Ford Focus Hatchback (1998 - 2004) 2.0 ST170 3d (2003/53) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

Probably that i'm a bit of a chav! But a more mature chav than Fiesta ST drivers!

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

I think it's more of a driver's car than a passenger's car. People liked the look although nobody was that keen on the ride or interior. I personally thought both were good though.

Would you buy this car again and why?

I'd buy the 2.5T Focus ST but not the same again. Probably a little too slow and it's nice to upgrade.

What are you likely to buy next?

I bought a SEAT Leon FR which was great although less of a driver's car. All in, it was a nice car but a little too slow and a bit thirsty (I got about 30MPG on average). It was my first hot hatch and it did the job nicely - whetted my appetite!

Type of dealer you bought from?

Didn't buy from a dealer

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£3,890

When did you buy the car?

May 2010

Did you get a good deal and why?

I paid a little over the odds as I was desperate to buy a car! I lost £1,000 in the 7 months I had it. That's quite a lot on a 7 year old car.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

It was the best hot hatch in my budget. I thought about an MG ZT 180 but I was too scared about reliability issues!

What was the dealer like?

N/A - private sale.

What's it like to drive?

This is very much its forte! It turns into corners with ease handled superbly. You do have to rev the engine to get it going and if you've got 2 or more passengers it's a bit sluggish but generally, it's fast enough for a starter hot hatch. The engine sounds good too,.

What's it like to park?

Really easy - I had the 3 door and it was a piece of cake. I traded it in for a mark 2 Leon which was much harder to park.

Have you had any problems with the car?

Yes, the steering rack needed replacing when I sold it. The oxygen sensor went too. I think they were just unfortunate though as it felt pretty mechanically sound.

What's most practical about your car?

2 cigarette lighters were handy - charge phone and sat nav at the same time. The cup holders were also well placed and the boot of course was decent.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

The standard level of kit was a bit disappointing. I liked the 6 cd changer but that was about it. No trip computer illustrates how basic it was. Having 6 gears was good though.