Rental Car Ruckus 2: Electric Boogaloo

[Jake]

Took the ST in for warranty work, was given one of these as a loaner car for the day:



A 201x Focus SE hatch, firetruck red with ugly wheel covers, no options, "PowerShift" dual-clutch automatic transmission, 28k miles.

I got the key, grabbed the PRNDL and waited as a soccer mom performed a 98-point-turn in her GMC Acadia in order to park in front of the showroom. Eased the car out of the parking lot and pulled out onto Route 50 to head home.

I have two things to say about this car.

1. It is remarkably well-equipped for being a base model. Bluetooth, power windows/locks/mirrors, keyless entry, 7-speaker radio with color display, Sync, USB/line-in, cruise control, A/C. Beats the pants off a base-model Escort from years back, easily. I couldn't build an SE with wheel covers - they must have changed the packaging for 2014 - but this is a like... $15k car. I was impressed there.

2. Everything you've read about the "PowerShift" gearbox being complete garbage is true. At 28k miles, the entire car shuddered badly enough in 1st gear to make me think "just go to 2nd, it's smoother there" as the clutch packs were worn out something awful. Creeping in rush-hour traffic was akin to riding shotgun as your 15-year-old learns manual.

I can't believe Ford puts this transmission in the Focus and Fiesta and thinks it's acceptable long-term performance. I have a few friends with automatic Focii and everyone complains about the jerkiness over time. Ford will reflash the TCU and change the clutches, but the problems re-appear. I asked a technician about it when I first took the ST in to be evaluated, and he said "yeah, I do about 6 or 7 Focus transmissions a week, they are constantly in for clutches."

I've driven the SE 5-speed, I own the ST 6-speed, and they are both good cars. The non-turbo automatic, though... for as good as the chassis is, the transmission is just horrible.