Handling is awesome on this car, styling is excellent and have not had any problems, mechanically, with this car. It is the best car I have driven so far. Very roomy and engine is responsive (feels like a V6)....

I don't like the dash and the location of the ashtray. But other than that, not too many bad points with this car.

If you're looking for a top quality small car with lots of trunck room and interior, then overall this is a world class car from Ford!

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I have driven a 2000 Camry and this is as good if not better.

Nice sound system

POOR Gas mileage. Makes many noises which cannot be found. Brakes squeak to much. Ride is not comfortable. Would not recommend this car to anyone.

Based on my driving experiences with this car, would recommend a Suzuki or Honda in this class. Car is not all that it's cracked up to be...at least not this manufactured car. Am REALLY disappointed with Ford for advertising this car as something "special". It's not!

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1994 Nissan Altima was a much better car for the money.

It seems that the Focus is a car that people either love or hate the look of. I love it. I think the wagon is one of the best looking wagons on the market, at any price. The fact that it is less than $C20,000 is even better. Handles like it's on rails. I ran away from a current model VW Jetta in the mountain last weekend. A ball to drive.

Fuel economy is nowhere near the 43 mpg that Ford is advertising. I am still running in my car but I am thinking 35-38 mpg (highway)is going to more like it. I have the Canadian Sport group that includes the Zetec engine, alloy wheels, 5 speed, tachometer etc. The tach has a crazy shift light that flashes when it is most efficient to upshift. If you actually use this indicator you will find yourself in 5th gear doing 55 kmph. The bright yellow colour of the indicator makes it hard to ignor.

I didn't expect to ever buy a Ford product. I spotted the Focus at last year's new car show and put it on my list of possible new cars to buy. After trying to find a Subaru Legacy GT wagon in decent condition for a decent price I had another look at the Focus and liked what I saw. I think Ford have finally got a car that will appeal to people under the age 35 not wanting a SUV or minivan that have a lot of stuff to carry. GM and Chrysler could learn a lot from Ford's loyalty to wagons. They are selling like hotcakes.

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Subaru Legacy GT & Impreza, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry,

Solid built car, feels like it was made for a V-6. Handles great. Has enough power for my wife, her car after all. lots of features for a small car. Big trunk and rear seat all in one, how did they do that? Price is a strength also.

paint is way too thin, scratches to easy. Smells like burnt oil at every change, I think my dealer is to fault here. Unlike some other people, I applaud auto makers for all their recalls, at least they arent waiting for theese things to acctually happen before fixing them, and remember it is a first year model run in the US.
Radio volume doesnt go low enough. Seats atract every peice of lint within 5 miles. Cup holders dont have enough room above them.

I would recommend this car to anyone. Price for all, space for all, economy could be better but still not bad, Great car.

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93 Prism, 99 corrolla, both Toyota's. Well built cars, but they FEEL small and flimsy, Focus doesnt give me the small car feeling. Guys, the US car makers are comming on fast!!!

Nice looking, Good handling, Great pricing, Lots of options for the money, The Z-Tech motor really kicks it in the rear when you need it, Lots of room even I can fit in the back seat, great trunk space also.

Have had it in the shop already (for 4 days) for an oil leak, and no other real weaknesses that I can tell yet.

I would recomend this car for all of the reason that I noted above. It is an all around great car.

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I've had two Jetta's (a '95 then a '99)in the past and this Focus beats them hand down in pricing, convenience, and space inside.

handling is great. acceleration is very good, although my heavy foot would like more off the line. it makes you feel like you spent more than you actually did. interior quality is excellent...

i got in an accident about a month after i got it. it then spent two months in the shop while the dealer tried to get all the parts and fix it correctly. i think ford's supply of parts in the us is a little weak, and i also think the dealer wasn't really on top of the repair until i insisted that they get me a rental car...(when it started costing them money they started working a little harder)
being near detroit i would hope that the dealers would be able to get the parts they need in a timely manner, but it doesn't seem to be the case...

great car for the $$$$. fun to drive, well designed, etc.

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i replaced my 1997 escort wagon with a focus zx3. the difference in quality and the attention to detail makes this car stand out against the competition. my wife drives a 1999 VW Passat and the quality of the Focus almost compares to the VW.

Great value for price; very roomy interior; very appealing Euro-design exterior (looks like a space age Volvo); long list of standard features (including keyless entry, pw/d/l, automatic, front airbags, AM/FM/CD player; roof rack); very smooth ride and excellent handling; strong brakes

Engine could be a bit more powerful (2.0 Zetec engine) - needs V6 option
A few quality issues (i.e. creaking noise from back end when making turns)
Fuel economy is just OK (hopefully will improve as engine breaks in) + fuel tank is too small (only 50 litres - shoud be at least 60)
No head rests for back seat; no sunroof; flimsy small rear wiper

I would recommend this vehicle to a family of four (plus a dog), who need solid transportation on a limited budget. For approximately $21,000 Cdn, you get a fully loaded car (except leather) that rides and handles like cars much more expensive than itself. The cargo room is more than adequate, and comes with a standard cargo cover to hide all your valuables.
The exterior styling is quite appealing, and does attract stares from other drivers (not bad for a wagon). In addition, the backseat comes with built in anchors for childseats. The backseat can also fold down (60/40 split) for extra cargo space.

The front seats are comfortable, and all the dash controls are readily accessible. A nice touch is that the trunk release button is just to the left of the guages (instead of down by the seat adjustment). The car has a "tall" feel to it...that is, you seem to be driving higher than you actually are. Visibility is excellent due to a huge windshield, and side windows. The factory CD player is surprisingly good and easy to use. The overall fit and finish of the front dash is on par with much more expensive imports.

The only thing I would change is the engine. Once the car is full, the engine does labour a bit. A V6 option should be available for the extra get up and go. I'm sure it will become in future models.

All in all, I am quite impressed with the Focus wagon. It has served our needs well so far, and looks good to boot!!!

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Test drove Volvo V40 (too expensive, and seems smaller than Focus
Test drove Hyundai Elantra (very comparable; came down to styling preference)
Test drove Chevy Malibu (did not like styling, but has standard V6; ride was OK; price was comparable, but less cargo space)

Handles quite well. Extra bright headlights, I can't see very well in the dark, but with these headlights I can see rather well. I have to watch my speed at times. This car rides so much smoother than my previous car that I don't notice any shakes or shimmys at high speeds.

A little hard to get used to backing up. But, after a month I'm used to it and can navigate backing up easily now. You just have to get used to the blind spots.

I'd definately recommend the Focus to anyone looking for a small yet roomy car. You get more than what you pay for with the Focus. If and when they come out with a 6 cyl. I'm more than likely to go and get it.

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Previous car was a '93 Corsica. That car really sucked compared to the Focus. Also going from a 6 cyl. in the Corsica to a 4 cyl. in the Focus, I hardly noticed any difference in power.

Styling is great, turns a lot of heads. Very roomy, trunk is huge. Handling is awesome (My Uncle took it for a spin and thought it was AWD). Mine is lowered 1.5 inches, I test drove the stock 2001 and was still impressed with the handling. High-End power is great. CD player works great, and it doesn't skip on bumpy gravel roads. All the dash's buttons are very easily reached by the driver without any distractions.

Way to many recalls so far, makes me think twice about how long will this car actually last me. Needs ashtray in back. NO SUNROOF?! (C'mon Ford, it's common sense every young person needs one). Needs more power. Don't get me wrong, this car can go, but from a stand still start this engine needs a little tweaking to be done to keep up with competitors, once on the highway though be prepared to be waving bye-bye!!!

Strongly recommending this car to anyone looking for a small but roomy inexphensive vehicle. Great car to slap some aftermarket parts and just have fun on a twisted road. Anybody who needs a car that can perform and impress, Focus is for you.

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Honda Civic- Way more options for your money
Subaru Impreza- Unfortunately this is an amazing car but cost some bucks. If I could afford the Impreza, it would have been my choice.

The handling and the peppiness of the engines are the big things this car has to offer. It handles better than my 97 BMW Z3 and the zetec has a lot of potential. Also the reason I got this car was for the Sony Package. Unlike what someone put on his review this stereo is GREAT, the speakers are located in the prime position for great clarity and lots of BASS:()

I am mad because my car doesn't have an arm rest but all the other Sony Editions had an arm rest mine is just a mutant one I guess. None yet except for the recall on the cruise control and the air compressor:)

Well the car listed at 18,000 but I talked the manager down to 15,500 because he has had it in the showroom for two months and the interest is getting to him. So besides the great price I got on it he threw in free window tint 20% in front and back, and a free mini bra for the car. Those are a must for this color. Also people need to get it right the stereo has 460 watts of power and it is a great one at that. Also this car doesn't have power windows but who needs them that is why God gave you arms. This car is a great one and has a great price and I love the ergonomic design of this car. It is a must for anyone looking for a new car at a low price and lots of goodies:()

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