Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec 5dr

I bought my 2004 1.6 Zetec model about 4 months ago and generally quite happy with it.Practical Car that generally feels good on the road and returns good MPG around town.

Caution! I have had to replace the full exhaust recently and the quote nearly knocked me off my feet! Over £500 for an exhaust including the Catylitic Converter.This was the cheapest quote of four and it carried a 3 year guarantee," For £500 I felt Budget should have gave a years road tax and a full tank of fuel"! But C,est La Vie.

My only other concern is the front end handling,taking bends/corners at reasonable speed the steering becomes light and unpredictable.I previously owned a Mazda 323 Sport so the step back in spec is maybe hurting a bit but I do think the Front End is ropey especially in the wet!

I hope this helps!

now i have only owned this car for 1 month and i have to say it is fantastic. the car i owned before the focus was the mark 5 ford fiesta a reliable little car but one of the roughest cars i have ever had. steping up from fiesta to focus was bliss the engine an soo much smoother quieter. the handeling is awsome i can throw it round corners at 50 its not somthing i like doing but good to know i can :). and also the comfort of this car is its key feture its soo smooth u wouldennt even know the road was under u.

After rain boot leaks whenevr you open it dripping water into boot so all upholstery gets wet - you then have condensation on inside of windows for days.

Lots of common problems with engine - including water in spark plugs and core plugs. In middle of another engine breakdown tow home and resulting repair bill.

Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec - Nice car, comfy when you get the drivers seat where you want it although I find the centre console edge is where my left knee rests. Good handling, brakes, gearbox and steering.

Good headlights with a nice spread of light, huge boot and rear seats have good comfort and the rear leg room is good even for the taller person and I have carried 3 large people in the rear with no complaints from them.

I do find the economy is poor, although it is getting slightly better as the miles add up but would have preferred the diesel.

I have a 52 plate, 1.6 auto Ford Focus Zetec, so basically your average run of the mill car, it handles well and is quite responsive, BUT PLEASE BEWARE, if you buy the automatic version you will notice its thirst for fuel, especially around town, can be sluggish on exceleration, but the next bit will shock you, because it is an Auto, it has high emmissions, beware of this, my tax is mental: 6 months = £112, 12 months = £205. Thats right, 1.6 engine, over 200 pounds for a years tax!

I was planning to buy a used but excellent condition Alfa Romeo 156 twin sparks. But despite the great reviews I read on this site I just couldn't shake the idea of a used Italian car, when I think of Ducati and the people I know have said never buy an Italian car or bike. So I looked into buying a new one, but given my age, fully comprehensive insurance would have crippled me. So I looked at other cars and found the Ford Focus to be an acceptable diversion. I took it out for a test drive and told the guy I wasn't sure if I liked it or not just so I could get a few more miles in it. Now having said that, I haven't owned one and perhaps after a few months of driving it my opinion migh have changed some what. The Americans say that Ford is short for found on roadside dead, I don't think so. Viva la Focus!

This Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec 5dr is by far the best car I have ever bought, it looks good, runs fantastic and I have never had any problems with this car. I have read a lot of these reviews about the focus being a bad car with a lot of problems, it cant be that bad as I am replacing mine this month for another 1.6 zetec... well done ford.

I bought my 2002 brand new off the lot and one week later i had a transmission leak. I was called in a week after that because they said i needed a co-signer, well when they did the new paperwork, the put it as a used car because the miles i put on it and i did not realize this. My brakes have gone out 3 times, ive had my radio replaced 7x now, the lights in my dash go out daily for 30 minute periods of time. My electrical panel fell behind my brakes when i was driving.,, which they blamed on an alarm that had not been taken out all the way but 2 weeks later when my car had to be towed because it wouldn't start they blamed that on the alarm too...the one they said they took out the last time i had a problem. They've lost my entire set of keys and requested that i search their service department to look for them. I've called corperate and told them my problems and they said they would send me a check for my time and work compensation... they sent me a coffee mug that says FORD FOCUS.

In August i went back in and they apologized for the problems i had with my car and told me to pick out another car i would like. I chose a 4 door f150. 2 monthes after driving it, they told me to bring it back because they could not sell my car and could not get me financed. My car has been in the shop for over a month total, and in my contract im entitled to a rental car but i have probloms every time i go to get one because i am not yet 21.

To see if it was the radio i changed one myself through a guy that works for ford and the same problem occurs.

I bought this at Garden Grove ford.

Does anybody have simular problems?

I have owned a 1.6 Zetec Ford Focus for 15 months and each time I sit behind the wheel I feel on par with Coin MacRae. The handling is super...and I've driven loads of cars....and nothing comes close. Yet ride comfort is very good and shrugs bumps and thumps away with finesse. The interior is well designed and my wife finds it really easy to secure baby Emma into the baby-seat without breaking her back. The upright driving position is very comfortable and gives plenty of view of the road ahead. Though rear 3/4 view can be nasty. The boot is a bit of a tight fit, but all the shopping will fit no problem.

The glitches: I can't understand other people's complains about reliabilty. It's true that the car doesn't feel that sturdy as say a Nissan....but up to now....with 30K plus milage...absolutely no problem. The engine is the Focus 'weak' point. While it is happy to cruise along for the relaxed Joe, it is slow to pick up on revs and pile up speed. Dropping a gear is a must and revving hard is to no use as the engine is based on torque rather than high end power. Fine for plodding along in town traffic..but when the open road comes along..I'm found pushing hard to keep ahead. Then there's that transmission. It's bulky and slow. Changing a gear without lifting your foot from the accelerator is nearly impossible. Finally, the kit...it's shameful. For 13 grand there is no passenger air-bag or ABS! Shame on you FORD!

Overall, the Focus is a very nice car and, if you are an enthusiastic driver....it's definitely your car, but the motor isn't it's biggest asset!