Surprising Focus

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Fri 3 Mar 2006 17:55
Surprising Focus - Xileno {P}
I've not generally been Ford fan, a 1996 Escort 1.8 TD put me off Fords and diesels for years. However this week I have been using a new Focus 1.4 and cannot really find much bad to say about it.

I liked:
Good enough performance given its small size. Refined and economical, averaged 40mpg. Fit and finsh good, apart from the interior light which was badly fitted. Very sharp steering, handling but still soft enough ride. Good support from the seats. Nice gearchange.

Didn't like:
When you open the boot when it's wet, water goes inside the boot. Interior and exterior styling a bit dull compared to original Focus. Fake aluminium trim - why can't we have the real thing?

But now it's gone back to its owner, so I am back in Megane. Seats are more comfortable in the Renault and the trim quality is also better, including the door panels. Megane's steering is not as sharp but handles about the same and not much in the ride. Brakes much sharper in Megane. Gear change a bit more notchy than Focus.

But more than anything that impressed me was how much cars have come on in the last few years. Megane and Focus are just ordinary hatches but compared to the Escort and previous Megane, are light years ahead.

So will a Ford darken my garage sometime? Well, we will see, maybe one day...
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Fri 3 Mar 2006 17:58
Surprising Focus - Altea Ego
Listen, its bad enough that I have defected to the VW camp without you becoming an oval lover.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Fri 3 Mar 2006 20:17
Surprising Focus - Xileno {P}
I like having a Renault in our 'fleet'. Laguna 2.0 dCi 175 Tourer is the next one when it comes to the UK. But I see no reason why a Focus could not join our car family as well. But not the 1.4, possibly one of the diesels.

It spooks me how that Focus made the same noise in first gear as an old 1981 Escort 1.6 I once drove some years back. Must be some common componentry there somewhere??
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Sat 4 Mar 2006 10:32
Surprising Focus - bazza1603
"It spooks me how that Focus made the same noise in first gear as an old 1981 Escort 1.6 I once drove some years back. Must be some common componentry there somewhere??"

I find the same in my 04 Fiesta Zetec Diesel sounding like a mark 3 escort! My car Seems to go through drive shaft bearings very quickly so maybe that.

Baz
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