2015 Ford Focus Preview: 2014 Geneva Motor Show

When taking global auto sales into account, the Ford Focus is the best-selling car on the planet. It is sold all around the world with as few regional differences as possible, and last year Ford moved well over 1,000,000 examples of the car out of showrooms and into customer driveways. That’s not a typo. You’re counting the zeroes correctly. Talk about economies of scale.

Clearly, there is no reason for Ford to lose focus with its popular compact car, and for the 2015 model year, the Focus gets new styling, a revised interior, several safety and infotainment technology upgrades, and a more fuel-efficient engine choice. That should be enough to keep it competitive against key rivals such as the Chevrolet Cruze, Dodge Dart, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, Mazda 3, Nissan Sentra, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Corolla, and Volkswagen Golf and Jetta.

• Updated exterior styling
• Upgraded interior materials
• Refined ride and handling
• Optional 1.0-liter EcoBoost 3-cylinder engine
• Next-generation MyFord Touch and Sync AppLink technologies
• Standard reversing camera
• Optional Blind Spot Information System
• Optional Lane Keeping System

Available in the U.S. market in 4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback body styles, the new 2015 Focus features a redesigned front end that gives the car a look similar to the smaller Fiesta and larger Fusion. Some might even say that it resembles an Aston Martin, but really, aren’t we all over that by now? Around back, the taillights, bumper, and trunk or hatchback receive modifications to update the car’s appearance.

Perhaps buyers will better appreciate the changes inside of the car. Ford says the 2015 Focus boasts the most high-tech interior in its class, one that is upgraded with higher quality materials, refined controls, premium accents, and improved storage capabilities.

For the U.S. market, Ford is expected to carry over the current Focus models’ powertrain choices, perhaps with further improvements to the optional PowerShift automated manual transmission that seems to give owners a reason to complain in customer satisfaction surveys. However, a new engine option will be available, and it’s the same turbocharged 1.0-liter 3-cylinder engine that’s offered in the smaller Fiesta. In combination with a 6-speed manual gearbox, Ford says it is expected to give the Focus a combined-driving fuel economy rating of 35 mpg.

Additionally, Ford is promising chassis and suspension upgrades designed to improve the car’s ride and handling capabilities. If you ask us, the Focus is already among the better driving compact cars on the market, so we’re looking forward to sampling any changes intended to make it even more so.

When the new Focus rolls into U.S. showrooms, it will have a standard reversing camera, and it will offer the option of a Blind Spot Information System as well as a Lane Keeping System. The Lane Keeping System is an active technology designed to provide course correction if the driver fails to heed the lane departure warning that vibrates the steering wheel in order to inform that the car is leaving a lane unintentionally.

The 2015 Focus will also be available with next-generation versions of Sync AppLink and MyFord Touch systems. Compatible with both iPhone and Android smartphones, Sync AppLink provides access to over 60 mobile applications that can be access and used right on the car’s dashboard display screen.

We’re big fans of the Ford Focus. Based on what the automaker displayed in Geneva, it looks like our affection for the car is going to burn brighter, starting next year.