Faults:

Nothing mechanically.

My only gripe is the low quality of the interior materials and some ergonomic issues.

The soft, thin leather on the steering wheel and on the gear shifter knob is worn out, seat fabric is thin, already started to wrinkle on the driver seat's side support. The seat fabric and wheel / knob leather leather in my old Focus 1 was much better.

There's a few ergonomic issues as well: climate controls are many, small and fiddly, placed too low and require constant taking your eyes off the road.

Being the Titanium trim level, it has some fake chrome inserts in the steering wheel and around the air vents which - at certain sun angles, and due to the huge, sloping front windscreen - they reflect and shine wildly into your eyes.

The 4 air vents in the dash are small, awkward in shape and placement, with little adjustment. Sadly, form and style won over function there.

General Comments:

Excellent, sporty handling, like we've come to expect of the Focus, even in estate (station wagon) version like I have, especially when driving solo. That is one of the main reasons I bought this car. The 1.6 diesel engine, 115 hp is OK, but if the car is full it's sort of weak and sluggish.

Plenty of space in the boot, no lip in the back, rear seats fold without taking off the headrests - you can easily fit a normal sized bicycle in there, lots of small storage spaces across the car, plus USB ports. Much better noise insulation compared to previous versions.

But the interior space is small, too small for the size of the car; the dashboard and center console are especially large and intrusive. The feeling is there's less space inside than in a Mk2 (previous generation) Focus.

Faults:

The engine burns over 1 liter of oil per 10000 kms - apparently this is a common problem for this type. Thankfully, engine performance and fuel consumption are not affected.

Then there's some electrical faults: when I bought it, the (original) alternator died, taking with it the main instrument cluster. Front low beam bulbs fail every 2-3 months. Rear fog lamp stopped working. Otherwise, it's a very good ride.

General Comments:

Fun to drive on twisting roads. Chuck it into the corners, and it will eagerly take them. Suspension and feedback are great, and revving the engine is a pleasure; it's very responsive.

Economical on highways and open roads, with decent fuel consumption (6.5l/100km). There's adequate space for people in the back; and with the rear seats folded, a lot of cargo space.

The heated windscreen is a blessing in winter; it will de-fog it in 1 minute, and melt ice in 2-3 minutes. A must have, in hard winter areas.