2008 Ford Focus CC Review

By Alborz Fallah | September 21st, 2008

2008 Ford Focus CC Review & Road Test

Model Tested:

2008 Ford Focus CC 2.0-litre Automatic – $47,490 (RRP)

Stylish, stereo, interior, practicality

Engine, gearbox, handling, price

CarAdvice Rating:

- Alborz Fallah

Here in sunny Brisbane it’s hard to dislike convertibles, the weather is nearly always perfect, the sun is out, the wind is minimal and people usually smile at you when you have the roof down. With those pleasant thoughts in mind, I drove out to Ford headquarters to pick up, what would surely be another worthy convertible on the market.

At $47,490 for the automatic Focus CC, this convertible from the Blue Oval is by no means cheap. To put that price into perspective, the Peugeot 207CC which is arguably the best small convertible on the market is priced at $39,990 for the manual turbo (granted it’s smaller than the Focus).

The Focus is priced directly against its main rival, the similarly sized Holden Astra TwinTop convertible, which starts at the exact same RRP.

The trip home was spent playing with the car’s audio system, a Sony six-disc system with eight speakers. Now I am not one who would ever say anything nice about Sony audio (generally rubbish), but to give credit where credit is due, the Focus’ audio system was well and truly above my expectations. Excellent clarity at high and low range, plus enough bass to let the whole street know you’re coming home.

That’s about when my fondness for the Focus started to wither away. You see, while I was too busy playing with the audio system, I had neglected to realise that everytime I put my foot down, nothing really happened. Power for the Focus Coupé-Cabriolet is provided courtesy of Ford’s Duratect, 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine.

Out of a 2.0-litre, all the Focus can manage is a measly 107kW of power and 185Nm of torque. Compare this to the 1.6-litre turbo in the 207 CC (110kW and 240Nm) and even the 2.2-litre in the Astra (110kW and 210Nm).

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So little power and torque for a car that weighs 1465kg means relatively lacklustre performance, but I haven’t even got to the fun part, and that’s the four-speed automatic. If you go for the Astra TwinTop, you get the same number of gears (although the manual variant is a six-speed compared to the Focus’ five-speed) and given the market for these cars is generally female, the automatic is the most popular choice.

Although very few would pick the five-speed manual ($2000 cheaper) over the auto, the four-speed auto struggles to deliver a smooth drive and tends to change gears when you least expect it. Fuel economy is a plus however, 7.5 L/100km for the manual and 8.3 L/100km for the auto. However as the photo below shows, real world results are a little different.

The roof operation is typical of most modern convertibles, press and hold a button on the centre console, the windows go down and the roof slowly folds away. The operation takes a respectable 29 seconds. Not slow, but by no means the quickest in the business.

Okay, so let’s come back to reality, no one is going to drive the Focus CC at speed or around any corners with much enthusiasm, what they are going to do is wait till the weather is right, pack a few small bags and head out to the beach. Great, let’s do it.

Here is where the Focus shines, providing the largest luggage volume space among C-segment vehicles with retractable hardtops. Leave the roof on and you get an impressive 534-litres of space, go topless and you’ll have 248-litres available under and around the stowed roof panels. Which is more than you’ll get from any other similar sized convertible and large enough to take a few overnight bags for that special holiday you’ve been anticipating.

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The rear seats, although present, have little to no space for any decently sized adult. They are useful for those short trips but ultimately serve no purpose otherwise.

Driving around the city, the CC behaves as expected, although with no pleasant surprises. Ride is comfortable and bumps are absorbed consistently.

Whilst driving the Focus enthusiastically may not be all that pleasant, sitting inside is a different story. Apart from the already mentioned Sony audio system, which offers iPod connectivity, Bluetooth and MP3 compatibility, there are heated (front) leather sports seats (driver’s gets power height adjustment), proper rear bucket seats with head restraints, dual-zone climate control and even a cooled glovebox to keep your drinks at optimal temperature.

The steering is a bit light, but at least the four-spoke leather steering-wheel is pleasant to hold, it comes with integrated cruise-control and audio buttons.

Ford says the Focus CC borrows a lot of its suspension setup from the Focus XR5, that being the case, it certainly doesn’t behave around bends like its turbocharged brother. Even with a 53/47 per cent front/rear weight distribution and 33 per cent stiffer (compared to Focus sedan) rear stabiliser bars, the rear consistently feels unstable and begging for grip. Perhaps a result of the narrow 205/50/R17 wheels.

On the third day of my test, the Focus CC broke. No, it didn’t break down in the middle of the night, nor did it stop driving. The driver side window began making the most awful noise known to man. Something had come loose inside the driver’s door, slowly and painfully scratching against the window, which meant earplugs were required every time the window had to go up or down, a rather frequent operation if the folding roof was to be used!

Given the pain I had to suffer everytime I entered the car, I started to take more notice of the exterior before getting in, thinking that perhaps by admiring the CC’s looks, I could better handle the torture that awaited.

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The looks, oh yes, you can’t miss the proud and exclusive Pininfarina badges subtly placed around the Focus. Although the Pininfarina badge has lost a lot of its exclusivity (lets not forget they designed the Colt CC) the Focus CC is a looker.

Given it’s a car aimed at the 30-something female market, I asked my girlfriend and a few other female friends to judge the Focus on its appeal. It was unanimously decided that despite all its downfalls, it’s overall ‘appeal’, emphasised by very distinctive flowing lines and chrome highlights, is only let down by the fact that it’s essentially still just a Focus -Pininfarina or not.

Safety features are aplenty with driver and front passenger airbags, front side airbags, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) as well as Dynamic Stability Control (Ford’s ESC) with Traction Control and a Rollover Protection Device (RPD).

The Focus CC is not a poor competitor in this convertible market, but given the strong competition, it requires a lot of justifications for the asking price.

As a package, the Focus CC will appeal to many. With a great interior and pleasant looks it ticks the right boxes. However it will find it a challenge to compete with the Astra TwinTop as the Opel-sourced Holden presents a better overall package.

CarAdvice Overall Rating:
How does it Drive:
How does it Look:
How does it Go:

Specifications:

Engine: 2.0-litre Duratec 16V four-cylinder
Power: 107kW @ 6000rpm
Torque: 185Nm @ 4500rpm
Transmission: Four-speed automatic
Brakes: Discs with ABS, EBA & EBD
Driven Wheels: Front
Fuel Type: 91RON Petrol
Fuel Tank Capacity: 55 litre
Fuel Consumption: 8.3 litres/100km (Combined)
CO2 Emissions: 199 grams per kilometre
Safety: ESP, front & curtain airbags, Rollover Protection Device
Warranty: 3 years/100,000kms
Weight: 14650kg

Richo

I’ve yet to see a manufacturer get one of these things right. Taking a boring hatchback and turning it into a convertable appeals only appeals to hairdressers and yuppies you know the ones, the people who wear suit jackets with jeans and bought an iphone instead of just a normal phone and an ipod (and still have money left over).
Watto_Cobra

I’d prefer an XR5Turbo anyday, or better yet, FocusRS. That’s the complete opposite to yawn in power and looks.

Please Ford, bring us the RS.
Martin

ha, anti-spam word BMW

Anyway,
For that price, I would rather buy a used E46 BMW 330Ci convertible.
riceboy

Hmmm… this is a flawed hairdressers’ car, when the roof is down, their hair dos would get messed up…
Devil666

Is it just me, or did a bird poop on the back seat?
phillip

I love the slyly-placed comment “given the market for these cars is generally female, the automatic is the most popular choice”.
Tim

I think you missed the point of this car. Sure, you are reviewing against a criteria, but people who buy this car dont’t care that its not fats, dont care that it uses more fuel than your average car (you were probably flooring anyway). Like you said, women will be the buyers.

If it looks good, has a folding metal roof and in a pretty colour – women will like it, and it will still take in all the shoes they buy, as the boot is quite big. So this review means little to anyone who will buy the car, although to us, ‘real motorists’ – this is a flawed car…
Tim

By the way, you give this 3.5 stars for looks – yet you gave the Proton a 4. How does that work :S
http://AustralianCarAdvice The Salesman

@ Alborz Fallah,

They went smiling at you, they were laughing…
Probably snickering “Oh my god, someone bought one”
Who buys a convertible except 80′s pop stars and rich hairdressers?
I know of a Ford dealer, who quoted
“Selling these is like trying to give away leprosy”
Is it a nice car, well, yes. But it will last as long as the Holden Astra convertible?
http://faster DanMan

Having driven both of these (VW CC Launch) IMO the VW flogs this. Still not my cup of tea but at least the VW has the nice ‘individual pack’ that makes it half tough. Alborez, you should have parked on racecourse road, hamilton. Thats this cars natural enviroment….
Tom

Hardly fair to criticise this so greatly on its underpowered engine and 4 speed transmission when the competition is barely any better. And for some reason, i doubt the potential market for this car will care much about any of its flaws.
Reckless1

If you were on a tight budget in this category you’d surely pick the Peugeot 207CC, and if not, you’d surely pick the EOS.
Yes it’s another $6000 or so for auto with leather but you get the class leader, not a pile of junk which no-one will buy second hand.

Anyone remember the Capri? This is today’s version.
WVB

Reckless, only the 3 litre cologne built ones, we’re trying to forget the ones you’re talking about.
Bavarian Missile

Reckless……yep I remember the Capri,wasn’t it essentially a Laser………..

I hate convertibles,in all models……..oh except for American 50s stuff,there cool!
WVB

Yes a laser floorpan. Dynamically riveting stuff.
Surprised the zampatti name never got involved. The US spec ones were manufactured using quality control methods where as the local market got all of the Friday cars. A supreme example of inept design were the bumps in the hood to clear the sedan’s strut towers……..anyway, moving on.
Golfschwein

Convertibles have to try harder than other cars not to look wrong.

This looks as wrong as most metal roof 4 seat convertibles that need a O/S bum to store the roof when it’s down. The Capri looked wrong with its fabric roof up or down.

It’s all in the proportions. You’ve either got it, or you haven’t.
http://Renault Tony

I think the writer got the point about this car perfectly. While it may look nice, the Peugeot 207 CC and the Astra equivalent are probably better all round packages that will fair much better when you need to sell the car.

And I agree with those who rate the EOS as the class leader despite the fact that you would be paying out another $6K. The EOS is a faultless car which does everything right, no downside.
greenroom

It’s a pity, it seems they’ve learnt zip, nada, zilch – from the soft top Capri years. I wonder if the focus will leak like the capri?
fasthonda

I don’t particularly like convertibles.If you’re male and have a male passenger,you tend to look a “couple” -if you have the top/roof down.
The EOS is one of the most effeminate cars on the road.I would certainly stay away from that car.
o

when do we get then new one?
Joober

Agree with posts, basically I can only see the target market being, midcrisis individual, who wants to be different but suffers a lack of understanding about cars not enough to know what they just bought is really a POS.
http://Renault Tony

Ahhh Fasthonda.

You better take a good look at the EOS 2.0 TSFI. If you are talking Honda, you will need a Type R to keep up with it, even in the corners.
zahmad

Eos much better, as proved by WHEELS Mag earlier!
fasthonda

Tony

I didn’t say the EOS was a bad car..just looks well….. ghey.As for Honda the S2000 is the only convertible they have…I still wouldn’t buy it.I would consider it if it had a metal roof,but I probably still wouldn’t fold the roof down anyway
http://deleted Alex

I dont like this car. I do like convertibles though and not because its easier to show off in one, but because I like having no roof sometimes. I really like the Eos but my problem with it is that if it was just a coupe, it wouldnt look very good. It doesnt have the fat arse of most of them but its not all that streamlined in design. I think the folding metal hardtop is great if you live in town because I used to have an Audi 80 Cabriolet and the roof got slashed a few times in London. But I still like soft tops better. I might even buy an A5 Convertible when it comes out. However, if one day a CC comes out that I do really like, I just may be eating my words. It would have to drive well though. The other thing is that with my old Audi, you can have the roof down and still have a massive boot.
ChopstaR87

Built a XR5 CC focus… then maybe… but other wise… No thanks. just save the many and get a normal Zetec model for a hell of a lot cheaper!!! and costomise it and you will still have a better car and still have money to spare!!!
Andrew M

its interesting how the handling is claimed as rubbish in CC form, yet even in base sedan or hatch form, the focus is right up there.

my sister bought a secind hand 206CC (a few years old).
its not a bad car to drive. very comfortable (unless you are in the back seats ha ha ha)
its also one of the better lookers.
for some strange reason i reckon peugeots only look good in convertible mode.
Joober

“You better take a good look at the EOS 2.0 TSFI” your joking right – it has a claim of 0-100 in 7.8 seconds, you must think a Falcon or an Aurion is a rocket then… But no doubt handling is second to none against it competitors apparently.
http://porsche Millatime

Alborz

The Focus CC has been available from Ford Dealers last week from $39990 drive away.

Also how can be 107kw be “measley”, yet 110kw in the Astra and Peugeot be adequate? I agree though the Focus would be a better drive if it had the torque of the Peugeot.

I’m 6 foot 2 in the old money and at one stage in a test drive last week found my way into the back seat. Seats were adjusted accordingly and I was amazed at the real levels of comfort in there! Hardly useless as you described, but I doubt they will be used often anyway.

And the Sony stereo is one of the best I’ve heard from the factory – brilliant!

With the roof down and the stereo way up, ensconced in the heated leather front seats it’s a brilliant car to cruise in. Even a trip to the shops to get bread and milk becomes an event to look forward to…!
http://www.caradvice.com.au/ alborz

Millatime, thanks for the price update, we just go with the RRP, most cars can be discounted heavily from RRP, I must admit, at 40k, the Focus CC is far more attractive.
Frontman

The other market place for these vehicles (much as I hate to admit it, but it is profitable) is the Hair Dying 50 somethings with their poodles that live in places like Noosa, Paddington, Hyde Park, Manly type area’s both male and female gendre’s. They have money and tend to like the style and Practicality of the Focus CC. Also if you compare roof mechanisms and Under body structures, I wonder how many of you would still rate the Astra & Peugot?
I agree with Millatime’s Question though
“Also how can be 107kw be “measley”, yet 110kw in the Astra and Peugeot be adequate?”
Please be careful when making commentlike that as it may tend to make one look a tad Biased
Iz

Weren’t there reports of leaks occuring in this car in the United Kingdom of Englandland? (Ala Capri, mind =p)

And on the other side of the planet, this car comes with the TDCi engine found in normal Focus, and with a decent whack of torque has no probs moving the Focus CC’s lardy backside. Not sure if they’ve stuck the 2.5L Volvo engine in it yet; don’t see why they can’t/shouldn’t?

I dont know.. The look of the Focus CC seems really strange to me. You know what it reminds me of? Get one of those Staedler highlighters, turn it around so the cover is at the back, stick wheels on it, stick lights on the ends, and you have this car.

Big bum, small front.
http://deleted Alex

You cant get a 2.5 in this in Europe. However, quite scarily, you can get get a 1.6 petrol. If the 2.0 Petrol isnt enough…
Michelle

ive owned a focus cc for the past nine months, and it lives up to my expectations ie its reliable, inexpensive to run, and is far more appealing to me because it is a bit different and i dont see whats wrong with that guys. Buy yourself a turbo rs or v8 tricked out falodore…but remember the pinky boys.
mark

i think these cars are cool, especially the 09 model..any way they are 1000 deposit on the motability, gets my vote every time…so 1000 and its mine oh yeah