2012 & 2013 Ford Hatchback Reviews & Ratings

For over a century now, American brand Ford has been mass-producing several types of vehicles in North America and across the globe. The Ford sedan is an important part of both America's past and its present. With the aid of sedan models such as the Ford Escort and the Ford Taurus, the brand continues to be an iconic part of American history. Now that the brand is moving to fit its drivers' needs, it also offers hatchback variants of its popular sedans. For the 2012 year, Ford is offering two... (full review continues below)

For over a century now, American brand Ford has been mass-producing several types of vehicles in North America and across the globe. The Ford sedan is an important part of both America's past and its present. With the aid of sedan models such as the Ford Escort and the Ford Taurus, the brand continues to be an iconic part of American history. Now that the brand is moving to fit its drivers' needs, it also offers hatchback variants of its popular sedans. For the 2012 year, Ford is offering two hatchback models, the reliable, entry-level Ford Focus and the value-based Ford Fiesta, both of which carry on the Ford tradition in a positive way.

The Ford Fiesta is an economy car that finds its way into a struggling economy, and is sure to succeed because of it. The subcompact Fiesta was last offered in America for three years in the 1970s, but it was, at that point, a highly detestable part of the auto market. The new Ford Fiesta, however, is here to erase all bad associations with its name with impressive driving dynamics and comfort features. The 2012 Fiesta hatchback has a starting MSRP of only $14,100 and also comes in a sedan model. (The sedan comes in at about a grand less).

The Fiesta hatchback gets an impressive 29 mpg city and 38 mpg highway and comes in S, SE, and SES trims. This four-door hatchback competes with such vehicles as the Kia Rio, the Chevy Sonic, and the Honda Fit, but its ride quality far outweighs that of its competitors. The Fiesta's welcoming, refined cabin is another one of its best features, as well as its sporty looks and fun personality. Standard features for the base trim hatchback include a 1.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, a choice of manual or automatic transmission, and an MP3 player.

The Ford Focus has been the brand's entry-level small sedan since the year 2000, and it was designed to be sold around the world in much the same form as it is sold in the U.S. For 2012, it comes in hatchback, standard sedan and electric models, with the hatchback starting at $18,200 and its electric version starting at $39,200. The Focus is known for its style, technology options, and refined engine and transmission. It was completely redesigned for 2012 and the hatchback version comes in SE, SEL, and Titanium trims and competes with such vehicles as the Chevy Cruze and the Mazda 3. (It bypasses the base S trim available on the sedan variant).The 2012 Focus really puts Ford back in the game as far as small sedans are concerned; its upgrades and innovations, especially the EV model, are quite impressive. Standard features for the base SE Focus hatchback include a rear spoiler, a removable cargo cover, a rear spoiler, 16-inch wheels, a 60/40 split-folding backseat, Ford's MyKey parental controls, and a four-speaker audio system. These features can be further enhanced by the optional SE Convenience and Sport packages. The hatchback also comes with an optional winter package. The feature-packed SEL and Titanium trims come with an optional Parking Technology package.