The word “entry-level” often means “cheap” when you’re talking about a car. Not so with the all-new Ford Focus.

Completely redesigned for the 2008 model year, there are some surprises in store that make Ford’s entry-level offering full of value but far from cheap.

The exterior of this car, which has a base price of $15,690, has the same edgy design introduced by the Ford Fusion. The double-bar chrome grille, the headlights and strong horizontal lines give the Focus a bold and distinct appearance.

When you have a price that hovers around $15,000, you might think you’ll be stuck with a bare-bones vehicle. You’d be wrong about the front-wheel drive Focus. At its base S trim level, the car comes standard with air conditioning, a tire pressure monitoring system, side-curtain airbags, front seat-mounted side airbags, a single-disc CD player and an auxiliary audio input jack.

If you upgrade to the SE trim level, you’ll add about $1,200 to your bottom line, but you also open up a lot more potential. In addition to standard features such as Sirius satellite radio and power windows, door locks and side mirrors, there are a bevy of options that also become available. The best of the bunch is the Ford Sync system, which allows you to “sync” your phone and MP3 player with the car and then troll through music or make calls with voice-activated commands.

I have to admit, I love the Sync system in theory, and I’ve seen it work beautifully when it comes to commercials and live demonstrations. But when it came down to Jill versus the car, Jill lost. I kept trying to pair my phone, but the system wouldn’t let me. I finally gave up. When I brought this up to a Ford exec, he did admit that it can be a bit tricky if you’re going into it cold. But if you buy it from a dealer, he said there should be some training before driving off the lot.

The best thing about this feature, though, is the cost. Starting with the SE model, it takes only $395 to add this to your car. And at the SES ($18,265) and SEL ($18,665) levels, Sync becomes standard.

The test vehicle was an SES model, loaded with optional premium features such as heated leather seats, anti-lock brakes with stability control and a moon roof. Yet, the as-tested price still managed to stay pretty close to $20,000 at $20,615.

All Ford Focuses come equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers 140 horsepower. I thought the engine power was fine for an I-4 engine. It didn’t feel sluggish, and was pretty peppy all in all. Hard acceleration does make the car move, but it also brings some engine noise into the cabin. Which, I suppose, you expect from a four banger.

The test vehicle kept the standard five-speed manual transmission, which actually operated pretty smoothly. Plus, with the manual transmission, fuel estimates are better than with the optional four-speed automatic. The manual brings city/highway estimates of 24/35 mpg, while the automatic is at 24/33 mpg.

I really liked driving the compact Focus. With a length of 175 inches, it was a tight package that held the road pretty well and was incredibly easy to parallel park. I found a comfortable driving position with the manually adjusted seats, and I had great visibility out of all windows.

The interior was simple and clearly laid out, and all the dials and controls were easy to reach. My favorite interior feature was the ambient interior lighting that comes standard on the 2009 Focus SES model. It lights up the cup holders as well as the floor in the hue of your choice. Some nights, I would make it red to match the exterior of the test vehicle. Other nights I would go for light blue to match the Ice Blue Lighting on the instrument cluster. If I was feeling particularly sassy, I’d go for the purple.

With great fuel economy, cool technology features and attractive design, I can’t imagine what more you’d want in a car. Well, perhaps one thing: the option to get a navigation system. That isn’t available with Focus at any level. But the good news is that if you buy a top-of-the-line Focus SEL model and trick it out with every available option, you’ll top out at $21,684. And that doesn’t include any rebates or incentives that might be available. Not a bad deal if you ask me.