2018 Ford Focus Review

The base S trim is available only as a sedan and employs a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (160 horsepower, 146 pound-feet of torque). A five-speed manual transmission is standard, and a six-speed automatic is optional.

It comes with 15-inch steel wheels, keyless entry, air-conditioning, a height-adjustable driver seat, 60/40-split folding rear seats, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a rearview camera, a 4.2-inch central display, power front windows (manual rear windows), power locks and mirrors, Ford's MyKey (limits speed, audio volume, etc., for young drivers), voice controls, Bluetooth, a four-speaker sound system and USB port.

One step up is the SE, which is available as a hatchback or sedan. The hatchback comes with the 2.0-liter engine and six-speed automatic, while the sedan uses a turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine (123 hp, 125 lb-ft of torque) and a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic.

Standard SE equipment includes 16-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, power rear windows, a trip computer, a front center armrest, rear air vents and a six-speaker sound system. Available options include a Cold Weather package (adds heated mirrors and heated front seats and steering wheel). SE trims equipped with the 1.0-liter engine have access to an Appearance package that adds different 16-inch wheels, daytime running lights, foglights and black exterior detail elements. A 17-inch wheel upgrade is also available with this package.

The SEL trim is available as a sedan or hatchback. Standard equipment includes 17-inch wheels, daytime running lights, foglights, a sunroof, ambient interior lighting, dual-zone automatic climate control, rear proximity sensors, an 8-inch entertainment screen with Sync 3 (includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support), two USB charging ports and a 10-speaker Sony stereo system. Options include the aforementioned Cold Weather package and navigation with satellite radio.

The Focus Titanium has the highest level of standard equipment. Its exterior wears a different style of 17-inch wheel and chrome exterior trim. The interior gets leather-trimmed seats, four-way adjustable headrests, eight-way power-adjustable driver seat, a leather-wrapped shift knob, rear center armrest, seatback map pockets and remote start. While the Cold Weather package is standard, an optional Titanium Technology package adds automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert, and lane departure warning.

As you might guess, the hatchback-only Focus Electric is powered by an electric motor (143 hp, 184 lb-ft of torque) that runs through a single-speed automatic transmission. EPA-estimated range is 115 miles. It's equipped similarly to the Titanium trim but boasts xenon headlights and restyled taillights. Leather-trimmed seats are optional.