Reply #51: Well, look at what Ford Europe gets! [View All]

[B3Nut]

The new Focus (not our warmed-over nosejobbed old one in the States) based on the Mazda3 platform. The Fiesta, a very sharp small hatchback that would do quite well here, given the interest in the new Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, Scion xA, and redesigned Kia Rio5 puppyhatches (I have a new Rio5 and love it.) They also have the Ford Ka, a really cute minicar. What do we get here? A competent, exciting-as-a-bar-of-deodorant sedan (500), a decent but merely average midsize sedan with a nose that looks like they stole it from a Gillette razor(Fusion), an aging (though still fun-to-drive) small car with mediocre-for-the-class fuel economy with a new nose to make its face as ugly as the rest of the line (Focus) and a bunch of guzzling SUV's. The only really bright spots are the Escape Hybrid, and the workhorse F-series pickups (for people actually using vehicles to actually get real work done).

If anything keeps Ford afloat here, it's going to be the F-150. Still a good work truck (though some buy those as phallic substitutes as well instead of using them to do real work.)

Todd in Beerbratistan