2012 Ford Focus: TheCarConnection’s Best Car To Buy 2012
After driving thousands of miles in more than 200 new vehicles in the past year, and rating each one independently, High Gear Media's editors have chosen a winner.
TheCarConnection's Best Car To Buy 2012 is the 2012 Ford Focus.
Each year, our team rates each new vehicle we review based on styling, performance, utility, safety, and features. As the year progresses, we begin to see some winners emerge from the usual pack of 50 to 70 brand-new or significantly updated vehicles we drive each year--at home, or around the world.
To pick our Best Car To Buy winner, we sift through the numeric ratings to find the highest-scoring new car from the current model year. We also set a base-price limit of $50,000, since most car shoppers who come to TheCarConnection already know how we feel about the Astons, Maseratis and Ferraris of the world. It means some excellent cars don't stand a chance--but keeps us well aware of value, a critical piece of the puzzle for shoppers.
The Focus' win over vehicles like the Range Rover Evoque, Hyundai Veloster, Mercedes M-Class and Chevy Sonic, comes down to personality. Even in a day where dull, droning econoboxes are the exception rather than the rule, the 2012 Focus grabs attention, both for the way it looks and for the way it handles. That's held true for each of the more than half-dozen differently-equipped Focuses our editors have sampled.
The Focus' winning styling earned a 9 from our editors, as much for its aero-crisp exterior as for its flamboyant interior--and though we prefer the sleek five-door, the four-door sedan's rendered about as well as anything in the class. The Focus also earned a score of 8 for performance, a high rating for a compact car with just 160 horsepower on tap. Even before a turbo ST edition arrives, the Focus feels alive, with sweet steering and a sporty ride overcoming its lackluster optional automatic transmission.
It's compact in the European sense, which makes the back seat more snug than some vehicles in its class, but the Focus gets great front seats and class-leading safety features, like an available rearview camera. And when it comes to luxury and entertainment features, the 2012 Focus goes well beyond the state of the art, with an array of options that include Sony sound systems, active parking assist for tight parallel parking spots, and MyFord Touch and its voice- or touch-controlled interface.
In the balance, the 2012 Ford Focus is an engaging, premium-feeling compact car that nudges into sport-sedan territory--and we can't wait to drive the 240-hp ST.
Congratulations to the Focus, TheCarConnection's Best Car To Buy 2012--and also to our other winners. MotorAuthority, our performance and luxury-car destination, has chosen the 2012 Porsche 911 as its Best Car To Buy this year, while Green Car Reports has named the 2012 Toyota Prius family as its Best Car To Buy.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Ask TCC: Which SUV Should I Buy?
Pets are people too--so why shouldn't a family of Schnauzers get a first-class SUV to roll in?
Here at TheCarConnection, we're always happy to give our hands-on experience out in the form of advice--though we're also keen on getting you to share your brains and to write for High Gear Media Web sites. This week, we're helping Stephen Stricklin find the best new luxury sport-utility vehicle for his four-legged family members.
"I just discovered your website today while I was researching SUVs," Stricklin writes. "I think you have one of the best, if not the best, websites for automobile reviews. I am a 27-year old male and need help deciding between the Land Rover LR4, Mercedes Benz GL-Class, and the Audi Q7. I am single with no children but two dogs so I plan on carrying two crates in the back of the SUV. I have really been looking into the Land Rover LR4 but I'm a little scared of reliability ratings. Any advice?"
Interior space is a major concern for Stephen--the crates used to transport the pups safely aren't small (27.5" x 21.5" x 21" for the mini-schnauzer, "Ojo," seen here; 35.5" x 25" x 27" for his standard Schnauzer). And Stephen has big travel plans: "I work from home so I don't travel too much; however, when I do travel I want to have space for my two dog crates to fit in the back. I'm also planning a trip through the Smoky Mountains this summer and need something bigger than my Audi A4."
He also has some clear preferences for the luxury SUV makes. "I have researched the Audi Q7, Lexus LX 570, Mercedes GL-Class, and Land Rover LR4," he writes. "My biggest complaint with Audi is the local dealership and not really their vehicles. As far as the Lexus LX 570, the seats do not fold flat so they take up too much cargo space when folded sideways."
Which vehicle should Stephen buy? Our editors rank his choices as follows:
1) 2010 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
We think the Benz GL-Class is the best choice among his draft picks. In our full review of this year's model, we rate the GL-Class at 9.0 out of 10, thanks mainly to its spacious cabin, crisp styling, true off-road capability and frugal diesel option. True, it's a pricey truck, and the ride suffers a bit with the biggest tires--but in all, the GL-Class has the nimble ride and elegance to charm the mud off a Range Rover.
2) 2010 Audi Q7
In second place, we put Stephen's other strong choice, the Audi Q7. Giving it a rank of 8.6 out of 10, our editors love the Q7's sleek styling--it hardly looks like an SUV from some angles--and its balanced ride and handling, not to mention the third-row seat. The price balloons on top models, and it's a hefty vehicle with relatively poor mileage on gas-powered versions, but it's the soft-focus SUV for those who find the GL-Class a bit too upright.
3) 2010 Lexus LX 570
Coming in a more distant tie for third is the Lexus LX 570. Spun from the Toyota Land Cruiser, the luxury LX ute has high-quality materials in its simple, plain cabin, and it can dominate off-road trails and towing tasks with its brute strength and a vast array of electronic traction controls. The downside: it feels as large as its curb weight implies, and the ride quality's not great--though it's better than the dismal fuel-economy numbers. And of all the big, luxury SUVs with third-row seats, the LX 570's is the least comfortable and least convenient.
3) 2010 Land Rover LR4
Tied with the LX 570 numerically, the Land Rover LR4 also scores an 8.0 out of 10, but probably appeals to shoppers more because of its sharp sheetmetal suit, British cachet and its newly invigorated range of V-8 engines. It's not quite a Range Rover, but the LR4 has amazing thrust and a well-trimmed, luxurious interior, along with an available third-row seat and legendary off-road heritage behind its badge. This flavor of Land Rover doesn't quite match the Range Rover Sport's car-like handling; gas mileage is low, and the third-row seat and cargo area sit higher than in other big utes, making them more difficult to access. The biggest concern here is the LR4's spotty reliability, as measured by outlets like Consumer Reports and J.D. Power; the other choices above have mustered at least average marks for dependability.
We've compiled these results in a Audi Q7 versus Benz GL-Class versus Lexus LX 570 comparison table for you, Stephen. And while we're at it, we'll suggest another pair of vehicles that come only in five-passenger versions. We like both the Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne for their quality feel and their wide range of powertrain choices--and both will be new for the 2011 model year and significantly improved, if you have the convenience of time.
Each week at TheCarConnection, we get dozens of emails from readers looking for answers to their car questions. "Is this normal?" "Did I pay too much?" "What's the best car for me?" While we can answer some of those through our full reviews, TrueCar pricing, and comparisons, we're also looking for questions directly from you. If you need to know something about your current car or your next new vehicle, email us here at feedback (at) thecarconnection [dot] com. If we're able to help, you'll see your question posted here.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
