The ride is firm but not harsh. Excellent combination of ride and handling. I also like the sound of the engine at startup as it sounds gutsy. This car has more power than any other car in its class. The 6-speed dual clutch transmission is not the best but decent in acceleration and fuel mileage. In short, the Focus goes from a grandma car to a teenage car. Civic, Corolla, Cruize doesn't come close. I believe the Mazda 3 is the only competitor in the class. BTW, spent a week with the cruze and started having back problems as I had back operation several years back. The focus seats are just amazing even after many hours behind the wheel. Can't say enough about this little bombshell.