2004 Ford Focus SVT 3-door review from North America

Sun visors keep falling out of mounting hole.

The mechanism which allows the seatback to fold forward had the cable come out of the mounting hole on the back of the seat; was probably a fluke and was fixed in about 10 seconds.

Previous Focus had squeaky brakes which were never fixed because of poor dealer service, and had a rearview mirror fall out while I washed the car. Neither of these issues have cropped up on this vehicle.

I downsized from a conversion van to this car in an effort to cut fuel costs. Although I am no fan of "sport" compacts, I chose this model both because it was more entertaining than a regular Focus, and being a limited-production sport model, would more likely hold its resale much better.

So what's an SVT: SVT took what the Focus did well, and enhanced it. They started by taking the standard Zetec 2-liter, DOHC 16v inline four, and adding a 4-into-2-into-1 header, hotter cams with variable valve timing for the intake cam, a dual-stage intake, and higher compression, among other things. The result? 170hp @ 7000rpm, 40hp more than the standard Zetec, though torque showed only a modest gain, going from 135lb-ft @ 4500 to 145lb-ft @ 5500. This was hooked up to an SVT-exclusive 6-speed manual, with no automatic option. Next, SVT turned to the handling department. They took the Focus' already excellent chassis and gave it stiffer springs and shocks, as well as larger 17" wheels and tires, which gave the car handling prowess beyond what should be attainable in a front-drive car. They also put on large 4-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and resistance to fade. Feature content, discussed later, was also upgraded.

Looks: Always a subjective matter, I find the '00-'04 Foci to be among the best-looking compacts on the market. They are sharp, crisp, and clean and seem to age well. The 3-door hatchback was initially very ugly to my eyes, but it has since grown to be my favorite of the Focus bodystyles.

Interior: Styling is again a subjective thing, especially in the color-coordinated SVT interior, but in any case, it is exceptionally easy to use. There are no mysteries to using any functions in the car, and things seem to be within easy reach. The fit is good for a car in its class, even if the materials used aren't exactly pricey-feeling. Still, it seems to have been put together nicely with no noticible rattles. The audio controls mounted behind the steering wheel are also a nice touch. Instrumentation is thankfully more complete than normal models, as to the usual tach, speedo, fuel and coolant temperature gauges, Ford saw fit to add oil pressure and temperature gauges. It would be nice to not have "dummy" gauges, but I'll take what I can get. The seats, while not uncomfortable, are not the best choice for long trips, as they seem to lack a tad bit of support, and the lumbar support seems to be positioned oddly. They also utilize the awful euro-style wheels on the side of the seat to adjust seatback rake. Room is good up front, and decent in the back seat; but fold it down and you have the generous cargo room that make hatchbacks so loved by those who own them. This car will swallow a good deal of cargo for a vehicle of its size; I have loaded it up with room to spare, despite having thought there's no way the car would hold as much as it did.

Equipment: What can I say. This really is a luxurious car. It starts with half-leather seats with power seat height adjustment, along with power windows, locks, and keyless entry. It even has heated mirrors which activate upon switching the hatch window defroster on. Add cruise control, CD player, 4-wheel disc brakes, 17" wheels, and the aforementioned audio controls on the steering column, and you have a loaded little car. Even with all this, mine was a "base model" SVT, with some additional options having been available, such as 6-disc CD changer and traction control. I myself am a little bit dubious about having all this power stuff, but I can't deny that it makes you feel a little bit special.

The drive: The car is a neat experience to drive. Despite having a more taut ride than that of regular Foci, it is still quite civilized to drive day-to day. Though its tuned four-cylinder is quite adequate in normal driving, it does take a while to build power. It is not a terribly punchy engine at low revs, and it doesn't help that first gear is relatively tall. What this means is that it behaves more like an economy car in the daily grind, but it should shine during canyon carving or at a track day. Downshifting is a must if you wish to access its power. But, keep the revs pointed north of 5500, and you have a wonderfully responsive and powerful little engine which won't disappoint. A quirk in Ford's ECU tuning makes it surge when cruising between ~2000-3000rpm, but other than that, it is a surprisingly smooth, refined engine which has both a nice, growly exhaust note and a smooth that unexpected of a performance-tuned four-cylinder. For an application like this, a V6 such as Ford's 2.5l Duratec might have made more sense, giving greater torque with similar fuel economy, but that's neither here nor there and not to say that Ford didn't do as well as could probably be expected with the four. The clutch is smooth, medium-light, and consistent, though lacking feedback. The 6-speed's shift action is pretty crisp and clean, but 2nd gear is hard to hit when doing it quickly because it's very easy to get caught in the reverse gate. Handling is beyond reproach, and the car feels more balanced than its weight distribution would have you believe. Lift the throttle in hard corners, and the beautifully thought-out suspension will allow the rear to drift just enough to cancel out understeer. Fuel economy, however, is unimpressive in-town, having ranged from 21-25 mpg for myself. On the other hand, a relaxed driver can coax 34mpg out of it on the open road, which is quite competitive with other sporty compacts.

Overall, this is one of the nicest compacts to have come along in recent years. It is a complete package, seamlessly combining good performance, tasteful looks, and a high level of feature content in an affordable, friendly, comfortable, and practical package.