2009 Ford Focus

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Exterior - What the Auto Press Says

Many writers express disappointment at the Ford Focus' safe styling -- that is, when they're not calling the car down-right ugly. When the Focus was first revised in 2008, Automobile Magazine went as far as to call the look "horrifying," and later, "there isn't a single line elsewhere on the car that doesn't simply shout 'Korean subcompact reject.'"

• "Whoever styled the front fenders to make the 17-inch wheels look like the 12s should be fired, immediately. ... the new look evokes the Saturn Ion, and no, that's not a good thing." -- Car and Driver
• "Exterior styling certainly differs from previous Focus models, though sets no new standards for compact-car design." -- Consumer Guide
• "For the 2009 Focus, Ford has made a few more changes. It seems Ford listened to criticism about the car's odd styling elements, as the coupe has been given sleeker-looking front and rear fascias, and those dopey-looking fake fender vents have been put out to pasture." -- Edmunds
• "The 2009 Ford Focus Coupe looks better than the 2008 model thanks to some simple changes that didn't break the Blue Oval's piggy bank. ... The new front bumper is smoother and softer. ... It's definitely a step in the right direction, but the Focus face has now been tweaked twice in two years, having been modified once already before the '08 model began production." -- Autoblog