Tests and Features

“Just because we’re affordable, it doesn’t mean we aren’t fun to drive!” This is no doubt the sort of thing you’d hear from the free-spirited cars that dominate this category, including the 2014 Ford Focus ST, 2014 Volkswagen GTI, 2014 Scion FR-S/2014 Subaru BRZ, 2014 Ford Mustang, 2014 Hyundai Genesis …

Not only are compact cars increasingly popular in our market, but this segment is constantly evolving. To prove the point, we decided to assess—and compare—the seven most popular compacts. This time, we took a simpler approach than usual and tried to simulate a real vehicle purchase. Form and function The …

The days when European hot hatch fans got all of the best toys to play with are coming to end. The realization that North American enthusiasts are willing to pay a premium for a fun-to-drive compact car has companies scrambling to fill a void in the market that for years …

It took several years for the North American branch of Ford to figure out that they needed to import the European version of the Focus to our continent. Not only does the European version look nicer, but it handles very well. Consequently, everyone was awaiting the 2012 model with bated …

Once upon a time, almost all automakers offered a pocket rocket: compact vehicles endowed with refined performance and sold at reasonable price. These days, these cars are few and far between, as several models have disappeared from the market. Ford, however, returns to this segment for 2013 with the arrival …

The premise of the “He Said, She Said” chronicle is simple: we lend a press vehicle to a couple to test drive extensively for two weeks. The participants have simple instructions: to take note of all of their impressions, both good and bad. Each of the test drivers has to …

At the dawn of the automobile age, consumers had the choice between electric, gas and steam engines and could select the one that best suited their needs. Eventually, gas won out for practical reasons: better range, lightness, accessibility, etc. Unfortunately, gas pollutes and is non-renewable. A century later, we need …

After a few months on the market, the Ford Focus has already won its fair share of awards. It’s pretty easy to see why, given the car’s overall quality, very modern appearance and the fact that you can add a substantial amount of equipment. However, I discovered several annoying features …

Ford Focus Road Test Last week, I confessed that my love affair with the automobile is anything but monogamous. Falling head over heels for anything that excels in its particular purpose, I've found myself coveting everything from sports cars to luxury sedans to pickup trucks to the tiniest of hot …