Ford 2009 Sport Trac

Reader’s Question:

I’d like a Ford that has the versatility of a pick-up and something I can use for a daily drive around Texas. What can you recommend?

Norman

Houston, TX

Howdy, Norman! So you, Norman, wants something not of the normal variety. Looking at the Ford line-up, I’m inclined to recommend that you test drive the 2009 Ford Sport Trac. Ford made this to have the functional features of a pick-up but having the style and comfort of an SUV. Nice, isn’t it? Now, that should be other than the normal cars, SUVs, and pick-ups you see daily on the roads of Texas.

The Ford motor company built this thing on the Explorer platform so you can expect some SUV-like qualities to the interiors that meet Ford SUV standards. That should take care of your daily driving comfort. In terms of powering this truck/ SUV, there’s a standard 4.0 V6 with 5 speed automatic transmission, powerful enough to crank out 210 horsepower. If you want more from the Sport Trac, you can try the available V8 engine trim that churns 292 horses with about 300 lbs-ft of torque. This will come in handy if you decide to bring a lot of stuff with you. If you’re more of a “drive anywhere” person, there’s four wheel drive available for the Sport Trac as an option for the rear-wheel drive base model. So there, the Sport Trac is that versatile vehicle for you, Norman.

Ford 2009 Focus Coupe

Reader’s Question:

I’m eager to try out the Focus Coupe here in Texas. But before I go to the dealer, what’s difference between the standard Focus and the coupe?

Harry

Houston, TX

Hello, Harry! It looks like someone wants to have a little fun in a Ford. Well, there are several things you can check out with 2009 Ford Focus Coupe when you visit a Ford dealer in Texas.

First, let’s go through what the standards on a Focus are. There’s 33 miles to a gallon from its 2.0 liter Duratec engine with 140 horsepower. There’s the Ford SYNC which is something they developed with Microsoft to help you communicate with your personal electronic devices like mp3 players, phones and PDAs. A very practical idea so you don’t have to fumble with them while driving.

Second, what’s with the coupe? Of course, there are just 2 doors, the obvious difference. Kidding, I know you know that. You can check out the ride on the Focus coupe and you’ll notice that the car is tuned more towards performance. You’re supposed to get a more responsive feel and comfort while driving this machine. Having the performance tuned suspension is supposed to give you that European driving feel. Since you’re into having fun with this machine, you might as well try out the SES trim. Mated with 5 speed manual transmission, the Duratec engine will crank out about 143 hp (feel this with the sport tuned exhaust) and still do 35 mpg on the highway. Here’s to your Focus!