Friday 2 September 2011

Review - Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec

Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec  

Not so long ago, someone asked us “What do you mean when you say ‘good to drive’?” The answer was simple, drive any Ford Focus, then drive almost any comparable car of the same age, come back and tell us which was the more responsive, more intuitive, more direct and simply more fun car to drive.

But there is more to the Focus than just excellent handling characteristics, and to prove it, we ‘re testing the 1.6 litre engined Zetec model. Why? Two reasons; firstly, this was one of the most popular models and engines and secondly, it isn’t the bottom feeding 1.4 version, which is a little bit of a limp-wristed engine.

You’ll notice from the pictures, that our test car is a 3 door model. The reason is because of one of two truths we are adamant about; the first is that the number of cars that look better as a convertible than a coupe can be counted on one hand, and the second is that there are no cars that look better as a five door than they do as a three door.

The Mk I Focus is without doubt a handsome beast, especially after the 2001 refresh that somehow still looks modern and generally up to scratch today, despite being ten years old.

The key difference between the first models and the refreshed 2001 models is the indicator position, as you can see on our test car, they are positioned within the main headlight cluster rather than separately.

This modification cleans up the front end to such a degree, the difference in looks is very dramatic with the refreshed cars looking sharp and modern, and the pre-refresh models looking their age to a very marked degree.

The Mk I Focus, was given the development code CW170 and was a direct replacement for the aging Escort, which had been using the same basic platform since 1990.

Ford had been stung by the press’ rubbishing of the car, with several going as far to say that Ford thought it could sell any old rubbish, with much of the criticism aimed at the poor handling of the Escort. Ford sprung into action, going as far to develop a brand new independent rear suspension system for the new car as well as integrating the ‘Edge’ design language that Ford was rolling out across it’s range.

The result was a car that rewrote the book on how a family hatch should handle. No longer could manufacturers simply bolt together a set of MacPherson’s and a Torsion Beam and hope for the best, because the Focus wiped the floor with the lot of them.

At new, the 1.6 Zetec cost around £12,500, and for that you got plenty of basic equipment and an engine that you could poke with a stick and get a satisfying response. It was competitive too, despite being much cheaper than a Mk IV Golf, the only real difference was a few areas of inferior plastics in the Ford. In truth, this model never set the range alight, but the fact that it was as good as a Golf for around £1,500 less and much better to drive as well, meant the Focus quickly became one of the most popular cars around, with all the benefits that come with being a desirable car.

The engine is a 1.6 litre, all Aluminium four cylinder engine that was considered by many to be the pick of the range and we’d still maintain that. Ok it’s a 1.6 litre with only 99 bhp and an equally lowly 107 lb/ft of torque, the sort of figures that aren’t too far out of reach for 1.2 litre engines of today, but as always, one of our tests for a refined engine is having more torque than power.

It means that when you prod the engine with your sudden case of lead feet, the engine doesn’t just make a lot more noise and not much else, it means the car pulls at you and feels like it wants to get a move on.

This engine is also the best balance of performance and economy across the range. The 1.4 is not really any better on fuel but is much slower and the 1.8 and 2.0 engines are faster but can dive on fuel economy.

So for your 1596cc, DOHC, 16v Four cylinder engine, pumping out 99 bhp at 5,500 rpm and that rather lumpy 107 lb/ft of torque arriving at 4,000 rpm will haul the lightweight 1158 kg Focus to 62 mph in just 10.9 seconds and will reach 115 mph, not bad for a £12 family box.

The key is the weight, despite the fact this was at the time, a large car for it’s class and can cart four people plus luggage around in comfort and safety, the Focus is a feather weight machine. It lets you access the potential of the engine when you want it, but also means you can keep revs down and fuel economy up.

But the engine is not the thing to get excited about with the Focus, no that honor is reserved for the handling. Ford’s of this vintage and newer have managed to carve out a niche in their respective markets for being excellent cars to drive, and that is the Focus’ ace. In fact, for some, once they’ve owned a Ford they can own nothing but another Ford or a BMW. This is how far ahead the Focus was.

The key is more than just that headline-grabbing rear suspension. Firstly, Ford’s chassis engineers created a very stiff body and chassis, coupled with a wide track, particularly at the rear making the rear end not only spacious, but also extremely well planted. The front is equipped with standard MacPherson struts, but even here, Ford worked hard to find a set-up that is both responsive but compliant, a trait that is expected of even the cheapest of cars today.

The rear end, where that legendary ‘Control-Blade’ multi-link set-up is hidden offers up so much control and feel at the rear, but it’s also an extremely compact unit, taking up no more space than a Torsion Beam set-up and so giving the Focus a spacious boot and low load lip. While the job of setting up the Focus to make the most of the suspension set-up was key to the cars handling, the design of the rear suspension is undoubtedly the key to it’s success.

But Ford didn’t stop there. What’s the point of excellent body control, very accurate steering, excellent damping characteristics and superior levels of grip if the steering control is poor? Therefore, the Focus used hydraulically powered steering assist, and continued to do so in the Mk II and switched to an electro-hydraulic system for the Mk III. While hydraulic systems cost mpg, they are vastly superior in feel to electronic systems, and again Ford worked hard to make the steering wheel feel like it was actually connected to the wheels, to let the driver interact with the car rather. The steering on this car is in many cases, superior to most mid-range family hatchbacks today simply because it’s hydraulic system is well set-up when compared to mediocre electronic systems, despite the seven year age gap.

The handling comes down to little things, like being able to turn sharply and quickly, a task that is useful in every day life, not just when you want to have fun. The sharp turn in means you can really get the car into a corner, hold speed on roundabouts and generally make rapid progress.

When you do though, the Focus is quite happy to respond. The engine is vocal but not rough, possessing a nice four cylinder yowl that is audible but not intrusive. The engine never really sounds in pain, as some unrefined four-pots do when being revved. Throttle response is good, and while it’s not the most free-revving engine, it is happy to work hard. The gearbox is sublime, a slick five speed that is a joy to shift cogs with, although first gear is very short and can need a quick change after you pull of. The clutch is measured and gradual, the sort that is nicely balanced between comfortable, measured travel and sharpness.

The brakes are 278mm ∅ discs at the front, with 250mm ∅ drums at the rear. All Zetec models come equipped with ABS and ESP was optional, but the simple fact is the lightweight Focus has brakes that are strong, responsive and don’t fade unless you’re really pressing on hard for long periods.

The Focus is a well mannered car under normal driving conditions, with that well sorted suspension set-up making the car ride well, absorbing bumps and pot-holes nicely.

Motorway manners are good too, with wind noise kept to a minimum and road noise is also at an acceptable, if slightly raised level on all but the worst quality of motorway surfaces.

The engine at motorway cruise makes just enough noise to be noticeable as a background hum, the sort of sound that we characterise as the sound of the engine happily burbling away to itself. If you’re a fan of total silence then it’ll annoy you, but we like some character in our cars, and this noise gives the car a sense of that.

The interior is high but not top quality, even when it was brand new. The whole interior is well bolted together, noting rattles or creaks where it shouldn’t, however, on the upper surfaces of the dash and in front of the passenger seat, the plastics are hard-touch ones that are hard wearing but ultimately unattractive and harsh to touch.

In fact, like the rest of the car, the best place to be in a Focus is behind the wheel. The whole car feels like it was aimed to be driven, all the design work of interior is focused towards the driver, the nicely shaped dash is rather good looking and well proportioned.

The dash is clear and concise, if a little uninspiring, with two large dials for speed and revs, and one either side of those for fuel and temperature, all contained snugly within that shapely dash surround which is the attractive part of the dash.

The centre console is simple, with the radio/CD up high and the ventilation or AC controls below that, with large chunky and good quality buttons.

The seats are comfortable, even the cloth ones provide good support all around and possessing an excellent driving position that means you can just chew up the miles. The rear seats are also spacious, that wide rear track means you can get three adults into the rear of the Focus in relative comfort, but as with most cars in this class, it’s best to keep that situation to short jaunts rather than long hauls.

The glove box is useful, if not the most spacious we’ve ever seen, able to swallow a sat-nav, chargers and CD’s but not much more.

Boot space is always pretty generous, with 350 litres of boot space on offer plus that low sill and wide rear end making the Focus a compact but spacious tool. The rear seats split fold 60:40 across the range and the car has plenty of cubby holes and storage pockets.

Equipment can be hit and miss with the Zetec model. There was a vast array of options available so kit levels can vary from car to car.

Standard kit includes ABS, power steering, electric windows, steering column mounted audio controls, front and back fog-lights, driver and passenger air bags, side air bags (previously optional), remote central locking, removable radio facia and 16 inch alloy wheels.

The options range from CD Player, rear parking sensors, electric tilt/slide sunroof, metallic paint, xenon headlights, traction control, sat-nav system, and quick-clear wind screen. This means you have to be sure you’re getting the kit level you want/need, but it also means you can get an absolute bargain if you shop cleverly.

Running wise, the Mk I Focus does show it’s age a little. With the engine able to make just 40 mpg for it’s small size and power output, you will be stopping regularly, although a 665 mile tank range is more than enough to make it competant.

Emissions are again slipping behind the times a little, with that engine knocking back 165 g/km of CO₂. It means that you’ll be paying out £165 per year, and only just as it sits right at the top of Band H. Just one more g/km would mean £190 per year.

The revised insurance group ratings means the Focus sits in Group 13, or if you’re still adjusting Group 5 vis the old system, which makes the Focus statistically no more expensive to insure than a similarly engined Fiesta.

So if you’re interest is peaked by the Focus, how much are you going to have to fork out for one? Well, the simplest answer is how lucky are you and how much effort are you willing to give? With so many options available, to get the car you want requires some shopping, however our car, which came pretty stock, so Radio/Cassette, no AC and no sunroof, dating from 2002 with 88,000 miles on the clock would set you back anything from £2,100 - £2,300, less for an older and/or higher mileage stock example.

If you’re after some goodies that make it feel modern, you’ll either need to spend a bit more or get some luck. For a similarly aged example with no more than 10k miles per year, Air-Con and CD player, you’ll be looking at £2,500 or more.

Conclusion

What can be said that hasn’t already been said about the Focus before? Well the simple answer is ‘nothing’. The Mk I is as good today as it was when it was new. Ok the engines are dating, particularly on emissions, but they remain a decent range and the 1.6 Zetec remains the absolute pick of the bunch.

The efforts to reduce emissions and save fuel in new cars has lead to a massive reduction in driver involvement in new cars, making the Mk I feel as sharp as ever, and those timeless looks make this 13 year old design seem as up to date as ever. The simple fact is this: If you want a new car that has high levels of driver involvement, you buy a BMW, a MINI or a Ford.

If you’re buying a car from the 2000’s that has high levels of driver involvement, you buy a BMW, a MINI or a Ford, a fact that the Mk I Focus epitomises.

Ok, it’s engines do feel a little weedy compared to engines with the same capacity today, and the road tax does border on crippling, but right now, with the steady, relentless march towards complete driver segregation from the mechanicals of the car, we’d happily recommend you drive one and find out what actual driving is about; accuracy, controlled changes of direction, slick, well measured controls and a sense that you and the car are actually connected to each other, not communicating via wires.

Put it is this way, talking to someone face to face is always better than talking on the telephone. Most modern cars only let you talk to them via telephone. The Focus has always been about the face to face, which is just better. So, yes, you do have to pay for it, but a Focus will always reward you in a way most cars wouldn’t even understand, even £15-£20k brand new cars.

MD

Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec

Engine: 1596cc 16v DOHC In-Line Four
Power: 99 bhp @ 5,500 rpm
Torque: 107 Lb/ft @ 4,000 rpm
0-62 mph: 10.9 Seconds
Top Speed: 115 Mph
Fuel Economy: 40 mpg Combined