Gadgets lift Ford Focus beyond its means

While improved, American version unoriginal

Whether you've been bad or good, I can tell you what you didn't get this Christmas: a new Focus from Ford's European workshop.

The Focus that Americans are receiving is a warmed-over version of the Focus that's been around since 2000, rather than Europe's vastly fresher (and admittedly pricier) Focus that shares its mechanical recipe with the sophisticated Mazda 3 and Volvo S40.

Also gone is the Focus hatchback model, always the coolest of the breed; and the optional 2.3-liter engine that was Focus' remaining draw for enthusiast buyers. What's left is a serviceable and frugal sedan and coupe.

While the styling seems timid, the car itself is improved. I drove a top-of-the-line Focus SES for a week, a sedan that started at $16,995 and rose to $20,200 with options including heated leather seats, anti-lock brakes and a six-disc audio system with Sirius Satellite Radio.

The compact Ford also included the new Sync system, developed by Ford and Microsoft, that's standard on the SES model and a $395 option on other versions, including the lowest-priced Focus S coupe at $14,695.

The Bluetooth-based Sync allows hands-free operation of cell phones, iPods, other music players and USB storage drives, via voice commands or steering wheel buttons. For now, Sync is exclusive to Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models, and it's easily the Focus' most engaging new feature.

After a quick one-time set-up, the Focus wirelessly uploaded my phone's address book. As I called out either names or phone numbers, the computer helpmate with a female voice that Ford calls Samantha placed the calls and played them through the audio system.

Sync usefully managed my iPod, following commands to play specific songs, albums, artists, genres or play-lists. The Focus, however, has only a fairly small LED display atop the dashboard, so it couldn't display a list of an album's songs; if you don't know the titles to say aloud, you basically have to advance track by track until you find what you want.

The system also converts incoming text messages to natural-sounding speech, even translating pop abbreviations like LOL.

In performance and execution, the Focus is decidedly less cutting-edge. On the plus side, the Ford rides smoothly and its strengthened chassis makes it noticeably more quiet inside. The pleasing steering, always a strong point of the Focus, remains. Front seats are improved over the chairs of the outgoing model with better contouring and firmer support. And the blue-lighted gauges are readable and handsome.

Yet even the pricey SES model's stitched leather seats and metal-look trim couldn't overcome the impression of cost-cutting. The headliner feels as crushable as a Styrofoam cooler. The headlamps put out a weak and diffuse beam in either low or high setting. And while side and curtain air bags are standard fare, there are no rear head restraints.

The 2-liter, 140-horsepower 4-cylinder engine gets the job done, but together with the cushy suspension and less-than-grippy tires, the car offers little of the pep or engaging handling of some others in its class. With a mere four-speed automatic (a five-speed manual is available), the engine spends more time in its rackety upper ranges.

Focus can certainly stretch a ration of gas: A steady highway march returned a stellar 36 miles a gallon, topping the federal mileage rating. The EPA pegs fuel economy at 24 mpg in town, and 33 on the highway, with the automatic. Over a week, my Focus delivered an impressive 29 mpg in combined city and highway travel.

Over all, it's hard to see this Focus as more than a place holder, an economy car whose basic platform will be 12 years old by the time Ford brings a true all-new version here in 2011.

Yes, it's obvious that the European- version Focus can't be sold cheaply enough to be the mainstream version here.

Still, this Focus is good enough for Ford, so it has to be good enough for Ford's customers.