2002 Ford Focus Zetec 1.6 petrol

Summary:

Everything you could ever want, buy one

Faults:

Not one single thing, this car is a dream come true.

General Comments:

The car is not mine, it belongs to my mum, but I have been driving it for a week while my own Peugeot 206 is being fixed after a minor accident.

This car is fabulous, I now really want a Focus of my own, my mum loves it, and before I would have said 'Relax its only a car' I can see what she means now when she talks about it and how good it is.

The car is so smooth and such a pleasure to drive.

The seats are height adjustable, which is good, as my mum is only 5'2 and I am 6'2, meaning we can both be comfortable.

The car is so comfortable on long or short journeys and carries passengers and luggage with ease at 70 mph.

The cabin is very cheerful and the interior of the car is so well laid out.

The heating and air conditioning are brilliant and very quick when either are needed.

The heated windscreen is something you don't see on my dads new top of the range Audi A4.

Out and out, the car is a dream, it looks amazing, handles brilliantly on all road surfaces and is always reliable.

Ford have a very good reputation in our family, and the Focus more than lives up to what we expect from them, well done Ford, you have made one fabulous car.

If you need a car for pleasure, a family or just transportation, the Focus is there for your every needs, go on, buy one, you won't be sorry.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 21st January, 2004

22nd Jan 2004, 16:14

I had the same model as a temporary hire car and had much the same view as you. Although its handling and steering were particularly superb, the whole car just gels as a package, and has some superb engineering detail. The clever rear suspension for starters which gives the Focus handling abilities that nothing else in the class gets near. Steering assistance which switches off when rolling for maximum feel. The first class Quickclear heated windscreen. The fog light switch that turns off automatically with the headlights. The key operated bonnet release hidden behind the swivelling Ford badge - it really is a class piece of kit.

Some people at work choose Golfs and 307's because they can't be seen to be driving a Ford, but after spending lots of time in both alternatives, the Focus always feels the sharpest and the most engaging when you get back into it. I've just taken delivery of a TD variant in LX trim and although the VW diesel engines are more impressive, the car they're bolted into isn't a patch on the Focus. I think I made the right choice.

Oh and agree on the Ford reputation. We have (and have had) various Sierras, Mondeos, Fiestas and Granadas in our family, all of which have covered well past 100,000 miles and continued to run smoothly and reliably. Badge snobbery is Ford's problem, not the products.

18th Dec 2009, 16:25

Have my 2002 1.6 18 months. Love the car but... wheel bearings quite bothersome, power steering pump weeping, cuts out every now and then, speedo needle has started wandering by itself.

98k miles, perfect otherwise, and it helps me being a mechanic.

Good car, and don't be put off by those faults.

23rd Mar 2011, 10:55

I purchased a 1.6 petrol Zetec - 52 plate back in July. After previously driving a Renault Scenic, it is heaven!! Only cost me £40 to get through MOT in December, I needed new reg plates (cosmetic) and a rear light was a bit dodgy!! My old car was like a kit car - I practically rebuilt it from scratch, always something wrong with it. Not had 1 problem with the Focus - 82,000 on clock when I bought it, and over 90,000 now and still going strong. My next car will definitely be another Focus. Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear was right when he said it is the best family car you can get!

2002 Ford Focus LX 1.8 TDdi 90bhp

Summary:

Even the horrible engine doesn't spoil it

Faults:

Blown brakelight bulb.

General Comments:

I took this car over from another employee last year, and it's been a good relationship.

The car is superb, apart from the horrible old 1.8 turbodiesel (designated TDdi) engine which dates back to the 1992 era Escort. If you're spending your own cash, PLEASE go for the TDCi engine - it's in a different league.

Performance is actually OK, with the usual massive turbodiesel midrange, but it clatters and vibrates like an old Transit van at idle, and sends a horrible boom through the cabin as soon as the revs pick up. It's frugal though and can easily crack 50 mpg.

Reliability has been good too. Nearly 45000 miles in just 11 months and nothing has gone wrong mechanically. Just a bulb that cost a whopping £1.40 to replace.

The Focus is superb in all other respects. Comfortable, well made, superb to drive and with reasonable standard kit. It's fun to throw about on a twisty lane, and has probably the best power steering setup of any car I've driven. It oozes feel, and is very well weighted. The gearbox is slick (and I use it often to keep the din from that tractor-like engine to a minimum) and the seats are all-day comfy.

Dealer has been brilliant with courtesy car provided when asked for, and the work completed to a high standard.

Says a lot for the overall car that, despite the small matter of hating its truly woeful engine, and the fact that I do nearly 1,000 miles a week, week in, week out, I still love driving it, and wouldn't hesitate to buy another.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 22nd October, 2003