An opportunity presented itself the other morning: leaving for a work related day trip at 5 am on a cold morning, I could either use my assigned 2007 Chevrolet Silverado that has vinyl seats and had sat outside all night or I could take a 2010 Ford Focus from the pool that had been parked in a heated garage.
Being considerate, I let a coworker use the pickup.
Knowing it’s best to try every flavor of ice cream at the store, this Focus helped satisfy the urge of curiosity. While I had driven this very Focus a time or two previously, this particular trip allowed me to better immerse myself in it as I drove some curvy, hilly roads – not just boring four-lanes as had previously been the case.
Settling into the Focus was quite easy though perhaps atypical. The seat was adjusted as far back as it would go, barely allowing my average length arms to reach the steering wheel. With the standard back-and-forth and height adjustments, I was able to find my favored seating position of closer than typical for others my size with the top of the steering wheel just below shoulder level.
The drivers seat itself is quite comfortable but does grow rather firm after an hour or so.
The first thing I noticed was the MyKey system had been activated, limiting the Focus to a maximum speed of 80 mph. Since it’s a fleet vehicle, I suppose this isn’t unreasonable despite the MyKey system being presented as a tool to curb the enthusiasm of overzealous teens.
On second thought, it was a really good idea to have the MyKey system activated given the sheer number of people who drive this car. At 75 mph, the “do-dee-do” Ford chime sings once with a pop-up on the dashboard giving the cryptic “Vehicle Near Top Speed” message.
It makes one feel so rebellious.
Being solo for this trip, I was able to take the curves and hills on US 63 at Jason Speed, which is whatever speed I find most comfortable. Frankly, at 5 am in the rural area I was traversing, there are no members of any constabulary on duty; deer are the prime concern at that time of day.
Curves are where the Focus really shines – it rips into curves with little fanfare and keeps blazing a trail all the way through. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve driven the same hills and curves in much better handling cars (such as this 2014 Corvette), but for a compact sedan, this Focus was a hoot. It’s quite toss-able and it seems to enjoy getting such a cardiovascular workout.
There is temptation to refer to the Focus as go-cart like given its remarkable nimbleness, but that descriptor might create the impression of condescension.
Oh, what’s the harm? In comparison to other vehicles I’ve driven on this same road, it is a go-cart. My typical steed, the aforementioned Silverado, greatly outguns the Focus when it comes to accelerating up hills, but the Focus is simply more viscerally pleasing on such roads.
Outward visibility is mediocre, but isn’t that true with most contemporary cars? This particular Focus has one odd trait that I’m still trying to figure out. The windows are tinted, which in and of itself is no big deal. While the door windows are fine, the tint on the rear glass is a little disconcerting; it yields some mild distortion of objects behind you. Sure, you can see things, but everything out of the Focus is out of focus. I suspect the tinting may be aftermarket, but that is only speculation.
The 2.0 liter engine is rated at 140 to 143 horsepower, depending upon source. Torque is in the upper 130 ft-lb range. As alluded to, this little four-pot isn’t a powerhouse and needs to downshift on most hills. In comparison to various other four-cylinder engines I’ve driven throughout my life, it’s above average in terms of livability. The only real demerit I can toss at this engine is it does get a little buzzy at times, particularly when idling in drive, a trait that has contributed to my historically mixed emotions about four-cylinder engines.
However, this particular Focus has provided nearly 132,000 miles of service to a multitude of drivers. Given I’ve seen some really exotic things crop up in light-duty fleet vehicles during my career, I’m not going to overly ridicule the Focus for being a little on the buzzy side as it has had zero issues in its entire service life.
Since my employer is fastidious about keeping records on the entire fleet, I can confidently tell you this very Focus has averaged 31.2 mpg for its service life. That beats the EPA rating of 28 mpg in combined city/highway driving, which is the type of conditions this Focus has experienced. For highway driving, the automatic transmission Focus is rated at 34 mpg.
Retrieving the keys to the Focus the previous afternoon, I struck up a conversation with the service attendant and caretaker of the pool vehicles. As is usual for him, he hit upon a thought both compelling and profane.
“Jason, people gripe about those three Focus’s we’ve got. I don’t why, they’re not bad little cars. I would much rather drive one of them than those damn Fusions we got two years ago; the console in that Fusion doesn’t play well with full-sized people, which is why we got rid of them. The console in that Fusion acted like it wanted to crawl up my…” well, you know.
On that note, may I introduce you to one of the best consoles Ford has made in this millennium?
Maybe that picture isn’t demonstrative enough; here, let me put a bottle of water between my leg and the console to illustrate the wonderfully copious amount of space between my leg and the console. Isn’t that delightful? If I had to knock this Focus for anything, it would be for the door panel being a smidgeon too close, but it wasn’t that bad.
Would I drive this Focus again? Absolutely! Maybe its design was getting a little long in the tooth by 2010, but I really don’t care about that. It drives great, it makes reasonable power, and it is quite comfortable for being a petite car. It has demonstrated a distinct durability in a vocation that will either make or break a car; apart from one little intermittent squeak in the rear suspension that was barely audible, this Focus is as solid and tight as the day it was built.
For what it is, what more could anybody want?
I know a lot of critics moaned about North America not getting the gen-2 Focus, instead getting this gen-1.5 model (and I remember grumbling at the time, too) but it was still superior to the insipid Sentra and more entertaining than the Corolla. Was the gen-2 Focus better? Yes. Was the gen-1.5 Focus bad? No.
But now everything has been realigned and there is now once again a great global Focus.
I’d never seen a 2-gen UK Focus until I spent time in Ireland last year, and I was surprised by its design. It was not something that, imho, would have appealed to American tastes at all. Even though our 2-gen Focus was obviously a retread, and its headlight design was weird, it felt very American.
To be honest, I thought the 2nd gen. Focus was rather dull looking after the rather Edgy 1st gen. model. The fact that they later grafted the rear numberplate recess from the 1st. gen. model onto it when they facelifted it says much.
Yep, the headlights look like insect eyes to me.
“I know a lot of critics moaned about North America not getting the….” (insert name of car the U.S doesn’t get here)
That’s a song that remains the same across the internet. Critics rarely put their money where their keyboards are though.
Being used to the global focus, this looks rather strange. Good to hear it drives properly though, and that the console isn’t too unhandy.
William, don’t those look like BA/BF Falcon taillights?
Not identical but certainly very similar. I had never noticed, Pete!
Now that you’ve said that, I can’t unsee it. Pure Falcon.
I’m not sure of the mechanical and structural differences between the 2010 and my daughter’s 2005, but for what it is, an inexpensive economy car, it seems to do it’s job fairly well. NHV obviously wasn’t high on the design teams priority list as this vehicle is VERY noisy at any speed above 45mph. Tire, engine and wind noise all assault the senses to the point of not being able to hear the radio. The suspension, while a little stiff, really does a good job of holding the road with a minimum of drama, even when pushed a little too hard. But shouldn’t a small 4 banger get a little better mileage? My daughter is happy with it as it is perfectly adequate for a high school senior. And, besides, “it’s cute dad”.
There is a good chance that the engine mounts are failing. If that’s the case have them replaced with original Ford mounts. It’s basically a maintenance item.
Yep. This is a very common failure in these. It’s also a reasonably priced fix.
As far as fuel economy goes your expectations are bit high. Keep in mind that 2 L is not that small a displacement. Better fuel economy could be achieved with fancy technology such as direct fuel injection, variable cam timing, gazillion gear automatic transmission and such. In my opinion (almost) all of that spells trouble down the road and defeats the purpose of economy. This Focus achieves the reported fuel economy with simple technological design – and with drivers who don’t pay for the car nor for the fuel.
‘In my opinion (almost) all of that spells trouble down the road and defeats the purpose of economy.’
Bingo!
I have never even been in one of these. They never looked very appealing to me when new and they have faded to background noise for me. However now that they have gotten some age on them, I am starting to like them a little. This is starting to look like one of very few American cars of this segment that has been both a pleasant driver and a car that has aged well.
Ford Focus, good cars, nothing wrong with them. In 1998 the first Focus generation finally steered Ford away from the mess they created with the Escort and its 34 (give or take a few) updates and facelifts since 1990. Ford finally had a decent VW Golf competitor.
On a more personal note: with a few exceptions (like BMW and Audi) I just can’t get used to the goofy looks of B- and C-segment sedans. They’re just too short and too tall at the rear (mainly because of the strong wedge shape) to be a sedan, the dimensions are all wrong. To my eyes they only work as hatchbacks and wagons.
I agree wholeheartedly with your sedan/hatchback assessment. Most small cars just don’t look right as sedans, and are *so* much more usable in hatchback format. It’s particularly bad on some B-segment entries (the Fiesta being one of the worst offenders) but many of the C’s have the same problem.
This generation Focus actually did work rather well as a sedan, though considering they didn’t see fit to give us a hatchback or wagon version, that’s the least one could ask!
I’m sure that 140 hp would have felt like a rocket ship compared to the 110 hp that my 1997 North American Escort put out.
I remember that when the 2011 North American Focus was being put out to pasture the Automotive Journalists basically said: “Underrated, we never gave it the credit it was due.” Given the way those guys usually trash an outgoing model, that was high praise.
“Underrated, we never gave it the credit it was due.” This makes it a great choice for a used car.
Indeed, it does. I owned a used 2005 Focus ZXW as a cheap commuter. It had 97,000 when I picked it up, and it looked and drove like it was right off the assembly line. The interior that gen was too bland, especially after the creative 1st cycle. The car handled very well–with no “for a wagon” qualifier needed. Curvy roads made this car a bit of a sleeper. It’s the only car I’ve gotten a ticket in in a decade…could have used a MyKey.
Visibility in the ZXW was excellent, mpg was great, and it could hold more cargo than many crossovers and SUVs. I used it as a hunting vehicle as well. Honestly, it was more useful in organizing and storing my gear than the Silverado crew cab I drive now. Go figure.
Boring to look at? Sure. Deserving of respect? It won me over.
That was the v. 1.5 Focus’ legacy:
When new it was “whine, whine, whine, we didn’t get the new European version, so we’re going to slag the car.”
Once it was used, the narrative became, “what a great little car.”
I put about 2500 miles on Gen 1 Focus wagon driving it around National Parks out west, and it was an absolute delight. Stable at 90 MPH, quiet, a little American VW-lite from the early 00’s, more or less.
Then I rented one of these Gen 1.5’s. Terrible. I will give them credit for one thing, the ride was nice. It was very quiet, and rode like a little Buick, way softer than my Gen 1 ZTW.
But the main problem was the horrific build quality. People like to badmouth some interiors as “Playskool”, but these 1.5’s really were. I was pretty tired of it after less than a day, but then once the entire outside drivers door handle broke off in my hand, I returned it to Enterprise for ANYTHING else.
Yeah, I was shocked at the dashboard of this facelift model. All those plain flat surfaces. Reminded me of some cheap pickup truck. I guess they were trying to make up for the creative previous one. Also no hatchback or wagon any more.
I’m sure most people who bought these didn’t realize it was a heavy facelift of the old one. You have to compare the windshield and door frames to see it.
I think this gen Focus was fine for its time. I’ve driven these as service loan cars while my former Mustangs were in for routine service, and in a couple of cases as rentals while working out of town, and found them fine and not particularly noisier at speed than some VW Golfs I’ve used also. From a product perspective when they were current, I found it interesting that European public safety agencies used what looked like the same Focus and Golf models as their patrol cars, while our ‘polizei’ had to have Crown Vics and Explorers. Maybe a slimming down is warranted for both our patrol cars and patrol people.
What are you trying to do? Downsize government one donut at a time?
Sorry I couldn’t resist.
I’ve kind of an apples and oranges comparison, where i have a 2000 VW Golf, my twin sister drives a 2009 Focus. I still prefer the Golf, but do like driving the Focus. They didn’t offer a hatchback in this generation of car, which is a deal breaker for me (haven’t owned a sedan since 1981)…but I’d consider the current generation Focus. My current car is a manual (my Sister has the automatic) but I’ve heard some possible issues with Focus automatics which would make me a bit hesitant to buy one (would consider a manual if I could find one, but as our city gridlock grows I’m thinking an automatic would be better choice). Still the Golf seems like the better equipped car (struts holding up hood, a bit nicer interior, etc.) but it is also more expensive.
No real problems with the transmissions in the first generations of the Focus.
It’s the current one with the automated manual that has put the Focus on the bottom of the reliability charts.
My 2002 ZX3 automatic exhibited very odd behavior once while ascending (well, trying to) up the road to Sandia Peak east of Albuquerque. It did fine going up the road until reaching around 9,000 feet, at which time the transmission felt like it went into “limp-home” mode and absolutely would not shift out of third gear and about 30 mph, which basically meant it refused to climb any higher.
Turning around and heading back down the mountain resolved the problem, and it never did recur over the roughly three months I owned the car afterward. Since I wasn’t planning on climbing any more mountains, I never took it in to see what, if anything, was wrong… but I always wondered.
Being slightly affiliated with our local department, I’ll have to stand up for our officers, who are almost all quite svelte and trim, thank you very much. 😉 I’d argue it’s the amount of *stuff* they need to carry that mandates the larger vehicle, not the amount of officer. An Impala is barely big enough to hold the computer, radio, shotgun, etc, etc, not to mention an occupant in a bulky vest. You can argue whether all that is needed, of course, but I shudder to think of all that crammed into a Golf. “I’m trying to get out and help you, citizen, but I’m jammed between the wheel and my seat.” 🙂
That’s why a C-segment (Golf, Focus) police car is often a wagon, like the VW Golf Variant below.
That would work better. I am curious whether European departments transport suspects in these, or if they have another, larger vehicle for that job. Trying to get an uncooperative subject into a Focus rear seat would be a challenge.
The police uses all kinds and sizes of vehicles, in my country Volkswagen is the norm. Here’s a VW Touran (an MPV):
And here’s a VW Transporter, ideal to transport suspects.
The highway-patrol and special forces drive anonymous cars; the fast versions, from a variety of brands, with the most powerful engines. From the outside you can’t tell it’s a police car. Right up to F-segment sedans, like a BMW 7-series.
Have a look here: http://politievoertuigen.nl/Fotostart.htm
Go to “Foto’s” of the departments showed (included departments that don’t exist anymore), then you see a list with brands on the left, work from there.
Very good information; many thanks.
UK police use Vauxhall Astra, Skoda Octavia and Hyundai i30, often in hatchback for.
BMW 5 series is popular for motorway work now that the Volvo V70 is a memory.
Paul: thank you and all other Police for your service. It is not a easy job at all. You have helped us and you have written tickets. The help you have provided by far exceeds the value of tickets you have written!
I can’t claim the honor of being an actual sworn officer; I’m merely a volunteer. Working with the real police gives me a definite appreciation of what they do, however, and I certainly share your sentiment. Support from the community is much appreciated by all officers, I’ve seen.
“I’ll have to stand up for our officers”. THANK YOU!
I always thought this was a pretty sharp looking Focus, much better improvement over the generation before it by a country mile. This gen Focus was a country mile improvement over the last one.
And I do not even really notice Ford Focus much while in traffic, but this one caught my eye for some reason. The front end headlights and grille work in great harmony..
My wife has a ’10 Focus since August ’16. I pretty much agree with everything Jason said about it. The vibration idling in D is unpleasant but something we can live with. To make it smoother overall it would need a balance shaft and that would increase cost more than Ford was willing to incur. Instead they opted for rather soft engine mounts. These may fail a bit early.
We will travel to North Carolina in this Focus and I am looking forward to it. I know it will be more comfortable and more efficient than the ’05 Pontiac Vibe we could use as well.
I long for the days when one could actually see out of cars.
Meanwhile, still no wagons! Not everyone that needs cargo-room, wants a clumsy, bulky, thirsty minivan or SUV. And have you ever tried to shove a major appliance into a hatchback?
Happy Motoring, Mark
I love wagons and bemoaned the day Ford stopped making these. I’m with you on not wanting a bulky, clumsy, thirsty minivan or SUV, plus I have a rather narrow laneway up to my garage and my narrow ’07 Focus wagon is perfect for this space.
Nice review Jason, you touched on a few reasons we still have our 2001 Focus. We have a 5-speed though, which makes it even more go-kart like. You are correct about the marginal arm and leg room for tall people, ours does mostly commuting duty so it’s not usually an issue.
Funny that our Honda driving friends turned up their noses at our Ford, but whose car is still running with few major repairs and still fun to drive?
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/cars-of-a-lifetime/coal-2001-ford-focus-a-daily-dose-of-joy/
Drove my Mother’s 02 down from Newport OR when she moved to AZ and many times afterward. Well built, roomy, fantastic seats, far better than the ONION.
My brother bought it from the estate when Mom passed. It’s his and his wife’s newest vehicle.
Almost traded for a 10 after the umpteenth ignition problem with the ION. I was impressed on the test drive. Quiet on the freeway. Also well built. Liked the rationalized dashboard better than the one on Mom’s Focus.
Funny thing: all the IRS cars I have driven or ridden in felt like riding in a bathtub. It’s not bad, just different.
Impressive: how durable and reliable this Focus has been, through seven years of fleet use with multiple drivers. It may not be as sexy or as refined or trendy as sone other cars but what one really needs most of the time is something that can be counted on to start every time and get the job done.
I agree the 2001-2010 Ford Focus were good cars for what they were. I had a 2005 Focus with all the bells and whistles(power locks,mirrors, windows, remote entry etc) and it was a good car for commuting. It never failed to start and never left me stranded. I had it during the 2010 Snowmageddon blizzard and it had no issue in that. It was a good car.
I considered a 2010 Focus but ended up buying a 2012 Fiesta. I also test drove a 2012 Focus but the high center console and the slopping A Pillar (which I kept bumping my head on) was a deal breaker.
I guess the Focus you had from the motor pool was not the top of the line Focus? If it had been you would have had to deal with that SYNC system which is god awful. That Sync system was the reason I traded in my Fiesta less then a year later. All I wanted was to listen to my music on a USB or iPod but the Sync system in that car could not even do that correctly.
Here is a pic of my 2005 Focus the day I bought it
That Focus is mid-level, in SE trim, having power windows and locks and no Sync. It also had Sirius radio from the factory but some reorganizing a few years ago is the likely culprit for the subscription being discontinued.
I had a brand new 2008 Focus SE when I worked for Wurth and it served me very well with only a half-shaft going after a few thousand kms. I had no other mechanical issues up until the Focus was turned in around 80,000kms (50,000mi).
My car went up and down a mountain every two weeks as I called on a coal mine at the top. It even drove one long trip along some logging roads as I took a shortcut to a late afternoon sales meeting in another city. Not a stylish car to my eyes, but comfortable, fairly quiet at 120km/ph on the highway and capable of 30mpg at that speed. With Michelin snow tires winter driving was not a problem wherever I drove.
A few co-workers of mine have these; two of which have this very generation. They all love the car for what it does. The one guy with whom I directly work suggested I buy one when the transmission went up in my Mustang and I started to look for a new daily driver. He described it as being a blast to drive.
The current generation was next on my list to test drive when I bought my new commuter car at the end of last August, but I never got to it. I fell in love with the 2016 Civic Coupe after test driving it and bought it, thus stopping my search. Prior to that, I test drove the Chevy Cruze (meh?) and Mazda 3 (I really did like this one). I’ve often wondered if I missed out by not trying the Focus, but am vary happy with my Honda so far.
I drove a ’14 and a ’15 Focus SE while car shopping recently, and also took a ’15 Mazda 3i Sport for a test drive. In terms of driving experience that 3i was tied for my favorite overall–good power for its size, a willing engine, and excellent handling as well. The Focus wasn’t a bad car, but it didn’t nearly measure up in terms of driving experience, cabin comfort, or (very subjective) looks. If that 3 had been a little better equipped and/or a few dollars less, it would probably be in my driveway right now. The Focus contended on value for money but really the only thing I thought it did better than the 3i was cargo space, as the very “fast” roofline of the 3 hatch limits its practicality. So in my own personal opinion you didn’t miss a whole lot.
I didn’t end up buying the Focus either, but that’s another story.
I did not like the restyle job on this Focus 1.5, and bemoaned the loss of the hatch back and wagon, but the excellent underpinnings that made these such terrific handlers was still there.
My older son Ed bought a new 2003 (IIRC) ZX hatchback, with the stick shift, alloy wheels, in bright red. That car was a an absolute hoot to drive through the winding hills round here. But it was a very short term ownership, for reasons I won’t go into here.
I have a 2007 Focus wagon and I love it! It has the same 2.0 liter engine and I find it’s pretty smooth with only a trace of vibration at idle some times, starts right up in the coldest weather and pulls strongly. It’s also fun to drive and has great visibility. I plan to keep it as long as I can because sadly Ford no longer makes wagon versions of these and that’s what I would buy next.
In profile these (in sedan form) have a better design congruity with the current Fusion than the current Focus does, in profile anyway, so I think that has helped with the aging process. I love the basicness of them, they’re the closest thing to a spiritual successor of a 1960 Falcon you can get, but a million times better to drive. They’re surprisingly capable highway cruisers, I drove 2,000 miles in one between Chicago and Denver and back, no cruise control, and there were points where I’d look down at the silver faced speedometer and realize I’m going 92 MPH, and it was smooth, quiet(granted, I’m weened on a V8 with Magnaflows, so my standard may be low) and it’s effortless getting there.
I agree on the console, it’s like it’s not even there. Narrow, low, but still accessible and useful.
I own an ’06 Focus hatch and my wife owns an ’09 or ’10 post-restyle Focus sedan. It wasn’t until she bought her car and parked it next to mine that I could see clearly how these cars are so very much alike. The windshields clearly interchange; the plastic piece at the top of the cowl likely does too. The doors are 100% the same shape, but the skins are different.
I’ve ridden in her Focus and it feels stiffer than mine, and not in a good way. Bumps are swift kicks in the butt. They’re more absorbed in my Focus. But hers has the same acceleration as mine and the same cornering ability.
I’ve owned a fair number of small basic cars and my Focus has far and away been the best, most fun driver.
I wonder if your wife’s Focus is the SES variety. My wife’s Focus SE is quite comfortable. The SES has 16″ wheels and stiffer suspension, the SE has 15″ wheels with higher aspect ratio and is more forgiving with bumps in the road.
Actually, I have an SES and she has an SE.
My SES has leather and a sunroof!
That’s because it was a heavy facelift. Ford changed all of the panels and the interior, but the basic underlying structure was the same. It was not until MY2012 that the North American Focus received a complete redesign. The 2008-2012 Escape got a similar transformation, versus the 2001-2007.
To some effect, Toyota has also done this at least twice with the Camry. The 2007-2011 version became the improved (and cost-cut) 2012-2014 version. The 2014.5 was a face-lifted version of that, which wasn’t as severe…but Toyota did change every single panel save for the roof, an unusual thing to do outside of a full generational changeover.
Indeed Toyota has marketed essentially the same Camry for 15 years. By golly, that is a great way to amortize development and tooling costs!
-Further, Toyota uses, reuses, and uses again the same platform for US market Avalon, Highlander, Lexus ES and RX 350….what am I forgeting…. ? I admire Toyota for its excellent basic engineering which matches the test of time well. I also admire their marketing savvy—they produce exactly the kind of car non-enthusiasts want– reliable, durable, mostly comfortable, and good value for money. If only GM could have gleaned more from its Nummi project in Fremont, CA!
I like the Focus, and would be happy with one as a general commuting car. However, I may be in the minority here by saying that I prefer the appearance of the 1st generation sedans, particularly from the rear angles. I think the 1st generation’s larger tail lights help mask the odd (tall but narrow) proportions that make many smaller sedans odd to look at.
Also, good for your employer for keeping cars around for 7 years & 130,000 miles. Often, fleets (esp. public sector fleets, which is what I have experience with) have their cars on replacement schedules far before they reach that age/mileage. Yet, cars are generally so reliable these days, that early replacement schedules end up being needlessly costly.
Life expectancy for light duty fleet has been an ongoing debate where I work with distinct virtues either way. Do we sell at low mileage and enjoy the resale prices or do we keep until they are dead and expect a pittance when sold?
Currently the life expectancy is 10 years or 150,000 miles but that is also currently under heavy debate.
When I had the fleet responsibility when I lived in Hannibal, my philosophy was a bit different (is that any real surprise?). I intentionally bought used Impalas from the federal government. I could get a three or four year old Impala with 35,000 to 50,000 miles for $9500. It would be sold at 150k, so I could get 100k to 115,000 miles of use for $9500. Or, had I bought new, it would have been 150k of use for $18k with resale prices being the same either way. I let Uncle Sam take the hit but then I’m cheap.
When I had a private sector company vehicle many many years ago they were replaced at 4yr or 60K whichever came first.
My state has different schedules for different classes of vehicles. Your basic sedan will get its replacement ordered at 12yrs or 100K. Pickups Vans and Hybrids are 150K. My county has similar rules. Of course they will sometimes retire one early if it is “uneconomical to repair” which sometimes just means the mechanic is stumped or lazy. I’ve got a couple of vehicles from the state cheap that were retired early because of that.
You can accidentally engage the MyKey system, and if you don’t have another key that’s unrestricted, you’re stuck with it until you get a new one made at the dealership. That’s what my uncle did to his 2014 Mustang V6 Convertible by accident.
I myself purchased a 2014 Lincoln MKS this past weekend that also only had one key, so I’ve avoided messing with the MyKey settings, lest I end up in the same situation (although I also plan on getting another key).
Congrats on the new car sir! The Lincoln is replacing a Volkswagen Golf, correct?
Thanks. Yes, the 2015 Golf SportWagen TDI is going bye-bye.
I will say that the Lincoln is substantially harder to park, but much more relaxed on the highway and in the city. And it has lots of toys, too…blind-spot monitoring, massaging seats, heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, auto high-beams, cross-traffic detection. I’m pleased with it. And even the base 3.7-liter V6 feels very energetic compared to my TDI; I can’t imagine how fast the EcoBoost + AWD combo is.
I especially like the Ford key pad because I can lock my keys in the car when I go to the gym, instead of carrying them around with me or leaving them in the communal key bowl, where someone could feasibly take them and the car itself.
The MKS is a very underrated car and I’m sure you’re going to get a lot of value out of it. Just out of curiosity, was it something you were planning on getting as a replacement for your TDI, or did you just see it on the VW dealer’s lot and decide to go for it?
It was on the Lincoln dealer’s lot. My friend was trying to dissuade me from getting another BMW once I started lusting after the 4-Series coupe (I had a 2011 X5 not long ago), so he took me to the Lincoln dealer to “lower my expectations”. It’s a real cream puff of a car. Not a scratch or dent to be seen, it’s an ex-lease with 30K miles, and Lincoln didn’t manage to get it on the road for the first owner until mid-2015, so even though the car is a 2014, less than two years of the original warranty is used up. And since the dealer advertised it as certified on their site (they say it’s a mistake; I say they were being deceptive), I’m making them certify it, too.
And the OTD price was under $22K. I’m well pleased. I don’t think I could get more for less anywhere else, and it’s bound to be less finicky than the European cars I’ve been driving. I just have to get used to parking it; it’s literally as long as a Tahoe.
Nice! That certified pre-owned program is pretty robust.
Welcome to the fold of those of us who actually understands the value of Fords Keyless entry and you can see exactly why Ford back pedaled quickly after discontinuing it for 98.
You always want to have 3 keys for your Ford product. As long as you have two you can add a 3rd by yourself.
Count me in as well! Had it on the Mark VIII and the Marauder, and I was pleased to see that it has not in fact been axed, just made a little more high-tech and a little less obvious on the newer models.
Congrats bro. The MKS is a terrific used buy because of the sheer amount of stuff you get for your money. I’ve toyed with the idea of eventually buying one used in the US but I think I will eventually get a 3rd-gen CTS. Still, I’d love to read your thoughts on the MKS. (Hell, I’d love to read a review of yours!) Is it FWD or AWD? How’s the ride quality? I’ve heard very mixed reviews. What are your thoughts on the Lincoln Drive Control?
It’s the standard 3.7-liter / FWD combo. But the only options it’s missing are the advanced driver aids, like collision avoidance, auto braking, parallell-park assist and radar cruise (if that was even available).
As for Lincoln Drive Control, I honestly haven’t been able to discern the difference between Sport, Normal and Comfort. It just drives like a soft-mannered land barge the majority of the time, IMO.
Good write up, thank you. How long does the State of Missouri usually hold on to vehicles for. I assume this is a state owned vehicle.
Great read, Jason.
I rented one of the ’08 models back then, when it still had that little, harp-shaped chrome-and-black molding on the front fenders. Aside from being baffled as to why that trim piece was there, it was a decent ride that weekend – hauled all my stuff, accommodated two in the back once I got to my destination, got great gas mileage, and was responsive. You’re right about those seats, though. Toward the end of my long, five hour drive, I was regularly switching my driving position.
Reading about the 140 hp rating of the 2.0L in this car, and the decent performance it provided, I have to shake my head at the 88-hp rating of my old 2.3L-powered ’88 Mustang. (Didn’t you have an ’89, if I recall correctly?)
Yes, I had an ’89 with a slushbox. Maybe 140 horsepower isn’t so bad in a sense, as I piloted that 90 horse wonder for 80,000 miles. That said, it wasn’t quite as buzzy as this one.
I have a 2004 ZTS Sedan in light tundra green and tan interior. It does have the larger 205/50-16 tires, the 2.3L engine and 5 speed. The car immediately impressed me with it’s handling on day 1 when I went to a 30mph exit curve and took it pushing past 60. Later I improved the suspension with Fords higher rate struts in the front and springs in the back to lower 1 inch.
The power is fantastic. At 65 it is turning 2200 rpm but when the engine hits 3000 rpm you can feel the power band kick in and it is off to the races. Many a V8 Mustang was surprised by that when on a freeway on ramp narrowing from 2 to 1 lane. It is truly a kick with that drive line. The ride is very smooth and quiet. No trouble hearing a CD in the cabin. Seating firm as I like it especially my back. Could use a thicker bolster on the sides.
Mileage at 30 mpg since I have a lead foot once in awhile. Tires go for around 40,000-45,000 miles which is about four years. Changing the rear brakes shoes is different. Suspension up front straight forward although room for getting to inner tie rods is tight. Really wish the car had retractable side view mirrors as I just got my second one ripped off the drivers side last night to the tune of $79 from Ford. Aargh!!!
Should note that one needs to be aware of the passenger side engine mount which is the most likely one to go and when it does you will notice in vibration. The only smart move then is to use a genuine Ford one as aftermarket won’t get past six months. These babies aren’t cheap.
Oh, and I am 6’1″ and seem to fit fine for long drives. Funny thing about the car was that I was going to get a Mazda 3, with the same engine, only Ford’s $2500 rebate was enough to overcome my reluctance to buy American since the 70’s.
The only smart move then is to use a genuine Ford one as aftermarket won’t get past six months. These babies aren’t cheap.
About $140 list for the Ford mount. That’s only about $25.50 in 1973 dollars. Problem is it’s a hydraulic mount. It deteriorates and the fluid leaks out. When the fluid is gone, the engine is essentially laying directly on the wheel well, and transmits all the vibration in the world into the body structure, which starts up sympathetic vibrations in the body. It’s like riding inside a drum being beat in a long roll.
Replacing the mount is a snap, if you have the tools: Use a jack or engine hoist to support the engine, move the coolant tank aside and the mount is nekked and at your mercy.
There are two other mounts, one under the battery and one underneath the rear of the engine.
Always hated the Gen 1 Focus because it looked so grotesque, even the dash was weird – as if drawn by a drunk. Brilliant chassis of course , great fun on an open road. I thought the facelift of the Gen 2 was pretty good. The Gen 3 is best forgotten. i haven’t driven a Gen 2 or Gen 3, but I once sat in a new Gen 2, seeing how many loose bits of trim and un-used fasteners I could find.
My 06, purchased as a winter beater, to avoid exposing the VeeDub to road salt, which roads around Detroit are drowned in. So, of course we have had one of the wimpiest winters on record. Base “S” trim, meaning crank windows and mechanical locks, no tilt steering column, no ABS or traction control. “Perfect” says cheapskate Steve “less stuff to break”.
Rather grumpy and complainy when roused on a cold morning, but goes quite well once warmed up. Replaced the passenger side engine mount before the people in the seismology department at U of M complained. Other mounts suspect as it still shakes as much or more than my old Escort, but it’s tolerable.
Only get about 24mpg, but contributing factors would be cold weather, an average trip length of about 4 miles, and it’s a stick, which puts my driving style in Niki Lauda mode.
Corners well enough, considering the 100K+ mile struts and bushings, not to mention the Chinese “Headway” tires, but in no way is it on the same planet as my VW. Investigating the originally sloppy handling, I found the tires only had about 26psi in them. Pumping the skins up to 36 sharpened the response considerably.
With spring being coy about showing up…temp hit 70 last week, but Saturday I was driving in a snow squall with the heater on full blast, the question is whether to bid adieu to the Focus, or keep him for as many winters as he lasts before something expen$ive breaks.
No worries about an intrusive console here.
Over the winter, my Focus treated me to the most irritating squeaksqueaksqueak imaginable. It was coming from somewhere in the back of the car…but just try and locate one particular squeak in an old, high mileage car. Ah, the net is a wonderful thing. Found out the e-brake cable runs through a metal ring on the underside of the body. Over the years, the metal ring wears through the rubber outer coating of the e-brake cable conduit and starts rubbing against the metal inner layer of the conduit, and the ring conducts the squeak into the body of the car.
A dip into my whatnot box for a strip of plastic and a couple zip ties provided the solution to separating the metal inner conduit from the ring.
This happened to my Mom’s 09 as well! It’s not even high mileage! I made a similar fix, also found from the internet.
Other issue it had seemingly prematurely was the front sway bar endlinks, the stock ones were rattling like crazy by 35,000 miles
Other issue it had seemingly prematurely was the front sway bar endlinks, the stock ones were rattling like crazy by 35,000 miles
According to Carfax, mine got new sway bar links at 43,378 in 2011, and the links were virtually new when I bought it with 106K on it, so, yup, depending on your tolerance for suspension noise. 45K, give or take, is about right, per set of links. The shop declares my suspension A-OK each time I have the oil changed, but Michigan’s third world grade pavement provokes plenty of squeaks and clunks.
A-ha! Perhaps that is the periodic squeak I kept hearing.
Thank you!
Drove the first gen. North American Focus when my vehicle was in for service back in 2003 and was very impressed by how taut and nimble it was. The last Ford product besides the Club Wagon I was driving at the time was an ’89 Topaz. What a world of difference!
Too bad the 2010 generation took on that Dame Edna look. I did a mental photo-shop and if only the top “eyelashes” were cropped straight across… hang on, I’ll do a real-photo shop..
Ahh much better. Looks like a Jetta, but if Ford hadda done it first??
Now, about that Promaster…
LOL at “Dame Edna look”!
Your straight across crop also looks quite a bit like the concurrent Fusion, but with a little less grille. +1 for family resemblance!
Very nice writeup, as so many have said, and an excellent overview of a car I always hope to rent when I travel somewhere that has fun roads. My first one, though, was from the Enterprise agency close to both our Subaru mechanic and our favorite body shop – I think the latter was what prompted the rental. Of course it was an automatic – I think you have to go to Italy if you want a stick shift – and it was first or second generation. My first and most lasting impression was made by the cabin appointments: very plain, obviously inexpensive materials, but attractive and good quality for all that, nicely fitted both to the car and to my bod. Yes, the seat would get kinda hard after a hundred miles or so, but at least the contours were well done. And it hit me: If IKEA made and sold cars, this is how they’d look and feel. They would call it Kä, and you’d have to install a lot of stuff, but it would be cheap and durable enough for maybe ten years.
I have rented a couple of others over the years since that, and while they have become more comfortable and probably more powerful (and still more fun than any damn Sentra or Corolla), it’s still the first one I think they got right. But then I have felt that way about quite a few Fords …
I’ve never driven one of these but might well have ended up with one new in ’08 if they had kept the hatchback.
Two of my co-workers have silver Focuses of this style. Both are getting rusty in the rocker panels and the weld along the bottom. One owner says he loves the handling, and it’s good in snow, with studded snow tires.
I’ve recounted my ownership of a brand new 2001 ZX3 hatch here before, and I do not have many nice things to say about these cars. Basically, it drove great, when it ran… Left me stranded from a fried ECU 3 times before the initial warranty ran out. I will second others who say fuel economy was sub-par; it was rare to average anything better than 26 MPG per tank. I kicked that car out of my bed the minute I passed 36,000 miles. Crazy depreciation for a two year old car when I let it go 2003. It seems like the later models sorted out a lot of their problems according to the majority of you here. Hard pass from me.
I’ve recounted my ownership of a brand new 2001 ZX3 hatch here before, and I do not have many nice things to say about these cars. Basically, it drove great, when it ran…
iirc, the early Focus set a record for the number of recalls. The later ones were fairly well sorted out, especially when they went to the Mazda engine in 05.
Roads around here are still crawling with first gen Foci, but then I live about 8 miles from the Wayne assembly plant that has been cranking them out since day one.
I always get confused by this gen focus and always want to call it an Escort and place it in the spot before the 1st gen Focus.
Ironically, bigger modern fours tend to be smoother than smaller ones because they’re more likely to have balance shafts. The 2300 MZR engine in the ZX4 version (the same one in my Mazda3) has balance shafts and is really pretty smooth. The idle is maybe a little lumpy, especially on a hot day with the A/C on, but it’s not what I’d call buzzy and I’ve encountered a fair number of V-6s that were a lot more obtrusive. It’s really a very nice engine, although by current standards its fuel economy isn’t great.
Engines are growing again, (too) small turbocharged engines do only well in the lab when it comes to fuel consumption. On the road, in real life, they do much, much worse. A typical example is Fiat’s tiny 2-cylinder we have here. These little gasoline engines just have to work -an try- too hard, all the time, so goodbye fuel efficiency.
Toyota will replace its 1.3 liter by a new 1.5 liter engine, in the updated Yaris, to be introduced very soon. Just an example.
Regarding the Ford Focus: the most common gasoline engine here is (still) the turbocharged 1.0 liter 3-cylinder.
I agree. I spent the last month driving a well kept 2002 Volvo S40 with the 1.9l Turbo engine and 5 speed auto trans. The car was absolutely a pig on gas. Not to mention it took premium gas. When I compare it with the gas consumption of my old 2005 Focus with the 2.0l engine and a 4 speed auto trans, my Focus got better gas mileage.
A very common engine in a D-segment family car (Ford Mondeo, Renault Talisman, Peugeot 508, etc.) these days is a 1.6 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder gasoline engine, either with a manual (6-speed) or automatic transmission.
For example, PSA doesn’t offer a 2.0 liter gasoline engine anymore (or not yet…), so they also put their 1.6 liter turbo engine in the 308 GTI. Either with 250 or 270 hp (the 308 is Peugeot’s Ford Focus competitor).
I had an 2002 1.6 litre petrol 5 speed Focus mK1 (Euro spec) hatch for 5 years/125,000 miles, and it has to stand as the best car I have had. Great to drive, comfortable, spacious enough (boot could have been better, with a spacesaver wheel), economic enough, reliable and great to look at. Better than a Golf Mk4 overall – quite possibly, and definitely as a driver’s experience.
You can see the Mk1 door profiles and screen clearly in this rather forced Mk1.5 US version. From the photos, the interior has lost its imaginative style as well.
I followed up with a Euro spec Mk2, in a similar spec, which was marginally more comfortable, more spacious and not quite as sharp to drive. Again faultless reliability and durability but with much toned down styling and a rather VW style interior. Another 5 years and 125,000 miles.
The car that truly showed that popular could be good, and good be popular. What a change from the 1990 Escort!
Haven’t ever had the chance to drive one of this generation–I’ve never appreciated their discontinuation of the wagon and hatch, but it sounds like quite a good driver for what seems a rather unassuming compact sedan. As I mentioned in another comment, I’ve recently driven two examples of the current-gen Focus, and while a pleasant enough drive, I’d stop a little short of calling them “fun”–they were pretty clearly outclassed by a Mazda 3i and weren’t a markedly better drive than a previous-gen Civic EX. Quite a bit better than the Dodge Dart SXT though (yawn-inducing, that one).
With size creep being a real thing, I wonder how the current Fiesta compares in size/power/driving feel in relation to the 1st-gen Focus? Of course, it’s at the very end of its design cycle, so perhaps the 2018 model that should commence production this year would be a better comparison.