Faults:

4 new tyres, £230.

Service, £100.

MOT, £25.

Wiper blades, £10.

Back brakes fixed under warranty.

Steering fluid pipe, £288.

Suspension coil, shock absorber, front bushes and suspension arm, £600.

General Comments:

Brought my Focus in January as I needed something that would cope with the motorway commute to work. I paid £2695 for a 1.6 Zetec spec with average mileage.

So far I've had to replace the tyres, which cost £230. In the first month the hand brake wasn't holding the car. So it got checked and the rear brakes were fixed under warranty. On a drive back from Devon, the steering felt heavy. I took the car to a garage and there was a leak coming from the steering fluid pipe, which cost £288 to fix. Recently got the car serviced and MOT'd in which it failed on the suspension.

I had to have new front brushes and a suspension coil and shock absorber on the back. The car gave the garage no end of trouble as some of the parts are Ford only and the bolts wouldn't come undone, which resulted in them being sheared off and the suspension arm being replaced. The car was in for repair for nearly a week whilst waiting on parts. Total cost for the work/repairs was £600.

The car itself is one of the nicest cars I've driven, if a little predictable. I'm averaging 40 MPG mostly doing a motorway commute to work of 30 miles each way. I find the Focus fairly comfy and I like the heated front windscreen. Though I do like the car, I'm left a little disappointed because of the amount of time it's been in for repair.

Faults:

Nothing in the time I had it.

General Comments:

I really liked it at first, but I would never buy a front wheel drive car with this kind of power again; it's great in the dry, which is not very often in the UK. If the road was even slightly damp, it would result in the traction control kicking in, or turn that off, and wheel spin in the first 4 gears.

The fuel economy was an eye opener after running diesels for 5 years; quite similar to a V8 Lexus I once had. Only did 16mpg in the winter, though was around 22mpg in warmer weather.

It was really nice to drive in a steady manner, the gearbox was slick and the handling good for a front driver.

The heated leather Recaro's were a nice touch, as was the Sony stereo. I miss the xenon headlamps also.

Faults:

Nothing, I've only replaced tyres.

General Comments:

Staggeringly good car. Supremely reliable, extremely comfortable, fantastic to drive, the grip and handling are amazing.

I traded in my Golf for it last year, and in 15 months I've clocked up nigh on 40,000km (25,000 miles) and it hasn't missed a beat. Not even wear on the interior. I'm not what you call easy on a car either, and the handling characteristics of the Focus make you want to throw it into bends, so it hasn't had an easy 15 months for it.

The way this thing handles is amazing, you'll have to really push it to make it understeer. Even if you do, you've got really controllable lift off oversteer to counteract it. It's a slow car in a straight line, but you'll trouble a lot of much faster cars in the bends. If you want something faster, get a bigger engine.

Space is fantastic, it's a wide car (and feels it in town and when parking mind) so it feels very airy inside. And space is the back is more than ample. I'm 6'2" and in my seating position, there's even room behind me for an adult. The boot is huge too. Never been wanting for space.

If I had any criticism it would be the engine's fuel economy, it's quite thirsty in town. Good on the motorway mind. But it's a small engine in a heavy car, so it's not a big surprise.

If you're in the market for a medium car, get a Focus. I cannot recommend it enough.