Ford Focus Hatchback (98-04) - Review

Review by David Ross on
The Focus was nothing short of a revelation when it was launched, offering a superb blend of practicality, comfort and keen handling. A great all-rounder, it continues to be a hugely popular model and with a wide range of engines and trims there's something to suit everyone. Easy to live with and simple to drive, the Focus makes an ideal small family car with the 1.6-litre and 1.8-litre Zetec models the pick of the range. There are also some excellent TDCI diesels which are refined and ideal for long distance travel.
4 out of 5

Other Ford reviews

3.5 out of 5

Running costs

All models give decent economy and insurance ratings are reasonable. Ford spares are usually cheap and easily available while a dealer in every town makes servicing easy.

* based on most recent data

Estimated fuel cost for 10,000 miles per year

Unleaded

£1,461 - £2,046 *

Diesel

£1,125 - £1,308 *

The estimated fuel cost figure is a guide to how much this model will cost to fuel each year, so you can compare between cars. It's calculated by using the model's average mpg (calculated from both town centre and motorway driving) and the average fuel price. It's based on the following cost-per-litre: petrol 135p and diesel 141p. Prices are updated daily.

Summary Running Costs

Servicing period

12 months/10,000 miles

Warranty

Mechanical 3 years, anti-perforation 12 years.

Road tax (12 months)

£120.00 - £270.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO2 emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO2 emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

2.5 out of 5

Green credentials

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
    132
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
    222
  • L
  • M

CO2 emission figure (g/km)

Fuel economy rating

The arrows indicate the best and worst CO2 bands for this model.

Emissions summary

The Focus is an environmentally friendly choice for green buyers. With an average of 171g/km CO2 across the range, its emissions are quite low for a small family estate. However, it's worth noting that the line up has a high number of diesel models, bringing the average down and giving buyers more choices of low-emission versions. Diesels typically produce less CO2 than petrol engines with similar power outputs. Eco-conscious buyers should consider the 1.8-litre diesel, which is one of the greenest models in the range. The range is also fairly economical, averaging 40 mpg.

Find the exact engine and CO2