is the new focus on dealer lots yet? i would love to take one for a ride

 

Job 1 date is August 27th so you most likely won't see them until mid-to-late September.

 

thanks.

 

A few of the styling elements have been tweaked for production, the main one is the redesign of the fogs. Still not a bad car, this time with lots of gizmos for a cheap price.

 

Is that the 2008 model? Man, you guys keep getting screwed by Ford with the Focus! Why does it have to be so ugly and different than the European model?

 

A lot of us ask that exact same question.

Hopefully this will change in about two years. From what I hear, THIS monstrosity is only a temporary measure, and the model is supposed to get a complete change half way into what would be its normal production cycle (which if you believe Ford, is going to change every four years from now on).

 

Correct, this horrid re-skin is just a place-saver for 2-3 years, when word is that the NA and Euro Foci will finally be brought together into a common car with some styling differences. While I certainly don't agree with the direction the '08 styling goes, I think it'll putter along fine for that long thanks to new features and low cost.

 

what features did i miss out on by buying a 2007?

 

-customizable ambient lighting system
-SYNC
-revised spring rates, shocks, stabilizer bars, and bushings
-new Climate control system
-revised interior with more storage
-more standardized safety features

Nothing ground-breaking, but they're good consumer features that look pretty good on a car at that price point. I'm pretty sure that, as ugly as it is, the Focus will hold on long enough for the coming of the all-new car in 3 years.