2012-2014 Ford Focus Hatchback - am I crazy to consider this?

TechnoGranola · Feb 23, 2014

SavsMom said:
I'm not getting it from a dealer so no go there.

Ah okay. That might change my opinion as well too. I'd either have to know the person selling it or believe they reason they were selling a brand new vehicle that they've had for only 4-6 months?

SavsMom · Feb 23, 2014

TechnoGranola said:
Ah okay. That might change my opinion as well too. I'd either have to know the person selling it or believe they reason they were selling a brand new vehicle that they've had for only 4-6 months?

Yeah - my dad is a retired franchise dealer who still maintains his license so I have access to dealer auction vehicles including closed factory sales. Makes buying fairly easy - if I could make up my mind.

TechnoGranola · Feb 23, 2014

SavsMom said:
Yeah - my dad is a retired franchise dealer who still maintains his license so I have access to dealer auction vehicles including closed factory sales. Makes buying fairly easy - if I could make up my mind.

Ah ok. Well that would make me more comfortable as I presume you'll get a good enough deal to counter the cost if there was a serious issue.

How old are your kids and how long do you plan on keeping the vehicle? And any more kids being added in that timeframe?

SavsMom · Feb 23, 2014

TechnoGranola said:
Ah ok. Well that would make me more comfortable as I presume you'll get a good enough deal to counter the cost if there was a serious issue. How old are your kids and how long do you plan on keeping the vehicle? And any more kids being added in that timeframe?

DD is 6
DS is 5 months
No more kiddos for us.

I plan on keeping it until DS starts preschool or longer. I don't want to be tied to a big car payment while I'm paying a boat load for child are - kwim?

tl01 · Feb 24, 2014

I had a focus as a rental for about 4 hours in between minivans... And my boys fought a lot bc they could reach each other. I was so glad when my minivan was delivered that afternoon. They were both outboard in the focus. I know lots of people do sedans and three across the back seat... But I personally love the space of a bigger car.

SavsMom · Feb 24, 2014

I really like the Focus, mainly just the appearance and layout of the dash but it is tight and i know my kids arent going to get smaller. I don't want an suv so I think the 2013 Mazda5 is a good middle of the road for me. The interior appearance is fine (better than my current 5) the space is excellent and I would have room for another rider if dd has a friend come over.

SavsMom · Mar 19, 2014

And I'm back to looking at the Focus again....

Had the chance to put seats in one and was really happy with it - actually shocked to find doing 3 across could work with the right seats should I ever need to.

thtr4me · Mar 21, 2014

I would get the Focus. Smaller, easier to park, still convenient hatch to put stuff, and better gas mileage. I am not a minivan person, but have driven both a hatchback and now a wagon, and love love love my wagon. Hatchback would be great if I did not need the expanded cargo space to transport our dogs.

jwilliams · Mar 21, 2014

I don't think you're crazy. I love hatchbacks/wagons and intend to drive one as long as possible. I unintentionally ended up having three kids (3 RF at first, now one FF and two RF) in a Honda Insight (our only vehicle), and when our lease is up this fall I'm probably going to get a Jetta Sportwagen. I thought for sure I would want a van, or at least a Mazda 5, but I really don't. I'll re-evaluate when all three are in boosters, but that won't be for another 4 years. I'm thankful I'm in a market with seats that can make it work.

I like parking and maneuvering hatchbacks, I like their cargo space, and I just dig the general vibe

TechnoGranola · Mar 21, 2014

I just rode in a '13 Focus hatchback today. Fairly juiced up and with leather. The dash was a bit busy for my liking but nice. And it was really fun to ride in...almost as much fun as my Mazda3...

Pixels · Mar 23, 2014

My husband has a 13 Focus sedan. I don't know how similar the back seats are between the sedan and hatch, but with two kids it's no problem at all. I can do three across when needed. That was my only stipulation for his car, that three across was possible. It does require the correct combination of seats. It puts the baby in the middle which is literally a pain in my back to load her since there are seats in the outboard positions, and the booster kid can't buckle herself, so it's not pleasant but it is doable. When not doing three across I have not come into anything unusual when installing. I haven't even needed to twist buckle stalks and I have Radians. No weird plastic hinges, no rigid forward-leaning buckles. Oh, head restraints are removable and the outboard ones aren't terribly forward-leaning so I can leave them on if I want.

It's not my daily driver so I'm still not fully used to the dash layout. I almost ran it out of gas a couple weeks ago because of that. I don't know why I thought "full" would be at the bottom of the gauge but thankfully the idiot light and ding warned me in plenty of time. The Sync (Bluetooth) is really nice. I can connect my phone and start up Pandora without taking my hands off the steering wheel. I know DH uses the voice activated controls a lot. I have not gotten them to work but I haven't really tried, either.

His commute is about ten minutes city driving, twenty minutes highway and he gets 38 mpg.

SavsMom · Mar 23, 2014

Pixels said:
My husband has a 13 Focus sedan. I don't know how similar the back seats are between the sedan and hatch, but with two kids it's no problem at all. I can do three across when needed. That was my only stipulation for his car, that three across was possible. It does require the correct combination of seats. It puts the baby in the middle which is literally a pain in my back to load her since there are seats in the outboard positions, and the booster kid can't buckle herself, so it's not pleasant but it is doable. When not doing three across I have not come into anything unusual when installing. I haven't even needed to twist buckle stalks and I have Radians. No weird plastic hinges, no rigid forward-leaning buckles. Oh, head restraints are removable and the outboard ones aren't terribly forward-leaning so I can leave them on if I want. It's not my daily driver so I'm still not fully used to the dash layout. I almost ran it out of gas a couple weeks ago because of that. I don't know why I thought "full" would be at the bottom of the gauge but thankfully the idiot light and ding warned me in plenty of time. The Sync (Bluetooth) is really nice. I can connect my phone and start up Pandora without taking my hands off the steering wheel. I know DH uses the voice activated controls a lot. I have not gotten them to work but I haven't really tried, either. His commute is about ten minutes city driving, twenty minutes highway and he gets 38 mpg.

Thank you thank you thank you for posting this.

I am getting the hatchback just because I really prefer that over a trunk - plus, I can put our boxer back there if I need to take her to the vet - she actually fits with room to turn around

I believe the rear seating dimensions are the same.

SavsMom · Mar 29, 2014

Guess who has a shiny new 2014 focus hatchback!?

I looooooove it

TechnoGranola · Mar 29, 2014

SavsMom said:
Guess who has a shiny new 2014 focus hatchback!? I looooooove it

Pics!!!

SavsMom · Mar 29, 2014

View attachment 24619

Pardon the multiple shots - darn app is being weird

TechnoGranola · Mar 29, 2014

Sweet! It's awesome!

SavsMom · Mar 29, 2014

TechnoGranola said:
Sweet! It's awesome!

Thanks!

I was thinking I would miss the extra space but once I got behind the wheel it was a distant memory. This car is zippy, fun to drive, and I'm still in awe of the actual room across the back seat. Plus the headrests in the rear are so nice that they cause zero issue with car seats

TechnoGranola · Mar 29, 2014

SavsMom said:
Thanks! I was thinking I would miss the extra space but once I got behind the wheel it was a distant memory. This car is zippy, fun to drive, and I'm still in awe of the actual room across the back seat. Plus the headrests in the rear are so nice that they cause zero issue with car seats

Perfect! I've been so happy driving my little hatchback and zipping around. It's hard to hop in a bigger vehicle after.

tesslouise · Mar 29, 2014

Awesome! I drove an '07 Ford Focus (not hatchback) for three years and I've had a 2010 Mazda5 for just over three years. To me they feel very similar to drive/park (the Focus is DH's car now). We're planning more kids so I'm planning to keep the 5 forever, but as a nanny I fit three kids in the backseat of my Focus. You have good taste in cars!

CarSafetyGuy · Mar 30, 2014

Yeah, the current gen Focus is a great small car. Good safety scores all around.

2012-2014 Ford Focus Hatchback - am I crazy to consider this?

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