Going small in an era of high fuel prices and an increasingly volatile dependency on foreign oil is always a good idea, so it’s nice that Ford has built a small car that addresses these consumer wants and needs. On the other hand, it is a concept, and Ford seems woefully behind on selling their own subcompact to do battle with the Toyotas and the Chevrolets of the world – not to mention Honda and Nissan. Most of the major automakers already have roomy small cars that people think are stylish, either for sale or on their way. The Reflex, for all its exciting possibilities, reveals that while Ford says they’re big on small, they have yet to debut a production model that proves their claim.

Should they build the Reflex, Ford will do something differently than most of the competition – a good thing, as long as the path they choose leads to more sales. Given the Reflex, this much is clear: the style is something people will appreciate over the likes of a typical B-car, though the functionality may not engender the same reaction.