The Focus has been a big winner thus far, but a lot rides on the 2008 Ford Focus. As the marketplace changes, this small car will have some big shoes to fill, as Focus represents Ford’s fuel-efficient bargain-priced model. Other manufacturers that are now successfully fielding new subcompacts and hybrid-electric vehicles threaten to influence or dominate the gas-saving segment. However, Focus’s blend of refinement and design, C-class room at a B-Class price and fuel economy, along with a clean four-cylinder engine, could teach consumers that compromise is not always required when embracing a compact car.

Photos courtesy of Ford Motor Co.