Taller passengers sit more upright. And as anyone who has ever sat behind someone reclining on an airliner knows, upright passengers take up less space, giving more knee-room for backseat passengers. The Focus can accommodate 97.5 percent of adult males, something almost no other small car can do. The tall layout has other advantages, too. They're naturally stiffer than wider and longer cars, allowing designers to make them lighter than other cars with similar interior space.
Stiffer bodies reduce vibration and noise and can improve ride and handling.
Drivers also like the view over the road. The design, however, does have some drawbacks. Taller cars can roll over more easily. And the larger front surface hurts aerodynamics, says Michael Seal, director of the Vehicle Research Institute at Western Washington University. Still, the idea of building taller sedans is nothing new.