Focus on Ford's Focus

Much had been written in the automotive press about Ford's new replacement for the long-time Escort and the somewhat unsuccessful Contour, the Focus. My spouse and I spent much time reading about the car, as a car which receives so much praise in Europe is usually a good one: the European market is very competitive.
On seeing our first Focus, we realized the car would meet most of our family's needs. The economical nature of the car, both in initial cost and in fuel use, would help the budget. Headroom is important to me, as I am quite tall, and the car has plenty, even when I am wearing a winter hat. Handling is important to my wife, and it is an easy car to drive. The "fun"quotient is hard to define, but the car is that. Trunk space is huge. Four wheel independent suspension helps give a controlled ride, and keeps the car under driver control. Many options are available to deck the car out, but fully equipped it still only comes to about $17,000.
The car is not perfect. The trunk latch was replaced at 2100 miles, and now works ok: however in talking to other Focus owners, the same problem has occurred with some. The ashtray is only usable by the driver, and has no light to make it findable at night. The graduations between volume levels on the radio is a bit large, although the radio has great sound and many features.
The car is being sold to many different types of people, and that is being reflected in the number of accessories, and the many types of "special packages" which are, or soon will be available. This car is very important to Ford's future, I think, because it really sets the tone for how people will think of Ford's cars, and not just as a truck company. The time and work put into the development of this car really show that Ford has been listening to the consumers in many age groups, and they have done a good job of creating value and not just another small car.
I believe this car will be a good purchase option for many people. The 3-door hatchback is small, inexpensive, and sporty. The wagon is well-equipped and easy to drive, although there is no exterior door handle on the back end. The sedan comes in several trim levels and allows you to choose and pick the elements to make the car meet your needs.
An additional resource for questions and opinions would be the newsgroup "alt.ford.focus". The group fields many questions and concerns of current and prospective Focus owners, and will gladly expand on the facts of ownership.