Whether it’s space for people or stuff, it’s at a premium. The Focus is always called out for its tight interior and it’s the same situation here. Plus, I’ve never really warmed up to the touchscreen quadrant interface of SYNC 2, so having the multitude of physical buttons and the crisp, clear (albeit small 4.2-inch) screen feels much better. Soft touch plastics on the dashboard, tactile switchgear, leather on the thrones-it’s a solid effort. Credit that to the choice of materials and the exemplary fit and finish. Yet, for all that missing stuff, it doesn’t feel empty at all. The Sport doesn’t even have the fancy Active Park Assist or Active City Stop. Anything you see or read about in the Focus’s marketing material, be it billboards or brochures, isn’t in the Sport: powered driver’s seat, automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers, dual zone climate control, SYNC 2-all missing in action. It’s inside where the P 130,000 price difference between the Sport and Sport+ makes itself quite apparent. This entry-level hatchback also loses the daytime running lights, but considering that all Focus models don’t have HIDs or LEDs, it’s no big deal. Remember, the Civic RS rolls on 17s too and hardly anyone complains. At 17 inches, it’s a size down from the Sport+’s, but in the greater scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter. Credit that to the same exterior specs in all but the alloy wheels. Compared to other entry-level models which are stripped down, the Focus Sport still looks pretty complete. This here is the entry-level Sport hatchback.ĭespite an initial feeling of disappointment, as the Candy Red unit arrived, I thought: this isn’t so bad. Now, what I got isn’t the same Titanium+ model from a year or so ago it’s not even the Sport+ hatchback I’ve been wanting to get my dirty mitts on for so long. Then, the snarling traffic jams and resulting single digit average speed didn’t do the fuel efficiency any justice, so I took it upon myself to give the Focus a shot at redemption and that’s where we are today. The last time I was in the driver’s seat of the Focus, it was with the fully-loaded 4-door Titanium+ during APEC week. But what if I tell you there’s a compact car in the market that’s often overlooked, but still offers a huge chunk of that driving excitement virtue? Heck, it’s even got a turbocharged engine with more power and torque than the Civic’s. And you can’t blame the masses: one touts a turbocharged engine and the other has driving excitement written all over it. When it comes to crowning the Philippines’s sportiest compact out there, there are two cars that always seem to roll off the tongue: the Honda Civic and the Mazda3.
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