Mazda 3 I Grand Touring Vs. Ford Focus SE (Part 1)

Once close allies, Mazda and Ford fight for the compact-car title

Just as Sonny or Cher, individually, never lived up to Sonny and Cher, you might assume that the greatest hits from Mazda and Ford are behind us. When Ford sold all but a symbolic slice of its stake in Mazda in 2010, it ended one of the longest-running, most successful automotive collaborations in history. Mazda's chassis expertise and Ford's engine know-how produced lively, nimble cars, none more significant than the 2000 Ford focus. Built on a Mazda platform that wouldn't be used by the Japanese automaker for another three years, that Focus landed on our 10Best list five times and initiated the industry-wide race to build compacts that enthusiasts want.

Ford's compact car still rides on an evolution of that Mazda-developed C-segment platform and is every bit as good as the original Focus

Mazda and Ford haven't peaked, though. Since parting ways, they've only improved their compact cars, as if knowing what the other was capable of motivated them. Ford's compact car still rides on an evolution of that Mazda-developed C-segment platform and is every bit as good as the original Focus. It's earned a spot on our 10Best list for the past two years. Mazda's newcomers is unproven but hardly lacks confidence. A multibillion-dollar investment in new engines, transmissions, and platforms has already returned comparo wins for the CX-5 crossover and the 6 mid-size sedan.

Without Mazda's handling competence or Ford's financial stability, neither company would be building these cars today – the best compacts on the market. Since there can be only one winner, these one-time BFFs are now rivals vying for the title of compact-carking.

Ford Focus SE

The third-generation Ford Focus has hardly been challenged in the three years it's been on sale. It has comfortably driven away with three comparison-test wins against a total of six competitors, including the previous-generation 3. But the ford has finally met its match with the new Mazda 3, giving up its title in a 15-point loss.

The third-generation Ford Focus has hardly been challenged in the three years it's been on sale

After jumping out of the Mazda, we found the same interior bits we once praised now less satisfying. The Ford's plastics are harder, and the finishes are starting to look run-of-the-mill. Our sparsely equipped SE model saves us from having to curse MyFord Touch, yet even the standard Sync system is an ergonomic curiosity. The few options amount to aesthetic upgrades that leave the $22,550 focus feeling like a stripper of sorts. In contrast, the 3 justifies its $2,085 premium with a long list of convenience features.

If it's lacking beauty and amenities, at least the Focus has the fundamentals down. The driver benefits from an adjustable-tilt headrest and cushioning that remains comfortable long after your butt's gone numb in the 3. The Ford's rear seats also offer more thigh support, and they fit three across with less shoulder jostling. However, a wheelbase two inches shorter and an overall length that's down four inches on the Mazda mean the Focus has significantly less rear-seat legroom.

The driver benefits from an adjustable-tilt headrest and cushioning that remains comfortable long after your butt's gone numb in the 3

The stout unibody is quiver-free over even the worst concrete-asphalt patchwork, and the car's suspension tune – largely executed by Ford's European arm – reminds us of one of Germany's best: the Volkswagen GTI. There's more vertical motion than in the 3, with the springs trumping the dampers, and tire impacts are transmitted to the cabin with a sharper shock. You wouldn't call it stiff, but the ride is substantially firmer than in the 3.

That athletic character is also apparent through the sharp turn-in and excellent on-center sensitivity of the steering wheel. At the limit of adhesion, the Focus is helped through corners by the nondefeatable stability control that subtly brakes individual wheels to keep the car in line without noticeably impeding progress.

However, a wheelbase two inches shorter and an overall length that's down four inches on the Mazda mean the Focus has significantly less rear-seat legroom

The 160-hp four-cylinder is a commodity piece, built to a price point as much as a set of targeted traits. While power delivery is slightly more energetic than in the Mazda, Ford's 2.0-liter buzzes while cruising and booms under load on the highway. The five-speed manual it's attached to is an anachronism that's almost a decade removed from relevance. Shift quality is decent, but driving the Mazda brings a perspective that makes the Ford's throws feel longish and the effort a bit muddy.

The Focus remains an exceptional compact car, with impressive handling and practical packaging

The Focus squeaks past the 3 in most straight-line and road-holding metrics. Its advantage is just two-tenths of a mile per hour through the slalom, one-tenth of a second in the quarter-mile, and one-hundredth of a ground the skidpad. In the real world and in our scoring system, the differences are trivial.

Ford didn't lose this comparison on performance. In both objective and subjective dynamic evaluation, the focus went shot-for-shot with the 3. The Focus remains an exceptional compact car, with impressive handling and practical packaging. The problem is that the Mazda 3 is just as competent dynamically while demonstrating unmatched polish and style.