I may have only been driving for a matter of months, but I have already been behind the wheel of four different cars, not including the pathetic 1.ol Corsa my instructor used. A s my test approached, my mum and I decided that it was time to trade in our Laguna 1.8 RT for some thing a bit more appealing to my young tastes, and a new car was favoured for reliability. We, or I, picked the Ford Focus based on price, performance and looks compared to Peugeot's 206 and VW's market leading Golf. The best part of this tale is the outcome; when we arrived at the dealership, there stood a magnificent specimen, the Metropolis blue 1.8l Zetec MP3, with delivery milage.
The MP3 relates tothe MP3 compatible CD player that comes standard on this particular model, along with 17" 7-spoke alloys and chrome exhaust tip. By burning MP3s onto CDs as data files, and not audio tracks, you can fit more than 150 songs onto 1 CD, and organise them into folders for ease of access. This is the aesthetic side of the car, pleasing to some, but by no means extraordinary.
The interior of the cabin is spacious, and there is plenty room fro adult passengers in the back. The seats are comfortable and the driving position is spot on. A small draw back is that there is only one pocket/compartment in the car. Three cup holders don't make up for minmum storage for CDs etc.
The car's handling and performance are something I wasn't expecting, even with a relatively powerful engine, the car is big and heavy. That doesn't seem to stop the Focus, renowned for its sporty handling, aided by 7" thick wheels. When you want this car to move, it'll make you shut up and hold tight. With a top speed of only 114mph (though I've gone faster) and 0-62mph in just over 10seconds, the stats aren't anything to get excited about.
I've always felt the thrill of speed is better than speed itself, the main attraction of motornikes being that you feel like you're going well over a tonne just cruising at 70mph. Cars cannot offer the same experience, but the growlish brute of a Zetec is music to my ears as you rocket from 20 to 60mph in seconds, and second (gear that is!).
I know there are much more powerful cars on the road, when I'm stateside, I drive a Mitsubishi 3000GT, but the Focus gives you so much for the pathetic £14,995 sticker price that it's hard to ignore. And the insurance is 2 or 3 groups lower than similar spec Golfs or Civics, which, when combined to the high availability of reasonably priced parts, makes the Focus exceptional value for money.
I leave you with the final piece of the puzzle, the best bit of the Ford Focus. When I drive it, I drive hard, and I go fast, but when my mum is behind the wheel, she drives, well...., like a mum. And that's the beauty of our car, the transformation from responsible, well manored family hatchback, to aggressive boyracer cruiser.
This car may be common, and there is 5 or 6 on my street alone, but there is a reason for it. This car is good, and very well priced. Not to mention the list of extras ranging from leather seats and heated windscreen to full body kits and alloy wheels.
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We hired a focus over the easter weekend so we could go and visit family on the south coast. My boyfriend fell in love with it straight away and cant stop talking about how much of a dream it was to drive. Good review. - Tanya
Advantages: comfortable, cheap to run, reliable Disadvantages: flat spot
craighockenhull 08.03.2006 (08.03.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
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