Ford Focus Zetec S 1.6 EcoBoost

still ugly

Its not the body kit that's ugly.
Its still the same ugly shape that started with the mk2 model.
Will they ever change it?
How come the new Fiesta and Ka are so nice and this Focus still reminds cars of a decade ago? Fancy tailights do not save the case!

By kirra1 on 30 November, 2011, 1:53pm

Response to Kirra 1

Not sure where you are coming from here kirra1? There is hardly a panel left that hasnt been changed from the MK2! I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I love the edgy styling and when choosing a car I always go for the total sum of the complete package. You cannot beat this for value more gadgetry than a tardis well more than a 45K Merc! The gadgets offer genuine driving experience enhancements in safety and performance not just gimmicks. I have had a lenghty test drive in a DS5 the new Astra and the Focus I had a crowd gather when I used the auto parallel parking! (The wife loves that feature! Sorry girls). Seriously Ford have done it again and I for one cannot wait to swom my MkII ST3 for a new one.

By STFOCUS on 1 December, 2011, 9:31am

Seeing red

I liked the Mk2 shape! Have seen enough Mk3s on the road to conclude that they're clumsy. Too long a cabin, a bonnet that looks as though it's coming open... But the red dash in this is especially naff. As with recent BMWs, colour doesn't work (unless the dash is painted).

By Anorak17 on 1 December, 2011, 7:09pm

The dash! God, the dash!

Please, Ford, get rid of this hideous "Woolworth's stereo" dashboard!

By Roger1709 on 1 December, 2011, 8:58pm

Focus External shape an improvement

Like many people i liked the first focus as model started life almost perfect in outward design,umtil as with many car makers they start the so called facelifts to generate sales amd screw the original idea,well its takenmFord a few years to get back to a body and design that looks pretty ok again in my personal view and taste, thpugh i am not happy about the dashboard looking like something out of Currys, this model could do with a face lift interior wise already in my view,can't anyone come up withma decent dashboard anymore, than comforts the driver and reminds the driver where they are, yes, you have left the living room? Engines look a bit naf to me thoughmand service from Ford dealers i found not great, Toyota were far better in my dealimgs with everyday transport.

By browser0072000 on 6 December, 2011, 7:08am

bongo6

Looks aren't everything, but then nor is performance in this over-regulated world (unless you actually have to be first away from the lights or practice that lonely form of onanism, the Track Day). A happy medium must be the answer - cracking, but not necessarily ultra, performance (when do you ever really drive to the limit ?), matched by sophisticated level of quality and presentation - the Look-Back Syndrome, if you like.

As we all know, however good the actual car may be, wrongly applied flash or aggression can send out the wrong message; even so, Ford have definitely erred in the wrong direction here.

Hopefully a work in progress, and next time their designers will confound us all (after all, see what Vauxhall have managed), but for the moment, Zzzzz.

By bongomagnifico on 6 December, 2011, 11:37am

Love the car but oh that awful radio, if we must have all those buttons ditch the Sony radio and use the Ford version a la the Fiesta. If you have voice control why do you need all those buttons it's like sitting an a greasy spoon caff right next to the jukebox, plus it looks like FM aint going away after all.

By niloc on 6 December, 2011, 3:48pm

a lot better looking... but that rear spoiler should have been a tad bit smaller for classier looks.... and that Audi-esque chin spoiler does look a bit too bolt on tacky. Even on the Audi A4. Today's aero kit designers need to think rounder rather than too edgy or wedgy. And truly its in the eye of the beholder.... but the exciting dashboards should be reserved for RS versions... and even then a more conservative model with A3 kind of class would add a few more buyers I am sure.

By Kwashi on 6 December, 2011, 4:30pm

No Edge Styling

Edgy styling STFOCUS? Really? It still looks like a Hyundai.

Of the relatively few new Focus' that I have seen on the road, the best looker is probably the estate as it does not have that ugly rear end on it - how did the Ford designers come up with THAT after the current Fiesta?

Also, if you were evaluating a DS against the Focus, would it not have been the DS4? As far as I was aware, the DS5 is not even launched until 2012, so I cannot see how you have driven it.

By 02tii on 6 December, 2011, 10:33pm

Almost Had Me For A While there.....

I wasn't gonna comment but damn the reading were just getting ro me.

Look, there's no getting away from the fact that its really hard for me to swallow this shape of the MK3 (If you not counting the facelifted MK2). I keep scrolling to the main picture just to see if i'll maybe, just maybe get suprised by a kind-of-get-used-to feeling after looking at it many times. We'll it doesnt. I pretty much enjoyed the MK2 Focus even the facelift. In fact i owned one.

By kevolution1 on 7 December, 2011, 3:12pm

for STFOCUS and aging Focus followers

couldn't agree more with 02tii and kevolution1!!

Still cannot understand why they didn't follow on the new Fiesta lines. That would have been a winner!

Only one thing 02tii, the new i30 looks much much better inside/out and performance at last is also there!

By kirra1 on 8 December, 2011, 8:54am

Don't Moan for Moans Sake

The styling will take some getting used to I agree (as did the MKI and indeed the Sierra) but it does grow on you and the cabin is fantastic. I have owned almost every version of every generation of Focus (this is my 10th) and this is the best car I have ever owned.

By david_tongue on 15 March, 2012, 1:43pm