Ford Focus ST

[VaderSS]

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Your also noticing the 2.3 Duratec just gets better with time?

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Honestly? Not really, but the guys on the Focus forums keep telling me to wait for 10k. I'm keeping a detailed fuel economy spreadsheet going and have seen no noticeable, mile-related, fuel economy improvements. It's a jewel of an engine anyway though. The midrange is simply incredible with this engine.

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22/31 MPG!? Out of a 2.3L 156hp 4 cyl!

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The numbers are a bit dissapointing, and I'm sure they run off more than a few people who would otherwise be interested in the car. It really does seem like you could get better economy out it.

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I owned a 2000 Focus and the best way to describe the Focus is that it is more than than the sum of its parts. The car has no glaring weaknesses.Your handling was as good the tires on the car.

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That's it, in a nutshell. You really have to drive the car to appreciate it. One thing that gets me is that the reviews really slam it for being an 8 year old platform, but the fact is, this car is a real hoot to drive.

To me, what really makes this car is the chassis. The suspension and steering are simply incredible on this car. I've never driven anything else that can soak up potholes and pavement dips, while still retaining superb handling, as well as the Focus ST. It reminds me of a 9C1 cop Caprice, except that the 9C1 is nowhere near as tight as the Focus.

Tires really make the car. I pulled the mediocre Pirelli P6s off and put a set of Goodyear GS-D3s on and it improved the fun factor quite a bit. My girlfriend drives a 2006 Miata, and she feels the Focus(with the GS-D3s) is almost as fun as the Miata, in it's own way. I agree with her.

 

[JHZR2]

Vader, I think you got it... as an honorary focus owner (I had a long term rental for 4 months), I really enjoed the car, its compact dimensions but very usable interior. Other than a rattle in the driver's door, the interior was tight and well designed... the dash wasnt soft, but it looked high quality (soft dashes in econo cars are for tools that think theyre showing off).

The car (any engine) should have done better, but apparently now the 2.0 is rated higher.

Other than lousy headlights (do the high beams offer any improvement over the low beams?) and transmission too eager to downshift (thus the poorer than expected economy until MY07), the car was great! The MT version that we use in the USVI gets rid of the AT downshift issues, and makes the car (2.0L) great to drive, even on the REALLY steep hills. The shifter is heads and shoulders better than our integra, and Id say even better than the saab... Its not far behind the feel of the shifter on my BMW, which cannot be beat.

Overall a great little car, and can't wait to see the new one.

JMH

 

[VaderSS]

Yup, it has rattles I'd not expect already. I'm pretty good at eliminating rattles though. Just have to get annoyed enough about it.

I find my headlights to be fine and highbeam is much better than low. Not the best, but certainly not the worst I've had, which would be the Impala's.

The shifter is the best FWD shifter I've ever used, even better than the one in the Civic, IMO.

I'm really not expecting much out of the next one. I hope they keep it the same size and work on the engines, hopefully getting more performance out of the ST motor and getting better economy out of the 2.0, while improving fit, finish, and material selection.

Moot point though. My next car will be a compact RWD sports coupe/sedan, either the 1/2-series or a 3-series. I almost did it this time, but decided to invest a little more heavily for the next few years.

 

[Hermann]

Am I correct in the fact that the 2.3l engine, I think in 2003 or 2004 was a $150 option on anything above a S trim level. What a bargain? I recall Car and Driver testing one..The 0-60 was in the mid 7's if recall and the 1/4 mile was like 16 flat? Anywho C&D really like theirs. It was there PZEV engine for those 5 states or so that required a certain % of car of each manufacture has to PZEV.

 

[VaderSS]

2003 and 2004 the Duratec 2.3 was an option over the 2.0L Zetec. Yes, those 0-60 and 1/4 mile times are correct. Yes, it was a heck of a bargain.

It also pulled a taller gear that allowed the 0-60 to be made in 1st and 2nd, where the 2005+ makes you shift before 60 is reached, so it is often a touch slower to 60 than the older and less powerful PZEV 2.3 and got better fuel economy to boot. Of course, the 2005+ 2.3 pulls harder in each gear though.

 

[VaderSS]

Figured I'd give an update. I've put 9,450 miles on the Focus, and am still loving it. The only thing that would tempt me out of it, would be one of the upcoming BMW 1 series cars or some other RWD compact car I've not heard of yet.

I've carried up to 5 people in it, and it will comfortably carry 4 full size people.

I've noticed no new rattles and/or squeaks, but it still has the ones that showed up quickly. I've not noticed any more power out of the engine, but fuel economy has gone up.

My average is 27.01 MPG with 75% highway driving. My worst was 20.41 with pure short trip and lots of idling and a best of 32.33 on a 70 MPH highway run.

Driving around Houston has given me 25-27 MPG while highway trips have given me 29-30 MPG consistantly, doing 75-80.

Looking at a graph of my fuel economy, it does seem to have been steadily improving, most noticeably in the first 3000 miles, but still improving even now.

 

[JHZR2]

They are nice little cars. I had one for 4 months, and put MANY more thousands of miles on mine in that short time than you put onto the one you have... I never found MPG to increase, and as Ive said before, I found it kind of disapointing... but it was the 2.0 with AT, and that was that... 30-30 on all highway trips that I can significantly exceed EPA estimates on in my cars is not where its at.

But it was solid, the engine was eager, the body was tight, there were no rattles or squeaks to speak of, and the materials on the dash look to be of higher quality than the audi a3 I sat in at the auto show.

Nice little car, good luck!

 

[Hermann]

Vader,

What was the MSRP of your Focus.. Did it have the street appearance package on it?

 

[K-Man]

Word is that the '08 US-spec Focus will no longer have the 3-door, 5-door, or wagon body styles. The 4-door stays, and a new 2-door will appear (somewhat like the old ZX2 based on the Escort). IMHO, Ford would seem to be making a mistake at the low end of its range here, not only by dropping these body styles, but also with keeping the first-generation Focus and not offering an entry-level car below the Focus as Chevrolet did with the Aveo. Ford sells the Ka in Mexico...

But that said, I agree that the newer Foci are nice cars and have had the bugs worked out. Maybe that's consolation enough for not getting the second-generation Focus here directly (instead of by proxy through Mazda).

 

[Doc8404]

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Figured I'd give an update. I've put 9,450 miles on the Focus, and am still loving it. The only thing that would tempt me out of it, would be one of the upcoming BMW 1 series cars or some other RWD compact car I've not heard of yet.

I've carried up to 5 people in it, and it will comfortably carry 4 full size people.

I've noticed no new rattles and/or squeaks, but it still has the ones that showed up quickly. I've not noticed any more power out of the engine, but fuel economy has gone up.

My average is 27.01 MPG with 75% highway driving. My worst was 20.41 with pure short trip and lots of idling and a best of 32.33 on a 70 MPH highway run.

Driving around Houston has given me 25-27 MPG while highway trips have given me 29-30 MPG consistantly, doing 75-80.

Looking at a graph of my fuel economy, it does seem to have been steadily improving, most noticeably in the first 3000 miles, but still improving even now.

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we're looking at the Civic, Mazda 3 and i'm trying to convince her to look at the focus...but with the Civic getting over 30 MPG (since we do 90% hwy driving) the civic would be worth the extra purchase price.

 

[VaderSS]

JHZR2, is yours a 2007? I know that the 2006s have a flash update that brings the fuel economy up to 2007 standards or 27/34 for an auto 2.0.

Hermann, MSRP on mine was $18240, but it only had the 6cd player and perimeter alarm for options, no SAP. I wound up paying about $14k though, as they sold it at invoice and with a $2500 rebate.

rsylvstr, you'll be doing yourselves a disservice if you don't drive all of the competition. Too much money to spend without giving all of them a fair shot. That said, you ureally can't go wrong with a Civic.

I agonized over the Civic Si vs Focus ST. If the dealers had been more willing to deal, I may have went with a Civic, but the $6k difference was simply too much to justify for me. The non-Si Civic left me impressed with the quality, but completely unimpressed with the power, ride and handling. The Mazda3 was nice as well, but not that much nicer than the Focus, to me for the money, and I was always aware of the extra weight it was carrying. The Focus ST just felt a little more sporting to me.

 

[JHZR2]

MT foci are very economical. IIRC, the MT 2.0 is rated at 37 MPG highway. Not a huge difference, whereas the price delta for a focus vs. civic is VERY large to the focus's favor.

You just replaced an AT on a civic at 108k... you really think that Honda is a quality product?!?!?!? I wouldnt be buying from that maker when they sell me a $20k econobox with an AT that fails that quick.

The focus transmission is much better than any other FWD vehicle - better than the intergra, better than the RSX, better than the current civic... Ive driven them all.

IMO, the focus with MT is the econo car to buy right now.

Best,

JMH

 

[JHZR2]

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JHZR2, is yours a 2007? I know that the 2006s have a flash update that brings the fuel economy up to 2007 standards or 27/34 for an auto 2.0.

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I gave mine back in at the beginning of august, after putting about 14k on it (had it since new, did that mileage in 4 months!)...

No flash, alas, it could have used it. THe vehicle was always more than willing to go and make a sprint for it, whatever it is... But it was disapointing that my mother's plymouth breeze (97, 2.0L, AT, 105k) does better in highway mileage than that car did.

I would have preferred an MT version, and then likely would have had no issues.

Glad to hear there was a new flash. No worries then - I do miss that little car!

JMH

 

[Blue_Goose]

I had a 2003 ZX3 and other than being hard on tires and the A/C crapping out twice(both on really hot days) I enjoyed the car. Very solid with no rattles

Goose