Most objectionable problem and most glaring is the dust from the front wheels. The brake dust that forms immediately after washing the car is just too much to cope with. I had to buy "dust shields" (that many people warned against because it would invalidate the warranty- I bought and installed them anyway when I saw the dealer selling them) and these have controlled the problem to my satisfaction.
My second disillusion is with the gas mileage. On the highway I only get 3l MPG with this wagon. My previous Escort would average 40 MPG. With today's gas prices, I long for the Escort.
On the plus side, this wagon is a looker! I love its styling! It is also a lot quieter inside than the Escort and has a much better sound system.
Although the engine is supposed to crank out 134 horsepower, the car is slow when accelerating from a dead stop. However, once on the highway, it does have sufficient passing power.
I have the "SE" model. I would recommend dishing out a few extra dollars and going with the luxury edition. The seats are plain gray and boring.
In short, I'm satisfied with the looks of this car, but not happy with its gas economy.
I can't imagine paying $1.80 a gallon for gas. We're used to more like $5-$6 (depending on grade) a gallon here in the UK. You guys don't know when you're well off.
Actually, 31 MPG is pretty good for a wagon on the highway. And the the guy in the last comment, it's now over $2.00 a gallon. It has never been this high before. And you people walk to your jobs and save the cars for the weekends or trips. Us American's depend on our cars every day, getting stuck in traffic every day. You'd be surprised how fast you can run through gas over here.
A dealer let me borrow a Focus SE wagon overnight, for me to test drive and generally poke around. I have to say I really did like the car, in its "fully loaded" and "lady driven" condition. Driving around streets wasn't too bad. So on to the big freeway and up to 100 and 120 kph (or 60 and 70 mph), and wham... the thing started to vibrate like crazy. Steering wheel and whole front end just took on a life of their own. This would be really scary in the snow. I drive a Toyota Camry and know the roads well and it wasn't the road. I asked my daughter, and she said her friend with a car just like the one I drove, was the same on the highways. Just another shaky Ford I guess, like my 85 mustang, and the 88 Taurus I rented for two weeks once. I spend half my driving time on the highway, to the cottage, or to the ski hills, or to another town for my son's soccer or hockey. My dogs would freak out. Ford Focus, nice, but not for me. I guess I'll just have to find another $5,000, and buy something drivable.
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