Thanks to Blasius of Middletown for letting me take a drive in this 2017 Ford Focus SE!
Walking up to the car, I've gotta say I like this Nitrous Blue color on this car. Other than the color, it looks fairly compact and unassuming.
Looking in, the car looks fairly basic other than the plethora of buttons on the center console, and the tiny screens - one between the tach and the speedometer, and one above the buttons, inlayed into the center console. I appreciate the real buttons, as opposed to the touch buttons and touch screens that are taking over our lives these days, as much as that may make me sound like a crotchety old man. Give me real buttons and get off my lawn.
The shifter looks to be the same as the one from the 2017 Focus ST I drove - other than the white lettering vs the red in the ST - which is good news because I really liked that one.
Jumping into the back seat, the seats are fine. They're your standard cloth economy seats, not too uncomfortable, but also no feelings of luxury here. It's got enough space to be comfortable for kids or average-sized adults. It might feel a little cramped for taller people, but probably not to the point of having to eat your knees.
Hopping into the driver's seat - foot on the clutch, other foot on the brake - I pop the standard no-frills car key into the ignition and rotate to turn the car on.
Getting going, the clutch pedal feels solid. There's a good amount of resistance. I'd put it just barely on the heavier side of moderate weight. As I'd hoped, the shifter feels good and solid, and notches into gear with ease. And as I start moving, I feel the 1.0L 3-banger (3-cylinder) engine isn't going to win me any races, and I notice that first gear is for just barely getting moving, and nothing more. That's what the ST and RS trims are for, but I didn't expect the gap in power to be quite this big.
Driving around town, visibility is good, the ride is smooth enough, and cabin noise isn't too bad. I'm really enjoying the clutch feel and the shifter the more I use it, and I'm having a good time rowing through the gears. There's a tiny bit of rev hang, but nothing too bothersome. Putting my foot into it doesn't seem to help me get anywhere any faster, it just makes it more apparent how underpowered this car is. And the fact that first gear gets me all of three and a half feet before I have to shift is moderately frustrating. But again, this one's not meant to win races, and I'm having a good time working through the rest of the gears.
The tech in this one is fairly basic, but it's got Bluetooth, optional Sirius XM, a CD Player, and a backup cam. Though you'll have to squint a little to make anything out on the camera.
Overall, it's pretty a pretty no-frills car, but it's economical (30 mpg city/40 hwy), decently comfortable, it's got a great gearbox in it, and it's cheap (this one is listed at $10k with 25k miles on it. It's a great option for a first manual (or first car in general) or for someone just looking for an economical commuter. If you're looking more power, you'll have to spring for the Focus ST hatchback. And that's not enough for you, you can go for the big brother Focus RS hatchback with even more power and an AWD system.
