In any configuration, Inglis notes, "Focus offers a high level of standard and optional comfort and convenience features. The actual design of the car helps overcome some customers' preconceived notions of compromised comfort in a small car. The long wheelbase and high roofline provide impressive interior roominess for up to five passengers and their cargo, and the 60/40 rear seats can fold flat against the floor to accommodate surprisingly large objects."
ZX5's base engine will be the 2-litre DOHC inline-4 that's standard on ZX3 and ZTS and optional on Focus Sedan SE and Wagon SE. It delivers 130 horsepower and 135 pound-feet of torque.
The 2-litre engine delivers power to the front wheels via a 5-speed manual transmission, Inglis says, and a 4-speed electronically controlled automatic overdrive transaxle is optional.
ZX5's front suspension incorporates zero-offset geometry and MacPherson struts for better steering feel. The model's fully independent Control Blade multi-link rear suspension — which Inglis notes is rare in this segment and price range — has "already won over many driving enthusiasts who find it stable in corners and on rough, twisty roads."
The Focus ZX5 will be manufactured in Mexico, Inglis says, and pricing will be announced closer to its introduction.