Ford Focus

[Peter Mallett]

Whilst I'm out here in Turkey I've rented a Ford Focus with a boot (trunk to our american friends) and its got to be the most disconcerting car I've ever driven.

I can't park it straight, I keep clipping kerbs, I've even bumped the nearside into tree planters and such like that are strewn aroung the kerbs outside my apartment block.

In short I can't get a handle on the size of this car!

I like Fords. I still have my Mondeo although I spend more time in my Jeep when home. I race a Capri. Yet this car is just not very comfortable. So. is it me or the design?

[KC]

I have a ZX3 with 42000 miles and have yet to hit anything. The car does have more front overhang than you would expect from the drivers view. A part of the problem may come from how large the car is on the inside, it could be altering your impression of the size of the car.

[Tedebear]

Rather odd Peter - I had a few Focii () as rental cars and never had a problem at all (for a front wheel drive car that is) although my daily car is a '67 Midget so size wise I'm used to small cars..... and we've just bought a new Mondeo Estate (for towing purposes) CRIKEY now thats a big car!!!!! but still really pleasant to drive, nice 2.5L V6 too....

Also the seating position in the Focus is quite high over the steering wheel - a bit odd if you are tall....

[Peter Mallett]

Yeah you'll like the Mondeo. A very underrated car.

The Focus? I just feel really uncomfortable with it. Its not the left hand drive because a) I'm left handed and never have had a problem in driving sides (I'm told its an advantage in that respect) and b) I've done all sorts of driving tests since I've been here, (defensive, off road etc.) in all sorts of vehicles with no problems.

Strange.

[AussieV8]

Well when Ford Oz change to the Focus and dropped the Mazda sourced Laser they are havin trouble selling them. My wife and I went for a test drive to see what they were like and I have to say I would rather stick to the bus.

[bella]

mate of mine's got a new focus and he loves it. have to say, if he didn't have one it'd be top of my shopping list...

[fast95pony]

There's nothing wrong with Focii, especially the SVT version !!

I have to think the Turks were putting something in your food !!

[Mattracer]

But Peter, it's a rental

[Crash Test]

Focii sales have picked up in .au in the last month, enough so to help knock Holden off the top spot (ok, Toyota is on top, helped by Ford taking sales from Holden). I dunno, I haven't driven a Focii that far, but I could live with one. We've got a Mondeo, and it's going like an absolute train after a 120,000km total rebuild

[Don K]

Strange.
I thought all Ford Foci (3-door, 4-door, 5-door and wagon) were supposed to have the same length.

[KC]

No. The four door sedan and 5 door hatch are defintely longer than my three door hatch. Not a huge amount by any means, but they are some longer.

[The Tool Man]

While My car is down the coast been serviced for a few days, the dealership have given me a Focus to drive.

I think they are ugly BUT WOW Ive never experienced such a wonderful car to drive- after I worked out why when I indicated the wipers came on. But other than that little learning curve Its a great car,

[steve_r]

Have you tried driking less vodka?

[kmchow]

Yeah, the Mondeo/Contour were great cars. Too bad by the time they refined/worked the bugs out of the car, the car was dropped in North America.

I've test driven a Focus sedan and found the trunk to be very high. Perhaps that adds to the difficulty in driving the car. Over here in North America, the Mexican built Focus has received fairly good reviews. However, the Focus has suffered from repeated and numerous recalls to fix things in it. Has the European built Focus suffered as much in terms of quality problems and recalls?

[Korr]

The Euro Focus is a MUCH better built car than the ones we have to suffer with.