Around the Block in a Ford Focus

Straight and to the point, I've always been a fan of the Focus.  When the original Focus debuted in 1999, it showed a brand new styling language for Ford and backed it up with impeccable handling as well as a bit of grunt from the Cossie engined SVT in the U.S.  The problems with the Focus in America arose when Europe got an all new car in 2004 while the U.S. car was neglected like a red-headed orphan.  It grew uglier, lazier, and slower especially compared to the ST and RS versions that the old country received.  So with much expectation, I sunk into the sculpted driver seat of the 2011 Ford Focus SEL and was met with both delight and aggravation.  Read on to find out why.

Apologies for the awful, unstaged pictures!