2001 Ford Focus Review

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Review:

Ford's Focus wagon pleasantly surprised me in a lot of ways. A highlight of my week with the little wonder wagon was when I found out that the full-size futon that I purchased fit neatly inside with the rear seats folded flat, with the front seat in a reasonable position for this six-foot-six driver (a Saturn SW2 wouldn't have been tall enough, and many compact SUVs wouldn't have been long enough for the task).

The Focus's compact dimensions made it a cinch to park and maneuver around town. The suspension tuning is brilliant and class-leading, with great handling, ride, and roadholding. High-speed interstate driving brought out a lot of road noise from coarse road surfaces, though, although engine and wind noise were modest. The Focus feels safe and solid for a small car, and side airbags reinforce the feeling of safety.

Perhaps the greatest lure of the Focus wagon is that it's something different, and it won't break the bank (at a base price of $16,700). If cargo-carrying flexibility is important, and you don't need the off-road abilities of a compact sport-utility or the extreme-weather traction of an all-wheel-drive wagon, then the Focus is by all means a top pick.