I’m trying to find a new car to replace my 2002 Ford Focus ZTW wagon. I bought it new in 2002 for $14,900. It’s got leather, all the power options, and has 73 cubic feet of cargo capacity w/ the rear seats folded down. I can’t find anything new (including from Ford) that’s comparable to that for less than $25k. Any suggestions on what vehicles to consider? Thanks!
Minus the leather there are a plethora of options. Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix, Scion xB, Kia Rondo, Kia Spectra5, Hyundai Elantra Touring, Dodge Caliber and several other slightly smaller hatchbacks. I highly recommend looking at the Vibe or Matrix. Cargo capacity with the seats down is huge, more usable space than your Focus I bet.
Unfortunately, all of those vehicles have significantly less cargo space than the Focus Wagon. The Focus Wagon has 35 cubic feet of storage space w/ the rear seats up, and 73 cubic feet with the rear seats down. The Vibe (for instance) has 20 and 49.
I was looking at used Focus wagons as a possible replacement for my Subaru Legacy wagon. The Focus seemed a bit larger inside than any of the other small wagons/5-door hatchbacks on the market, which is what I liked about it.
Unfortunately, there don’t seem to be any comparable new vehicles available right now. I don’t understand why Ford discontinued the Focus wagon and hatchbacks. Seems like a dumb move to me. I’m keeping the Legacy for now.
Could you find a nice 2006 Focus wagon? I think that was the last year for the wagon, and I’ve seen some nice, low-mileage examples for sale.
Mazda 5? Kia Rondo? How about a newer, but used Focus wagon? One more option - put some money into the one you have, keep it a while longer? How many miles are on it?
It runs great, but lately has been having a lot of minor issues (that I’ve been fixing). Glass on the side mirror fell off, each power window has gone out, trim has popped off… That sort of stuff. It’s only got 80k miles, and looks new when everything is properly attached. I know economically it make sense to keep the car, but I’m ready for something new (or at least new to me).
The Chevy HHR has 57 cf of storage with the seats down. After the rebate, you could get a loaded SS for less than $25,000.
Thanks for all the input everyone. I think I’m going to use this as an opportunity to upgrade, and splurge on a new Forester or a slightly used Murano.
Check out a Mazda CX-7: http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=modelsMain&vehicleCode=CX7
Some dealerships are starting to get 2010 models in, so an 09 should be discounted to sell.
Edmunds lists the ZTW as having only 56 cu.Ft. max cargo space.
Yeah, I couldn’t find the specs for the 02 Focus Wagon, so I pulled my number from the 06 Focus Wagon. You’re exactly right, the 02 focus Wagon is listed at 56 CU ft. I’ve parked the Focus next to the various vehicles as I’ve been test driving them, and still the Focus feels cavernous next to cars like the HHR. Funny you should mention the CX-7. My plan is to test drive one of those today or tomorrow. I test drove the HHR yesterday, and couldn’t see out of it. I’m tall. and had to duck down to see traffic lights. The windshield seemed really short.
The front windshield of the CX-7 is a little weird at first(60-some degree angle), feels like you could play some solitaire on it if you get stopped by a train, or stuck in rush hour traffic
And just make sure the mpg for the CX7 is OK with you. It is very fast and fun to drive, but don’t expect tops in the mpg department.
Just as an update (not that I expect anyone cares), after test driving MANY different cars, I think I’m going to go w/ a Subaru Forester. There are several new 09s in my area. I’m just biding my time, waiting for Subaru to throw in a rebate 
How was your drive in the CX-7?
Did you test one with the new 2.5L 4cyl, or the turbo model?
Everyone like to get updates! Sadly, most people leave us hanging.
Thanks for closing the loop. Enjoy your Subie for many years to cone. Stop back and tell us how you enjoy it. There’s another thing you could do:
Join truedelta.com. You can provide information about your new Forester so that others can learn from your experience. I’m a member as well (not owner). There is a growing list of repairs by year and model for many cars.