Faults:

Only a few small things really.

Fog lights mist up after its been raining.

The left front speaker blew.

Cigarette lighter broke.

Stereo is temperamental.

Handbrake became very loose and didn't hold on steep hills (apparently it is common and theres nothing that can be done to tighten it...mmmmm!)

General Comments:

The Focus is a fantastic driver’s car. It is a very comfortable and enjoyable car to drive and makes you feel quite safe. The interior is very spacious and there is adequate room to carry four medium sized passengers even in the three door model, although tall passengers over six foot may have problems in the back. The seats in the Zetec model are fairly sporty and are comfortable in the front. The back seats are also fairly comfortable so the interior is good all round.

Driving position is excellent; with an adjustable steering wheel and height adjustable driver seat you can get your perfect position. Interior controls are well laid out and easy to reach. I have to say the interior is very well laid out and scores a nine out of ten from me.

The engine is very strong in these cars as it’s built by Yamaha so the Japanese build quality should shine through. Its not exactly fast, but the 115bhp engine gives a constant supply of power right up to its top whack of 125mph. 0-60mph is just over 10secs and like most 16 valvers it has to be pushed over 3500rpm before you feel the power and between 3500rpm and 6000rpm its pretty swift in 2nd, and 3rd gears. The car feels very powerful and is very smooth and the engine has a nice grunt to it when pushed.

The handling is fantastic on this car. It just sticks to the road and lets you know when your pushing it too far well before it actually does snap. I was very impressed by the handling on the Focus. I just wonder how much better it would be if it was lowered with a sports suspension kit.

The Focus is a great looking car from the outside and looks very sleek in the three door form. But I really don’t think it looks nice with the five doors. It’s practical for families, I know, but I don’t like it. The RS Focus is just amazing! The problem with the Focus is that it’s so common now, which brings me to the bad points of the car…

If you are thinking about buying a Focus, you should be aware that they are loosing their value FAST! Good for anyone who buying one, but not so good for anyone selling or trading one in. Car prices in the U. K have dropped significantly over the past year anyway, and I was thinking of replacing mine with an MG ZR and was shocked when the garage offered me only £6000 trade in. Id paid £10,000 for it 15 months ago so that’s a loss of £4000 in less than two years! In little over two years the car has halved from its new price of £12500! You should only buy one if you plan to stay with Ford for life as they will give you good trade in deals which other garages won't.

Another bad point is that it drinks petrol. Mine is the 1800cc 16v and its fine on the motorway, but in town it’s terrible. I’m lucky if I get 22 miles to the gallon.

The Focus is a very good, reliable and practical car to own. It’s great to drive, has a very low insurance group, and is one of the best all-round cars, in its class, on the market. Unfortunately I now HAVE to sell it as I’m just going to cut my losses on the money I’ve lost on it and buy an MG ZR. Hopefully it will retain value better than the Focus. Fifteen months ago I was apprehensive about buying a Ford, but the Focus was just a fantastic car. Having owned one I can now say that the Focus is still a fantastic car, but I will never be buying another Ford.

Faults:

Numerous recalls. Air conditioning system leaked onto carpet after 3000 miles, and was repaired by the dealership three times. The front brakes and rotors require replacement at only 30000 miles. 60000-mile tires have already been replaced. Automatic door lock and security system blows fuses and has been serviced twice. Battery replaced at 30000 miles (maybe due to electrical failure in security system, but as long as the dealer does nothing but put new fuses in it, I'll never know) Driver's side door interior panel fits loosely, and is a constant source of noise.

General Comments:

I was warned about Ford quality before I purchased the vehicle, but was attracted by its price, year 2000 performance reviews in magazines, and the quality of the ride. Since then, everything I was warned about has come true. The quality of parts (brake rotors, weatherproofing, interior) is substandard. My brakes are a constant source of noise, and they wear like an eraser, despite proper maintenance. I would recommend this car only to persons not planning to own the vehicle more than a year.