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Used 2012 Ford Focus Consumer Reviews

3.3 out of 5 stars
333 reviews

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2 out of 5 stars

Too many problems.

amanda, 10/06/2016
2012 Ford Focus SE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful

I have had the car for 4 years and it now has 75,000 miles on it. 1- Not long after purchasing the car, it started jerking when I would try to take off. I advised Ford of this and they said it was normal. Then they finally sent out a recall for the transmission. 2- Car was a year old- driving down the road I started smelling something. Ford advised us to have the car towed to them. I did and they advised it was an overfill of something and it was just getting rid of the overfill (sorry, can't remember what it was). While the tow truck driver was helping us load the car, the front end of the car scrubbed the ground and scratched the paint off the car (a lot). Ford advised us it was the tow company's responsibility and the tow company advised us it was Ford's responsibility (because Ford called them). End the end, no one took the blame so it is still messed up. 3- I had the car exactly 3 years when the driver side window quit working. Of course, no longer under warranty. 4- (July, 2016) Had the car for 3.5 years and the rear wheel and hub assembly needs replaced (not a cheap repair). 5- (October, 2016) the water pump busted. Not very happy with all this repairs and costs. Now thinking I should sell the car before something else goes wrong.

Safety
3 out of 5 stars
Technology
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Interior
3 out of 5 stars
Comfort
3 out of 5 stars
Reliability
3 out of 5 stars
Value
3 out of 5 stars
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3.38 out of 5 stars

transmission troubles

reedleo, 11/15/2011
2012 Ford Focus SEL 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 6AM)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful

I have >9,000 miles on my 2012 Focus with the dual-clutch automatic. I am not bothered by the backward roll on hill starts or the pulsing from dead stop, but it does have some real issues. 4 times now, driving in the S mode, when rolling through a low speed right turn then hitting the gas, all I get are revs and no power. I have to drive in S mode at low speed, because the shift points of the D mode are too low rpm (for max fuel economy no doubt) and the car shudders before it downshifts when given the gas. Also the tranny makes a lot of clatter noise in the 1-2 and 3-4 transitions, while being smooth as silk in all others.

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4 out of 5 stars

So far so good

Sharina, 10/26/2015
2012 Ford Focus SEL 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 6AM)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful

I've had this car a little over a year and it's been great. I've had 2 recalls since getting it and I just brought my car in and it was fixed and I was done. I don't mind the recalls. As long as it's fixed for free. My car has never stalled, but it did do that weird thing where you're speeding up and it hesitates a little, but it doesn't happen too often. I got my car with a lot of miles...like 64000 when I bought it for 15 thousand. They could have given me better price because I still owe 10 thousand and the car is worthe like 6 thousand now... I've had no issues. My car works wonderfully! I mean sometimes it takes a second for the air to turn on, but I love my car and I know I'll have it for a while. I'll probably end up getting a Ford again after this...

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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3.38 out of 5 stars

Transmission Silliness

backindasaddle, 07/02/2011
2012 Ford Focus SEL 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 6AM)
17 of 20 people found this review helpful

Just got a 2012 Focus Hatchback SE. Company car, no choice in the matter. No options except for the 6 speed automatic tranny. I like the car and think build quality is very good. I've now got about 2 weeks driving and 1300 miles or so on it. There is one thing that I really don't like. The 6 speed auto transmission. It's not that it's bad. It actually shifts nice and firm and I like the idea of 6 gears. The problem is the shift point programing. It just shifts to higher gears so quickly and won't drop a gear to accelerate unless you mash the gas pedal. The programers set it up to maximize gas mileage but ridiculously at the expense of drivability. Absolute foolishness.

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1 out of 5 stars

Don't Buy It. Don't Be another Statistic

Mark, 11/09/2015
2012 Ford Focus SEL 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 6AM)
13 of 15 people found this review helpful

Don't buy this car. It's not worth taking the chance with the transmission. I bought this car thinking that the transmission problems would get fixed. Bought the car at 28,000. In my first months of having the car, I went to the dealership for shuddering and gear grinding noises.. oh and how the car completely shut down; engine light on and wouldn't go faster than 20 mph. THAT was scary on the freeway. Supposedly it's a safety mechanism. Talked with at Susan with my car at 50,000 at corporate and there's nothing that she can do. My car doesn't count to be a lemon. It would be a great car if it wasn't for the transmission. Everything else is there but the fundamentals are all shot. And to my surprise, they are still implementing the same faulty transmission even in their new 2016 cars.

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