Ford Focus/Ford Fiesta

Tell me about late model Ford Focus and/or Ford Fiestas. The good the bad and ugly.

Bad in the Focus: The automatic transmission. Hopefully you're going manual so it isn't an issue, but just in case.

+1 on the Focus tranny issue. The wife has a '14 the transmission even when it's working "properly" it sucks something awful, I really like the chassis on the Focus though, really solid little car, averaged 35 mpg on the way home from Houston to Austin last night. My parents have a '15 Fiesta hatch. It looks great, handles well and is a comfortable little car.

The other "systems" thing we keep hearing about is Sync. I have a '14 Fiesta that works well enough, but it doesn't do much, either. Unless you have to have nav on a screen installed into the car, I'd not spend the money on the My Ford Touch system in the older cars. This year, that's supposed to change, but you are asking about old cars.

The basic sync works well enough, can make hands free calls and whatnot.

Other than the DPS6 (which is in both cars), and the sync/MFT system- I'm not aware of any other issues.

My Fiesta handles well, I guess. Hard to tell when your commute is mostly freeway. Not like my Miata was....

I'm enjoying my '13 Focus SE Sedan for commuting. It's a 5-speed manual. Easy to shift and will make it easier to teach my teenage daughter to drive a stick. Only put 5k miles on it so far. No issues since I bough it at 23k. The console does encroach into the right knee area, but a gel pad taped to it fixed that. The Sync works well. The Bluetooth phone connection is way better than our Highlander. You can listen to a device through the car stereo using a USB, mic, or Bluetooth connection. Requires voice commands to activate.

It is a comfortable, quiet ride and handles well for a DD. Look for one with the appearance package. It adds rear disc brakes, fog lights, leather interior with power driver seat, and a few other niceties.

The hatchback will be more convenient for transporting stuff. The sedan has a small trunk opening.

The roofline is low so getting in and out took some getting used too. Tight squeeze in the back.

Oh, yeah--the back seat might have less legroom than an E30 convertible. Definitely less than our 04 Corolla.

I had a 13 focus and the wife had a 12 fiesta. Hers did have the transmission fixed for something leaking on the clucth, can't remember what. I really likes then other than that.

I had an '11 and now a '13 Fiesta DPS6. A wheel bearing on the '11 and a leak in the evap system (minor) are the extent of repairs. Being a long time Escort owner, the Fiesta is an extension and I enjoy driving it. I believe Ford has the problems with the transmission, actually clutches worked out. I don't use synch, so no problem there.

I never had a problem with the sync in either, I think a lot of the bad rap it got was from non tech savy people that just didn't want to learn how to use it.

There's more rear seat room in the Focus. The Fiesta has a more 'lively' chassis. Most of my time in both cars has been in the ST versions autocrossing. Word from the owners is that the Focus is a better freeway car and the fiesta is better for your typical low speed hooning. Both are fantastic.

I have a '13 Focus 5-Door Titanium. I really like it. I wish it was manual, but the wife can't drive one. Even with the DCT shuddering issue (which is a TSB for replacement), it doesn't happen very often and it is quite peppy. It's no slouch in other words.

I really like the Titanium model. It has all the bells and whistles. I thought I wasn't going to give a crap about the fancy stuff, but I like it all. It also has the same suspension as the Sport and it handles awesome.

I agree with nepa, the Sync system (especially the MySync Touch) is not hard to use. It has it's moments, but what modern electronics don't.

I've only driven a Fiesta once, so I can't comment on it too much. I own a '13 Focus ST and have driven a bunch of Focus SE rental cars in auto trans.

I didn't find the auto transmission quirk to be all that big of a deal. It lurches a tiny bit from a dead stop, but it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me. Otherwise, I found the auto Focus SE to be a pleasant inexpensive commuter.

The Focus ST is much different in some ways and similar in others. I have the ST3 trim, so it's fully tricked out. It has great reflexes, super quick steering, with the Ford Racing ECU tune it's damn fast and the 6 speed manual is pretty good. Nice sound system. Overall, it's fun to drive. It makes a decent highway cruiser, but 6th gear could stand to be a lot taller. A lot of people knock the sound symposer, but I kind of like it. Recaro seats are quite cozy. The Sync system is a mixed bag. It's got tons of gadgets, but it's very picky. I've already had to reflash mine, only one month into owning it, and now I can't get the Bluetooth to sync to my phone automatically. A few other things that bother me about the car. The turning circle is Suburban big, it's ridiculous. Small fuel tank + mediocre mpg = having to stop way too often for gas. Also, while it could be looked at as a good power to have, 250hp/360tq in a FWD car = insane torque steer.

I came out of the movie theater tonight and caught the Fiesta waiting for me, eager to go for a run. So we took the long, twisty way home, me grinning from ear to ear and her eagerly hustling around each bend before springing down the straights. The Fiesta ST is more than the sum of its parts, its more than a car...

Bought my '13 Focus new and it's been great. 5 speed. 40 mpg on occasion (with summer fuel). Feels more solid than my daughter's '14 Cruze and is more comfortable. Would buy it again with no reservations.

I have a 15 Fiesta with the 1.0 and I average 42mpg combined. I have put 18500 miles on it in less than a year no issues so far.

MrChaos wrote: I have a 15 Fiesta with the 1.0 and I average 42mpg combined. I have put 18500 miles on it in less than a year no issues so far.

That's impressive. Do they take regular?

12 Focus SE. I enjoy the car, 5sp, no issues, nothing but oil & gas. Comfortable on long trips, and with the handling pack struts and springs, great handling little car (well, near 3000lb, so not that little).

If you want handling, definitely do the handling pack struts (or option), the SE struts are slugsville.

I haven't driven a Fiesta, can't comment, but ST models do well at autocross.

MrChaos wrote: I have a 15 Fiesta with the 1.0 and I average 42mpg combined. I have put 18500 miles on it in less than a year no issues so far.

In my humble opinion, this is hands down one of the most interesting new cars available right now. Possibly even moreso than the ST...Especially if paired with the (ridiculously cheap) Ford Racing 'handling pack' that makes it kind of like an ST-Lite. Underrated turbo charged engine with overboost, manual trans only, torque vectoring, cool exhaust note without resorting to the use of audio system synthesizers, fantastic fuel economy (unlike what I've seen reported on most other 'Ecoboost' engines, the 1.0L seems to actually get appreciably better observed economy than EPA ratings), and available with heavy discounting for shockingly low prices. It's almost interesting enough to get me to replace my Fit early, and it's definitely at/near the top of the list for when the time does come.

Driven5 wrote: In my humble opinion, this is hands down one of the most interesting new cars available right now. Possibly even moreso than the ST...Especially if paired with the (ridiculously cheap) Ford Racing 'handling pack' that makes it kind of like an ST-Lite. Underrated turbo charged engine with overboost, manual trans only, torque vectoring,

Wait, what? You mean like in a Focus ST?

I have a 1.0L Fiesta. I am not getting EPA mileage but I also drive 72+ mph most of my commute on a really hilly road. I was barely getting 48 mpg out of a first gen insight so it is really only my particular commute.

GET A MANUAL

That is my only advise. The Sync (non touch) in my car works pretty well. We had (notice had) a '12 Focus with the auto and sold it because in the lightest snow you got stuck. It is a really strange transmission. It is fine at speed but useless from a stop, as mentioned.

GET A MANUAL

Great cars if manual. Am I making myself clear?

In reply to nepa03focus:

Yes, 87 oct. I love mine and it is likely the best mpg car for my commute short of some hybrid or a VW diesel.

There is one with 14K miles listed local to me for $12K, too.

I will own a 1.0 Fiesta one day. Maybe in 5+ years when they're selling for nothing flat and the Fiesta ST transmission swap has been mastered.

Yeah that's the other thing. The 2.0L in my '13 Focus takes regular unleaded, so filling the tank has been very cheap. I just filled up the other day off empty and only paid $15.

The girlfriend has a 2012 Focus. It's almost fun. With a manual trans. it would be pretty entertaining. I don't think it's very comfortable inside, especially on longer trips (and this is comparing to the '90s crapcans I drive.) The seats are just not great, in my opinion. I don't like the huge dashboard, especially since there isn't much usable space in the interior. Maybe a hatch would be better.

A few of the exterior bits are flimsy. There's a strip of plastic trim on the side of the windshield that occasionally gets loose and flicks around at freeway speeds. It's annoying. I think 4 year old cars shouldn't be shedding parts yet.

All that being said, if I was looking for a late model car to run around town a Focus hatch with a stick shift would be on my short list.

Knurled wrote:

Driven5 wrote: torque vectoring,

Wait, what? You mean like in a Focus ST?

According to what I've been able to discern from the Ford website, it appears to be standard on all (at least 2015+) Fiesta's...The Fiesta ST's is just more aggressively tuned for additional 'understeer control'.

http://www.ford.com/cars/fiesta/2015/features/#page=Feature27