Focus on This! (Ford Focus 1.6 Ghia 4dr)

Member Name: pie_master

Product:	Ford Focus 1.6 Ghia 4dr
Date:	22/06/09 (68 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap to buy and run, quite comfy

Disadvantages: A little unreliable (but this could just be mine!)

My review is based on the Ford Focus 1.6 TDCI Duratorq. This is a diesel car and the one I am reviewing is a 2006 model.

The following information may be relevant to this review (listed so you can gain perspective on my thoughts, notes etc.):

> My previous car was a VW Golf (55 plate);
> I do around 20k/year;
> I do a mix of urban and motorway journeys;
> Maximum occupants in the car at any time is two (including driver).

I'll break this down into pro's and con's so that an overall picture of the car can be gained.

Pro's

> It is very comfy, both on long journey's and in town. I'm average height and all controls are close to hand;
> The Ghia trim level is good and my model has steering-wheel / stalk mounted controls for the radio and cruise control which enhance the safety for the driver as you don't have to take your eyes off the road;
> The handling is good and it won't become unsettled unless you are really speedy and/or ham-fisted!;
> The boot is massive and the split/fold rear seats mean that big loads can be carried with ease.

The Con's

> My model is a little prone to faults (although, to be fair, this could be due to the previous owner who thrashed it somewhat);
> The DPF (which, I'm told, is a filter in the exhaust/cat system) requires replacement at 75k, which is a costly job;
> Smells (such as cigarette smoke) seem to cling in the car although I am unsure whether this is on the upholstery or in the air conditioning;
> Economy is reasonable in town (between 40 and 45mpg) but is a little disappointing on the motorway (with around 51mpg achievable at steady 70mph cruising speeds).

Overall I would probably recommend this car, especially to someone on a budget, but I would heavily recommend going for one which has been well look-after.

Summary: There's a load out there which tells you that it must be a decent car!

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