Well, a year and one month, to be exact. I bought my Focus SE sedan last January with just under 21,000 on the odo. A pretty low mileage car for being 4 years old.
First of all, the gas mileage has really impressed me. Even in mixed highway & rush-hour stop & go, I routinely get 29 mpg with some spirited driving. For only being a run-of-the-mill econobox 4 cylinder engine, it makes a nice howl under load at high rev's; enough to put a smile on my face
I must say that the cabin does have its fair share of wind noise, road noise, a few rattling panels sometimes, etc. But the car is very comfy and fun to drive. The leather seats also make for comfortable long trips.
As for repairs, I did have the driver door lock replaced under warranty, and I had to replace the front rotors and pads (typical of this mileage). Other than that, the car has been completely trouble-free.
But what I love most about this car - and what makes me excited to drive it every single day - is how connected and mechanical it feels. The suspension is very tight, yet comfortable. You can cruise down the road comfortably, then take a sharp turn very fast the next second and the car doesn't miss a beat. The steering also feels very precise and connected; no electric power steering here. The feedback from driving this car is simply wonderful, making all of the fun things I had previously heard about the first-gen Focus absolutely true.
Bottom line: from the steering, to the throttle response, gearing, transmission, suspension, etc., this is the most enjoyable car I've ever owned (even over my Neon SRT-4). Something about the simplicity and balance of this car makes it cheap to own, yet very fun to drive. I plan on driving this thing until it dies.
First of all, the gas mileage has really impressed me. Even in mixed highway & rush-hour stop & go, I routinely get 29 mpg with some spirited driving. For only being a run-of-the-mill econobox 4 cylinder engine, it makes a nice howl under load at high rev's; enough to put a smile on my face
As for repairs, I did have the driver door lock replaced under warranty, and I had to replace the front rotors and pads (typical of this mileage). Other than that, the car has been completely trouble-free.
But what I love most about this car - and what makes me excited to drive it every single day - is how connected and mechanical it feels. The suspension is very tight, yet comfortable. You can cruise down the road comfortably, then take a sharp turn very fast the next second and the car doesn't miss a beat. The steering also feels very precise and connected; no electric power steering here. The feedback from driving this car is simply wonderful, making all of the fun things I had previously heard about the first-gen Focus absolutely true.
Bottom line: from the steering, to the throttle response, gearing, transmission, suspension, etc., this is the most enjoyable car I've ever owned (even over my Neon SRT-4). Something about the simplicity and balance of this car makes it cheap to own, yet very fun to drive. I plan on driving this thing until it dies.
