2005 Ford Focus Review and Specs

Summary

What Edmunds.com says

The 2005 Ford Focus is a wonderful small car that's fun to drive, frugal with fuel and offered in such a wide variety of configurations it would be hard not to find one that suits your needs.

Pros

Spacious and comfortable interior, fun-to-drive character, sharp steering, smooth ride, impressive selection of body configurations and features.

Cons

Generic interior styling, performance-bargain 2.3-liter engine now limited to ST sedan, can't match competitors' records for quality and reliability.

What's New for 2005

The new model year ushers in some significant changes for the 2005 Ford Focus. Exteriors have been updated with revised fascias and trim, and the car's oddball interior design has been replaced by more sedate and sophisticated furnishings. Last year's diverse engine lineup has been scrapped in favor of an all-new PZEV-rated 2.0-liter power plant good for 136 horsepower. A performance-oriented ST sedan has been added to take the place of the discontinued SVT Focus hatchbacks; it features a 151-hp incarnation of last year's excellent 2.3-liter PZEV engine. The 2.3-liter loses its squeaky-clean PZEV rating, however. In other news, the typically confusing array of trim levels and packages has been organized into logical and consistent trim lines, standardized across all body styles. New audio systems, increased interior storage and tweaked suspension tuning round out this year's midcycle makeover.

Consumer Ratings & Reviews

Love it!

Written by: Rileigh on 07/15/2008

Detailed Ratings

Overall Rating


Performance:	9	Fun-to-Drive:	10	Build Quality:	9
Comfort:	9	Interior Design:	9	Reliability:	9
Fuel Economy:	9	Exterior Design:	9

Vehicle

2005 Ford Focus ZX3 SE 2dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

Review

I bought my first Focus in 2001 and loved it! So when that got totalled in January 2005, I knew I wanted another Focus. The color choices stunk that year, but my new one has lots of great, new features that I love. I am very happy with it!

Favorite Features

The drop-down CD holder, pocket on the back of the passenger seat, and of course, the gas mileage.

Suggested Improvements

Outside mirrors need to be able to pivot, so if knocked, they do not break off (like mine both have. It's not cheap to buy new ones either)

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Focus Rally Car!

Written by: focuszombie on 06/28/2008


Performance:	5	Fun-to-Drive:	7	Build Quality:	5
Comfort:	4	Interior Design:	5	Reliability:	5
Fuel Economy:	8	Exterior Design:	6

The Focus seems to take a beating in the reviews, but mine has been pretty much what I expected. I bought it used (lease return) and it was cheap transpo. Maintenance? I've replaced brake pads once (I'm at 42K miles), tires once, and done oil changes. That's it. Not bad. Resale value? Holding its own with current gas prices. I downsized from a Ranger 4x4 the Focus is like driving a sports car to me. Mountain roads are more fun and the road trip to Trona where my Focus left a Toyota PreRunner 2 miles in the dust on desert dirt roads, now that was a blast! Ford, why'd you kill the hatchback? Hatchbacks rule for small car utility and capacity. Bring it back! Yeah, I like mine!

Really like the steering column stereo controls. Hatchbacks with folding seats rule! This coming from someone whose last two vehicles were pickups!

I wish the steering wheel telescoped a bit further out. I wish it got better mileage. Come on, Ford advertised the hell out of this car saying it got 36mpg! Bull. I have not seen a single report of anyone getting that. Good thing the EPA readjusted ratings to reality recently.

142000 miles in two years and it keeps

Written by: Gvs on 06/24/2008


Performance:	10	Fun-to-Drive:	10	Build Quality:	10
Comfort:	6	Interior Design:	9	Reliability:	10
Fuel Economy:	9	Exterior Design:	8

2005 Ford Focus ZX4 SE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

The most dependable car I had so far. Only had two glitches with it: a) Two light bulbs had to be replaced b) The drivers safety belt buckle has been replaced. Engine and drive train wise, this car performs like a charm, costs very little to drive.

Seats could be more comfortable for longer rides, and less road noise.

Great

Written by: Jim Van Damme on 06/09/2008


Performance:	5	Fun-to-Drive:	7	Build Quality:	4
Comfort:	7	Interior Design:	7	Reliability:	10
Fuel Economy:	8	Exterior Design:	7

Automatic tranny, gets 32 MPG in mixed driving, plummets to 28 MPG in winter. OK, it's only 3 years old, but so far totally reliable. Once in a great while I get some rough idle and I checked it with my DRB tester & it says it's the airflow sensor but it always resets. Bought used, probably traded because there was a big air leak into the bottom of the windshield. Some caulk cured that. Trunk lid doesn't fit well.

Upright seating. Comfy on long trips.

Door handles are hard to operate. And bring back the wagon!

After 3 Years, Still Love It

Written by: Mikey on 05/24/2008


Performance:	10	Fun-to-Drive:	10	Build Quality:	10
Comfort:	10	Interior Design:	9	Reliability:	10
Fuel Economy:	8	Exterior Design:	10

2005 Ford Focus ZX4 SES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

I have seen people review this car as underpowered. What did they think they were buying? It is an economy car. Duh. This is a good looking car that is fun to drive, and has a well designed interior. The car is comfortable, the steering tight, the mileage decent, and it has been very reliable. We have not had a single problem in almost three years. The noise at highway speeds is a little more than I would like, but that is my only complaint. It is easy to park because of its small size, but the interior is roomy enough. The trunk is good sized. The Pirelli tires grip great. Fit and finish is excellent.

Steering wheel mounted radio controls. Riding position/seat comfort. PZEV. Who would have thought that CA would not require the bi-annual smog testing. One less annoyance in my life!

Build a hybrid! Improve sound insulation.

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2005 Ford Focus Consumer Ratings & Reviews