Fresh off of I-5 to Los Angeles, this past weekend I had the opportunity to put the 2012 Ford Focus to the test during the BlogHer conference in San Diego and I have more Divas Do’s and Don’ts in this latest installment of Divas Drive In Heels…
Multi-task Friendly – Sync
Ford has been leading the way infusing the latest technology into their vehicles, and the Sync system in the focus made a great addition – but navigating through it could be a bit easier. I opted out of using the touchscreen and drove right into the voice activated system. First priority – getting directions to San Diego. Of course the first word that came out of my mouth was “Directions” (Actually, I said it 3-5 times until the system prompted me to say “Navigation” instead.) The voice activated Sync system was a breeze to use once you understand the key words that you have to use (variations will not work.) The Sync system allows you to operate operate not only the navigation, but also the audio (CD/Radio/iPod), climate control and more!
DO make sure you speak clearly & figure out the correct phrases before trial and error while driving…if not, you’ll definitely get frustrated…
DO make sure you have your ipod connected before you begin driving, finding the connection port while driving isn’t easy.
(The rearview camera was totally necessary for parallel parking…although using it to park at a taxi stand may not be the best use for it…lol)
Vroom, Vroom…I need more room!
Being on the open road, there’s no better feeling than having a car filled with leg room, seat space and a large enough accessible area to hold magazines, cds, road trip snacks, purses and whatever else you like to keep near and dear while driving. As a taller, voluptuous woman (lol) I was hoping that the car surprised me with a roomier interior than what I suspected and unfortunately my suspicions were right. Although the driver side seat had easy to maneuver electronic controls – it could not manipulate the maximum space requirement that my body so desperately needed. The back seat was a little cramped for my taste too (I won’t even divulge how I ended up attempting a nap back there…) And for you shopping divas…be prepared! The trunk space leaves a little more to be desired as well. (13 cubic feet)
DON’T try to over stuff the trunk or back seats with large travel bags. It’s a small car & you have to pack it accordingly.
Pulling my bags out of this trunk was beyond difficult…do you know how many stilettos I had in there?
The valet guys were so into the ride, they act like they didn’t want to give it back! (LOL)
DON’T stress out about looking for a gas station…the gas mileage on the Focus will have you spending more time on the road than searching for a gas station.
It’s so hard to say goodbye…but this wanna be California girl will be back soon…
All in all, this is a great little car on the road that gives great gas mileage and a kickin sound system, although it’s not for us tall divas – it definitely gets the job done of getting from point A to point B in style. As I returned to Los Angeles from my time in San Diego, I must admit that I would’ve enjoyed more time to get to know the Focus in it’s entirety – but I’m looking forward to checking out the remaining members of the Ford family and putting them to the test…Diva Style!
Based on my experience – I’ll rate the 2012 Ford Focus 2 out of 4 stilettos for style, technology & basic function.
