Review: Ford Focus TDCi 2.0 Powershift

The new looks might not be a big deal, but the new transmission is. With the TDCi, Ford brings cutting edge dual-clutch technology to the mass-market.

WORDS Niky Tamayo PHOTOS Ken Tamayo | 2 June 2009

It’s no secret we loved the Ford Focus TDCi. We drove it on track twice, borrowed it from Ford three more times, and finally bought one when they ran out of test units. Available with a 6-speed manual gearbox and your choice of blue or blue, it offered European sophistication and diesel thrift at Japanese prices. Didn't sell too well, though. Not everyone likes blue, for one thing, and few people buying cars in this price range want manual transmissions. The answer? Offer more colors, of course! Oh, and an automatic transmission. Welcome to the wonderful world of 'Powershift'. Powershift refers to the new Ford-Getrag dual-clutch, dual-driveshaft automated manual gearbox. Gears 1, 3 and 5 on driveshaft #1 are attached to clutch #1, while 2,4 and 6 on driveshaft #2 are on the other. So while you're in, say, 1st gear with clutch #1 engaged, 2nd gear and clutch #2 are ready to hook up as soon as clutch #1 is disengaged. No clunking your way between gears on a single driveshaft, as with other cars. Here, shifts are near-instantaneous. And since this is a dry-clutch box, just like a true manual, it promises better fuel economy than a sloshy, fluid-filled automatic. And if you had trouble following that, simply: it's fast, sophisticated and efficient. It’s all the rage on new high-end European sportscars like the Audi TT and Porsche 911 PDK. The European connection can also be seen in the styling. Ford's new global design language has hints of Volvo in the new front end and some Germanic solidity in the rear, though the rest of the car is largely the same as before. The new wheels are much nicer, but still just 16 inches small... a shortcoming accentuated by the large wheel-arches. On the inside, the new faux carbon-fiber trim is... different... while the silver trim is just plain tacky. Thankfully, the rest of the cabin is miles better than the old car. The hard plastics of old have been replaced by nice-ish soft-touch materials, while the supportive leather seats, door panels and new front-row center armrest are all pliant to the touch. These changes elevate the Focus from middling midfielder in terms of interior quality to top half of the class. Space-wise, the Focus still sits on the same platform as the old one. Same big trunk. Same small rear seat. Though the TDCi finally gets rear airconditioning vents, I'd happily trade them for a center dome light. Four map-lights and a trunk courtesy light, yet nothing but a pool of darkness for the rear passengers? That's just mean. For being attached to such an extraordinary transmission, the gearlever is a disappointingly normal “PRND” affair. Goose the go-pedal you effortlessly pull away from everyone around you with a slight diesel burble, the gearbox upshifting imperceptibly. Press a little harder and the growly rush of torque to the head makes overtaking a giddy experience. Sayonara, suckers. One other neat feature of this powertrain package is the “hill-holding” gearbox logic, which allows you to perform a slow, controlled coast down parking ramps and hills without the need to manually shift into “1” or tap the brakes. There's a slight penalty in fuel economy compared to the manual version, but thanks to a long 6th gear (good for 100 km/h at just 2000 rpm), 20 km/l is still possible on the NLEX. We got 12-14 km/l in mixed driving, 9.5 km/l in rush-hour traffic, and 8 km/l with flat-out driving. Of course, this isn't a definitive, scientific test, given the weather and the green engine (just 2000 kilometers on the odometer), but that's an estimated 5% - 10% deficit compared to the manual. That's still similar to 1.5 liter subcompacts. Nothing else in this size class with this much performance and convenience even comes close. Virgin engine or not, I couldn't resist trying to find out if this car was as gonzo as the manual version. Once I'd gotten to my favorite stomping grounds, I found a clear stretch and floored the pedal. There was an expectant pause as the computer hung on the electronic throttle and considered which of the six gears to pummel me with, and then I was hit with a 340 Nm slug of torque, and then again, and again, and again. No pause between shifts. Lovely. Acceleration times are, at first blush, slower than the old car’s, with 0-60 and 0-100 km/h times of 4.7 and 10.3 seconds. With the ESP turned off (via the nifty dashboard computer) to allow burnouts, times drop to 4 and 9.4 seconds, respectively. Not as good as the old car, but this one’s some 60 kilograms heavier. It doesn't feel porky, though. Compared to the old car, there's less of a nose-led feeling and front grip seems to have increased exponentially. And this is on the same Goodyear Eagle NCT5 tires. Thanks to some clever re-working of the front suspension, the plowing understeer of old is mostly gone. The steering is also much lighter at parking speeds now, yet still retains the same feel and precision in spirited driving. The combination of lighter steering, better handling and automatic gearbox make the TDCi a much better backroads companion than before. The manual shift function doesn't really give you complete control over the gear-changes, but that’s a small matter. The computer is rarely caught out in automatic mode, downshifting incredibly quickly and seemingly always in the right gear. It's incredibly competent, yes, but part of me craves the extra challenge of flicking through the gears on a good mountainside romp. And a good set of twisties accentuates the need for better tires than the tired old Eagles Ford still uses. But I guess that just isn't the point. The point is that this is a diesel car with an excellent automatic, good road isolation, and a big trunk at a good price. Despite the minimal price increase from the old model, it now comes with backup sensors (finally!), rear airconditioning, and an interior that is no longer plastic-fantastic. It gets ESP and traction control, too... and thanks to the turbocharged torque, this is one car that actually needs it. Despite the cheesy carbon-fiber trim (please, Ford, just paint it black), the Focus now feels like a more proper executive express. And while it may be less of a tire-shredding dragster, it's still one of the best-driving cars in its class. Which means we may want to borrow it again... and again... and... THE GOOD Interior quality much improved Same great engine Sophisticated transmission Even better handling, ride still supple THE BAD No rear dome light Same small rear seats Needs paddle-shifters No iPod jack? THE LOWDOWN The Focus TDCi Powershift is a more convincing premium package than its predecessor, but still has enough verve to appeal to ex-boy-racers everywhere.

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