Originally Posted by Rockhound

I'm not sure I get your logic - or your expectations for $16k. A compact car is small? No way!

Much of the buzz surrounding the new Focus centered on the US finally getting the capable Euro platform back. Seeing as Detroit has long struggled to bring a compact car to the table with similar performance/reliability/desirability as the Japanese or Germans (sans reliability) auto journalists were justified in their excitement to get their hands on the Euro model.

Much of the hype is also based on the performance variants, namely the ST (252hp from a 2.0L I4 turbo, 0-60 in 6.2 sec).

As far as “riding almost as bad” as the Z – that’s a pretty ridiculous comment. The Z’s handling is one of the crowning achievements of Nissan’s engineers, if you ask me. Few other cars provide a similar balance between comfort and capability. On the other hand, inexpensive economy cars, especially those with a short wheelbase, are going to suffer from both a) sloppy handling and b) poor dampening. This is the worst of both worlds, in that every bump gets transmitted thru to your spine AND there's little in the way of roadholding. That the Z's suspension is stiff is at least a symptom of purpose.

I just really have to wonder – what exactly do you expect from $16k? You do realize in the realm of new cars, that’s not too far from the floor.