Although essentially unchanged since its 2012 model year redesign, the 2016 Ford Focus continues as a top performer that makes daily treks seem like a vacation. During a one-week test drive, the compliment list kept growing. The third-generation sedan was a joyful drive, providing good exterior sight lines, cabin roominess, and responsive electric power assisted steering with a 36-foot turning circle. Compact Focus doesn’t skim on interior comfort. And that includes the driver’s ability to position the seat for easy clutch engagement with the standard 5-speed manual transmission.

The test-driven front wheel drive Focus is powered by a 1.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost 3- cylinder that produces 123 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 125 pounds-feet of torque at 3500 rpm. (A 2.-0-liter 4-cylinder releasing 160 horsepower/146 pounds-feet of peak torque is also offered.) While some drivers might feel the 3-cylinder lacks power, the four-door sedan handles passing maneuvers and other power-demand situations adequately with the 1.0-liter engine. The 104.3- inch wheelbase sedan’s trunk provides 13.2 cubic feet of cargo space. (A hatchback version provides nearly 44 cubic feet of space behind the first row.) The test driven Focus sedan SE carries a MSRP of $18,515 and collects mpg of 30 city/42 highway.