PETALING JAYA: The new Ford Focus is launched today, priced at RM118,888 for the 5-door Trend variant and RM139,888 for the 4-door Titanium+ variant and 5-door Sport+ variants.
The new Focus has a 1.5-litre four cylinder Ecoboost engine, which is the most powerful in its class - pumping out 178hp and 240Nm of torque, and is mated to a six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission.
Additionally, all current Ford owners can enjoy a cash rebate of RM3,000 when buying the new Focus, until April 30, 2016.
For the RM21,000 price difference, the high-grade variants get extra or better kit including LED daytime running lights, power-adjustable and auto-folding side mirrors, auto headlamps, rain sensing wipers, dual-zone air-conditioning, 12V powerpoint in armrest stowage bin, leather upholstery, steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, eight-inch touchscreen display SYNC2 with SD slot and nine audio speakers, rear armrest with integrated cup holders, side and curtain airbags, keyless entry and start, front parking sensors, Active Park Assist and City Stop, Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Alert, and cruise control.
READ MORE:
Brief experience after Malaysian launch
First drive of Ford Focus in Australia
The Focus is a bread-and-butter model that has come to be Ford's best-selling passenger car on a global scale since 2012 in its third-generation status.
Since the Focus was introduced in 1998, 12 million cars had been sold globally, 2.3 million of them in the Asia-Pacific region.
The new Focus is also the only car in its class in Malaysia to have an enhanced Active Park Assist system, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with Cross Traffic Alert.
Using radar technology, BLIS alerts the driver when another motorist is in the driver’s blind spot by illuminating warning LEDs in the external mirrors.
In urban driving up to 50 km/h, an enhanced Active City Stop system can help to mitigate low-speed collisions.
Using a windshield-mounted sensor to detect braking, slower-moving or stationary vehicles in front, the system pre-charges the brakes if the car is approaching a vehicle in front too quickly.
If the driver fails to take action, the system reduces engine torque and automatically applies the brakes to reduce the impact of a collision.
The new Focus even allows owners to encourage safe driving when they are not behind the wheel, with Ford MyKey.
Owners can programme a spare key to reduce the maximum speed of the vehicle, give an earlier low-fuel warning, limit the volume of the in-car entertainment or even disable it completely if the seatbelt is not fastened.
“The new Focus has evolved in nearly in every aspect – design, smart technology, driving dynamics, powertrain and refinement. We’re confident this will further strengthen its appeal with Malaysian customers,” said Sime Darby Auto Connexion managing director Syed Ahmad Muzri Syed Faiz.
Cutting-edge technologies include SYNC 2, Ford’s in-car connectivity system that boasts an eight-inch colour touchscreen to operate phone, entertainment and climate control using a simple voice command system.
There is also a smart, hands-free parking system called Enhanced Active Park Assist, which builds on Ford’s popular Parallel Park Assist with the addition of Perpendicular Park Assist.
Once activated, the system scans for available parking spaces alongside other cars.
When it finds one, the system takes control of the car’s steering to guide the vehicle into the space while the driver controls the shifting, braking and acceleration.
Perpendicular Park Assist uses two new ultrasonic sensors on the rear of the car, which also enables Park-Out Assist.
Park-Out Assist takes the stress out of exiting a parallel parking space by taking control of the steering while the driver operates the brake and accelerator.
When reversing from a perpendicular parking space, Cross Traffic Alert uses three distinct warnings to alert drivers if the system detects a vehicle approaching either from the left or the right side, up to a range of 40 metres.
A more refined Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) system further improves the driving experience with more precise steering and lower effort.
The new Focus also offers impressive levels of cabin quietness, with sound deadening materials – including sound-insulating windshield glass, thicker side-window glass, thicker carpets, increased insulation in the door trims, and improved engine insulation – for increased refinement.
