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2001 Ford Focus 2-door hatchback
Type: subcompact car; front-wheel-drive; 2-door hatchback, 4-door sedan, 4-door wagon
Base price range: $12,125-$16,235
Also Consider:
FOR
Control layout * Handling/roadholding * Fuel economy * Cargo room (wagon)
AGAINST
Acceleration * Engine noise * Rear-seat entry/exit (hatchback)
WHAT'S NEW
Adding optional antiskid control and shuffling powertrain choices for
2001, Ford's "new edge" subcompact returns in three body styles and three trim variations. Focus comes as a 2-door hatchback in sporty ZX3 trim, a 4-door sedan
in LX, SE, and top ZTS form, and as a 4-door SE wagon.
A 110-horsepower single-cam 4-cylinder engine is standard in LX and SE
sedans. Standard in ZTS, ZX3, and now the SE wagon is a 130-hp twincam four that's optional on the SE sedan. This year, both engines team with manual transmission or 4-speed
automatic on all models; last year, the wagon came only with automatic. Antilock brakes are standard on ZTS, optional on the others. Head/chest front side airbags are
optional, and all models come with upper and lower rear child-seat anchors. Ford's AdvanceTrac antiskid system, which is designed to counter skids in turns, is optional on the
ZTS and ZX3, and comes with rear disc brakes in place of drums. Also for 2001, ZX3 gets an optional Premium Group that includes air conditioning, 16-inch alloy wheels, and
other features, and its Power Group adds power locks and remote entry.
ROAD TEST
Performance Focus has terrific road manners but fairly ordinary
engines. It tackles twisty roads with linear, communicative steering, controlled body lean, and good grip from the 15-inch tires standard on most models. Bumps register with a
thump, as in many European cars, but their impact seldom disturbs the cabin. Highway ride is wallow-free. Simulated panic stops with ABS is stable and fairly swift, with only
moderate nosedive, but some early Focuses we tested suffered unprogressive pedal action. We haven't yet had the opportunity to test a Focus with the AdvanceTrac antiskid
system.
The SE sedan is the most popular Focus, and we'd recommend those buyers
spring for the $200 twincam engine option, which provides slightly better acceleration than the tepid base engine. Still, even with the slick-shifting manual transmission,
neither engine is more than adequate for fast freeway merging or climbing long grades. Our test 5-speed ZTS did 0-60 mph in a so-so 9.5 seconds, hampered by short gearing that
requires two shifts instead of one to reach that speed. Focus's automatic provides fuss-free gear changes and isn't a huge drag on overall performance, though it does dull
takeoffs. Our extended-use-test ZTS 5-speed is averaging 26.02 mpg over its first 8689 miles. We averaged 23.2 mpg with a test automatic ZTS.
Focus suffers noticeable wind rush around the front side windows and
some testers find its high-speed engine note unpleasant. Noise is acceptable otherwise, and engines are tolerably smooth.
Accommodations Focus is quite roomy for a subcompact. All
occupants sit comfortably high, yet have bountiful head clearance. Rear leg room is among the best in class, but still none too generous; this is still a subcompact car.
The standard height-adjustable driver's seat enhances already good outward visibility, but the adjustment is by a tedious crank handle sited ahead of the seat bottom. More
convenient is the available tilt/telescopic steering wheel, a rare feature in this class.
The dashboard echoes the exterior's edgy look and works well. Controls
are conspicuous and smooth-working, and the air conditioner isn't tied to one or two distribution modes, though the air vents are not ideally placed. And lack of a
tachometer redline is curious in cars with high-winding 4-cylinder engines.
Stirrup-type exterior door handles and large front-door frames assist
entry/exit, but rear doors should open wider. All Focuses, the wagon in particular, have generous cargo holds and rear seats that flip/fold flat. Liftovers are low, and the
sedan's trunklid uses strut-type hinges that don't intrude into the luggage area--a feature many costlier cars lack.
Our several test cars have had a solid on-road feel. However, our
extended-use ZTS was built without the model's standard tilt/telescopic steering wheel, which had to be retrofitted by a dealer service department. It also was the subject of
emissions systems and cruise control recalls, and a creaking suspension led to the warranty replacement of an upper strut bearing. Other Focus test cars have had poor-fitting
interior panels.
VALUE FOR THE MONEY
Focus is not as refined as the best in this class, but offers generous
subcompact passenger and cargo room. Ford's newest is fun to drive, too, despite the timid engines, and prices are very competitive. Put it on your small-car shopping list.
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RATINGS
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Ford
Focus SE 4-door, ohc I4
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Ford Focus SE wagon, dohc I4
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Ford Focus ZX3, dohc I4
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Acceleration
Fuel economy
Ride quality
Steering/handling
Braking
Quietness
Driver seating
Instruments/controls
Room/comfort (front)
Room/comfort (rear)
Cargo room
CG™ insurance rating
Reliability
Value for the money
Total
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2
4
3
4
4
3
4
4
4
2
3
3
3
4
47
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3
4
3
4
4
3
4
4
4
2
4
3
3
4
49
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3
4
3
4
4
2
4
4
4
2
3
3
3
4
47
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Rating Scale: 5-Excellent;
4-Above average; 3-Average; 2-Below average; 1-Poor.
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INDEPENDENT SAFETY RATINGS
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NHTSA Crash Test
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4-door sedan
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Front impact, Driver
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NA
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Passenger
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NA
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Side Impact, Driver
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***
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Rear passenger
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****
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(The National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration tests a vehicle's crashworthiness in front and side collisions. Their ratings suggest the chance of serious injury: *****
--10% or less: ****--10-20% or less: ***--20-35% or less: **--35-45% or less: *--More than 45%)
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HLDI Occupant Injury
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4-door sedan
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2001 Ford Focus
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NA
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HLDI Vehicle Collision
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4-door sedan
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2001 Ford Focus
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NA
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HLDI Vehicle Theft
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4-door sedan
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2001 Ford Focus
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NA
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(The Highway Loss Data
Institute compiles data on how vehicles and their occupants fare in real-world accidents. HLDI rates cars in five categories: Poor, Below Average,
Average, Above Average, Excellent. The Injury losses are presented in terms of the frequency of insurance claims filed. The Collision and Theft
losses are presented in terms of average loss payments per insured vehicle.)
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WARRANTY
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Bumper-to-
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Powertrain
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Corrosion
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Free
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Bumper Warranty
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Warranty
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Warranty
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Roadside
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(years/miles)
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(years/miles)
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(years/miles)
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Assistance
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3/36000
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None
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5/unlimited
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Yes
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Bumper-to-Bumper: Covers
the entire car, except for the tires and battery. Exclusions typical to bumper-to-bumper factory warranties are normal wear, damage from the
environment, and improper maintenance. Powertrain: Applies to the car's engine, transmission or transaxle, fuel system, turbocharger, drive
shafts and related parts, and the transfer case on 4-wheel-drive vehicles. Corrosion: Protection against perforation rust and against
surface rust.
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SPECIFICATIONS
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2-door
hatchback
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4-door sedan
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4-door wagon
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Wheelbase, in.
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103.0
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103.0
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103.0
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Overall length, in.
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168.1
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174.9
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178.2
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Overall width, in.
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66.9
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66.9
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66.9
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Overall height, in.
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56.3
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56.3
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53.9
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Curb weight, lbs.
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2551
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2564
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2717
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Cargo vol., cu. ft.
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18.6
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12.9
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55.3
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Fuel capacity, gals.
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13.2
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13.2
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13.2
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Seating capacity
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5
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5
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5
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Front head room, in.
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39.3
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39.3
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39.3
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Max. front leg room, in.
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43.1
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43.1
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43.1
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Rear head room, in.
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38.7
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38.5
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40.0
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Min. rear leg room, in.
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37.6
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37.6
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37.6
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Powertrain layout:
transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive
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POWERTRAINS
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ohc I4
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dohc I4
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Size, liters/cu. in.
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2.0/121
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2.0/121
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Horsepower @ RPM
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110@
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130@
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5000
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5300
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Torque (lbs./ft.) @ RPM
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125@
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135@
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3750
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4500
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Availability
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S1
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S2
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EPA city/highway mpg
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5-speed OD manual
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28/38
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25/34
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4-speed OD automatic
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27/35
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24/32
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1. LX, SE sedan. 2. SE wagon,
ZX3, ZTS; optional SE sedan.
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Built in USA and Mexico
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Key: ohv = overhead valve;
ohc = overhead camshaft; dohc = dual overhead camshafts; I = inline cylinders; V = cylinders in V configuration; flat
= horizontally opposed cylinders; rpm = revolutions per minute; OD = overdrive transmission; S = standard; O
= optional; NA = not available.
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