Faults:

Cracked windscreen 2 days after taking delivery.

Suspension knocking and needed complete front replacement 1 week after taking delivery.

ESP system faulty 1 week after taking delivery.

Air conditioning pump stopped working 1 month after taking delivery. Part had to be specially manufactured - took 3 weeks in the dealership garage to repair.

General Comments:

For all the faults that this particular car has had over the short 2 month period I have owned it, I love it still.

Subtle looks and understated coolness is what drew me to this model in the first place.

It's fast and the 4 wheel drive has saved me on a couple of occasions.

It's expensive on fuel, but you don't buy a 2.8 V6 for the fuel economy - do you?

Seats are supportive, dash layout flush, classy and practical. Blue lighting is great on dark nights!

Only downsides I've found so far with this car are that 1st gear is too short and the handling doesn't feel quite as sharp as my dad's Focus 1.8.

Other than that, it feels like a Porsche-beater - even though in reality it probably isn't. I'd take one on a Boxster any day!

Faults:

Easier to list what has not gone wrong, but the list is:

Trip computer reset itself

Water pump

Electric windows

Ignition system (five times)

Steering pulling to one side (all the time)

Poor idling

Cold start sensor

Thermostat

Suspension rattles

Interior trim falling off

Water leaks into footwells

Paint chipping

Rear dampers.

General Comments:

Bought from car supermarket 6 months old.

Handles like a greased pig on ice. Rolls round corners and thumps and bangs over potholes. Understeer all the time, but especially in the wet.

Dodgy electrics. Dealers can't fix some of the known faults.

Ignition system fails every 6 months

Build quality is poor. Looks great, but flatters to deceive

Unhelpful dealers can't fix anything first time and sky high prices

Selling it as soon as I have finished paying for it.

Faults:

2 oxygen Sensors (covered by warranty)

Broken glove box hinge.

Check Engine light used to go on for no reason in the first year and has been fine since. I took it in under warranty and wasn't charged for the visits to investigate this.

Part on the rear cup holder console broke, I attribute this to passengers in a 2 door car stepping over it.

General Comments:

The Good: Overall, I think the car is fantastic.

It handles well on fast and windy roads, it is great for big city driving where you need to negotiate traffic, make several U-Turns and scamper for parking spots. It gets good mileage (30/mpg is my estimate). It is surprisingly comfortable at fast speeds on a long trip. It can haul 3 skiers and their equipment and overnight gear with ease (with one seat down), and with both rear seats down, can haul larger items that don't fit into trunks of 4 door sedans. The manual transmission handles well in the snow. If cared for regularly, I have found it very reliable. My friends love driving it.

The Bad: Low clearance. Although it can handle in the snow, if there is 8+ inches, bring a shovel, you will need it. There are several little plastic items that seem to be poorly placed or designed and therefore break easily. The lever to lift the front seat and let passengers into the back seat is one of those, as is the rear cup holder.

Parts are expensive for such a little car, super glue can save precious dollars. Trunk mounted 6-CD player performs well 99% of the time, but every so often, will act up and not read Cd's that are in the drive.

Verdict:I've had a good experience and would enthusiastically buy the car again since I live in a big city and have no children. I would not buy it if I lived in a snowy environment with poor road clearance.