Ford picked Mobile World Congress to unveil the next iteration of one of its most popular cars around the world The place is usually a hive of smartphones and tablets and related industry stuff, and so not where you’d expect to see a major car launch. But Ford has used CES a couple years ago to unveil the Focus Electric at CES. Plus the B-Max was a MWC 2012.
What’s new? a ton. They are subtle updates to the exterior. The five-door hatchback headlights are more pronounced and the grille up front now looks even more like that on the Edge and the new 2015 Mustang.
When come to the power, buyers will be able to sport around on Ford’s 1.0 liter EcoBoost engine, available exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission in the US. Ford hasn’t announced the full engine lineup, but presumably the current 2.0-liter engine should there. Plus the suspension is also said to be improved, with a new stability control system offering “less intrusion.”
Given this is a technology show, Ford is also talking up some advancements in the car. There’s a new, 8-inch display for those with MyFord Touch that will also include SYNC 2 functionality and the updated AppLink for smartphone connectivity. The new system will allow for more diverse and more natural voice commands, including the ability to say “I’m hungry” and get restaurant recommendations, and a new navigation interface that includes Michelin Guide reviews.
You can now have enhanced Blind Spot Information System (which Ford calls BLIS) that will warn you when you’re changing lanes, but can also prevent you from backing out from a parking spot into traffic. BLIS uses two multiple-beam radar modules, the same used with cross-traffic alert, which are packaged in the rear quarter panels, one on each side. The radar identifies when a vehicle enters the defined blind spot zone and illuminates an indicator light on the corresponding sideview mirror, providing a warning that a vehicle is approaching.
Similarly, Ford’s automated parking system has been modified to help you pull out of tight parking spaces safely and will even park you in perpendicular parking spots now, not just parallel ones like the first version.
Finally, the company’s City Stop feature, which automatically detects an imminent crash and tries to avoid it, has been enhanced. It now works up to 50kmph and will attempt to steer around an obstacle if it can’t stop in time.
No pricing information for the 2015 Ford Focus is available just yet, but it will be shipping sometime in the latter-half of 2014 globally.
