Real Road Test: Ford Focus Mk1 - Millennium Edition! 

I agree, after the Multipla, I didn't take the sunglasses off!

My thoughts exactly. Did they test the colour on a "focus group"?

This car must attract lots of insects. I used to have a bmw 2002 in more en or links less the same color (golf yellow it was called) and it always attracted summer bugs like butterflies, bees, etc

well if he says it, it must be true

not keen on mulitipla just metallic pink

They used the 306 as an example of what they were aiming for. It would be interesting to do a back to back comparison of a Focus Mk1 and a 306. I was struck by how much my Mazda3 Sport, based on the Ford C-car platform used for the Mk2 Focus, felt like my old 306XSI.

@@Graham_Langley 306 xsi is surely the benchmark. The road tests got a bit carried away

Totally agreed

I wanted to buy one recently. Just out of nostalgia. I was disappointed.

@@dan_6915 why?

It really isn't good enough to make up for the rest of the car though. (Nor is it actually THAT good.) One of the most overrated cars I've ever been around. A case of jumping on the bandwagon IMHO.

@@Spac8 I had a 1.8 tdci LX estate 2002 I couldn't fault it. Thought the handling and ride were great. Maybe the LX spec had softer suspension? Only thing that lived up to the focus is my mk4.5 mondeo titanium-x with sports suspension. Had a mk2 focus 1.8tdci style and the handling and ride suck. Suspension is much to hard. Never settles constantly jiggling unless it a perfect road surface.

Pity that rust has killed almost all of them

They were nice to drive, I disagree that the car was overrated. Of course the Focus was not marketed in the United States as a family car (like in the UK), it was marketed as a commuter car that was comfortable and got good gas mileage (which is what most folks(including myself) bought the car for). Family cars in the USA at the time were Taurus/Sable, Camry, Accord and then later SUVs. For a commuter car, it was pretty good and drove very well on the highway. We got the 2.0l engine with 136hp and the 2.3l engine with 164hp as options.

I disagree. I had one - 1.6 Ghia with low mileage. It was gutless, uncomfortable and woefully crashy even around town. Hung onto its revs like a Leyland National. Gear change from a tractor. I put decent tyres on it as it had 4 ditchfinders when bought, even after this it still didn’t fee right or inspire me with confidence on the road. Got shot of it after a month. Perhaps I just had one made on a Friday afternoon? Worst car I’ve ever owned.

The £2000 challenge, this was when they were going for £500-£700… not anymore I doubt😂

Yep, I remember Chris raving about the Mk1 Focus RS. But if it has to be pre-owned and cheap then technical condition should be your priority nr1. Not brand and model. There are other really nice late 90's early '00's hot hatches available like Clio RS, Civic type R, Saxo VTS

But the second generation was drop dead reliable and that ended up being all that mattered.

Agree 100%. The first Focus was polarizing in 2000, yet didn't compromise function for the style. Much like the original Taurus. Like the Taurus, that Focus pushed the envelope in it's segment for refinement, comfort, and style. That's why I bought my yellow ZX5 that was identical to this one. The second gen Focus, for the US market, was beyond disappointing

@@roorentalcarreviews884 but if you had owned one you’d have driven it to pieces because while it looked a little staid…but it knew it had a job to do and did it well..,mine i drove 250000 miles with zero failures and then gave it to my nephew who now makes it his car to work and home…he is a pinch penny so he’ll no doubt get at least another 100000 miles from it….sometimes it ain’t about the looks or performance…it’s about taking a chance on getting a darn good car.

@@jonnycando There's no denying that the '08-11 US market Focus was reliable. I ended up referring a number of people who needed a reliable car. But the magic was gone. The fresh, optimistic styling was replaced by staid and traditional, the funky, clever interior became a blocky stack of buttons, the hatchbacks were gone, the fake air vents were tacky and even the spare tire was deleted. It became a Ford version of a Corolla: bland, unimaginative, and reliable. Good for those who didn't care about cars. But the thrill of the original was lost, especially since the MKII Focus overseas still had a lot of character

@@roorentalcarreviews884 I’ll be honest too I bought mine when the government was buying our gas guzzlers with the proviso we should replace it with an economical vehicle (cash for clunkers, ultimately a crime but such is hindsight) and I picked the Focus SEL because it was festooned with leather and premium this and that, which I thought i had the means to move up to but without going overboard in price….it only in time revealed itself as a terrific and lovable car. Most recently i opted for a 21 Mazda cx30…why? All wheel drive…good fuel economy and the propensity to look more expensive than it is…but it IS red and everyone knows red goes faster….but alas I’m practical in my own goofy way and will never apologize for it.

Meh.. I dont find it better than a Megane, Astra, Golf... I'd say Golf was much better at everything: handling, comfort, gearbox. Even Megane was better. I wanted to buy a focus, drove it and got so disappointed in it. :( Forth place for the Focus.

@@dan_6915 megane astra golf all soft handling heavy boring crap boxes. I can tell you do not know anything about cars and handling. Probably think a Nissan Leaf is fun.

I own a mk2 the ride and handling suck. I even test drove a 2013 mk3 that wasn't any better. Gave my mk1 to a family member. I have a mondeo mk4.5 with sports suspension handling is good again now.

Mine handles pretty bad since the front suspension is all sorts of loose due to wear

The back doors really went on the bottom edge.

Sounds about Ford.

Only continuing what had gone before. I bought a B-reg XR3i at just under 3 years old and the hatch had already rusted out around the wiper hole due to the spoiler trapping water under it.

The rust proofing for Ford's this age was really bad. Shame because they were on a roll

@@Mouse2113 seemed to do fine if kept clean but so many people didn't manage that. Mudflaps, wash inside the wheel arches. Wash under the back up under the boot floor. Go along the sills. And keep the bottoms of the doors clean.

I rented one of these for a couple weeks in MA. The handling and steering was a million miles better than any other American car. Mind you, an early 2000 Buick Regal was superbly comfortable and astonishingly fuel efficient.

I drive an 04 ZTW. Wonderful car and it's only at 145K right now. I want to drive it for a long time.

i had a 2004 sport tdci 3 door in imperial blue a few months back 78000 miles and sold it as the rear arches were going abd decided to keep my ghia tdci which is rust free but loved how the sport drove i do have a grey one sitting at the side of my house which is rotten but use it on the farm for daughter to learn to drive.

Yeah, I rememeber that as well. I used to get terribly carsick in Mondeos. I think I actually cried when my dad bought one, because I knew I was going to get carsick on every single journey. Never happened in the Galaxy or Fiesta because of how low the glass was. It got much better when I grew tall enough to see over the door cards. Eventually I discovered that the drivers seat of a Mondeo is the best one!

Sadly that was a £795 optional extra that many couldn't afford

It was developed to be used in the next-gen Ford Falcon’s

I had a gold Ghia saloon! Nice car, but the boot opening was rather small and I think they looked a bit odd.. I've always preferred the hatchbacks.

Yes nice condition bar the added tat, shame!