My 2000 Focus ZX3 is the second one I have owned. The first was totaled in an accident. I have never owned a car that has been both as practical and fun to drive as a Focus. The car gets great gas mileage but still gets up and moves thanks to the Zetec. For those of you who are looking at a 2.0 SOHC as compared to the 2.0 DOHC Zetec let me just say that the SOHC is a dog. But the Zetec motor is more then plenty for the average driver. For the hp junkies the car wont pick up quickly until around 3200-3300rpm but does rev out to 7000. As my speeding tickets will attest, the car has no problem getting up to 90mph or more.

The interior has great flowing form and the controls are laid out nicely within reach of the driver. The European influence can be seen through out the cars design and the nice fit and finish shows that off.

One of the best parts of the car is the tuned suspension. While the ZX3 does sit up a little bit higher then the sedan, the car turns on a dime. The factory suspension is set up much better then most cars aftermarket suspensions.

The focus has a smaller price tag then most but it has many higher quality features. Leather steering wheels are standard on all foci as is also a premium sound system that shakes the mirrors when turned up. I replaced the factory head unit with a Kenwood but swapped it back when I realized the factory one sounded better. The focus' seats are of nice quality and show it with their ample bolstering.

Another nice aspect of owning a focus is the vast amount of seating and cargo area the car has. My roommate is over 6 foot and prefers the backseat over the front because of the amount of headroom. Clearly the focus is not your average hatchback. The rear seats fold down in a 40/60 split and the hatch can hold comfortably 4 to 5 large suit cases.

The engine can be a little noisy for some but my overall satisfaction with the car has been A++++. I drive over 45,000 miles per year and I have never had any mechanical problems with the car. I have only received 1 recall on my focus(not 9 or 10 like the exaggerations you might hear)and it was serviced for free in only a few hours. People who say brakes are a problem on the Focus do not know how to drive. My Focus has 72,000 miles on it and I have never replaced the brakes. If every Ford car was built like the Focus, Fords might have a better reputation.

Amount Paid (US$): 8999
Condition: Used
Model Year: 2000
Model and Options: ZX3 Kona Edition