I drove a Focus for the first time today....

most of them) and I couldn't fault the way it drove.

and the spec was pretty average with just front electric windows and manual aircon plus a crap stereo, but I'm sure that could be avoided with a better choice of spec....

It can. Ghia gets proper climate control, leccy windows all round. Sounds like you had a LX.

You can't say that, Alex! It's correct, but you can't just come out and say it, that ruins all the fun.

most of them) and I couldn't fault the way it drove.

I like them. I love the handling. Steering is excellent.

and the spec was pretty average with just front electric windows and manual aircon plus a crap stereo, but I'm sure that could be avoided with a better choice of spec....

It sounds like it was Rep spec.

They are excellent cars.

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Where is Steve recently ?

Telling everyone in the Mac groups that the Pious is the best car on the road. And trashing the Focus while he's at it.

most of them) and I couldn't fault the way it drove.

and the spec was pretty average with just front electric windows and manual aircon plus a crap stereo, but I'm sure that could be avoided with a better choice of spec....

How about the visibility? I thought it was crap when I had one for a couple of days. The Astra was better.

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Recharging his batteries?

You have to be bloody kidding. The view through the Astra rear window is on a par with the Lotus Europa - the 1970s Europa.

All cars nowadays have stupidly thick 'A' posts. Which I suspect is the cause of a lot of SMIDSYs.

3 door astras are crap for visibility but the 5 door ones are ok

most of them) and I couldn't fault the way it drove.

Whilst I'd agree the back end is well planted whatever you throw at it, the front end can be provoked into letting go and ploughing on far easier than you would imagine given all the praise foisted on these for handling well etc.

I punted the hire one I had whilst the Passat was off the road down a back road I know very well, and whilst the back end was spot on, the front end was a disappointment as was the ride considering their reputation.

-- JackH

Agreed.

The Citroen C3 I drive occasionally at the moment is terrible in this respect.

-- JackH

most of them) and I couldn't fault the way it drove.

I guess they must get better economy wise the more miles they have under them then, only the hire one I had briefly last year averaged

42mpg overall on a steady run from Kent to Devon... or so the computer reckoned.

-- JackH

On Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:03:17 -0700, JackH mumbled:

If the setup is anything remotely like the Puma, it'll be sensitive to what front tyres it's got on. The Puma has some Michelins on when I got it, and behaved like that. Now it's got Pirellis on it, it sticks like shit to a blanket

Mike P

Nope. I didn't say the Astra had brilliant rear visibility ;) But I drove a Focus and an Astra back to back and to me anyway the Astra was less like looking out of a letterbox. It was a 5 door, not the 3 door with the huge roof chop which looks like it has terrible visibility, from the outside at least. Then I got the Megane...

abused for most of them) and I couldn't fault the way it drove.

creak) and the spec was pretty average with just front electric windows = and manual aircon plus a crap stereo, but I'm sure that could be avoided = with a better choice of spec....

No different to my Bravo - a huge A pillar that you need to make an = effort to look round.

--=20 Alex

"I laugh in the face of danger , then I hide until it goes away"

most of them) and I couldn't fault the way it drove.

and the spec was pretty average with just front electric windows and manual aircon plus a crap stereo, but I'm sure that could be avoided with a better choice of spec....

I drove one a couple of weeks ago whilst helping a friend choose a hatchback in the sub £1500 bracket. Amongst a whole range of things we tried out was a 90k 1.6 LX focus; I was genuinely impressed by it. It still felt tight and very responsive. Grip was good considering the meagre tyre size and the ride and handling compromise was very well judged [1]. The engine was no ball of fire, but I reckon you could have fun in it without huge gobs of power.

[1] the salesman didn't come along for the test drive...

Autocar have just tested the new Prius. Rumour has it Toyota wouldn't let them test another after the original test when they first came out where they got 24 MPG overall - and less on their touring route than the a very much faster 3 Series diesel. Seems the latest one with a bigger engine has quite respectable open road performance. The original - which I had on loan for a week - was like a side valve Morris Minor...

Overall, they were quite complimentary.

I've seen several reports that the 2010 Pious is better than the two previous versions. Although still not that great compared to a modern diseasel. However el SteveH has the old one.

Most people, and I think SteveH is one of them, never get to find out how well a Focus handles. If you drive it like granny's shopping trolley it's just a car. All cars (except for some really vile specimens) are docile and seem to "handle" okay if you're simply pottering around. This is how companies like Proton manager to sell cars to pensioners. Reginald Molehusband never drives above 25mph anywhere and even then he brakes for every corner.

Someone who goes around a corner with their foot on the brake knows (0) about driving or handling.

However drive a Focus properly and it's a smile-on-you-face experience. Go into a corner faster than you ever thought was possible, expecting some nasty squealy understeer and and close hedge experience and the control blade rear end keeps it doing exactly what you want. OK, it's still not as good as a proper RWD car, but it's good to drive for FWD.

I wonder if they'd let Top Gear have another go in one as part of a head to head with an M3 around their track....