The dashboard frame is rife with rust.
The 5 disk CD skips 10 seconds to the rear on a random basis.
The paint chips easily.
The 5-speed is plenty quick.
The 16" wheels and tires stick very well.
The sunroof is very nice.
The upgraded stereo with sub. sounds great.
Storage is great for such a small looking car.
Seats are firm and feel great!
I just bought a 2005 ZX3 manual with sunroof and enhanced speakers. I love the shifting... my old care was a mitsubishi mirage 92 hp. So this 138 hp is going to take some time getting used to. I love the interior (wondering how bad the 2004 interior was. The real benefit I enjoy is the PZEV rating on the emissions. The MPG is pretty good with the stick also. I got the side impact air bags as well. The total cost was 13,150. Not bad for everything it comes with. The ION2 Saturn with the power package cost 13,700 and it doesn't have the sunroof or 6 CD changer. Not sure if it includes the side impact or enhanced audio system.
We owned a 2001 ZX-3 with the works, including the great moon roof and 16" alloy wheels. It was a far better value than anything Japan had to offer and cost us about 5 grand less than a comparably equipped and less powerful Toyota or Honda. I was surprised at the ride and handling, which was way better than anything else we test drove (Saturn Ion, Toyota Corolla, Nissan Sentra, Honda Civic, and Pontiac Sunfire). We never got over 30mpg, but we were happy to get that much as cars normally get 20 to 30% less than the EPA ratings anyway. We never had a second's trouble with the car and I highly recommend them.
The Focus is without a doubt the absolute best value in a small car made anywhere. You can get a Focus now for 5 grand less than a Corolla and 7 to 10 grand less than a Civic, and they are faster, smoother and will last longer with fewer repairs. I just looked at a Civic coupe, and for 21 grand I'd rather buy TWO focuses!!
I'd definitely buy the Focus over the Civic. Paying twice as much for a car that will last half as long doesn't make much sense.
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