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2005 Ford Focus

10,000-Mile Ford Focus Road Test

A common question that I've been asked, 'What four-door, four-cylinder car do you recommend?' Whether you are a foreign or domestic fan, this can be an easy or a very hard question to answer. Hopefully, after testing a base model Ford Focus for 10,000 miles, maybe I will have answered some of your questions.

Since I tested a base model, I will be leaving out power windows, door locks, and other features. I will concentrate the road test on appearance, handling, performance, and reliability.

After driving the Corolla, Impreza, and other smaller vehicles, the Focus seems to fit in the 'average' range for looks. Although I may prefer the design of the hatchback verses the sedan, having all four doors with a normal trunk lid has its perks. Actually, since I was driving the four-door non-hatchback, I took advantage of the trunk's unique hinging system that allows for taller items placed closer to the bumper. I suggest a grocery net though, especially if you can't keep your Steve McQueen-like driving under control. I've always been a fan of dark interior; the model I drove combined black and gray and consisted of soft edges to keep with a modern feel. Over time, a noticeable collection of dust accumulated on the dash, which sits back fairly deep, making it hard to clean. A huge disappointment with the interior would have been the water leakage behind the dash during rainy weather. The leak would cause water to drip into the front passenger side carpeted area, so much so that making sharp turns would cause an inch or two of water to shift back and forth. I felt my un-used ashtray could double as a soap dish and I could have a tub on wheels. Hopefully if this happens to you, the warranty will rescue you from the water. If not, the labor alone will cost you hundreds of dollars.

The stereo system sounded fantastic with easy navigating through its features. An annoying problem with a loose face kept shutting off the power, which may be caused by loose terminals. It usually only happened when going over large bumps in the road. I wouldn't let this get you down, you can always amuse yourself with the audio volume control setting. Just be careful if you are quickly accelerating, since it gets louder with speed, it could scare the crap out of you.

Along with the comfortable seats, the handling made it easy to tolerate long trips. Besides the hard shifting in the automatic, I really don't have any complaints about the handling. New tires, perfect alignment, and strong acceleration made for enjoyable long and short trips in the Focus. Also, the RPM's in overdrive kept the sound level low at higher speeds.

The 2.0 Liter, 130 horsepower engine provided enough ponies to compete with everyday traffic. I recommend keeping the overdrive on, unless accelerating up a steep hill. If the typical 2600 lb body is weighted down with more people, or the weather conditions are having a temper, I even suggest dropping it down an entire gear. Overall, keeping up with the preferred oil and air filter changes, the Focus delivers a performance to my standards.

Finally, I'll cover reliability. Sometimes problems can be costly or just more annoying than anything. The first problem was getting a flat tire at over 60 miles per hour. Goodyear was needed to replace the severely damaged flat and cost just slightly over $100. A few weeks later, the water leak previously mentioned and a cracked windshield didn't help my wallet any. Only after a couple days with those repairs made, the engine light came on. The cost of the 'test' cost more than the parts and labor combined. Total costs in repairs after 10,000 miles? Over $520. Some can blame on Mother Nature, others are errors Ford needs to work out.

I look forward to continue driving the cars people ask most about. Hopefully my experience can help you with your decision-making.

Kyle McMullen

FORD FOCUS: QUALITY, PERFORMANCE AND REFINEMENT

FORD FOCUS: QUALITY, PERFORMANCE AND REFINEMENT

Its more than fitting that we kick off our Year of the Car with Ford Focus – one of the highest quality cars on the road today. With the 2005 Focus, we have taken a great car and made it better. Our newest addition, the 2005 Focus ZX4 ST sedan, has a performance suspension that borrows key components from the SVT Focus and our European Focus ST170, and its powered by a smooth revving 2.3-liter....
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ONE MILLIONTH FORD FOCUS STARS AT BRITISH SHOW

ONE MILLIONTH FORD FOCUS STARS AT BRITISH SHOW

BRENTWOOD, Essex, 12 July, 2006 – Sales of Britains top-selling car have broken seven figures, with car number 1,000,000 on display at the British International Motor Show. The 1,000,000th Focus sold in Britain is a five-door, bio-ethanol flexi-fuel vehicle (FFV), and will be handed to its new owner by Ford of Britain chairman Roelant de Waard at the British International Motor Show on Tuesday.....
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FOCUS ON FOCUS

FOCUS ON FOCUS

Theres a reason Fords small car is making headlines.The Ford Focus has been garnering a lot of attention lately. The Ford Focus earned the top rating in the compact car segment in the 2006 AutoPacific Ideal Vehicle Awards. CNNMoney.com named the Focus one of its 2006 Best Cars for Teen Drivers. Focus sales have increased steadily in 2006, driven in part by higher gas prices. May sales....
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'FORD FOCUS WRC SIMULATOR' DELIVERS REAL WORLD EXCITEMENT OF CHAMPIONSHIP AUTO RACING

'FORD FOCUS WRC SIMULATOR' DELIVERS REAL WORLD EXCITEMENT OF CHAMPIONSHIP AUTO RACING

The Ford Focus WRC Simulator will bring the thrills and excitement of championship auto racing to the 28th Bangkok International Motor Show through the drivers seat of its Ford Focus WRC – winner of the World Rally Championship 2006. The Simulator will make an advance-public preview at Siam Paragons Auto Gallery, 2nd Floor, from March 23-25. Bangkok, Thailand, March 23, 2007 - Ford Thailand....
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FORD FOCUS WINS 'BIO AWARDS' AT MOTOR EXPO

FORD FOCUS WINS 'BIO AWARDS' AT MOTOR EXPO

Visitors to the Motor Expo 2006 voted Ford Focus the best in terms of environmental friendliness. Ford Focus is the countrys first passenger car that is capable of running on either gasoline or gasohol with up to 20 ethanol blend and the countrys best-selling sedan in 2006. Ford Focus has also proven its power by winning the World Rally Championship Mnufacturers title in....
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Performance and Specification Comparison

Price Comparison

2005 Focus
$13,775-$670,000
2005 Ford Focus Base Price : $13,775

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Other 2005 Ford Models
$141,000

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