Focus II looks a little boring compared to its predecessor. For this reason, it will appeal to conservative buyers, and there are quite a lot of them. However, at the same time, this is a flaw, because if anyone thought that the successor to the first Focus would be just as crazy, they were sorely disappointed. However, the design has become a little fresher and more dynamic.
There are plenty of body options. Trunk volume is 503 liters. If this is not enough, you can fold the seats and get 1525 liters. The VAN Focus C-MAX is available on the market, which later became a separate model. The hatchback is available in two versions - 5-door and 3-door. Its trunk is quite large - 396 liters. For conservatives, there is a sedan, which next to the station wagon looks the most normal of the entire “crew”. There's also a hardtop convertible with a fully electrically adjustable top. At the touch of a button, it can be transformed into a coupe. Few people know about the existence of this version, so its sales were not particularly impressive.
Before choosing an engine, one issue worth considering is efficiency. Ford diesels are quite good and economical. They are also technically advanced, so their maintenance will be much more expensive than the petrol versions. In diesel engines, it is worth considering the injection system, turbine and dual-mass flywheel. Some versions also have a particulate filter - every 60 thousand. km you need to add fluid, every 120 thousand. km - completely replace. The choice of units is quite large - a 1.6 liter diesel engine has a power of 90 or 109 hp. and together with 1.8 l 115 hp. it can be safely recommended to calmer drivers. 2.0 TDCi has 110 or 136KM - in the first version, the timing chain sometimes stretches, rubs against the head and contaminates the oil with sawdust.
As for gasoline units, the 1.4L 80KM is dynamic only when stopped. 1.6L 100 or 115 km would be a better choice. The latter, in particular, is quite active at high speeds, but has problems with the synchronizing pulleys. Of course, there is something stronger in the offer - 1.8 l 125 km and 2.0 l 145 km.
Is it worth filling up the Focus with gas? In the case of this car, this is a rather sensitive issue. A CAN digital communication and electrical device control system is installed on board, which controls almost the entire vehicle and works with the engine computer. Gas installation creates software errors that can affect other systems
Ground clearance Ford Focus 2 in sedan, hatchback, station wagon
The Ford Focus 2 (2nd generation) was produced from 2004 to 2011, and in 2008 it “survived” restyling.
The vehicle is based on the Ford C platform, which is used in cars of many brands and models.
The design of the suspension and body was borrowed from its predecessor (the first generation car).
The ground clearance of the car according to the passport is 155 mm, but in reality (when fully loaded) this parameter may be lower - 13-15 cm.
Flaw
The lower the clearance of the Ford Focus 2, the better the car looks. After all, a low car attracts attention and looks unique. However, not everyone needs beauty. Moreover, such a machine will not pass everywhere. Speed bumps - don't drive over them at all.
Many can sacrifice their uniqueness for the sake of a comfortable ride in the Ford Focus 2 (restyling), that is, drive with good ground clearance. However, there are those who want a more beautiful car. And such people can easily underestimate it. However, in this case, the ground clearance will become less and the vehicle's cross-country ability will become worse.
About the real ground clearance of the car
Many people are interested in whether this clearance is enough for traveling on domestic roads.
To sort this issue out, you should contact real Ford Focus 2 owners and ask their opinion.
Here's what drivers say:
- “I bought a Ford Focus back in the fall. I have been dreaming of a new car for a long time and finally had the opportunity to get one. With the onset of winter, I realized that I had made a big mistake... The Ford Focus passport states that the ground clearance is 155 mm, but in practice it turned out to be less. There was a lot of snow on the roads, and it got stuck almost everywhere. Friends and mechanics at the service station recommended raising the ground clearance by installing spacers, but I didn’t dare. The problems with low ground clearance went away with the winter snow, but the idea of raising the ground clearance now stuck in my head for a long time. I think that by next winter I will definitely make up my mind.” Vladimir, Tver, 29 years old.
- “I’ve been driving a car for more than five years and have driven almost 160 thousand kilometers. I bought a new car and couldn't be happier. I read in the passport that the car’s ground clearance is 15.5 cm, but due to the installation of steel engine protection it turned out to be lower. I’ll be honest - this ground clearance is clearly not enough for domestic roads. When leaving the highway, I felt uncomfortable for fear of the bottom touching the road surface. When the car was fully loaded, the ground clearance dropped to 120-125 mm. When driving around the city this is enough, but in off-road conditions this reserve is not enough.” Igor, 33 years old, Krasnodar.
- I bought a Ford Focus 2 sedan not new, with serious mileage. I was worried for a long time that I had overpaid, but over time I calmed down. Practice has shown that every penny is well spent, and the car fully lives up to expectations. Many people complain about low ground clearance. As for my driving experience, I have not encountered this problem. During operation, it did not cling or rest anywhere. The only thing you need to get used to is the low seating position. But the Ford Focus behaves well during sharp maneuvers - it doesn’t skid and holds the road well. I think that the 20 mm difference with other machines does not play a big role.” Igor, 39 years old, Taganrog.
- “There were no problems with clearance. I have had a Ford Focus 2 hatchback for more than 2 years, and I can’t say anything bad about the ground clearance. Every day I go into the city, pass a lot of speed bumps and sometimes even run over curbs when parking. Those bumps that are present on the road do not cause any problems. Perhaps if I had driven off-road, my opinion would have been different. But the Ford Focus is a car for the city. So the available ground clearance is quite enough.” Evgeniy, 32 years old, Stavropol.
- “The ground clearance of the Ford Focus station wagon has decreased compared to the first generation car, but I didn’t feel the difference. I like the elastic fit of the car, its stability and ground clearance are quite enough. During the entire period of operation, it never clung to the road, and even passed difficult sections. Sometimes I went to the village, where there were only “directions”. When driving carefully, there were no problems here either. Even if the car’s belly touches the ground, nothing bad will happen.” Nikita, 40 years old, Moscow.
Restyling
Already in 2008, American manufacturers presented the world with a new car: restyling of the second generation Ford Focus 2. People called him the third generation. All because his appearance was mesmerizing. It was like a concept car, like a car from the future. After all, the designers of the American brand really tried and made a sports car out of a civilian car.
In general, the fenders, hood, bumpers, headlights, and side mirrors have changed. In a word, everything! There are no more chrome moldings on the doors. And the best change is the radiator grille, which has become completely different. In general, everything became completely different, beautiful, presentable.
It is worth noting that for all body modifications, except the station wagon, LED taillights were offered for an additional fee. However, it is worth noting that not everyone ordered them. A new trim level has also appeared in the restyling - Titanium. It was offered for a large surcharge, since it was the most prestigious, respectable modification. American manufacturers have also created a new climate control system. The dashboard has changed for the better - it has become more beautiful.
Ground clearance of Ford Focus 3 in sedan, hatchback, station wagon bodies
The third generation Ford Focus was first presented in Detroit at the beginning of 2010.
The car was positioned as a worthy replacement for the outgoing generation of Ford Focus 2. The exterior was based on the appearance of the Iosis Max, a new concept.
As for the car platform, it remained the same, but in some respects it was modified.
The European version of the Ford Focus 3 was produced with a stated ground clearance of 142 mm.
This indicator meets the requirements for sports class cars. According to the manufacturers, the car can overcome holes up to five centimeters deep.
And here there are two options - carefully drive through the potholes or sue the road services that did not fix the problem.
The height of the curbs should be no more than ten centimeters, but even with this figure, the Ford Focus 3 (station wagon, hatchback or sedan) may have problems.
The reason is that when the interior and trunk are loaded, the ground clearance decreases. The height of the car becomes insufficient to pass the obstacle.
The solution may be to install disks with a larger diameter, although many people call this method useless.
Another option is installing spacers, but we’ll look at that below.
Some experts claim that theoretically the ground clearance can be increased to 200 mm, but such a height, of course, is not necessary.
As for the domestic version of the Ford Focus 3, the ground clearance was increased in advance to 165 mm.
This was done deliberately to eliminate problems for domestic consumers.
With such ground clearance, you can safely overcome various obstacles and not be afraid of the bottom touching the road surface.
The height of the car has been increased due to the suspension, and the manufacturers assure that this has not affected the handling of the vehicle.
All Ford Focus 3 cars produced for the Russian market (regardless of body type - sedan, hatchback or station wagon) have the same ground clearance.
But here, as in the European version, a decrease in ground clearance is possible when fully loaded.
Legendary compact car
Ford Focus is a compact car from the legendary American manufacturer. The car has been produced in Russia since 1999 and during this time more than half a million copies have been manufactured and sold.
In 2010, Ford Focus was recognized as the best-selling foreign-made car in the Russian Federation. Two years later, the car won the Car of the Year Award, taking one of the nominations.
Ford Focus is a universal car that is ideal for a family with an average income.
The advantages of the car include practicality, affordable price and low maintenance.
In addition, there is a complete safety package that makes the car stand out from its competitors.
Ford Focus is supplied to the territory of the Russian Federation in 3 bodies - station wagon, hatchback and sedan.
For some time, a coupe version was available to domestic car owners, but it is a thing of the past.
Cars that are produced in Russia are adapted for domestic roads and are distinguished primarily by higher ground clearance.
Below we will consider the following points:
- What ground clearance is provided in Ford Focus 2 and 3 cars (for sedan, hatchback and station wagon)?
- What do real users say about the height of the car?
- Is it possible to increase ground clearance?
About the car
The new, second generation of the American Ford car, or rather the Focus model, has become a bestseller. It is worth noting that this happened long before the car was even born and went on sale. The reason for this is the promotion that marketers did. And, of course, the intrigue and anticipation of a new model from an American brand is also a big plus for initial sales.
It is worth noting that the old generation was a real bestseller in the Russian Federation. It was here that citizens truly loved this car, and almost every second car enthusiast bought it. And now, a new generation has appeared on free sale.
Restyling of the Ford Focus 2 included the use of the highest quality finishing materials. The car received a good reputation from the very beginning of its launch on the market. The ride quality was good and the price was what people expected. In general, the Americans did everything the same way as potential consumers wanted.
It is worth noting that some Ford Focus models were produced in our homeland - the Russian Federation. Some modifications were made in the cultural capital, in the city on the Neva - St. Petersburg. It was there that sedan and hatchback cars were produced.
Station wagons, coupes and convertibles were supplied directly from Europe. In general, production, assembly and sales were in full swing. No one could even think for a minute about buying a car and starting to hate it. Everything was done very high quality.
conclusions
Let's summarize. If we want to increase the ground clearance on the Ford Focus 2 and not regret it later, we use these recommendations:
- do not raise the front end higher than 20 mm;
- we lift the rear suspension no higher than 30 mm;
- We do not install rigid metal spacers (body deformation, corrosion);
- After lifting, we carefully monitor the condition of the shock absorbers (oil leakage, rod deformation, wear of bushings and dampers).
Avoid potholes carefully and have a comfortable trip for everyone!
The second generation Ford Focus is an excellent budget car that is capable of reliably and flawlessly performing all the necessary functions, that is, taking you comfortably from point A to point B. It was first introduced in 2004 and immediately won the appreciation of consumers from many countries. Compared to the previous generation, the new Ford Focus has been significantly improved and is devoid of many of the disadvantages that owners encountered.
Despite the fact that the car is quite popular in our country, there are several features that cause inconvenience and which can be eliminated. We are talking about ground clearance - the distance from the extreme point of the car to the beginning of the road surface. If we are talking about driving in the city on good roads, then no problems arise. When it comes to trips out of town, to the country or to a picnic, the ground clearance is clearly not enough, since it is initially small. Moreover, as the service life increases, it will only decrease, and this leads to difficulty overcoming obstacles (potholes, bumps, speed bumps, etc.). For this reason, many owners of the second generation Ford Focus are thinking about increasing the ground clearance. How to do this and what is needed for this will be discussed in our article.
How much can you increase the clearance and how to do it
If you really want to, it is still possible to increase the clearance, but within certain limits. Mechanics and users have come to a consensus and do not recommend raising the car more than 20 mm at the front and more than 30 mm at the rear. This does not apply to all methods, but only to those that involve intervention in the suspension design. In fact, there are several ways to increase the ground clearance on a Ford Focus 2.
Replacing wheels
One of the options for high wheels.
If you install wheels of larger diameter, you can achieve an increase in ground clearance by 10–12 mm. For example, by replacing 15-inch wheels with 16-inch ones with 205/65 tires, we will increase the overall diameter of the wheel, but the odometer and speedometer readings will be distorted, and ABS may not work correctly. At the same time, you cannot increase the diameter of the wheels indefinitely - the rubber can touch the wheel arches when turning and when the car is heavily loaded.
Installing another set of springs and shock absorbers
It will cost much more. For example, one Kilen 53241 spring will cost 1,800 rubles, and Kayaba RA 6655 will cost 2,200 rubles.
And this is without replacing shock absorbers, which must also operate in the same range as the springs. If you do not change the shock absorbers and springs as a set, then the first one will not work in the operating range, which can cause destruction of the shock absorber or breakage of the rod.
Special springs can be used!
Spacers
They are installed between the body support cups and the springs, and it is possible to almost painlessly increase the ground clearance by 10–30 mm. Spacers are available in metal, rubber or polyurethane. The metal will wear out and deform the seats, so such spacers are not in demand. It is better to install rubber or polyurethane. Here is her drawing.
It turns out like this.
At the same time, rubber is inexpensive, but wears out quickly. Polyurethane spacers cost between 1000–1300 rubles for a set of front ones and 1300–1600 rubles for a set of rear ones. The kit includes six M8x50 mm bolts and two spacers (for the front struts). The spacer size can be selected from 20 to 40 mm.
What spacers are there and their types
After that we remove them. We fix the spacers using special ties or plastic clamps. We tighten the racks with new bolts, which should be longer, usually sold together with spacers.
If these bolts have a steel hardness of 5. Install the wheels and tighten all the bolts back. For the rear wheels the procedure will be exactly the same as for the front wheels. As for choosing a specific option, you need to know what types of spacers there are. Each of these types has its pros and cons, however, the experience of many Ford Focus 2 owners and the recommendations of experts suggest that it is best to choose rubber or plastic options.
Rubber spacers are inexpensive, highly resistant to aggressive environments, do not corrode, and have virtually no effect on the level of comfort and controllability. However, they are not without their drawbacks, including wearing out quickly and being easily destroyed and deformed. As for plastic inserts, they have practically no disadvantages, because they do not affect the behavior of the car on the road, and at the same time they have a long service life and are not negatively affected.
It should be noted that if the springs sag, this method of increasing ground clearance will not work for the Ford Focus 2.
The problem in this case is the small distance between the spring coils. Spacers will be justified only in combination with good springs. Other methods Spacers are the most common method of increasing ground clearance, but for a Ford Focus 2 car you can solve the problem in another way - by replacing standard wheels.
