parallel parking system that can neatly slip the car into a curbside spot without the driver ever touching the steering wheel. As such, the 2013 Ford Focus stands as one of the best small cars you can buy.Īll the boxes are checked here, as the Focus offers eye-catching styling, sedan or hatchback body styles, a comfortable and well-trimmed cabin, refined performance, high fuel economy and a wealth of available convenience features. ![]() Thankfully, Ford completely revamped the Focus last year, bringing about a much-improved interior, higher fuel economy and new features. But as the years went on, the Focus became less desirable as newer and more refined small cars were introduced. It really was a keen choice for a small car. Debuting more than a decade ago, the original Ford Focus impressed us with its performance, value and versatility.
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