Faults:

The boot opening button on the dashboard got stuck resulting in the boot opening whilst driving along (fixed under warranty).

General Comments:

Having previously owned a Peugeot 205 1.9 GTI the Focus doesn't compare in terms of handling or acceleration. But it makes up for this with the quietness of the cabin and engine!

Good positioning of the driver's seat.

Front pillars are a blind-spot.

Air-con and the front clear windscreen are bonuses. Although the fan blowers are always too strong or not strong enough (depending on the direction of the air).

Faults:

Nothing!

General Comments:

Completely wonderful car.

The Handling is second to none, it often feels like it's rear-wheel drive!

I am just dissapointed with the lack of top-end grunt from the engine. I feel it should be a little bit quicker off the mark for a 1800.

The standard Pirrelli tyres are completely rubbish and I can't wait to get rid of them.

Faults:

Problems with the front brake disks (rotors I think they are called in the US). It warped 5 disks in 2 months. The problem was found to be a bent part in one of the calipers. All fixed under warranty. Seems to be fine now.

General Comments:

Very nice to drive. Good handling for a diesel and a reasonable amount of power.

Fuel economy matched the brochures exactly, I get 52mpg with mixed driving.

Seats are comfortable for a while, but you have to site very correctly, slouch at all and they can get uncomfortable.

Cassette player is not the best and ford charge a ridiculous amount, £300, for a CD player.

Air conditioning is not as good as my Old Astra.

Paint looks like it scratched very easily.

The heated front screen (I have the climate pack) is great.

Faults:

I have owned the car for two months and there have been no faults.

General Comments:

The focus is one of the best front wheel drive cars l have driven.

The handling is spot on with loads of feedback.

The two litre engine is just about fast enough to be fun.

However it never sounds that sporty and could do with a stainless steel exhaust like the one on the st 170.

The car is group eight insurance which seems very low for 130 MPH performance.

The sound system is simply amazing.

Reversing however is hard because vision is obstructed by the rear lights.

Fuel consumption is better than my 205 gti could manage, but that's not saying a lot.

At worst my focus will return 25 mpg.

Faults:

Not much engine wise.

Bad electrics.

Shoddy build quality inside.

General Comments:

Quite why these cars are so well rated I will never know. They are 'badged' a design classic, I don't really see how, basically they look the same as any modern car and the rear lights serve as an ugliness factor (DULL).

Step inside and the interior is Grey, Grey, Grey and oooohhhhh some black and a tacky shiny bit of wait for it DARK GREY plastic, surrounding an incredibly useless hole designed for loose change... yeah if you can get it out! The seats are not very supportive and a bit soft for my liking, but everyone has their own opinion, mine is very uncomfortable. The interior is built very poorly, the other day I found a bit of plastic that I don't know what it is from?? A sort of 3d U shaped bit?? Also the dashboard rattles and clunks.

To drive, the engine is for a Ford very good, and so far, reliable. For me the drive of the car is very very dull, it feels too much like the car is driving itself, and takes away the skill of driving thus making it DULL DULL DULL. Why does Ford use such a unresponsive gearbox in all of its cars, which only adds to the unanimous dullness of this car's drive.

Considering the car is made in Germany I am not impressed with the build quality, but it does explain the dullness of the car. I really wish there were more British Cars to actually give us a fun driving experience, I have driven many British cars - TVR, Rovers, MGs, Lotus conversions on the Carlton, Astra and Nova, and recently have found little to match them for fun driving.

If you want a practical car then maybe this is it, prepare to become one of the crowd!! The more you see of this car, the duller it gets!! It's just the average run of the mill car, that is desperately overrated.

If you want a driver's car, then don't get a Focus, they are uninspiring and no fun!! The only fun car I have driven recently is my friends Astra Coupe which is a lovely drive where you can feel the road in the steering, and get response from the gears. Although it's hard to beat the good old days when cars were for driving, not for riding.