Faults:

Nothing yet!

General Comments:

Well after much deliberation, I finally traded in my old Focus 1.8 Zetec in preference for the new Mk. II model. All the magazine reviews have been raving over it, so that was a good start. So what's new?

The first thing that is immediately apparent is the build quality. The old one wasn't bad by any means, but was always let down by the hollow, hard plastic dashboard. Ford have markedly raised the game and brought the Focus right up there with the Mk.4 Golf - it's all there, squidgy feel plastics, chunky feeling switches, and the damped action on all the bits that move about. It's arguably better than the interior of the Mk.5 Golf. The Ghia and Titanium also have the VW style "flicknife" style ignition key.

Performance. I went for the 1.6 Ti-VCT petrol engine (variable camshaft timing), which at 115PS effectively replaces the 1.8 in the old Focus. Makes a much better noise than the old Zetec-E engine, and the mid range is noticeable better. So you get 1.8 performance with 1.6 fuel economy. only from a standing start do I feel that it isn't quite as quick off the mark.

Driving/Handling. No problems here. Close your eyes and you will think you are still in the old car with its now- legendary dynamics. Not surprising given that the chassis is carried over... and it's even more taut around corners, like the old car the chassis lets you away with blue murder. Gearshift has been slickened up, and the pedals are all light, and brakes responsive.

Niggles?? Pity you can't override the rain sensing wipers and just go onto normal intermittent - I find it irritating when it is drizzly and the rain sensor does nothing - I'd rather have manual control over the wipers when I wanted it. I still keep on putting the back window down by accident because the switches are too closely clumped together.

And why does Ford charge an extra grand for the Titanium model, and then take the cruise control off it which you can only get on the Ghia??

My main gripe is still the dealers. First of all I didn't get my first colour choice... which was Jeans, instead I got my third. Tonic Blue... which is of course the colour that every new-style Focus seems to be in. Then they "accidentally" fitted a 6-stack autochanger in the dash when the car was ordered and then tried to charge me for it before I told them to remove it and refit the standard one. And I am still trying to get the key to remove the alloy wheels, so I hope I don't have a flat tyre. (or is that why they give you RAC cover as part of the deal?)

Overall a great car. Pity they lost interest in it when they were doing the styling... it just doesn't have the sheer "I gotta have one!" factor that the old Focus had.

Faults:

No faults so far.

General Comments:

Had the car for three months now and I'm delighted so far.

The biggest improvement over the old model is the interior which now matches the likes of the VW Golf in both materials and build quality terms. It's a massive improvement over the old one which looked quite striking, but suffered from cheap looking materials.

The engine is a peach too. Punchy, frugal and very refined as you would expect from an engine that Peugeot helped develop. It's a few PS down on the mk5 Golf 2.0 TDI, but feels quicker thanks largely to a lighter kerbweight. The 6 speed box is slick and positive, and performance is excellent. Even in the 0-60 dash, an area where diesels traditionally look awful, it has been figured independently at 9 seconds on the nose. Midrange and overtaking punch is incredible as you would expect from any modern turbodiesel and once "on boost", the car feels unstoppable.

Handling and ride are almost identical to the old model, and therefore superb, although I don't think the steering feels as positive as it did on the 2000 1.8 (petrol) Zetec I had. The new system is lighter and still gives good feel, but lacks the old model's weighty, almost go-kart like feel. I don't like the exterior styling much either. It's grown on me a little, but after the sharp angles and freshness of the old one (how many big sellers still look good after 6 years in production?), this simply looks dull and a bit dumpy.

Coming to this car from a troublesome mk4 Golf TDI 130 has been a revelation. Better built (so far), more reliable (so far) and significantly cheaper, not to mention quicker, smoother, more spacious, better specified and far more fun to throw around. The only area where the VW does have it licked is economy. The Golf managed 50 mpg average whereas this is nearer 45. Still not exactly a gas guzzler though.

Will post an update after the first service (12,500 miles) unless anything major happens beforehand. Look forward to seeing if the dealers have improved since my Focus 1 days, although they can't be worse than I experienced with the VW.

Faults:

Nothing as I have only had it 2 days.

General Comments:

The Ford Focus ST170 isn't worth buying. There are better cars out there. The engine isn't the best in the world, but delivers a reasonably amount of power, but does need to be revved to get the most out of it. The remote Central Locking takes some getting used to as all you hear is a click. The stereo is good though, but you have to turn it up load to block out the excessive road noise and then you can't talk to your passengers without shouting. The seats are the most uncomfortable I have ever sat it.