Let me start by saying I’m somewhat of a Ford Focus expert. My Focus SE company car has been in my hands since April of last year. The odometer just clicked over the 50,000 mark. The previous company vehicle was a 2008 Focus. That car was good, but not a driver’s car. I have also driven two different generations of the European Focus and knew what drivers here at the time were missing. Thankfully for the 2012 model year, the Focus sedan was redesigned using the same European-inspired styling and platform that’s sold elsewhere in the world. The new four-door sedan bodystyle has sportier, more aerodynamic bodywork with a new grille that automatically opens and shuts to improve airflow so you get better fuel consumption. There is also a four door hatchback model now.

Whether hatchback or sedan, the Focus features a new instrument panel with soft-touch surfaces, sculpted shapes, ...