USED Ford Focus Hatchback (98 - 04)

My car

I've driven plenty of cars in my time. I was test driving a Honda Civic when my son suggested I try the Focus. Couldn't believe it - a brilliant all-round car.

My car

If you want a reliable, cheap to run and insure, spacious enough to act as a family car with a boot big enough to take a pram and all the other stuff required to transport a baby about, this car is perfect and is a good drive and a perfectly acceptable basic car.

My car

A brilliant car to drive that reacts exactly how you want it to. The 1.6 gives plenty of power: it's quite easy to get up steep hills at 30mph without changing down.

The car is economical and comfortable to ride in, with plenty of space in both the front and rear. The LX trim is certainly worth the extra cost as it adds a few luxuries like air conditioning and a CD player.

The fact that the car is so common means spare parts are easy to come by, but it really isn't the car for you if you're looking for something that will be unique on the roads.

My car

This is the second 115 PS TDCi I have owned and once again, I was not disappointed.

The car handles like a dream and the diesel engine packs a nice little punch when you need to put your foot down.

I get about 400-450 miles out of a full tank and have had no major mechanical problems in three years of ownership.

The sportier feel of the Zetec is good, although it lacks a few standard features of the likes of the Golf TDi etc. For instance, an alarm would have been nice or even a six-speed gearbox.

Overall, the car is a dream to drive and I have found it extremely reliable and efficient.