Quick question for everyone!
My daughter is considering a 2012 Ford Focus. Anyone have thoughts on this model?
Is it known for major problems, or is it solid? Hoping it’s not like a Captiva or Cruze in terms of reliability.
Quick question for everyone!
My daughter is considering a 2012 Ford Focus. Anyone have thoughts on this model?
Is it known for major problems, or is it solid? Hoping it’s not like a Captiva or Cruze in terms of reliability.
Stay away from the Powermatic transmission in these Focus models.
Ty said:
Is it automatic or manual? The automatics are terrible, but the manuals are actually pretty solid. The rest of the car is decent—fairly reliable and well-equipped. Just don’t go for the auto version.
Exactly this
Ty said:
Is it automatic or manual? The automatics are terrible, but the manuals are actually pretty solid. The rest of the car is decent—fairly reliable and well-equipped. Just don’t go for the auto version.
Yeah, it’s an automatic… Thanks for the warning!
@Renny
Run away from it. Fast.
I’ve driven both a 2012 Sport and a 2016 Titanium. Had them both for a while before selling.
The Powershift in the 2012 was a nightmare—would randomly shift into neutral. Would never buy one again.
The 2016 with the torque converter was better, but it was jerky when cold. Once warmed up, it shifted pretty smoothly for a regular auto.
As for the rest of the car—build quality is decent for the price, turbo engine is snappy, and fuel economy was around 8.5-9L/100km in the city. If you want comfort over sportiness, go for a Trend trim. The higher trims have low-profile tires that make the ride rough.
In terms of handling, it’s one of the best in its class, even the base models feel good to drive.
Had a 2012 LW Mk2. When the transmission was working right, it was a fun car to drive. When it wasn’t, it was a nightmare.
Definitely check the service history and see if the clutch packs have been replaced recently.
Also, is it diesel or petrol? The diesel version avoids the transmission issues because it uses wet clutches instead of dry ones.
Avoid the automatic. Just not worth the hassle.
They’re generally good cars, drive well, and feel bigger than most small cars in Australia.
If it’s a manual, it’s worth considering. But keep in mind that a clutch replacement costs at least $2,000, which is pricier than most.
If it’s got 150K+ miles, check if the clutch has been replaced—if not, budget for that expense.
Whatever you do, don’t buy the auto.
Too risky. The auto transmissions in these are poorly designed and fail often. Even if you get it fixed (which isn’t cheap), it could still randomly die on you. Plus, they have a bad reputation, so reselling it later will be tough.
Pretty sure this has the Powershift transmission… which is bad news.
Would it be possible to chip in a little extra to get her something newer? If you can stretch to $16K, a 2018 Ford Focus Trend would be a much better option. It has a normal automatic transmission and is fuel efficient.
@Vick
Yeah, that seems to be the consensus. I think we’re going to pass on the Focus.