Absolutely superb car if you aren't in a big hurry!

***UPDATED!!! 10/20/2003***

Well, I am sad to see the Focus go away, but it is time to trade up. Actually I have ALREADY traded up, but still have the Focus. It will be leaving me soon and I still have nothing but good things to say.

Below is the sum total of everything that has broken on the car. All of them have been fixed with a single visit to my local Ford Dealer:

-Warped front brake rotors. Resurfaced as a warranty repair.

-Broken clutch return spring. Depressed the clutch about a month ago, and felt something hit my boot... Found the clutch return spring in the footwell! Still drivable, but I had to briefly pull up on the pedal with my toe to allow the cruise control to engage. The fact that I waited a month should show you how much of a non-issue it was. Replaced under warranty.

-Stumbling engine. "Check Engine" light came on and the car started stumbling and running badly. The culprit was a faulty sensor in the exhaust. Replaced under warranty.

-Two recalls, but for the life of me I can't remember which two applied to my car. Unfortunately the dealer had to be REMINDED to look up which ones were due after I dropped off the car. I am disappointed to report that a VIN check wasn't done and the work taken care of automatically... But in the end everything was taken care of, so no harm done.

So... That's it. Three years and 30k miles (haven't driven much in the last year, as you can tell from the update below from last year!) and that's all that has broken, gone wrong, or disappointed. Oh, and I DID finally get new wiper blades! LOL

This car has simply been superb in every imaginable respect. The only reason I am not getting another is that I have moved on to a bigger car... But I will always miss my time in the Focus.

Still highly recommended.

***End of update #2***

***UPDATED!!! 12/16/02***

The review of this car I wrote about 14 months ago is below, but I thought I would just put in an update. The update is primarily that there is nothing bad to report in the intervening year. I'm up to 24k miles and still very happy.

The Focus series has received a lot of bad publicity for recalls and "investigations" of other alleged problems, leading to the perception that perhaps this car is unreliable. Well, surprise, mine has STILL not been in the shop for anything other than oil and a tire rotation. Of course this means I haven't taken it in to have the recalls squared away, either, but only one of them (the rear wheel-bearings) has any impact on the driveablility of the car... And my wheel bearings are just fine, thank you. I have not paid a cent to fix anything on this car in two years (though I could use some new wiper blades!), so I have no hesitation in continuing to recommend the Focus.

And now back to my original review.

***End of Update #1***


My car is a 2001 ZX-3, pretty well loaded. The only options I am missing are the side-impact airbags and the unbelievably expensive stability control. Oh, and the automatic... I went for the stick, which was a special order, believe it or not. So for under $15 grand I got the glass moonroof, low-profile tires, cruise, power windows/locks/mirrors, remote entry, anti-lock brakes, etc. Very good value, even includes some things that other cars in the price range don't offer. I am very pleased with what I have for what I paid.

So how do I like it after 12k miles (almost a year now)? I still love it. It's not perfect, but it's as perfect as a car of its' type is going to get in the year 2001. Apparently the scribes at Car and Driver agree, it was on their Top Ten list for 2001... And I agree.


PROS-

Value, as I mentioned above. After seeing them on the road for a year before I bought mine, I actually love the look... Especially with the 16" wheels and the 50-series tires. These don't, apparently, add too much to the ultimate G's this thing can pull on the skidpad, but the do improve the already excellent steering response. The ride is almost imperceptibly harsher with the low-profile tires, but it's very good, and the car is still totally squeak & rattle-free after a year of driving around NYC and its' environs.

Superb interior room, but you won't mistake it for a Camry. The car is narrow, but not TOO narrow... I am over six feet and 250lbs, and I've no problem fitting in it with another adult in the other seat. Mine has a leather-wrapped steering wheel, which was an option as part of the premium package as I recall, and it is one of the nicest steering wheels I have ever wrapped my fingers around. The stock CD sound system is simply amazing for original equipment, and good thing too, as its' the only system available in the hatchback (I think the lower-model sedans and wagons offer a lesser model with a cassette player).

I love, love, LOVE the way this car handles. I'd prefer a sports car but I can't really justify owning a toy... So I bought the car that made me FEEL like I was driving a sports car. You only get 4-wheel discs with the stability control system (a $1200 option!!), but the rear drums work just fine. As do the headlights! Best headlights I have seen this side of a BMW 5-series.

Overall, a great car. Tight, quiet, roomy, and very fun-to-drive... And as reliable as a stovebolt. Only paid for fuel and oil.


CONS-

Well this car really could use more power. I am not entirely sure that all of the advertised 130hp have reported for duty. Sometimes it kind of surprises you and really gets up and goes, but that's more a mistake of being in the right part of the torque band... It can get out of its' own way, to be sure, but you've really got to whip it to get underway. I test drove an automatic and it was even worse. If your driving needs don't necessitate an automatic, get the stick. The clutch uptake is smooth and progressive, though the shift isn't quite Honda-smooth. Good system, but not the best ever.

If only I could have the SVT model which is coming out shortly... 40 more horsepower, fatter tires, all-wheel discs, an extra cog in the gearbox... *sigh*

Mileage... Hmmm... Well I have been able to attain 32-34mpg on individual all-highway tanks, but that can plummet to the low-20's with more spirited driving around town. I have actually kept track of all of my fuel purchases and can report my mileage to date has averaged 26.8mpg. Not bad, and in fact about what I expected... But a late-model 2500lb car with a 130hp 2-liter engine that barely beats the mileage of my old 155k mile, 3-liter, 220hp, 3300lb 1992 Taurus SHO? I don't get it.

But as for negatives, that's it. No problems.