Besides my F350, my daily driver is a 2008 Ford Focus. It's as good as any Honda my wife has ever owned and more fun to drive than her Accord. The car is quiet inside, handles the freeway interchange Grand Prix without drama, and gets 37 MPG. And you can buy that car now for around $10-11K, I believe.

After 8K miles, it hasn't so much as whimpered. The controls are pretty well laid out, the interior materials are better than I would have expected in an entry-level car, and the ride is pretty smooth.

All I can say is kudos to Ford. Of course, the ultimate proof is that my wife likes it, too, and may want one when we replace her Accord.