Return of Focus Wagon

[630land]

To the top post. Reply to the question "the Matrix and Pontiac Vibe sell well don't they"? from 2009, well the Vibe is dead and Matrix is on life support.

 

With the C Max coming, there will probaby not be a USA station wagon Focus.

 

EDIT: I meant the 5 pass. version, which will be 'electrified'. The Grand C-Max is the 7 seater and that isn't coming, now.

Edited June 15, 2011 by 630land

[Chibana]

The C-Max isn't coming. At least not in a normal gasoline-powered-engine-with-sliding-doors-version.

 

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/09/ford-cancels-seven-passenger-c-max-for-north-america-focuses-so/

 

Last I read, Ford has stated that we are getting the wagon Focus, but who knows if that will change, too. We were also supposed to get the Grand C-Max in gasoline-engine version.

[ehaase]

Ford has never said we are getting the Focus wagon. I want one - it will be my next car if Ford sell it here - but Ford may also think the Escape, Focus 5 door, C-Max Hybrid, and Transit Connect wagon are sufficient.

[transitman]

I wouldn't consider the Transit Connect a wagon, at least not in it's current marketing form as a work van. I still don't believe NA will see a Focus wagon any time soon. Ford is moving fast towards highly fuel efficient cars in the form of electric, hybrid and efficient EcoBoost engines and already out there or set to launch are the very efficient Focus, Focus Electric, C-Max Hybrid and the re-engineered Fusion Hybrid, not to mention any new or existing Lincoln brands that will be made more efficient. Selling the Focus wagon here would cut sales of the C-Max, and could affect sales for the Escape (or Vertrek), Edge and Flex by buyers who want the extra space and are ready to "right size" to a smaller vehicle. Folks who need a carry all will stay with the larger vehicles, but folks who need just a little more space and who's kids have gone, don't need to tow anymore, or are concerned with fuel efficiency may look at a Focus wagon instead of a higher profit vehicle like the Escape or C-Max Hybrid, or Vertrek when it launches. As much as I'd like to see a Focus wagon, and I'd buy one, I don't think it's coming anytime soon.

Edited June 16, 2011 by transitman

[ranchero]

I am intrigued by the 5 door hatchback Focus. However if it instead were a real wagon, I would have ordered by now. My local dealer seems uninterested in even the hatch, only Foci in inventory have been sedans so I have not even seen a hatch. Will my bike(s) fit? Won't know until I eventually see one. As for a real Focus wagon - well maybe there will be one in four or five years, about when I'll be ready to get rid of any hatch I might buy soon. I would much prefer a real "long roof" (wagon).

[MKII]

New Focus wagon is a beauty, fingers crossed that Ford N.A. gives it serious consideration o ver there, especially for Canada whom appreciate a fun driving low to the ground cargo carrying

gas saving vehicle.

 

 

 

Edited June 16, 2011 by MKII

[akirby]

I wouldn't call it a beauty, exactly. The hatchback looks FAR better to me.

[Tiberius1701]

New Focus wagon is a beauty, fingers crossed that Ford N.A. gives it serious consideration o ver there,

 

Strong rumour is that is is going to happen, perhaps as soon as 2nd Qtr 2012. ^_^

[Chibana]

It's been published in many online blogs and magazines, like this:

 

http://www.fordinsidenews.com/forums/showthread.php?7015-FIN-Exclusive-Ford-Focus-Wagon-to-America-in-2012

 

So, while it may be technically true that Ford hasn't made an official statement, there's pretty strong reason to believe Ford has planned it's release here. Like I wrote before, not that his means much, as we've seen with the Grand C-Max news.

 

Personally, I think the wagon is every bit as attractive as the hatchback. They're both gorgeous. Then again, I've always been a fan of the Focus wagon. I hate really large vehicles. A wagon this size is perfect.

[MKII]

I wouldn't call it a beauty, exactly. The hatchback looks FAR better to me.

 

That is why it is nice to have the choice to pick whichever body style you prefer.

[GapBoyPCS]

I am intrigued by the 5 door hatchback Focus. However if it instead were a real wagon, I would have ordered by now. My local dealer seems uninterested in even the hatch, only Foci in inventory have been sedans so I have not even seen a hatch. Will my bike(s) fit? Won't know until I eventually see one. As for a real Focus wagon - well maybe there will be one in four or five years, about when I'll be ready to get rid of any hatch I might buy soon. I would much prefer a real "long roof" (wagon).

 

I'm surprised you haven't seen a 5-door yet. Where are you located? Have you tried any other dealer?

 

My local dealer has some, but it seems the hatchbacks are going a lot faster than sedans (maybe a 70/30 split, according to some folks I spoke with).

[ranchero]

Where are you located? Have you tried any other dealer?

 

- Rocky Mountain front range - F-150/250 territory here.

 

- Nope, haven't tried any other dealer, was not that anxious.

 

This week did finally see the first hatchback my dealer received. It seems only OK to me; I would prefer a real wagon with a longer load carrying area. Hatch can work but rated one to ten, ten being a usable Focus wagon, I found the hatch to only get about a seven. Length of load area with rear seats down is pretty skimpy - just 59 inches. It is what it is.

 

- ranchero -

[silvrsvt]

Apparently you know about zero regarding towing - ever see a semi-truck? I'm pretty sure that the weight of the tractor is not *quite* as much as the load of steel coils on the trailer.

 

And you better get hold of Ford quick - how can they rate their 6-7000 lbs superduties to tow 10 or 12,000 lbs? Don't they know the vehicle must outweigh the load?!?!?

 

Well most of my Towing experience is from pulling around 70 ton tanks with a M88 recovery vehicle...so how I did it there is different then how it is done on the road...

[silvrsvt]

To be honest, this is a part of American consumer culture that I will NEVER understand.

 

I've always considered a wagon to be more sporty and more "masculine" than the crossovers currently being marketed to the "lifestyle" segment (whatever the hell that is). To me, crossovers like the RAV4, Highlander, Murano, and Edge all look plump, bulbous, and effeminate. Kind of like a eunoch, which I believe to be an appropriate analogy, as they, too, tend toward plumpness (hunger replaces sex drive).

 

I thought the Dodge Magnum was the coolest people-hauler in decades. It was completely counter to the current trend-- it was low-slung, long, lean, and butch. It was also fast, powerful, and surprisingly-frugal for a pushrod V8.

 

 

The thing your forgetting is women buyers...the make up 50% of the car buying public and I'd say better then 60-75% of them have some sort of choice when it comes to buying car as a married couple. Simple as that...its the targeted market.

 

 

 

 

[Arlo55]

Yes, they absolutely should have a wagon version of the Focus. I had a '98 Escort wagon, and it was a great little car. The Escape is not a substitute.

I realize this topic is a few years old, but I find it interesting that it is still controversial... I grew up in the 60's and 70's and my Dad had wagons until the full size vans came out in the early 70's. Those big vans were much better suited to his needs in his business. I liked his '67 Country Squire the best with it's torquey 390 V8. I came to wagon ownership much later in the late 90's when my kids were still small. I bought a used '86 Olds fwd wagon which was decent in the snow here in the mountains, but Subaru Outbacks and Legacy wagons were everywhere and a few years later we had one in our driveway too. Now, in mid 2016, the kids are grown and my wife needed a wagon to haul dogs and work supplies. She wanted a Jetta wagon TDI but they seem to have vanished ...The Outback and Escape are too big for her but I found a nice clean low mileage '07 Focus wagon...and with a 2nd set of winter tires, AWD isn't needed.

[BORG]

Are you sure the Escape is too big? The Focus wagon and Escape are actually the same length, 178". Escape is taller than Focus of course but it rides fairly low to the ground and is much shorter than the previous Escape.

 

The Outback is certainly much larger at 190" but the same height and width as the Escape.

Edited August 29, 2016 by BORG

[630land]

The base 2WD Escape S is the virtual Focus wagon. As the base Explorer is a Taurus wagon,

[MKII]

Are you sure the Escape is too big? The Focus wagon and Escape are actually the same length, 178". Escape is taller than Focus of course but it rides fairly low to the ground and is much shorter than the previous Escape.

 

Having both vehicles, I can say that these two vehicles are very different feeling vehicles in how they feel to drive and how they feel in the drivers seat, with the much higher hip point in the Escape/Kuga.

I can totally understand the posters wife's point feeling that the Escape is too big for her preference.

 

BTW, with the rear seats up the Focus wagon cargo is larger then the Escape/Kuga's , of course with the seats folded down the Escape/Kuga wins.

 

Nice to have both.

[akirby]

I think "too big" was probably referring to height, not length or width.

[BORG]

The Escape is so tiny to me, haha. My Mother is small and felt her Edge was too big and got an Escape which is the right size for her. it's also one of the reasons the Escape is predominantly purchased by women.

[akirby]

We went from a 2008 Edge to a 2014 Escape and hated it. It wasn't so much the size but the passenger seat felt like we were sitting on a phonebook, I didn't like the center stack especially the angle of the MFT screen and some missing features like auto-dimming headlamps, IA sensors on the rear doors, etc. even though it was a Titanium. We went back to a MKX and gave our daughter the Escape and we like it so much better.

[Anthony]

Definitely not an ugly vehicle, that's for sure. It would be on my list. I'm all for practicality first.

 

[fuzzymoomoo]

It's not ugly, in fact the back looks better than the hatchback which I think looks much better from 2015 on. I've seen a few running around town. I wouldn't say yes or no until I drive one should it ever come back to the US.

[akirby]

Is there really that much more room in the wagon vs. the hatchback?

[transitman]

Definitely not an ugly vehicle, that's for sure. It would be on my list. I'm all for practicality first.

 

This should be the new PHEV. Stretch the battery out under the car and under the cargo area to increase size and range and maintain a decent amount of cargo space.