Bought the car second hand, from main dealer, with a promotional discount - so off to quite a good start.
<br>
<br>Handling is very solid, and the car feels immensely secure on the road. The downside is that there is quite a lot of road noise.
<br>
<br>Even though it is an LX, the specification is quite reasonable, with AC, electric windows and mirrors.
<br>The stereo quality is average though.
<br>
<br>The interior is very black and plasticky, and hence is a bit dull and drab. Some of the plastics are of dubious quality and feel, and the whole thing feels quite flimsy, which surprises me. (For example, one piece of trim has already come adrift ; when you pull the internal door handle to close the door, the whole panel flexes ; when you shut the doors they sound a bit tinny).
<br>
<br>The quality of the interior also falls into question when the shut gap between the dashboard and the passenger door is about 5mm, whereas on the drivers side it is about 20mm. I cant see anything obviously wrong or misaligned anywhere else that explains it, but it looks the dashboard is too small for the car, and isnt centred properly.
<br>
<br>Stepping into the rear of the car, or looking in the boot, I notice a lot of evidence of cost cutting. Places where I would expect trim, or carpet, I find bare painted metal.
<br>
<br>Whenever it rains, and you open the tailgate, the rain drips into the boot, to the extent that in recent weeks, a rather damp and mouldy smell is starting to eminate from the boot.
<br>
<br>Also, when you open any of the passenger doors, the door stays all creak, as the pillars they are anchored to flex & vibrate. I know that the Focus performs well in a crash, but this kind of thing doesnt really inspire confidence in how solidly constructed it is.
<br>
<br>The engine is smooth and quite economical. It is the non-VCT 100PS version, so isnt particularly quick, but it does the job.
<br>The throttle seems to have been set up in a way that give the car the feeling of performance - i.e. the first 10% of pedal travel seems to do 90% of the work, and the remaining travel does almost nothing. The downside of this is that it can be quite difficult to drive smoothly, because every touch of the throttle sends the revs spiralling upwards unless youve got the clutch bite point absolutely spot on.
<br>
<br>Motorway cruising is a bit noisy, with even 5th gear feeling too low. The engine noise keeps the tyre noise company though. Fortunately, the car is not a regular motorway visitor - otherwise it would have been a bad choice of car.
<br>The gear change is light once warmed up, but it can be a bit crunchy and baulky when cold. I also note that at town speeds, the gearbox is louder than the engine. Not sure if this is down to Fords cheap and rattly gearbox, or the quietness of the engine.
<br>
<br>In summary it is a pleasant, safe car to drive. It does the job without fuss, and so far (apart from the smelly boot, and bits of trim dropping off), there havent been any major problems.
<br>
<br>What disappoints me is that Ford appear to have really cut some corners in quality and solidity. Time will tell if it is as reliable and durable as the old model. |
