USED FORDFOCUS Ford Focus

Britain’s biggest selling new car, the FordFocus, will be five years old in October. So next year the Focus is due to be replaced. But that’s next year: at the moment Ford is struggling to sell new cars and as a consequence second-hand values are starting to tumble. You can pick up a very tidy second-hand Ford Focus 1.4CL with 50,000 miles on the clock for just £4,000 from a private seller. FordFocus.

So if you were thinking about spending £10,000 on a new Ford Fiesta, save £3,000 and get a two-year-old Focus. It still looks newer than its more recently launched little brother and in almost every respect is a better car.

The hatchback is more popular and much prettier than the saloon. Standard equipment includes central locking, engine immobiliser, power steering and electric front windows. ABS and air-conditioning are options on most models. Most drivers will appreciate the adjustable steering column and driver seat.

Power comes from a broad range of petrol engines from 1.4 to 2 litre and a 1.8 litre turbo diesel. Best bet for all-round performance is the 1.8 petrol; you’ll get close to 40mpg, and 115bhp takes you from 0-60 in just over 10sec. Whichever engine you go for you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the low insurance groups: even the 2 litre petrol is only group 8.

In 2001 Ford gave the Focus range a facelift with new headlights, bumpers and front mesh grille. A few models gained more equipment, but the most significant improvement was to the 1.8 diesel. The introduction of direct injection boosted power from 89bhp to 113bhp and the car was transformed.

CHECK IT OUT
Style Hatchback looks good with three or five doors but four-door saloon is a real ugly duckling
Spare wheel Space-saver after October 2001 facelift
Exhaust Check carefully, prone to rust, even on low-mileage cars
Insurance Group 4 for 1.4s, group 5 for 1.6s and group 7 for 1.8s
Colours Avoid non-metallic finish on all but base models
Sunroof Factory-fitted tilt/slide glass panel or air-conditioning optional on many variants
Windscreen Check Ghia's useful heated screen works
Security Locking bonnet is opened by key, lock hidden behind grille badge
Steering Power assistance standard across the board

Details

The all new Ford Focus has been made to fit together perfectly, combining premium quality with thoughtful design. The interior has been planned so everything is just in the right place, while generous luggage space and an overall increase in length and width ensure passengers experience the same level of refinement as the driver.

Used Ford Focus

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