2012 Ford Focus Zetec 125PS 1.6 petrol
Summary:
Nice car, but avoid the N/A 1.6 petrol
Faults:
Nothing, though can be hesitant when cold.
General Comments:
The new Ford Focus is great, however this engine is shocking; it's one of the slowest cars I've ever owned, which is probably why it's been replaced by the new 1 litre turbo unit.
The car is a very nice drive, and would be great with a turbo petrol or diesel lump in it. The 1.6 in my car is so flat, it feels as though there is a potato rammed up the exhaust; even the slightest incline will have me changing down 1 if not 2 gears. It reminds me of the 1987 1.1 Fiesta I had when I passed my test.
The fuel economy is terrible; 28 round town, and you can just creep it up to 40 on a steady run. I've just done 200 miles on the motorway and 100 round town, which has resulted in 36 MPG. The car is supposed to do 48 combined. The only way to do that is to drive at 50 mph on a flat road.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 31st May, 2012
10th Jun 2012, 12:51
The car is exactly the same now as it was at 10 miles; can't see things getting much better now.
3rd Jul 2012, 09:02
That's because modern cars are so heavy.
You wouldn't have bought a Ford Granada with a 1.6 engine under the bonnet, but a Focus weighs just as much as one of those did. Small, naturally aspirated petrol engines just can't cope with modern kerbweights.
8th Feb 2013, 05:46
I have the same 1.6 125 engine in my Titanium Focus. It's shocking... in fact it's worse than that!
Any incline and you end up having to change down; feels like someone has attached the wrong gearbox to the engine, and the car simply doesn't pull.
Have done around 16000 and fuel consumption is awful, probably as a result of having to drive the knackers off it to get it to move.
The computer is hilarious, telling me to change into 5th when the car can't even maintain speed in 4th!
7th Nov 2013, 12:43
Oh great - my employer is moving to these as company cars - currently have a C-Max (see my review on that lump) and that's not a happy union, but all this is making me dread a Focus 1600 as a replacement. Seems odd that Ford have won universal praise for their car's handling, but can't produce decent engines? I have issues with fuel pumps and dash board electronics on my C-Max - what are Ford up to?
7th Sep 2022, 14:36
Try the 1.8 or 2.0 petrol, avoid the diesels as they are pretty problematic from this time.
And all 1.6, 1.8, and even the 2.0 engines in any non turbo charged car with only around 100 bhp (to be fair not just Ford) will have average performance, and fuel consumption will be anything in between 30 - 40 mpg at best.
I have has lots of Ford's, Vauxhall's, and Honda's and other cars from this time all with similar engines and they all perform much the same, they are the jack of all trades engine.
7th Jun 2012, 03:10
Give the engine a chance to run in; you will see it improve.