Interior

I like coupes, and these days they’re getting easier to get in and out of. If you have rear passengers, the seats need to move forward and backward with ease as well as have memory settings whenever possible. The Focus has none of these attributes.

My kids were able to open the door without any problems. However, the front-seat levers were so hard for them to use — even I couldn’t do it one-handed — that they came up with their own solution for getting into the backseat (see the video below). The seats were difficult to move, and I had to readjust them every time I sat down. Our solutions to the seat problems were OK, but none are as good as having a functional, easy-to-reach-and-use lever to move the seat. If you have a teen, the lack of mobility might be a bonus because it could prevent them from putting any friends back there. Just sayin’.

To distract from the seats’ shortcomings, the Focus has ambient lighting. There’s a magic button that changes the color of the LED lights throughout the car and in the cupholders. The kids loved this feature; I have to confess — I kind of did, too.

I also appreciated the Focus’ center stack because it was clean, tidy, usable and simple. This is another reason this car might be one to consider for your teen — fewer things to distract a teen driver. My test car had the Sync communication and entertainment system. Although it’s supposed to be compatible with my first-generation iPhone, I couldn’t get the two to work together. It was extremely frustrating.

The Focus’ instrument cluster has room for improvement. The numbers looked like something from the track at race day. They’re fun in the beginning, but I got tired of their cluttered design and bizarre-looking notches on the outer rim, which I think is supposed to look a little like tires. The rest of the instrument panel is neat and tidy like the center stack; it’s a refreshing break from some of the more clustered clusters out there.

In the backseat, there’s not enough room for a rear-facing infant-safety seat without significantly compromising the front passenger’s comfort. Booster seats fit nicely in the back, and my kids didn’t have any problems buckling up. The Latch connectors and tether anchors are easy to access and use. However, the backseat lacks cupholders or bottleholders, which is an annoyance.

The trunk is pretty small, and there could be problems trying to fit a ginormous stroller back there. My itty-bitty umbrella stroller that I use for testing purposes went in without incident. The 60/40-split folding rear seats make it easy to haul longer items.

Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Puny
Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Fair

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