2003 Ford Focus Consumer Reviews
Recent Consumer Reviews
(217 Total Reviews)
Won't buy a Ford again
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 5 | Fun-to-Drive: | 6 | Build Quality: | 4 |
| Comfort: | 4 | Interior Design: | 4 | Reliability: | 1 |
| Fuel Economy: | 3 | Exterior Design: | 5 | ||
Vehicle
2003 Ford Focus SE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
Review
Bought my car new and was fine until after I passed the "Lemon Law" limit. I only have 61000 miles on my car. I've had nothing but problems with my car! In the shop constantly. Transmission went out, had radio replaced 6 times, now have an after market radio paid for by Ford, alternator and cellunoid went out, blower motor went out, mold in my A/C x 2 and getting poorer gas mileage. It makes the weirdest noises that my local dealer can't always find the cure for. Never did get the gas mileage it claimed to get. I purchased the extended warranty and was so glad I did! I'd be in the "Poor House" now if I hadn't.
Favorite Features
It is rather fun to drive, otherwise.
Suggested Improvements
Better quality control. Engineers from Detroit were supposed to have checked out my radio issue and couldn't find a problem
2.3 PZEV ZX3 Focus 5 speed
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 7 | Fun-to-Drive: | 7 | Build Quality: | 7 |
| Comfort: | 7 | Interior Design: | 7 | Reliability: | 10 |
| Fuel Economy: | 8 | Exterior Design: | 7 | ||
Vehicle
2003 Ford Focus ZX3 2dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
Review
This car has been great. 63,000 miles (owned since new) and the engine has yet to sputter with hesitation. Average low 30's mpg and the highest I've got so far is 41mpg from San Diego to San Jose. More than adequate power and it has never had one problem!
Favorite Features
It can haul a lot of cargo inside, quiet and smooth engine, decently quick acceleration, great MPG, and so far perfectly reliable, all with the PZEV rating!
Suggested Improvements
The shift indicator light is annoying. I know when to shift. ABS as standard would be nice.
3 out 3 people found this review helpful
Rear Springs
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 4 | Fun-to-Drive: | 8 | Build Quality: | 3 |
| Comfort: | 7 | Interior Design: | 10 | Reliability: | 6 |
| Fuel Economy: | 3 | Exterior Design: | 10 | ||
Vehicle
2003 Ford Focus SE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
Review
Four years of driving and my wife loves the car. Easy for her to handle. Gas milage going down over the years. Main item is rear coil springs. Both needed replacement. $615.00 resolution. Both sprins broke in the lower spring cup. One spring broke the second time. Micro-crack and mechanical break.
Favorite Features
More features than I expected for a low priced Ford
Suggested Improvements
Air circulation, windshield fogs up in misty damp weather. Need a/c to resolve reducing mileage.
2 out 2 people found this review helpful
Good First Car
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 8 | Fun-to-Drive: | 8 | Build Quality: | 8 |
| Comfort: | 8 | Interior Design: | 8 | Reliability: | 8 |
| Fuel Economy: | 7 | Exterior Design: | 8 | ||
Vehicle
2003 Ford Focus LX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
Review
Bought it with 48,000 miles on it. Apart from regular oil changes and one bad heater coil ($100) it has run quite well. Fun to drive in summer but need to be careful in winter.
Favorite Features
Fun to drive, good pickup off the line, big trunk.
Suggested Improvements
Better dynamics in bad weather, more efficient AC.
3 out 3 people found this review helpful
The Ambiguous Focus
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 8 | Fun-to-Drive: | 9 | Build Quality: | 6 |
| Comfort: | 8 | Interior Design: | 6 | Reliability: | 5 |
| Fuel Economy: | 8 | Exterior Design: | 7 | ||
Vehicle
2003 Ford Focus ZX3 2dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
Review
I loved this car from the start and began to modify it. Lowered racing suspension and rims with high qaulity tires made it handle great, best car I ever had, good power but not great, its not really a sports car after all. Replaced front wheel bearings at 60k after some vibration. After that at 72k i turned on the AC and the blower motor caught fire under the dash and burned the interior pretty badly before it was put out, as I was driving it was considered a car accident not a auto fire and I wasn't covered, total loss. I am however getting a new Focus. I'll roll down the windows
Favorite Features
Good looks and style in interior. Nice handling before modification. Nice power with my auto at 130hp. Loved the mpg around 33 highway for me.
Suggested Improvements
Dunno if fire was a fluke, hear fires are not uncommon. Ford needs to look at that. Wheel bearings needing replaced also common from what I hear. Beefier bearing could fix this. Interior plastic seemed a little cheap.
Exceeds expectations
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 8 | Fun-to-Drive: | 9 | Build Quality: | 8 |
| Comfort: | 7 | Interior Design: | 9 | Reliability: | 9 |
| Fuel Economy: | 6 | Exterior Design: | 8 | ||
Vehicle
2003 Ford Focus ZX3 2dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
Review
Bought this car at 1 yr/8k thinking I would sell it in a year or two. But it has been a great car for four years and now 50k miles. It has been reliable and drives pretty sporty for 130 hp. The premium stereo is amazing for a factory model. The interior is larger than you would expect for a car this size when the rear seat is down. I have only two gripes. The brakes have always been squeaky and the gas mileage of the automatic is not as good as you would expect from a small car. Small complaints compared to the value of this car. I have been very happy with this car.
Favorite Features
Stereo, cargo capacity, reliability
Suggested Improvements
Better brakes
2 out 2 people found this review helpful
Tires
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 8 | Fun-to-Drive: | 7 | Build Quality: | 6 |
| Comfort: | 8 | Interior Design: | 9 | Reliability: | 8 |
| Fuel Economy: | 8 | Exterior Design: | 8 | ||
Vehicle
2003 Ford Focus ZTW 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 4A)
Review
This car gets great gas mileage but has cost me a fortune in tires. I bought the ZTW focus 2.0l 5sp wagon new and it no has 88,000 mi on it. I get no more than 15,000 mi out of a set of 15" tires whether cheap or expensive (back have gotten as little a 10K). Called Ford up they said "never heard of that before" but yet supplies my dealer w/ alignment kits to try and cure. Struts blew at 10k . On 3rd set of rear seat belts. Rear latch changed under recall- new latch worse-latch sometimes opens when hit bump-things fall out. Can no longer read LCD #s on blaupunct radio. Dashboard different color than rest of plastics. ps pump leak at 30k.
Favorite Features
About 36mpg if careful-seats are pretty comfy - not bad looking for a wagon -5 spd. - ok storage - Carried the 8' lumber(both inside and out)to rework my deck. Peppy
Suggested Improvements
Fix tire issue. Backend way too light for driving in snow- rear whips around easy even w studs. safety belts should hold up better. radio (why do people feel everything has to be digital it is not any faster on a radio or oven for that matter)
2 out 2 people found this review helpful
Awful
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 5 | Fun-to-Drive: | 7 | Build Quality: | 2 |
| Comfort: | 6 | Interior Design: | 7 | Reliability: | 2 |
| Fuel Economy: | 4 | Exterior Design: | 8 | ||
Vehicle
2003 Ford Focus SE 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 4A)
Review
Picked this up just over a year ago with 38,000 miles on it & over a year of original powertrain warranty left. Since then, it's been into the shop many times. I've spent over $3,000 repairing this vehicle, replacing the a/c compressor, the a/c condenser, the alternator, the tensioner pulley, & the front sway bars amongst other things. None of the repairs were covered by the warranty. The car now has 47,300 miles on it, & I can't wait to trade it in. In my opinion, I think that overall, it's a good idea poorly executed, put together with poor quality parts.
Favorite Features
Appearance, ride, handling - it got me into the dealership, & I was impressed with the test drive
Suggested Improvements
Quality
1 out 1 people found this review helpful
Nice Wagon
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 10 | Fun-to-Drive: | 9 | Build Quality: | 9 |
| Comfort: | 10 | Interior Design: | 8 | Reliability: | 9 |
| Fuel Economy: | 9 | Exterior Design: | 9 | ||
Vehicle
2003 Ford Focus SE 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 4A)
Review
This is a great little wagon with exceptional gas mileage. Right now has 100,000 on it an still running nicely. The ignition lock froze up around 70,000 and had to be replaced and the shift solenoid in the tranny was just done last week. Other than that, just general maintenance. Have driven this car all over the country and it's always started and run nicely. I do not go to dealerships for upkeep on my car, I go to Firestone so haven't had problems with recurrent brake issues, etc.
Favorite Features
Cargo space, gas mileage, comfortable.
Suggested Improvements
Fix the problem with the frozen ignitions.
6 out 6 people found this review helpful
do not buy this car
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 2 | Fun-to-Drive: | 3 | Build Quality: | 1 |
| Comfort: | 3 | Interior Design: | 4 | Reliability: | 1 |
| Fuel Economy: | 3 | Exterior Design: | 4 | ||
Vehicle
2003 Ford Focus SE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
Review
I have had my ford focus for one year and so far my ignition has gone out, my clutch has gone out, my fuel injector has gone out, my power steering has gone out, my windows have stopped going down and much more. Do not purchase this car. IT will be the worst mistake you ever make. I am still paying $200 a month for my mistake and can't get out of it because i am upside down in it.
Favorite Features
Suggested Improvements
3 out 7 people found this review helpful
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