2017 Chevy Cruze vs 2017 Ford Focus – Cincinnati, OH

Safety

Much like technology, Chevrolet is also pulling ahead of its domestic competitors like Ford and Ram. While the 2017 Cruze and 2017 Focus share many similar safety features, the Cruze pulls ahead with a few key distinctions of its own. Mainly, it’s the Teen Driver technology, OnStar’s Automatic Crash Response, and forward collision alert.

Teen Driver technology, in particular, sets Chevy apart from the rest in the realm of safety for 2017. Simply because there are very few competitors that offer something like it. Basically, it's a suite of features that are meant to keep your teenaged son or daughter safe on the road, while simultaneously promoting good driving habits. How is this done? Parents can set a PIN which gains them access to things like setting audio volume, a maximum speed, and a predetermined distance the vehicle is supposed to drive. That’s not to say the vehicle will turn off after a certain amount of miles is hit; instead, the parent is able to enter the PIN he or she set ahead of time and access the in-vehicle report card, detailing information, such as the top speed your son or daughter drove, any overspeed warnings for that limit you set, if any of the advanced safety features were activated, and the distance driven. It’s a way for you to be there, even when you can’t.

Surprisingly, the 2017 Focus is lacking forward collision alert, a feature that is almost a must-have on many cars in 2017. All of Chevrolet’s models have it, and it alerts the driver if a collision is imminent with a vehicle in front of them. That way, the driver can make an emergency maneuver, if necessary.

Finally, OnStar’s Automatic Crash Response represents a big advantage the Cruze has over the Focus. When a collision occurs, the sensors installed in the Cruze will alert the system. Then, an OnStar Advisor will be automatically connected to your vehicle. The Advisor will ask if you need help, and if you say yes (or are unable to respond) then the Advisor will send emergency services to your location using GPS. What does this mean for you? It’s a way for you to get help for you and your family, even if you are unable to get to your phone to dial 911. In Chevy's Cruze, you and your passengers will enjoy reassurance on the road that far surpasses any other model on the road.

These aren’t safety features to brush aside. They are all potentially life-saving features that the competition woefully lacks.

Performance

Performance-wise, the 2017 Cruze is taking the Focus head-on with no trouble at all. If you think a single engine choice holds the Cruze back, you’re dead wrong.

Sure, the Cruze’s 1.4-liter engine gets slightly less horsepower than the Focus’ base 2.0-liter engine. But, the base 1.4-liter engine is turbocharged. Whereas the turbocharged engine on the Focus ST is something you need to pay extra for. Not just for the engine, but for the model itself. If you’re looking at buying just the engine, then it will show up as an available option on the Focus Se trim. This means that when it comes to base performance, the Cruze trumps the Focus in torque and fuel-efficiency. The torque of the Cruze’s 1.4-liter turbo comes in at 177 lb.-ft., way more than the Focus’ 2.0-liter engine that’s only able to produce 144 lb.-ft., translating to less acceleration when compared to the Cruze. When you first step on the gas of the Focus it might move a little quicker, simply because naturally aspirated engines do that. However, the Cruze will have better acceleration later on in the mid-gears.

Fuel-efficiency is exceptional as well, with the Cruze able to get up to 28 mpg city/40 mpg highway when it’s properly equipped. The Focus only comes in at 25 mpg city/34 mpg highway. Even when not equipped with the proper transmission, the Cruze still outperforms the Focus with 28 mpg city/39 mpg highway. That extra 3-6 mpg on the Cruze does more than you might think. In fact, it’s something you need to experience for yourself when you’re stopping to fill up less often over a lifetime when compared to the Focus. All this equates to a surprising amount of savings in the long-run.

Technology

When it comes to vehicle technology, Chevrolet has been making tremendous progress in the past few years. The 2017 Cruze is a great example of this, seeing as it’s loaded down with the technology consumers want — even if they don’t know it yet.

A 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot through Chevy's own OnStar suite is available on the Cruze, making it the first car in its class to offer Wi-Fi for its drivers. If you have this available feature installed and you turn your vehicle on, the Wi-Fi hotspot is automatically activated as well, allowing you to connect multiple devices for a connection that’s much faster and more secure than using your own data. While you might have to pay for the data the hotspot uses to establish that connection, you don’t have to worry about your family (or spouse) using the limited amount of cellular data you have in the car - a huge plus, since you can save it for other applications.

Also powered by OnStar is the myChevrolet Mobile App, an app that allows you to start and stop your vehicle remotely, lock and unlock your car remotely, and even send destinations to your navigation system. You can even view diagnostic information and set parking reminders for yourself. While the 2017 Focus is compatible with Ford’s mobile app, Ford’s mobile app isn’t powered by OnStar.

On top of that, the Focus is lacking the 4G LTE Wi-Fi that the Cruze has. In 2017, that’s a much bigger disadvantage than you might think, especially when mobile smartphone integration into in-vehicle systems is the new craze with current vehicles. The best Ford’s SYNC technology can do is turn a smartphone into a Wi-Fi hotspot. This means two things: you’re still using the cellular data that dictates your phone bill, and you’re also not going to have as stable or fast of a connection.