2009 Ford Focus Sedan! 5 Speed Manual, Clean! on 2040-cars

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Ford Focus refresh shots leak ahead of Geneva

In case you haven't been paying attention, Ford has been gradually redesigning its lineup to sport a familiar face. The Aston Martin-inspired grille shape debuted on the Fusion and was soon applied to the Fiesta. Even the front end of the new Mustang takes its cues from the same, and we're sure other models will soon be made-over to fall in line. The next on the docket? The Focus.
Set to be unveiled in little over a week at the Geneva Motor Show, the revised Focus has leaked out a tad early, revealing a mild facelift that bears that same trapezoidal grille with horizontal slats. Along with the new grille, the headlights, lower fascia and hood appear to have been reshaped. Around back there appears to be a new rear bumper and taillights, but otherwise the shape remains largely the same as the current model.
Expect the updates to be applied to all bodystyles offered around the world, including the hatchback, wagon and sedan. The engine lineup is expected to carry over largely unchanged, though the plug-in hybrid powertrain from the C-Max Energi could port over to the revised Focus. Plus Ford seems to have taken the opportunity to spruce things up in the cabin some. Check it out in the image gallery above and watch this space for the official announcement as we pack our bags for Switzerland.

Ford recalls 462,000 SUVs over faulty rear camera

Ford has had some issues with its backup cameras in recent years, and the troubles are continuing with yet another recall announced today. In this recall, certain Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with the 360-degree parking camera could lose the rear-view camera feed. The newest recall affects some 462,000 vehicles worldwide, Reuters reports, including 382,759 in the U.S. under NHTSA recall 23V-022. The recall applies to the 2020-2023 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator, as well as the 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair. The remedy involves dealers updating the vehicles’ image processing module software free of charge. This latest issue expands a previous recall, and applies to vehicles that have already been serviced under recall 21V-735. Owners will be notified by mail around February 20, and owners can also contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford told NHTSA that it first became aware in October 2021 of a small number of complaints of a blue screen from the rear camera feed on vehicles that had already been repaired. Ford worked with suppliers to track down the potential issue, and said warranty claims remained low until December 2022, when it started to see more claims for blue screens in vehicles produced after the last remedy, at which point Ford ordered a stop-ship on those vehicle lines. Ford said itÂ’s aware of 17 minor accident reports related to the issue, but no injuries. In addition to this recall, Ford has had other camera issues in the past few years that resulted in recalls. NHTSA recall 22V-151 applied to 2021-2022 Edge SUVs experiencing “a distorted, black and white, or discolored screen” when reversing. 2021-2022 Ford Broncos had an issue where the rear-view camera would remain on even after the vehicle was put back into a forward gear. Last year, Ford recalled 330,000 Mustangs for faulty cameras, as well as 277,000 Super Duty trucks over foggy rear-view cameras. In 2021, NHTSA opened an investigation into whether Ford was slow to recall more than 620,000 vehicles for faulty cameras. Recalls Ford Lincoln Safety Crossover SUV

Ford tops mid-year ranking of brands in the US

YouGov's mid-year Brand Index rankings of America's best perceived brands has been released, and Ford has found its way to the top. The Dearborn, Michigan based manufacturer beat out online shopping giant Amazon, The History Channel, and home improvement superstore Lowe's, to take the top spot.
Ford jumped from sixth overall in 2012 to first for 2013, but those that have been watching these rankings shouldn't be hugely surprised. Ford was rated the best perceived automotive manufacturer by the same organization last year. The Blue Oval's success on the overall brand rankings is made all the more impressive by the complete lack of other automakers on the list.
YouGov (that is, survey respondents) cited Ford's first quarter of 2013 business, which saw an increase in market share and the best earnings recorded in over 10 years. Successfully launching the Focus and Fusion (pictured) and keeping them fresh in the minds of consumers has also contributed to Ford's best overall score.