Used 2015 Ford Focus Hatchback Consumer Reviews
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Traded a 2014 for a 2015
This is our third Focus. First was a 2005 which was very economical to drive. Bought a 2014 SE automatic last year and liked it but there were a couple of options I wished I'd gotten with it. A couple of things I didn't like about the '14 were no 12V plug on the dash and no lock buttons on the doors. Traded it in for the 2015 SE this year and glad I did. Everything I didn't like on the 2014 was corrected on the 2015, 12V plug on the dash, lock buttons on the doors, etc. I had no problems with the shifting on the 2014. Not as smooth as a full size car but it it shifted fine for the 12,000 miles I had on it. You have to realize even though it's an automatic you feel it shift like a standard. If you don't like power shifting get a Fusion. The 2015 does seem to shift smoother than the 2014 and has the manual shift paddles which I tried and they work but for me the Focus shift points are fine in automatic so I wont use the paddles much if ever. I got the 2.0L engine for the power with larger wheels and get a steady 34 mpg around town. Longer trips on the highway I get a little better (mid to high 30s) but don't hold back on the speed. This car handles great. I drove others in this class Toyota/Honda/VW and this one is the most fun to drive. Electronics work fine and blue tooth and USB work as they should. Sync voice commands are still a challenge if you don't speak clearly. I like having both the analog and digital gauges on the 2015 (the 2014 only had an analog spedo). The heat/AC controls are great on the 2015 as there is a individual on/off button for everything including each vent/defrost. No more trying to figure out which position on a dial to use to heat your feet and the windshield at the same time. All in all the 2015 hatch is fun to drive, handles and looks great, and has enough room for our two large dogs in the back.
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BUYER BEWARE
New Update: 6/1/23- Car still to date remains in a federal litigation mass action lawsuit with thousands of other consumers with the same issues. Ford refuses to resolve or lemon the car out. DO NOT BUY THIS CAR! This car has a major transmission issue. A Ford tech told me to no longer drive the car because it was not safe and the issue could not be repaired. There are multiple class action lawsuits against Ford for faulty transmissions. One of them recently settling. I had purchased a 2015 model in Dec 2015 and at 35,000 miles it was on it's 3 rd clutch replacement. First clutch was replaced at 7,200 miles. Second one about 7,000 miles after that. Ford refuses to lemon the car out, they wouldn’t even trade it in with the issues. The extended warranty coverage that was sold to me is invalid and the insurer will not honor the coverage because of the bulletins and known issues. Ford states the law doesn't apply to them. Ford Corporate does nothing to rectify the issue. Horrible experience, would never purchase another Ford again.
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Ford Screwus
Do yourself a huge favor and do not buy this car with the "automatic" transmission. It is the worst car I have EVER owned ( and I have owned more than I would care to admit) in terms of the transmission and reliability. Ford is well aware of the defective transmission and its electronic controls and still is somehow able to foist this piece of trash on the American public! The dealer is now replacing the clutch on this POS and Ford has told them that they can expect the part in 12 weeks. Nice! The transmission issues started around the 11000 mile mark and haven't been fixed yet. The car now has 14000 miles on it.
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Home run caught at the warning track!!!
This car is a huge disappointment. I have owned 9 different NEW Ford vehicles and I am 43 years old. I have had problems with only 1 until now. the previous one Ford stepped up to the plate and fixed. This one they will not. The transmission issues on my wife's 2015 Ford Focus is an abomination. Even my kids who are preoccupied with their phones in the car notice how bad it is! It will shudder, vibrate and shake the whole car when accelerating from a stop and from first to second gear. It feels like it is going to fall out of the car. I have had it in for service 3 times and the first time they reprogrammed the PCM (powertrain control module). It actually got worse. The second time they said it was normal because it was a manual transmission that is shifted automatically. What? I am fairly certain that when we purchased the vehicle it was marketed as a 6-speed AUTOMATIC!!! False advertising! Ford also states that the transmission technology is to better fuel efficiency. I also do not remember signing any papers stating that ride quality and safety will be compromised for fuel efficiency. I will be pursuing the lemon law if it is not remedied soon.
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Worst Car I have Driven
I have had two Hondas and one Smart Fortwo in my life. This focus is awful compared to the rest. The smart car seemed like a real downgrade from my Hondas but it shines like a gem compared to this piece of garbage. The main thing that I cannot get over is the transmission. Ford, what in god's name possessed you to release a vehicle that drives like this? Every single time you press the accelerator from a red light or stop sign the transmission kicks, jerks, and vibrates through most of first gear. It feels like the transmission is going to slip right out of gear each time and it scares me. I never know when the transmission might go. For being a "dual clutch" its awful. The Germans have been using these transmissions for a long while now and they run beautifully. Why Ford still cannot get it right baffles me. Next is the driving position. I am 6'3" so my seat is all the way back. I cant look out the window without half of my view being obstructed by the B pillar. And no the back of my seat is not tilted way back. A great looking car with great potential killed by sloppy American engineering.
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Love my Focus
I researched the Focus extensively before getting involved with one. I drove a couple, a 2017 and a 2015. I ended up getting the '15 for the $3,000 price difference and slightly higher miles. I saw the teeth gnashing over the transmission and had to see what all the discourse was about. I liked the size, safety ,mpg quotes and aggressive styling. The Auto Critics loved it. The thing to remember is that it's not a traditional hydraulic automatic that US consumers crave. It has some quirks and traits that a manual would have. Mine shifts smoothly, but sometimes will shudder slightly for the first couple of years under heavy acceleration. Sometimes it will flutter slightly at a hard deceleration when transitioning to 1st. Almost making you want to throw a clutch in. On the shift selector, there is a button to engage if you'll be starting on a hill to prevent rolling back which is common in manuals. This is the first time I've seen it on an "automatic". Handling is crisp and braking is good. The cabin is quite quiet for a compact Hatchback. The cargo area with seats up and folded down is generous. The Ford Sync system is awesome and easy to use. It hooks up with my phone effortlessly. The 2 liter four has some peace and vinegar in Atlanta traffic. Mine is black on black with a tremendous metal flake sparkle in the finish. I'm glad I took this one. UPDATE: Ford recalled the FOCUS in this generation for its transmission issues. My local Ford dealer kept the car for 3 days and installed a clutch update. They gave me a Fusion free of charge for a loaner. Exactly one year later, the car shifts with no shudder or vibration. The performance and mpg are the same...I'm getting 31-33 combined. Still love it. It's a shame the issues with this trans killed the Focus. It's been a great little car that's fun to drive with it's handling.
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So far so good...
Purchased a 2015 Focus Hatchback Titanium with 5-speed manual transmission. I've driven the car for about 2,000 miles so far and am surprised by the handling and gas mileage. I've been getting around 35 mpg on the highway which is more than the 2013 Dodge Dart Aero Turbo I traded in. After having so many problems with Dodge and the Auto DDCT I decided to cut my losses and get the Focus. The interior is great and really comfortable during my 100 mile a day commute. Ford has really changed the Focus since the last one I had driven which I believe was a 2001. The interior is somewhat comparable to the feel of my BMW 325i except way cheaper price wise. I guess some people have mentioned some issues with the automatic transmission but the 5-speed manual has been very smooth and haven't noticed any issues. Haven't tried E85 fuel yet since the price of regular gas isn't much of a difference at the moment and has better MPG. I almost went with a Focus ST but thought I would prefer the luxury feel while commuting 500 miles a week.
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Worst Transmission Ever
Honestly, there is one reason i would never buy this car again. The transmission is horrible. We have had it in three times, and had the clutch (its an automatic), replaced once. Today i am taking it in for a 4th time. All they say is "we'll test it and if its score is X we'll look into it further. If they don't fix this, i'm going to just sell it and buy a Subaru. The other thing that is horrible is the Microsoft Sync software. My wife even has a Windows phone and its horrible to sync. It's too bad, this could have been a great car, but the transmission is just THAT BAD.
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Don't do it.
I was raised in a Ford family, with both of my parents driving Fords for the last 3 decades. I purchased my first Ford Focus in 2012 and was forced to trade it after needing 3 clutch replacements in only 20k miles of driving. After reassurance from Ford Motor Company of a new redesigned transmission and clutch in the 2015 models with no known issues after considerable testing, I traded my first Focus for my second. To my outrage, not only was I sold a car with a known faulty clutch but I just received my SECOND clutch replacement.. this time in only 13k miles of driving. In a request to Ford to buy my car back, I was told my terrible experience with my first Focus would not be included in the current request for buyback. Next, I was told by a regional manager reviewing my case, that the clutches continued to fail because I did not "drive my car aggressively enough" despite Ford acknowledging thousands being affected by their faulty clutches and current class action lawsuit against Ford. Finally, in solidarity for denying my request for buyback, I was offered 6-free oil changes (valued ~$180), a slap in face for the nearly $50,000 I have paid Ford over the last 5 years for two Ford Focuses. If you are thinking of buying a Ford, don't. My family will no longer be a Ford family.
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painful regret
after owning this car for a short time, the transmission does not shift and shutters on acceleration. After the third visit to the dealer in less than one year, the transmission is still not repaired and ford refuses to replace the transmission. we wont be buying ford cars anymore.
Terrible car transmission is horrible
This car should be removed from the market until the transmission is completely reworked and a recall done on all those that have been sold. I have had mine about a week and I think the transmission is complete crap. It slips, shudders, jitters, and surges when starting out from a stop. /////Edmonds asked for an update 12/15/16 and I have sold this car at a great loss $$$$ This car was unsafe to drive so I got rid of it. Transmission too JERKY and not able to be relied on for daily driving. Goodbye FORD forever.
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T-boned on driver side, not a scratch made on me
Not the ideal way to test how well a car is made, but I was t-boned on the driver side last week. The car was totaled. Windows smashed, driver door crushed shut. A hole was torn in the rear driver side door. Driver's side airbags deployed. I left the accident with a slightly sore neck and no injuries except for a quarter inch scrape on my knee. Passenger has a broken rib. Amazing.
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Transmission......
I bought this car brand new and had the transmission rebuilt at 20,000 miles. I am now at 40,000 and everyday I drive I can hear the transmission starting to slip again, and it gets louder as time goes on. It sounds like someone is crushing a empty water bottle under the car! I got a settlement letter in March and I finally put my foot down, and traded it in. My coworkers also own this car in the sedan version and also complain about this issue. This is a great little car, and great on gas. Very disappointed.
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Ford Fan
Great car, fun to drive, very good gas mileage, no complaints.
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Transmission
It is over all a great vehicle but however the transmission sucks and so is ford not fixing it,they always have a reason but the want fix it. Want by from for again. Ford sucks. Go Toyota I have 230,000 on my 2008 Toyota truck . Like I say go toyota.
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Great little car with a horrible transmission
I really loved this car when I bought it, but it has been trouble almost from day one. Right after I took delivery I noticed several flaws in the paint, bad moldings, and misaligned. trim pieces. Many other problems showed up over the next three years, but the biggest problem was the jerky transmission. Ford replaced the clutch pack once and it helped for a while, but the problems soon showed up again. I had hoped to keep the car for a long time, but in the end I decided to trade it in after the three year warranty ran out. The DCT transmission is a really bad design.
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Pleasant compact car
The automated transmission may seem strange at times from starts at dead stops but soon takes on a very solid feeling when the car is rolling. There is no mushy automatic feeling when the car is going down the road just a good solid feeling like from a manual transmission. The car definitely has good pick up from a dead stop and when driving it the 80 miles home from the dealer I occasionally floored the accelerator when passing a vehicle and I had to watch myself since the car was quickly in the mid 90 MPH range. The car has a very solid feel and the interior materials used gives the car a mini luxury car feel. I bought the car used for my wife and I like it so much I'm considering buying one for myself. I currently drive her old 2000 Focus which continues to be a very reliable vehicle. She has a rather aggressive type of driving style - quick acceleration and hard braking but she is getting 29 mpg in town driving compared to 22 mpg in her 2000 Focus. Great improvement! The hatchback has great styling and this will be our main traveling when the 2 of use are traveling. Just completed a 4000 mile trip to the east coast and the Focus was a joy to drive. Mileage was between 39 to 41 mpg and the vehicles performance is outstanding. Wish Ford was still making the vehicle as I would buy another. Currently have a 2000 Focus as well and at 172,000 miles it still runs like new. My wife and I took the 15 Focus on a close to 4000 mile 10 day trip to N. Carolina last fall. The Focus was comfortable and cruised down the highway smoothly. At one point the gas mileage was 42 mpg. Coming back into wind the low point was 38 mpg heading back into Wyoming. Love the car, Ford made a huge mistake dropping the Focus car line.
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Delivery car
I had a 2013 Ford Fiesta and at the time was great until I got hired to deliver pizzas. The focus is a big upgrade for me. I spend most of my day in my car driving. Very roomy and the back up camera is very helpful. The front seats are very comfortable but never sat in back. Heated seats and steering wheel is a great plus. I'm glad they fixed the Microsoft thing tho. The robot lady understands everything I say, whether be to call someone or play a song. Drives very smooth. Nice and quiet ride and actually handles well in snow! 2 USB ports and an auxiliary. I love all the cup holders too. Like 5 up front maybe 4 in back haha. And I am most happy that I got it in black with black interior yay.
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Just purchased Focus
Good value for price. Get the Titanium if you want a bunch of standard features.
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Never again
Too many issues with the dual clutch. Nobody wants to buy a car that they have to fix up every year. Going to trade it in after only 3 years.
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Quality is job one
I bought my focus used with a little less than 30,000 miles on it. The only issue I had with it was the recall already done on it; the fuel sensor went bad. But it was covered under warranty. Car handles great. Could use a little more pick up and go. Great gas mileage. Very happy with the purchase.
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Disappointed
SYNC is a disaster, did not work with my Android phone. Slow, quirky experience with iPhone. NVH on highway felt pronounced, but not necessarily worse than other cars in this class. As compared to a low spec Toyota Corolla, this car's non-driving interface (ventilation, radio, and car information) is clunky, awkward, and slow. Otherwise the two cars are similar.
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My first new car!
My parents bought me this car for my 18th birthday early 2015. As soon as I saw the car at the dealership, I knew it would be perfect. As a newer driver, I wanted to be driving a car that was not only easy to drive and gets good gas mileage, but is safe and comfortable as well. The Ford Focus Hatchback SE meets all those expectations. Originally we planned on getting a 2014 Ford Focus, but the 2015 was only about $1k more so we decided to get the newest model. The car itself is very sporty, with black and silver rims as well as paddle shifters on the steering wheel (for those who would like to drive the car in the optional sport/manual mode). The cloth interior is very durable and comfortable. The radio, bluetooth, and climate control are also user friendly for those who may not be used to having more technology in their car. Driving the hatchback is smooth, and especially quiet on the freeway or on bumpier roads. The one thing I found surprising in this car is the sensitivity of the accelerator; you do not have to press down hard on it for the car to accelerate quickly. The only downside to the car is the leg room for the back seats. However, it won't matter as much if you are driving with one or two other people. There is a ton of trunk space, which can even fit a couple sets of golf clubs/bags. This car is great, and perfect for newer drivers and students.
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Love my 2015 Ford Focus Hatchback
I love my 2015 Ford Focus .No complaints here !
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It's OKAY.
I've had this car almost two years now and the transmission is absolutely terrible. Always slips, pain to take to the shop. Apparently its "supposed to run like that". No it should not. It also has a huge hesitation a good majority of the time when accelerating. Such a new car should not run like that. And both the slipping and hesitation are noticeable to even the least car-knowing person out there. A little sad if you ask me. Also the electrical component is borderline crap. So many times of troubleshooting and changing fuses because the bluetooth or USBs refuse to work. SYNC handsfree is also not very good. I've tried to use it and it's more of a distraction than an actual help because its so bad. HOWEVER, It is a super comfortable car. Long car rides are not bad at all. When on the freeway it is a pretty smooth ride. Cruise control works great. The interior lighting is very nice. The back seats could be a little more spacious if you ask me. But the cargo space in the trunk with the hatchback is very great. But, once my lease is up I will not be getting the focus again. A little upsetting if you ask me.
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Transmission nightmare!
The automatic hybrid manual transmission stutters from takeoff. Ford knowingly kept selling these cars with a transmission problem that can't be fixed. They refuse to recall it and put in something that works. Ford lost a class action lawsuit and still won't admit any fault. Typical corporate B.S.
Gearbox
I like de car a lot but , the gearBox It is a[non-permissible content removed]! The clutch doesn't work , ford try to fix and the clutch doesn't work again , they can't find the solution for this problem in the focus
Focus people focus!
Great fit for average size persons. Comfortable ride and more than adequate as an around town car. Also stable and comfortable on longer trips. Good value for the money. Transmission shifting has become an issue. Dealer indicate it's a common problem.
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Great value
Low car,difficult to enter/exit with bad knee or back
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Mo time, mo problems.
Bought this car pretty new, have kept on regular maintenance and it has been fairly cheap to work on. The Bluetooth randomly stopped working for no reason, the dealership wants $1800 to fix it. Despite decent tires, handling in the snow isn't optimal. The lag between 1st and 2nd gear is pretty annoying and I've had to take it into the dealership a few times due to recalls. MPG leaves much to be desired and the interior feels cheap. All-in-all this car is disappointing and I want to get rid of as soon as I can.
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Just awful
Transmission shook and never shifted well was rebuilt and fixed about 5 times within 2 months still had problems. Purge valve had to be replaced a few times as well.
Looks nice but drives bad
I loved the look of my ford focus hatchback but the drive is terrible. Ford Focus transmissions are horrible. It jerks when you step on the gas. No power! The interior is very nice. With a rear back up camera, which I really liked. For the price it's ok.
Dual Clutch
It’s terrible and scary jerking in the highway I went to dealership and they want me to pay 2k hmmmm ok cool..... and rust in tailgate as usual.... but cheap on gas
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