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February 5, 2009
 2006 Ford Focus ZX5 SES. Click image to enlarge |
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2006 Ford Focus
The Ford Focus brought a little bit of European flair to the small car segment for the 2000 model year. This was the company’s second attempt in five years or so at building a car it could sell simultaneously here and in Europe; the first was the Contour and Mystique twins that lasted from 1995 to 1999.
So the goal with the Focus was to replace two cars – the mid-sized Contour/Mystique and the compact Escort – with one, while coming up with something that would prove that a small car could be practical and fun-to-drive.
The Focus succeeded on many fronts: the styling was unique in a class where looks took a back seat to more practical needs, like miserly fuel consumption and a spacious, uh, back seat. Interior space was very good, too, and the Focus was available in a variety of body styles, including the station wagon configuration that many previous Escort owners had come to appreciate. This alone made the Focus a standout in terms of small cars.
But despite using proven components – the 2.0-litre engines employed here were carry-over units from the Escort – the Focus had a rough go of it during its first two or three years in production. Of the 13 recalls affecting the car, 11 were issued in its first two years on the market.
 2006 Ford Focus ZX5 SES. Click image to enlarge |
In terms of reliability, most of the Focus’ issues seem to be electrical in nature: a rough idle is common, fuel pumps are prone to failure in early cars, but the consensus in Focus-related web discussion forums is that this issue was fixed in later cars. Many owners posting online complain of bad ignition lock cylinders that lock up, preventing the car from being started. Power windows seem to fail frequently too, though this apparently affects the two-door ZX3 model more than four-door cars.
If you’re into modifying your Focus, be aware that upgrading the suspension with a stiffer rear sway bar could cause a rear control arm to break in half.
The engine thermostat housing is a common failure point on higher-mileage cars and is a frequent cause of coolant leaks.
Generally speaking, later cars are much more dependable than earlier Focuses; I’d suggest a 2005 model or newer if you’re looking for a dependable daily driver. Consumer Reports only gives above-average reliability ratings to 2005 through 2007 models.
All Focuses up to the 2004 model year got 2.0-litre engines: base wagon and sedan models used a 110-hp single overhead cam (SOHC) version, while a 130-hp twin cam motor was standard in the hatchback and uplevel wagons and sedans. In 2005, the single-cam motor was dropped, and an ST sedan trim (which replaced the SVT hatchback as the sporty option) arrived with a 153-hp 2.3-litre engine. The Focus got a mild styling update – inside and out – in 2005, and that same year also brought some new model designations.
 2006 Ford Focus ZX5 SES; photo by Greg Wilson. Click image to enlarge |
Fuel consumption, according to Natural Resources Canada’s testing methods, shows the Focus to be a typically efficient small car. The twin-cam Zetec 2.0-litre four-cylinder is rated at 9 to 9.5 L/100 km in city driving and 6.5 to 7 L/100 km on the highway, depending on the model year in question and transmission choice; earlier cars with the single-cam 2.0-litre engine use 8.5 to 9 L/100 km in the city and 6 to 6.5 L/100 km on the highway. The hard-to-find 2.3-litre uses 10.6 L/100 km in the city and 7 L/100 km on the highway; it was available solely with a manual transmission.
Crash safety is good, at least in frontal impacts. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives these cars four and five stars for front-seat occupant protection in frontal impacts, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives the Focus its “good” rating in frontal offset crash tests.
The Focus has been available from day one with side airbags for the front seats; I’d advise looking for a car with them. Without, the Focus earned a poor rating in the IIHS’ side impact test, and while the NHTSA gives the Focus as many as three and four stars for side impact protection, its history is spotty: some model year cars got four stars for front-seat occupant protection and just one for rear-seat passenger protection, while others got three for the front seat and four for the rear seat. The main concerns for rear-seat occupants appear to be a high likelihood of severe head injury, and/or thoracic injury.
 2006 Ford Focus ZX5 SES. Click image to enlarge |
The Focus’ resale values are bad news for those who bought these cars new, but good news for those shopping for used examples. Used values, according to Canadian Red Book, range from $13,050 for a 2007 ST sedan to $3,300 for a 2000 LX sedan. My pick (aside from the super-cool SVT model, which is covered in its own review on this site) would be a 2005 ST, which, with a Red Book value of $8,925, is a pretty good deal for a small car with a peppy motor and suspension bits sourced from the sadly-defunct SVT.
While the Focus turned the compact car segment on its ear in 2000, it was a Ford subsidiary – Mazda – which did the same in 2004 with the Mazda3. These days, the Focus pales in comparison to the little Mazda, and for many of the same reasons the Focus was considered the fun-to-drive benchmark of the class back in its day.
For a spacious-but-small car at a good price, I’d recommend a newer Focus (don’t go older than 2003, and 2005 and newer models are best), even if it’s no longer the most four-wheeled fun you can get for under $20,000.
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Pricing
Red Book Pricing (avg. retail) February 2009:
Online resources
Related stories on Autos
Test Drive: 2000 Ford Focus ZTS Test Drive: 2000 Ford Focus Wagon Test Drive: 2002 Ford Focus SVT Test Drive: 2002 Ford Focus ZX5 Test Drive: 2005 Ford Focus ZX4 ST Test Drive: 2006 Ford Focus ZX5 SES Used Vehicle Review: 2000-2003 Ford Focus Used Vehicle Review: 2002-2004 Ford Focus SVT
Manufacturer’s Website
Recalls
2000-2005: Certain four door (sedan and wagon) and five door vehicles originally sold or currently registered in the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario may have faulty rear door latches. Corrosion build-up at the pawl pivot area of the latch can cause the latch to bind. The owner may experience difficulty opening or closing a rear door, and eventually the rear door may not latch properly. If not latched properly the door may open while the vehicle is in motion. Correction: Dealers will inspect the rear door latches. A latch that passes the evaluation will be lubricated to prevent future corrosion. A latch that does not pass the evaluation will be replaced. Transport Canada Recall Number: 20022214; Units affected: 74,213 Transport Canada Recall Number: 2002213; Units affected: 41,068 Transport Canada Recall Number: 2001204; Units affected: 83,005 Transport Canada Recall Number: 2000305; Units affected: 20,777 Transport Canada Recall Number: 2000302; Units affected: 9,815 Transport Canada Recall Number: 2000246; Units affected: 4,349 Transport Canada Recall Number: 2000245; Units affected: 36,012 Transport Canada Recall Number: 2000096; Units affected: 8,482 Transport Canada Recall Number: 1999231; Units affected: 4,291 Transport Canada Recall Number: 2001258; Units affected: 679 Transport Canada Recall Number: 2001077; Units affected: 1,783
Crash test results
Used vehicle prices vary depending on factors such as general condition, odometer reading, usage history and options fitted. Always have a used vehicle checked by an experienced auto technician before you buy. For information on recalls, see Transport Canada’s web-site, www.tc.gc.ca, or the U.S. National Highway Transportation Administration (NHTSA)web-site, www.nhtsa.dot.gov. For information on vehicle service bulletins issued by the manufacturer, visit www.nhtsa.dot.gov. For information on consumer complaints about specific models, see www.lemonaidcars.com. |
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