2006 Ford Focus ST 2.3 gas from North America

Summary:

Very underrated car

Faults:

The car would begin to misfire when driven hard and the engine light would flash. This would go away if the car was turned off and restarted. This problem was fixed under warranty. The misfire code ended up being a bad harness.

General Comments:

This car is surprisingly fun to drive. The 2.3 liter motor is rev happy and wants to go. The car loves racing from light to light and is very happy cruising at 80 miles per hour.

The paint quality is very good, as is the overall ambiance of the interior. The ST model gives you very comfortable and supportive seats and a nicely trimmed wheel/shifter.

What sets the ST apart (for me anyway, and other than the motor/suspension upgrades) is the fact that the door handles and mirrors are painted body color, and the mirrors fold in (both are not like this on lesser Focuses (Foci?).

The only thing that I am disappointed in is the fuel economy. Even when I am easy on the car, I have only topped out at 26 miles per gallon.

The car could also use wider tires. The Pirelli's don't want to hold as long as they should.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 21st March, 2007

12th Oct 2009, 10:33

I though the Focus ST had a 2.5 liter engine?

2006 Ford Focus 1.6 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Value for money!

Faults:

Nothing, but I've only had it for a month. But I expects it to be rather fault free. The Focus has one of the highest reliability ratings in the compact segment, only just beaten by cars like the Corolla (too dull). I would be disappointed if something major happens.

General Comments:

Quiet, rattle free, tight, well built, stylish, well equipped; summing it up. I'm surprised to see how much value for money this Focus MkII is. Not the cheapest in the market, but if you line up the features along with the price you'll see there are few models that matches the new Focus. It has better or similar build quality as the "prestige marques". The handling is also better than any rival which also most professional reviewers point out. Only thing that I've noted is that the 1.6 is a little bit too weak for this car, should be a 2.0 since it is an automatic. Affects mid-range performance like when overtaking, but OK for city and motorway driving.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 14th December, 2006

17th Dec 2006, 11:32

My 1.6 is noisy under acceleration, but when not stressed I agree that this car is quiet. The difference is very noticeable since there is little road and wind noise on my car. Also read about this in a review, but did not pay much attention to this. But this is basically my only concern. Otherwise a good car. Ford did a good job on this one.

20th Jan 2007, 12:49

Yes, the focus is a great drive, very pointy into corners and a good ride. I do agree that the 1.6 has very little accelleration wise, so don't expect explosive performance. The other thing to mention on my vehicle (1.6 auto) is the low fuel economy which is about 30mpg in the real world. I had to expect it really, but had to have an automatic as I can't drive a manual car. Otherwise, I love it, excellent build quality (as good as a VW golf now) and would totally recommend it. If you want one, try a 2.0 Litre or TDCi First!

29th Jan 2007, 00:38

Anyone, what are your real world mpg's for the 1.6 aut? Ford's official figures are very optimistic to say it mildly and I've never been able to reach any of the stated figures, neither for motorway or combined driving. I assume the test drivers are using eggs under their feet.

My average is about 32 mpg. The car is used to/from work, 10 miles each way and some longer trips in the weekend, motorway at 60-70. Coming from a larger car one motive was smaller petrol bills, but this engine is thirstier than I expected and I thought actual figures should be closer to the official ones. Probably need to buy the diesel the next time?