Faults:

The heaters (a wire became unconnected) -should have been picked up on PDI, but hey ho!!

General Comments:

Really impressed with this car. Came from a Ford Puma and the handling has impressed me. Never had a diesel before so I'm still really getting used to it, but it flies!

Has 'transient over boost' function which means when you floor it, the ECU orders up an additional 20nm of torque, which in 2nd and 3rd gears actually throws you back in your seat!

Really comfortable seats, with good support (for going round corners swiftly), arm rest is a nice touch and makes you feel a bit like you're a poser in a Land Rover or something!

As far as MPG is concerned, from new (007 miles) it was averaging about low 40's - now done around 1300 miles and have taken it on a few motorway trips and it is getting better and better. Average cruise speed of 90mph (private road!) yields 47.3 mpg... not bad. In slower 'normal' traffic at a constant sort of 45 to 60 mph in 5th and 6th gives back high 40's / low 50's. (at 45mph in 6th, which is just about possible) it runs to 55mpg.

Faults:

Driver's seat is terribly uncomfortable.

General Comments:

I only have my Focus for about a month, clocking up 1000kms on it in that time. Granted - very short amount of time to make a judgment!

I have no complaints about it at all to-date except the comfort of the seats. As a selling point, I was informed there was a Lumber Support feature in the drivers seat and as my job requires me to be on the road half my time, I was sold on this feature. In truth the lumbar support feels like someone is pushing their fist through your lower back! And because of its existence (I think), the lower half of the seat is very spongy with little to no support, unless you push the lumbar support forward. It also feels 'lumpy'.

The seat is tall, but it falls away from your shoulders as it gets higher, therefore providing no upper back support at all. It was suggested I lean back and rest against the disappearing top section of the seat - I did try this, but to lie back in such a manner, is seriously bad for your back and hurt my lower back lots!

I have tried every combination of seat positions, but every time I get into the car I want to adjust the positions again because it never feel comfortable. I kept one "semi-comfortable" position for a week in the hope it was only a question of my body getting used to the new car, but to no avail. I am now signed up to a course of physiotherapy to try to ease the pain in my back, due to driving my new car.

I have reached the stage of returning the car to the dealership for them to find a solution to this problem as I can no longer drive the car in its present state.

I will share the outcome of this when / if I get a resolution.