Faults:
Dash faulty when the car was 7 years old.
Had a problem with the auto at 5 years old, fixed by dealer; I think it was just low on fluid.
Driver's window motor went dead when the car was 10 years old.
Power steering pump replaced when 10 years old.
Radio power button has become temperamental lately, but the radio still sounds fantastic!
General Comments:
Great car, best I've ever owned, or driven in. The standouts with this car are the handling, steering and brake feel, and the general feeling of solidity. The car still feels new at 13 years. Exterior styling has aged gracefully I think; interior, not so much. It just doesn't look very mature. Cabin plastics are just OK, but you don't care, as you are having so much fun driving the car!
It is true though that the 2.0 Zetec engine is not a great engine. Power is satisfactory, but it would be nice to have a bit more power, or even better, torque. The auto is OK, but shifts too early for my taste. It doesn't hunt gears too much, but hey, a manual would be better in my opinion, and would suit the character of the car much more.
I bought this car when it was 4 years old, and not long after buying it I had a problem where it wouldn't shift out of 1st or 2nd gear. Great dealer service from my Ford dealer; after that no problems since.
Problems with the power steering pump are known with Foci made between certain dates, and I had mine replaced when the car was about 10 years old. I think that considering the car is almost 13 years old now, it has been exceptionally reliable, comfortable and economical to run.
Three minor repairs in that time prove the Focus is pretty economical and easy to live with. I'm glad I bought my Focus, rather than the Corolla I was thinking of. It is sheer engineering excellence, and just as reliable too. Even a typical Toyota will have a few little issues over the years too.
23rd May 2017, 23:12
I'm the original reviewer, back after two years. The car is still going OK; did have a problem with the auto transmission last year (a band broke), but it didn't cost too much to fix.
The car has reached about 180,000km now, mostly short trips though, and so has had a pretty hard life. I'm still happy with the car and still like it, however I am planning to replace it within the next year or so.
The car still has a lot of original parts (radiator, muffler/exhaust system, water pump, suspension/steering/coils etc, CV joints/ball joints, hoses), but realistically at this age this can't last much longer!
I'm also finally bored with the car; a lot has happened technologically since the Ford Focus Mk1 was designed (20 years ago!). The car has no stability control and just two airbags. The handling and safety of the car was far ahead of the pack two decades ago, but of course now seems a little old fashioned. Am looking to replace the Focus with a new Hyundai Accent, which will be more about getting from A to B safely.