Which is better & why: Ford Mondeo or Peugeot 508?

Guys when is the new Focus due for launch? Any indications on the pricing and detailed spec list?

Can you share the specs with the pricelist? Just key points e.g safety, creature comforts and the exclusions between the various models.

How much is the Focus sedan with all the gadgets?

Not all auto wipers are useful. It depends on the sensativity settings. If its set too high like in the case of Peugeot, then it will wipe at even a drop of water which is bad for the windscreen. If set too low, then even if heavy rain, the wipers will be going normal speed. In my K5, the auto wipers are not good which is why many owners dont really use it.

So what if its more expensive? Is your safety not worth paying a bit more? That's the problem with Malaysians (and Asians in general). They worry too much about the dollar and cents while allowing safety to take a back seat. Thats the reason why companies like Toyota earn top dollar in Asia cuz Asians can accept a 2.0L Camry with only 2 airbags minus ESP while Americans get 10 airbags with ESP.

We need to get that crap 'resale value' mentality out of our heads.

Only Titanium+ has front sensors.

If ure fine with the cramped rear and not so modern design, then the Focus Titanium + is a good buy with all the specs on offer and superior ride & handling.

Upper management of which construction company?

I meant exterior. And not all construction companies are developers.

Property launches are always announced well in advance to enable developers to gauge response. So no real secret or the need for any secrets. But the real value doesnt lie in new properties but the subsale units.

Bro, i think 2 adults can sit comfortably at the rear in most cars even a B segment. Even the Vios could seat 2 adults at the back fairly comfortably too. But that's not the benchmark for a C segment. If u read many of the international reviews, the rear legroom on the Focus has been highlighted as a huge drawback despite the top class specs. But in overseas markets, it sells well cuz of the low pricing. Malaysians will be hard pressed to pay that kind of money despite the specs on offer.

The front seats will have to be pushed back by any normal sized adult regardless. Nothing about bullying or anything. The front knee room is also limited which requires the driver to actually move back a little more than he would in another car for instance.

This aspect of the Focus will hamper its sales in Malaysia for sure especially when u have other spacious C segment cars in the market e.g Elantra and Civic. Even the aging Altis is slightly more spacious. Yes the Focus has been priced quite well but still i dont see many opting to pay almost 130K for a car with this amount of interior space. Even the front seats are a tad oversized in my opinion. If they had brought in the Ecoboost version, it might have saved the Focus but City Stop, Active Parking and BLIS alone may not be enough. Malaysians dont give too much emphasis on specs as compared to performance, interior space, design and branding. Sad but true.

Overall, its a great car with great specs. Ive had 2 test drives already and im quite impressed with its handling and specs on offer. But Ford should have done a better job with the interior space.

New developments should be avoided but the subsale market is where the real gems are especially those in established and stable areas like Bangsar, TTDI, Bandar Utama, etc.

Best way is to check using the fill up, drive, measure, fill up again method. Use that method and calculate your FC and share the info here.

The K5 engine isnt as refined as the Japs or the Conti's for sure. But the 2.0L MPI version gives out 163Hp and 198Nm torque which no Jap 2.0L comes close. But its still underpowered for its body weight and the engine sounds loud after 3000RPM. But during idling, the engine is quite silent and sounds refined. If ure in the car during an idle stop, you would barely know the engine is on if u dont look at the information cluster.

Why worry about max speeds? How fast can you possibly go on a Malaysian highway anyway? Many K5 drivers have hit 210kmph and thats about as fast as u can reach before traffic slows you down. But why bother going that fast anyway and endangering your life and other road users?

U cant get everything in a car. Some cars with engine refinement and comfort (e.g new Camry) have disappointing specs & old tech. Others have good ride & handing and good specs too but are also priced much higher and have less interior space. In the end, it boils down to what's important for you. If you want a great design, top safety ratings, good interior space, good specs, best in class warranty terms and a reasonably priced D segment car, then the K5 is for you. But if engine refinement and handling is more important then ure better off with a conti albeit at a higher price of course.

Are u sure? I thought the Sports mode is just to prevent faster upshifts so that you get more torque at lower gears.

Sure. The Focus is slightly more powerful. It has 5HP and 4Nm torque more. I test drove it twice already. Good handling too.

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Added on October 2, 2012, 12:48 pmThe Sports mode on most cars is for a more spirited drive not just for overtaking and hill climbing. If the Focus is the same as most cars, then the Sports mode actually 'holds' on to each gear longer before it upshifts thus giving you more acceleration albeit higher fuel consumption of course. The Sports mode uses more of the lower gears to create acceleration.

This post has been edited by cybermaster98: Oct 2 2012, 12:48 PM

Ure the first person ive heard who chooses a car based on how the engine sounds at high RPM. Well maybe u should go for the 'new' Camry 2.0L then. Im sure its 10 yr old engine is quieter at 3,000RPM. Possibly helped by its 10 yr old 4 speed gearbox. And with these, u get the (more than required) 2 airbags minus the ESP (which isnt important anyway as Malaysian lives arent as valuable as Westerners). And yes im sure the Camry can also take you well past the 200km mark although your chances of surviving an accident at that speed is virtually nil especially in a car that got lower ratings than the K5.

So yes the K5 surely isnt for you since value for money, safety, reasonable pricing, warranty terms, design and specs arent top of your list.

This post has been edited by cybermaster98: Oct 2 2012, 05:36 PM

Engine refinement wise i would choose the Focus over the K5. Koreans arent known for the engine refinement. Road noise is quite difficult to assertain as alot depends on the typre of tyres used. The K5 uses crappy Nexen which isnt known for its quietness. Plus its 18 inch rims make ride comfort take a back seat although road grip is much increased. But i would say that the Focus has better handling than most D segment Japs & Korean including the K5. NVH seems to be quite alright for the K5 although the tyre noise is quite pronounced.

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Added on October 2, 2012, 5:51 pmNah. I too quite like the Jetta actually. If it had come with a larger interior and a tad lower pricing, i might have gone for that. But i didnt feel that a RM 156K (OTR) price tag is justification even with the TSI and 7 speed gb.

Btw, ill defend based on facts. Facts cant change. Every car has its pro's and con's and the K5 surely isnt all pro. As for the jab, you might have done better to rephrase your earlier quote and not mentioned engine noise as your primary deciding factor. But i think we roughly agree with each other.

This post has been edited by cybermaster98: Oct 2 2012, 05:51 PM

'if it gets loud after 3k rpm, then no, i dont really want it'

Sounds pretty 'primary' to me. If it wasnt primary you would not have quantified the result immediately after saying it would u?

Btw, since we're on the topic, how did u test 'engine noise' anyway? Sitting in the car with the doors closed? Sitting inside with the doors open? Standing in front of the engine while someone else revved the engine?