I really liked your review. I'm impressed with your inclusion of IIHS and NHSTA safety ratings; that is rare in these types of clips. Keep up the great work. Thanks!
PLEASE call or write Ford Customer Service. Tell them we want the new generation Fiesta and/or Focus hatchbacks with manual transmission option in the U.S./Canadian market. Ford has also fixed the automatic transmission issues with an all-new 8-speed optional torque converter conventional auto. If all their customers are telling them, they'll listen and bring us BACK these best-in-class driver's hatches. Thank you for your support in this petition effort!
I own a 2015 Ford Focus Titanium sedan and it's a great car. Excellent gas milage, fun to drive, comfortable, and looks pretty awesome. I traded in my 2006 Mustang GT for this car and I don't regret it. I miss the V8 power, but the Focus Titanium is a better all around vehicle.
Omg ford has these problems? Oh hell no im getting a honda then . but i did hear great things about this car never heard of it breaking down tho after a certain amount of miles so thats concerning specially for me im a college student i cant afford complications on a new car i saved up for. I will think long and hard about this now you guys have scared the shit out of me about this car. Let me know if you bought it and how it went? I dont knoq if i will get it tho now i saw it in person it looks amazing tho.
I'm looking for Ford Focus 2 L naturally aspirated manual 3 pedal shift 5 or 6 Speed what prefer something from western Canada low kilometers delivered I remain in waiting for response Car Guru sedan non-smoker non baby's diaper no cologne and no blow by please 2014 2515 can you accommodate?
Is the select shift automated trans significantly better? I bought a 2012 and after one year got rid of it, because I couldn't stand the herky jerky transmission. I loved everything else about the car. Handling was fantastic. Fit and finish was very good, better than I expected. Layout of the dash and the seating was great. But that trans, ugh. I found it frustrating and fatiguing in stop and go traffic. So is it really better than in 2012?
+MotorCity J My 2012 Focus had the clutch assembly replaced because the oil seals failed and contaminated the clutch assembly. With the newest powertrain programming, the transmission is a lot better. I remember the 2012 models seemed like they would constantly stall when creeping along in traffic. My car is a lot better than that now. Also, the transmission control module failed in my car, which seems to be a 2012 problem mostly.
Tranny was fixed in 2015 according to Consumer Reports. But mine shifts a little weird 1-2 sometimes. Like a manual shift ... which it is, actually, except you don't clutch it.
I just bought one like this (not Titanium though) from the Hertz scratch & dent sale. Doesn't look bad, and was only $9700. There's two mysteries: I have a single button on the shifter that lights up a "going downhill " light on the dash. No mention of it in the manual. And right next to it, where the heated seats buttons would be, I have two deep slots. Maybe you put toll tickets or something in them. There's a quarter embedded deep within one. Anybody have any ideas??
Depending upon the model year, you did get a good deal, or a really good deal! The button on the shifter engages "hill mode" which doesn't allow the transmission to shift into sixth gear. It also forces downshifts earlier on a hill, so that there is more engine braking when descending a hill, so the engine helps slow down the speed of the car (in addition to the driver activating the brakes). This is why you will see the revolutions climb on the tach when descending a hill with hill mode activated. It's best to use the brakes mostly when descending hills as the transmission can overheat if you use too much engine braking. It's a coin slot - you're absolutely right.
Thanks for clearing up those mysteries. Yeah, it was cheap but it has 41K miles on it, and a couple noticeable parking lot dents and chips, and needed tires. I'm retired so I measure car age in winters, not miles. My 2005 Focus was looking pretty ratty from the axles down.
As long as the car drives well and it is reliable, that's good to hear. Make sure to follow the updates for transmission reprogramming because it makes a difference. I used to hose down the rear suspension on my old Mazda3 (same suspension setup as the Focus) after it broke a rear spring due to road salt.
runforit420 hi im a college student this would be my first car if i decide to buy it ..have you had any transmission conplications or other serious complications? People seem to be worried about this and as my first car which im spending my savings on i want to make sure im not getting into some mess here. Is this car reliable And inexpensive gas wise and ect?? Please i would love to know your opinion. Thanks
Hi Trini Star, I'd avoid the Focus completely if the model you are looking at has the six speed automated manual, called the PowerShift. In many countries around the world, Ford has faced class-action lawsuits related to the transmission (notably in Thailand, Australia, the U.S., and Canada). That transmission was paired with the 2.0L four cylinder engine. My 2012 Focus has had four clutch pack replacements and two transmission control modules (TCM) in five years. Unfortunately, this number of repairs are more the rule than the exception for this car. It is relatively fuel-efficient, however. The 2015-2018 Focus also had a 1.0L turbo (Ford calls it an "EcoBoost" engine) three cylinder motor with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic (not the PowerShift). One of my colleagues has a Focus with the 1.0L turbo 3 and he has said it has more than enough power but other reviewers have made comments that the 1.0L turbo 3 and automatic are underpowered for the Focus. What I would recommend, if you really like the Focus and have to have one, I'd stick with a model with the 2.0L four cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission, or, if you need a car with an automatic transmission, the 1.0L three-cylinder (EcoBoost) with the six-speed automatic. Do not buy a Focus with the 2.0L four cylinder and automatic (PowerShift), or at least have a couple of thousand dollars on hand when the transmission eventually fails. I am not sure where you live in the world, but these are the powertrain options in North America and I can only speak to the reliability of the Focus in the North American market. Truthfully, if you're buying the car only because it's cheap, there are much more reliable offerings out there. Buy a Toyota Corolla a few years older than the Focus you chose. Sure it's boring and unimpressive, but if all you want is an appliance on wheels and you don't care about driving dynamics, the Toyota Corolla sure is a reliable appliance. When I was in university, I owned a Corolla. It was incredibly reliable. The biggest issue (for Toyotas back then) were the exhaust systems rotted out regularly. Honestly, I'd recommend a Toyota Corolla or a pre-2016 Honda Civic rather than the Focus - to be honest, I wouldn't have wanted the hassle of the Focus' unreliability while I was in university. Good luck with your purchase!
+lcar4000 Doesn't the "S" mode with the paddle shifters work for you? I have never owned an american car and my budget was not up to getting any half decent Euro (even the SUBARU WRX put me outta budget) But the Focus Titanium impressed the hell outta me. The quality was all Euro grade. The engine had a strange two tones to it; A high pitch and low growl) which left like a mid tone out of the chord (I am a musician this shit matters :) The interior body work was gorgeous and those paddles do make you think you are at Silverstone.The car finally came in after 8 weeks but they had left out the Cell Phone remote AND .. the spare tire !!!! I wish the badges were removable cause that blinding chrome FOCUS seems to be an "Oh american shit" prompt for people , but AGAIN , Since I haven't spent time with it I can not swear but LORD did it feel rock solid, tossable and that SYNC 3 sound/navigation/ general Assistant is a thing of genius. And KILL me but in my garage it looks like a baby Austin Martin and that aint bad. Now another couple of weeks for the Phone remote thing.
I'll look into those paddle shifters. My daughter has a 12 Focus SE sedan with the manual...a great car.I liked everything about it except the radio and I need a hatch to carry guitars, amps, etc. I'm hoping to get a hatchback, preferably an ST next year.
I drove a 2014 Focus 6 speed in Belgium. Diesel! Loved it. Last month I drove a Fiesta 5 speed around Germany and it was nice (for its size) from the black Forest to the autobahns. I'm shopping for a car now but my wife won't drive a manual and the auto Fiestas are shit here.
There's candy blue and the darker Kona blue. This one looks Kona. Your other choices are flat red, candy apple red (extra cost), and a bunch of non-colors, from white through grays and black. All are ugly, the blues are the only nice lookers.
Great review! We just got one, used with 38k on it.. & it is a awesome ride! I can get 45 mpg at 70mph? What? Lol wow.. stayed at 35 overall with a 1k mile trip ( town & interstate use) ! We like that. Your understating the lack of take off and I unreliable nature of transmission though! It's horrible, sluggish and just odd.. it really sucks... for a car that shares the makings of the awesome ST, it makes no sense at all! I did have a upper scaled GOLF, & i surprisingly found this Focus WAY more affordable, fun, roomy, useable than a VW. The transmission & low power Mist be addressed, its pathetic. Sync is useless ( got it in my in another 2015 car) if not the new sync 3... so I am actually happy mine doesn't have it! Save the money! Ford.. fix the crappy power and trans!
I am BAFFLED by the 8 reviews I have seen of the Titanium 2015 and 2016. I can not believe FORD sells a car with the same Badge (Focus Titanium) and year 2015 or 2016 but you get whatever they decide is best for your part of the country. For example the 2015 comes with standard paddle shifter , yours didn't have it BUT you had the SYNC3 center console in a 2015 which was not available on a 2015 . I have seen some 2016s reviewed here with the god awfull push button controls on the center console. Your 2015 should had come standard with EcoBoost (turbo) which brings the hp to 160 but I have seen it (on the model I bought at 175 and in a FORD website note it was 225 hp!) If you go to 20 Ford web sites you will get at least 10 different specs for the same car. I can only imagine you were given a 2014 but it had the SYNC facia on the center console that is only available with the 300A on the 2014 and 2015 package. So TYPICAL of american laziness no one is paying attention to brochures , web sites year, models etc. You pay almost $36,000 for the top of the line trip and until you see it (by that time is too late) you will not know what you bought. GOD why did I stop buying Japanese cars!
I'm sorry to bother you sir but I don't think your fully aware. the 2.0 naturally aspirated engine is what the S,SE and Titanium but the ST and RS are performance cars. Infact the 2.3 turbo is from the mustang and makes 350hp. Although I will concede that the DCT is problematic
In city driving AUTOMATIC is much faster. When the light turns green you can GO immediately... and, no hesitation 30 ft out when you shift to 2nd. Bang! I'm gone!
I really liked your review. I'm impressed with your inclusion of IIHS and NHSTA safety ratings; that is rare in these types of clips. Keep up the great work. Thanks!
PLEASE call or write Ford Customer Service. Tell them we want the new generation Fiesta and/or Focus hatchbacks with manual transmission option in the U.S./Canadian market. Ford has also fixed the automatic transmission issues with an all-new 8-speed optional torque converter conventional auto. If all their customers are telling them, they'll listen and bring us BACK these best-in-class driver's hatches. Thank you for your support in this petition effort!
Transmission has been updated but is it gona last..?
Previous model has a ton of problems with that dual clutch transmission.
I personally appreciated your style of likes and dislikes for a review. Either way is fine i just appreciated your take in that layout.
I own a 2015 Ford Focus Titanium sedan and it's a great car. Excellent gas milage, fun to drive, comfortable, and looks pretty awesome. I traded in my 2006 Mustang GT for this car and I don't regret it. I miss the V8 power, but the Focus Titanium is a better all around vehicle.
What mpg city and highway do you see??
Did the 2015 focus have transmission issues
How many miles did you get before the transmission broke down?
Exactly!
It's hard to find a 2015 & up Focus w/ those wheels.
how is noise cancellation on the 2015 focus se?
great video im thinking abt buying one
NOW THAT'S WHAT I LIKE..A BETTER REVIEW OF A CAR I REALLY WANT..STYLE & COLOR..ALSO LOVE THE HATCHBACK..😃 😃..
I just got 1.5 tdci focus titanium x, engine is quite and fast to, but how do you turn on blind spot
I love Ford Focus I just had one. 2017 hutchback focus se sports
designed and developed in europe? Looks like a subaru crossed with a lancer frontend
And...why do the 2017 make a loud noise when starting 😕 almost like an exhaust leak
This guy actually seems honest, believe it or not. Although some of his words are mild "politically correct" I think he is being impartial.
How many miles can you go before the transmission crashes? Can you get 20,000 out of the car?
Omg ford has these problems? Oh hell no im getting a honda then . but i did hear great things about this car never heard of it breaking down tho after a certain amount of miles so thats concerning specially for me im a college student i cant afford complications on a new car i saved up for. I will think long and hard about this now you guys have scared the shit out of me about this car. Let me know if you bought it and how it went? I dont knoq if i will get it tho now i saw it in person it looks amazing tho.
Great fuel economy, fun to drive, reliable, what else can you ask for?
Transmission
Fantastic review like always. Keep it up man.
I'm looking for Ford Focus 2 L naturally aspirated manual 3 pedal shift 5 or 6 Speed what prefer something from western Canada low kilometers delivered I remain in waiting for response Car Guru sedan non-smoker non baby's diaper no cologne and no blow by please 2014 2515 can you accommodate?
Why does it have a chrome grill. I like the plain grill better.
Is the select shift automated trans significantly better? I bought a 2012 and after one year got rid of it, because I couldn't stand the herky jerky transmission. I loved everything else about the car. Handling was fantastic. Fit and finish was very good, better than I expected. Layout of the dash and the seating was great. But that trans, ugh. I found it frustrating and fatiguing in stop and go traffic. So is it really better than in 2012?
+MotorCity J My 2012 Focus had the clutch assembly replaced because the oil seals failed and contaminated the clutch assembly. With the newest powertrain programming, the transmission is a lot better. I remember the 2012 models seemed like they would constantly stall when creeping along in traffic. My car is a lot better than that now. Also, the transmission control module failed in my car, which seems to be a 2012 problem mostly.
Tranny was fixed in 2015 according to Consumer Reports. But mine shifts a little weird 1-2 sometimes. Like a manual shift ... which it is, actually, except you don't clutch it.
Test drove a 2017 and looking at them but the whole power shift transmission lawsuit has me worried 😱
Get the manual
I just bought one like this (not Titanium though) from the Hertz scratch & dent sale. Doesn't look bad, and was only $9700.
There's two mysteries: I have a single button on the shifter that lights up a "going downhill " light on the dash. No mention of it in the manual. And right next to it, where the heated seats buttons would be, I have two deep slots. Maybe you put toll tickets or something in them. There's a quarter embedded deep within one. Anybody have any ideas??
Depending upon the model year, you did get a good deal, or a really good deal!
The button on the shifter engages "hill mode" which doesn't allow the transmission to shift into sixth gear. It also forces downshifts earlier on a hill, so that there is more engine braking when descending a hill, so the engine helps slow down the speed of the car (in addition to the driver activating the brakes). This is why you will see the revolutions climb on the tach when descending a hill with hill mode activated. It's best to use the brakes mostly when descending hills as the transmission can overheat if you use too much engine braking.
It's a coin slot - you're absolutely right.
Thanks for clearing up those mysteries.
Yeah, it was cheap but it has 41K miles on it, and a couple noticeable parking lot dents and chips, and needed tires. I'm retired so I measure car age in winters, not miles. My 2005 Focus was looking pretty ratty from the axles down.
As long as the car drives well and it is reliable, that's good to hear. Make sure to follow the updates for transmission reprogramming because it makes a difference.
I used to hose down the rear suspension on my old Mazda3 (same suspension setup as the Focus) after it broke a rear spring due to road salt.
runforit420 hi im a college student this would be my first car if i decide to buy it ..have you had any transmission conplications or other serious complications? People seem to be worried about this and as my first car which im spending my savings on i want to make sure im not getting into some mess here. Is this car reliable And inexpensive gas wise and ect?? Please i would love to know your opinion. Thanks
Hi Trini Star,
I'd avoid the Focus completely if the model you are looking at has the six speed automated manual, called the PowerShift. In many countries around the world, Ford has faced class-action lawsuits related to the transmission (notably in Thailand, Australia, the U.S., and Canada). That transmission was paired with the 2.0L four cylinder engine.
My 2012 Focus has had four clutch pack replacements and two transmission control modules (TCM) in five years. Unfortunately, this number of repairs are more the rule than the exception for this car.
It is relatively fuel-efficient, however.
The 2015-2018 Focus also had a 1.0L turbo (Ford calls it an "EcoBoost" engine) three cylinder motor with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic (not the PowerShift). One of my colleagues has a Focus with the 1.0L turbo 3 and he has said it has more than enough power but other reviewers have made comments that the 1.0L turbo 3 and automatic are underpowered for the Focus.
What I would recommend, if you really like the Focus and have to have one, I'd stick with a model with the 2.0L four cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission, or, if you need a car with an automatic transmission, the 1.0L three-cylinder (EcoBoost) with the six-speed automatic. Do not buy a Focus with the 2.0L four cylinder and automatic (PowerShift), or at least have a couple of thousand dollars on hand when the transmission eventually fails.
I am not sure where you live in the world, but these are the powertrain options in North America and I can only speak to the reliability of the Focus in the North American market.
Truthfully, if you're buying the car only because it's cheap, there are much more reliable offerings out there. Buy a Toyota Corolla a few years older than the Focus you chose. Sure it's boring and unimpressive, but if all you want is an appliance on wheels and you don't care about driving dynamics, the Toyota Corolla sure is a reliable appliance.
When I was in university, I owned a Corolla. It was incredibly reliable. The biggest issue (for Toyotas back then) were the exhaust systems rotted out regularly. Honestly, I'd recommend a Toyota Corolla or a pre-2016 Honda Civic rather than the Focus - to be honest, I wouldn't have wanted the hassle of the Focus' unreliability while I was in university.
Good luck with your purchase!
What a great review! It's a shame that the transmission is so horrible.
what is a cubic feet?
Hey!! It's the Sears home appliance salesman! Wow, thought you had started a home depot channel.
Amerika da üretiliyor
I wish a manual was offered with the titanium
+lcar4000 Doesn't the "S" mode with the paddle shifters work for you? I have never owned an american car and my budget was not up to getting any half decent Euro (even the SUBARU WRX put me outta budget) But the Focus Titanium impressed the hell outta me. The quality was all Euro grade. The engine had a strange two tones to it; A high pitch and low growl) which left like a mid tone out of the chord (I am a musician this shit matters :) The interior body work was gorgeous and those paddles do make you think you are at Silverstone.The car finally came in after 8 weeks but they had left out the Cell Phone remote AND .. the spare tire !!!! I wish the badges were removable cause that blinding chrome FOCUS seems to be an "Oh american shit" prompt for people , but AGAIN , Since I haven't spent time with it I can not swear but LORD did it feel rock solid, tossable and that SYNC 3 sound/navigation/ general Assistant is a thing of genius.
And KILL me but in my garage it looks like a baby Austin Martin and that aint bad. Now another couple of weeks for the Phone remote thing.
I'll look into those paddle shifters. My daughter has a 12 Focus SE sedan with the manual...a great car.I liked everything about it except the radio and I need a hatch to carry guitars, amps, etc. I'm hoping to get a hatchback, preferably an ST next year.
lcar4000 FUNNY I needed a hatch for my drum kit !!!
I drove a 2014 Focus 6 speed in Belgium. Diesel! Loved it.
Last month I drove a Fiesta 5 speed around Germany and it was nice (for its size) from the black Forest to the autobahns. I'm shopping for a car now but my wife won't drive a manual and the auto Fiestas are shit here.
They should’ve used the 1.5 Ecoboost for this option
Is this test car in impact blue or blazer blue?
There's candy blue and the darker Kona blue. This one looks Kona.
Your other choices are flat red, candy apple red (extra cost), and a bunch of non-colors, from white through grays and black. All are ugly, the blues are the only nice lookers.
Awesome 😀 😀 2015 Ford focus review .
Great review! We just got one, used with 38k on it.. & it is a awesome ride! I can get 45 mpg at 70mph? What? Lol wow.. stayed at 35 overall with a 1k mile trip ( town & interstate use) ! We like that. Your understating the lack of take off and I unreliable nature of transmission though! It's horrible, sluggish and just odd.. it really sucks... for a car that shares the makings of the awesome ST, it makes no sense at all! I did have a upper scaled GOLF, & i surprisingly found this Focus WAY more affordable, fun, roomy, useable than a VW. The transmission & low power Mist be addressed, its pathetic. Sync is useless ( got it in my in another 2015 car) if not the new sync 3... so I am actually happy mine doesn't have it! Save the money! Ford.. fix the crappy power and trans!
Are these known for hvg transmission problems????
I am BAFFLED by the 8 reviews I have seen of the Titanium 2015 and 2016. I can not believe FORD sells a car with the same Badge (Focus Titanium) and year 2015 or 2016 but you get whatever they decide is best for your part of the country.
For example the 2015 comes with standard paddle shifter , yours didn't have it BUT you had the SYNC3 center console in a 2015 which was not available on a 2015 . I have seen some 2016s reviewed here with the god awfull push button controls on the center console. Your 2015 should had come standard with EcoBoost (turbo) which brings the hp to 160 but I have seen it (on the model I bought at 175 and in a FORD website note it was 225 hp!) If you go to 20 Ford web sites you will get at least 10 different specs for the same car. I can only imagine you were given a 2014 but it had the SYNC facia on the center console that is only available with the 300A on the 2014 and 2015 package. So TYPICAL of american laziness no one is paying attention to brochures , web sites year, models etc. You pay almost $36,000 for the top of the line trip and until you see it (by that time is too late) you will not know what you bought.
GOD why did I stop buying Japanese cars!
I'm sorry to bother you sir but I don't think your fully aware. the 2.0 naturally aspirated engine is what the S,SE and Titanium but the ST and RS are performance cars. Infact the 2.3 turbo is from the mustang and makes 350hp. Although I will concede that the DCT is problematic
the st is the focus you want not this one however this isnt bad and its not the best not bad for the money.
These 2015-2018 Titanium Hatchbacks value drop like rock. You can be a used one for 12-14k.
They drop less than most other cars in not sure what your point is? The resale value is good on both the fiestas and the focus
Paddle shifters are Horrible for Twisting Roads! At Least You ALWAYS Know Where The Shifter Is! It never moves unlike The Steering Wheel!
Don't like grill.
I love it lol
why cant americans drive manual cars?
Depends on the American. But most of us drive humungous cars.
I learned on a '59 V8 Plymouth with a 3 speed.
Manual cars arent good for city driving. Plus few learn manual, because automatic cars cost virtually the same as manual cars.
In city driving AUTOMATIC is much faster. When the light turns green you can GO immediately... and, no hesitation 30 ft out when you shift to 2nd. Bang! I'm gone!
Craig Chambers lol you fucking idiot. learn to drive
Justin Xie
A manual is $1000 cheaper. The used ones are hard to sell.
And it is a piece of crap
I am 2012 Focus owner. Do not buy this shit car, 1st - serious problem with transmission , it jerks and vibrates. 2nd back seats are too small.
Car is fine, get the stick