Ford offers buyers two engine options for the 2018 Ford Focus. In particular, the SE trim comes equipped with a 1L Inline-3 Turbocharged engine that produces 123 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque. All the other trims are equipped with a standard 2.0L Inline-4 engine that produces 160 horsepower and 146 lb-ft of torque. The base trim's powertrain is paired with a 5-speed manual, while the SE trim's turbocharged variant is coupled with a 6-speed manual. On the other hand, the top trims offer you a 6-speed automatic transmission that empowers the front wheels.
In comparison with its rivals, Ford's acceleration felt a bit slow here. The acceleration from a standstill to 60mph takes about 8.3 seconds. With those performance figures, we can say that it is a good option if you are considering it for regular office and short commutes. However, the 2018 Focus won't impress you much on highways.
Models
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2018 Ford Focus Sedan
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2018 Honda Civic
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2018 Hyundai Elantra
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2018 Toyota Corolla
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MSRP
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$17,950
|
$18,940
|
$16,950
|
$18,600
|
Engine
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2.0L Inline-4
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2.0L Inline-4
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2.0L Inline-4
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1.8L Inline-4
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Drivetrain
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FWD
|
FWD
|
FWD
|
FWD
|
Transmission
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5-speed manual
|
6-speed manual
|
6-speed manual
|
CVT
|
Power
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160 hp @ 6500 rpm
|
158 hp @ 6500 rpm
|
147 hp @ 6200 rpm
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132 hp @ 6000 rpm
|
Torque
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146 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm
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138 lb-ft @ 4200 rpm
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132 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm
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128 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
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0-60 MPH (sec)
|
8.3
|
8.3
|
7.8
|
9.5
|
Quarter mile (sec)
|
16.3
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16.5
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16.2
|
17.4
|
Top Speed (MPH)
|
130
|
130
|
130
|
110
|
Compared to the Civic and Corolla, the Ford Focus sedan does have an advantage in terms of performance specs. While others come with 2L Inline-4 engines as their base, the Corolla comes with a feeble 1.8L Inline-4 engine as standard. As a result, the acceleration is sluggish and it is 1-2 seconds slower than the rest of the competition. Moreover, where others come with a manual transmission as standard, the Toyota offers a CVT unit for power transmission. As per conclusion, in terms of power pursuit, Elantra seems to be better, owing to its lightweight.
How well does the 2018 Ford Focus Sedan handle?
In general, the 2018 Ford Focus Sedan does a good job on the road, and the driver will undoubtedly enjoy driving it. The steering wheel is light and responsive thus maneuvering and parking the car in tight spots is a breeze. The turning radius is quite good as well. Although this is an excellent car for short city commutes, the highway driving experience is a bit disappointing.
However, its suspension is tuned to absorb every bump and undulation making the drive more insulated. One of the concerns is that there is a noticeable body roll especially on sharp corners and winding roads that comes inherent with it but to tackle that engineers have put on anti-roll bars both in the front and rear. Therefore, one can mark it decent as per its price tag but flooring is not at all advisable with it.
2018 Ford Focus Braking Performance
The 2018 Ford Focus sedan is arguably the heaviest in its class. As standard, you get 10.9-inch rotors at the front and 9-inch rotors at the back. These figures with such mass are not a major issue but it does affect its braking performance to some degree. For 60-0MPH, it travels about 130 feet forward before coming to a complete stop. Other than that, it has been loaded with various other features like the Brake Assist and 4-wheel ABS that aid you in braking in general. However, it lacks an automatic emergency braking system, which is a major flaw.
Models
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2018 Ford Focus Sedan
|
2018 Honda Civic
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2018 Hyundai Elantra
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2018 Toyota Corolla
|
Brake Rotors: Front (inches)
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10.9
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11.1
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11.0
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10.8
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Brake Rotors: Rear (inches)
|
9.0
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10.2
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8.0
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9
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Curb Weight (lbs.)
|
2935
|
2742
|
2767
|
2840
|
60-0 MPH (feet)
|
130
|
127
|
NA
|
130
|
When it comes to braking, the Honda Civic is the best. The brake rotors are larger, and the bodyweight is balanced quite well. Because of this, it stops at 127 feet from 60-0 mph, which is marginally better and can be a determining factor in some cases. Meanwhile, the Ford Focus and Toyota Corolla come at the bottom stopping at a distance of 130 feet with Elantra being undefined in this section.