2005 Ford Focus Zetec Climate 2.0 Tdci

Summary:

Refined solid safe ultimate family car

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

This is only the third new (ish) car I've ever bought and it was purchased with 'real' saved money and not through a company or credit. I mention this only to illustrate that I was keen to buy a car which I can live with and was happy to hand over the (my) cash for.

Before choosing this Mk 2 Focus I also looked at many similar 5 door family hatch backs, eg the Mk 5 Golf, Astra, the new Honda Civic etc. However I settled on the Focus because of the looks, the quality 'feel' of the interior and the excellent and powerful diesel engine. I also wanted a car which has a discreet air, but one which exudes a certain heft and quality, a car which will do the job and not 'shout' about it.

The Golf is good, but very similar to the Ford, but £3k more expensive for the same spec car. The Astra was also good, but I didn't 'engage' with it. The Honda was too 'designed' and 'whacky' for me, more the type of vehicle for the student of trichology. Overly designed cars can look fine for a bit, but fashion changes and the car can look very old very soon. Anyway I'm buying a car not a handbag.

I will add more details as I get some more miles on the car.

Well done Ford. A brilliant successor to the Mk 1 Focus. The king is dead, long live the king!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 21st December, 2005

23rd Jul 2006, 17:31

Looked at these myself. Nice handling cars, nice gearboxes, but I ended up going for a Citroen C4 over one. Same diesel engines sit in the C4 since it's a joint venture, but I just found the C4 to offer a better deal and was just a more comfortable car to drive. Just not quite the same handling, but by no means awful in comparison, more different. The gearbox is only sloppy thing.

Build quality is excellent on it though, and the interior is well I have heard the terms "it looks like a spaceship, it's so cool" many times. But for the price, looks and gadgets of which the C4 has loads of, you can't beat it. No car in the same market comes close to the appeal of it for me.

The C4 brakes inspire confidence in knowing you're going to stop. My main reason I went with the C4 though, is because the Coupe which I bought just looked so much nicer, and I thought Ford took a backwards step with the new design of the Focus, and I just found it ugly to be honest.

A friend bought a Focus. I've driven it and they're both excellent cars. It's just which one you prefer really. And with the other cars you mentioned, the Golf is just dull. An impressive machine, but ultimately dull. Astra is well put together, but I don't like the interior, and well it's a Vauxhall, they never get the handling bit right. Only other car I looked at was the Megane, which is a nice car as well, but I cant stand the styling of that rear end, although the front looks great.

23rd Dec 2006, 16:10

Well folks had the car one year now and it's covered 21,000 miles and has returned 47 mpg (imperial). It has proved to be reliable and dependable in all weathers and types of use. The car is mainly used on a 60 mile daily commute to work. The diesel loves the long straight uninterrupted cruise and just lopes along. The commute is long enough to get the engine up to temperature (can take 8-10 miles) so avoiding stop/start short drives that don't really suit diesels. The first service cost £180 at 12,500 miles which was expected. They also replaced the EGR valve at the same time as the car was blowing out some blue smoke at start up. Common fault so I'm told. I replaced the 2 front tyres at 19,500 miles which only had 2mm tread left (Goodyear NCT 5) cost was £140. In summary a really great vehicle and I would certainly recommend it as a family car or for commuting. Indeed there are now at least x10 more Mk 2 Focus in my immediate local area, all privately owned, all purchased since I bought mine - how's that for a recommendation?

2005 Ford Focus LX 1.6 TDCI

Summary:

Very uncomfortable seats, but otherwise not bad

General Comments:

At first the new 2005 Focus seemed like a good car. But on a longer drive over 1 hour the seats kill you slowly.

I have never driven a car with such uncomfortable back breaking seats.

The 1.6TDCi engine is very quiet at all speeds up to 100MPH, but not gone over that speed, so cannot comment.

The handling is not as good as the original Focus and does not feel very safe on sharp corners at speed.

The seats are the main problem with this car. I have never felt so much pain in my back ever before since driving this car. I will have to get rid of this otherwise good car because it is so uncomfortable to drive.

I think I will swap for the new Vauxhall Astra which has very good sports suspension and much better seats.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 11th November, 2005

6th Jan 2006, 18:50

A friend recently bough a 54 Mondeo Zetec and said the same about the seat in that at first, he had a car with hard sports seats before that. But after about 1000 miles he now says they are really comfortable. So just a case of getting used to them maybe?

9th Apr 2006, 14:56

The seats in the mk1 Focus were dreadful, and it sounds like the mk2 is no better.

I had a 1.8 TDCi LX on a 52 plate which I did 20,000 miles in, and nice car as it was in almost all respects, I never managed to get comfortable in it. I'm 30, reasonably fit, have no back problems, yet I used to get out of it after anything more than 100 miles and be in quite considerable pain.

Ford penny pinching - you have to love it!

6th Feb 2007, 20:33

I've driven a '00 Focus wagon for years now; I agree completely about the horrible seats. As far as I know, the SVT Focus was the only Focus that had decent front seats.