Ford Focus 1.0 Ecoboost MPG

[steve threlfall]

I remember reading this on Autocar a while ago when considering a Fiesta with the 1.0 ecoboost engine:

Even such promising paper figures don't prepare you for the driving experience. You barely hear the thing start, and it idles so smoothly you'd swear it had stalled. Your brain tells you such a small engine will need lots of revs off the mark, but it gets going easily because the combination of a tiny turbo, advanced electronic engine management and double variable valve timing give it amazing oomph in the low gears, even below 2000rpm (though the redline's 6700rpm).

It flows through the gears, always quiet but sounding more like a thoroughbred six than anything mainstream. You'll enjoy revving it, but you soon learn that changing up in the 3000s (aided by a smooth clutch and a slick six-speeder) delivers far better economy with pretty good performance.

Amazingly, the car is even long-legged. You've got to be indicating nearly 90mph before the tacho shows 3000rpm in sixth, and it can maintain this up hill and down dale. It is already clear, however, that like Fiat's TwinAir this Focus triple is an economy car for the willing. We turned 52mpg on a medium-fast, 80-mile trip through southern Spain, where another crew, not much faster, returned economy in the late 30s. You have to understand Ford's triple to make it sing for its supper.

[bledd]

It's a great engine, the cars are just way too heavy for it.

1270 Kg? Crazy for such a small car. Newer cars have so much crash protection and noise deadening in them, ramps the weight right up.

The engines are around 95Kg iirc

[Apex]

Hi all

I've met two main Ford dealers now who told me that their Ford Ecoboost punters are, on the whole, struggling to get anywhere near what they thought was viable on their MPG, except on long steady runs

The cars improve around 6000 miles (most do.. my diesels all get much better from 5k onward) but the town drivers who bought it to hopefully save in traffic and shopping etc are having the worst time.

I saw two in part exchange last week.. punters buying the 1.6 used car to get back to a sensible MPG

Have any of you got one?

Had a 14 reg Fiesta on hire while i was down in Reading for a week. Motorway run best i saw was 55mpg, running in the city i got into the low 30's some times but it creeped back upto just over 40mpg.

The main issue i had with it is even in the 125ps setup the engine felt very under powered for the car. You had a little help on the off [which i suspect is some form of overboost Ford run] but once past 30mph esp on motorways it felt like a brick. The gearbox isn't slick like others have said; felt like stiring glue. 6 speed ? are you sure because i could sware that they only fitted 5sp.... esp in the Zetec S spec i had [which iirc is the only one that gets the 1L 125ps spec engine]

[kalniel]

are you sure because i could sware that they only fitted 5sp.... esp in the Zetec S spec i had [which iirc is the only one that gets the 1L 125ps spec engine]

For new Foci Zetec, Zetec Navigator, Zetec S, Titanium Navigator and Titanium X Navigator can all have the 1.0 125ps engine.

But it should always come with a 6 speed. The 100ps engine comes with a 5 speed, but would have to be a Zetec rather than Zetec S.

[Smudger]

The review that Steve posted was for the Fiesta, probably quite a bit lighter than the Focus...

[Apex]

For new Foci Zetec, Zetec Navigator, Zetec S, Titanium Navigator and Titanium X Navigator can all have the 1.0 125ps engine.

But it should always come with a 6 speed. The 100ps engine comes with a 5 speed, but would have to be a Zetec rather than Zetec S.

Was defo Zetec S spec and defo 1L 125ps and defo only had 5sp in it.....

Edit just checked the Ford etis site and yup.....

Engine: 	  1.0L EcoBoost 120PS/125PS - Fox
Transmission: 	  5 Speed Manual Transaxle - B5/IB5

[Apex]

The review that Steve posted was for the Fiesta, probably quite a bit lighter than the Focus...

Edited my post to say what car it was....

[Smudger]

Oh, it was the Fiesta? Maybe Autocar tested a Euro version...

[kalniel]

The review that Steve posted was for the Fiesta, probably quite a bit lighter than the Focus...

Ah right - Zak and I + the auto car review were talking about the Focus - there was originally no mention of fiesta in Apex's post

For fiesta the 1.0 125ps comes on Zetec S, & Titanium but both with 5 speed. Only the ST is 6 speed.

Oh, it was the Fiesta? Maybe Autocar tested a Euro version...

No, it was a Focus.

link again:
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/...ecoboost-zetec

[Smudger]

Right, Steve was considering a Fiesta, article is about the Focus. Glad that's straightened out.

[Apex]

and to muddy the waters a bit now there is a 1L ecoboost with 140+ PS..... at almost the cost of the basic Fiesta ST-1 but it does look good in either Red or Black =)

[steve threlfall]

Right, Steve was considering a Fiesta, article is about the Focus. Glad that's straightened out.

Yep. The engine was initially only available in the Focus. I was reading up at the time before it was popped into the (new/facelift?) Fiesta. And with Autocar's gushing praise about the engine in a circa 1300kg car, I was excited at the prospect of it being dropped into the noticeable lighter Fiesta. I haven't driven one myself and to be honest, the article seems fairly one-sided.

Sorry for the earlier confusing post.

[kalniel]

and to muddy the waters a bit now there is a 1L ecoboost with 140+ PS..... at almost the cost of the basic Fiesta ST-1 but it does look good in either Red or Black =)

And while it's still firm, it's apparently a bit more liveable than an ST.

[Apex]

Yep. The engine was initially only available in the Focus. I was reading up at the time before it was popped into the (new/facelift?) Fiesta. And with Autocar's gushing praise about the engine in a circa 1300kg car, I was excited at the prospect of it being dropped into the noticeable lighter Fiesta. I haven't driven one myself and to be honest, the article seems fairly one-sided.

Sorry for the earlier confusing post.

Not the only one confused; when i saw the thread i didn't see the bit that said Focus i just saw ecoboost and thought it was the fiesta....

[Apex]

And while it's still firm, it's apparently a bit more liveable than an ST.

It does seem that way but the price is the thing that puts me off esp when it is almost at the same list price that a ST-1 is. Granted some folks never pay full list price but i have never managed to get a ford dealer to budge might be the way i have aproached them just they never want to play ball.

It is a shame they are not doing the 140+ ps engine in any other guise then either the Red or Black editions because i really like the candy blue colour [hire car was this colour]

[kalniel]

Try a dealer towards the end of the month, get some internet deals for bargaining, and ideally pick a model about to be replaced on the chance they have some stock hanging around they need to get rid of asap.

But I'd probably go for a suzuki swift sport over a fiesta.

I get really annoyed with Ford - I think both the Focus and Fiesta chassis and suspensions are superb - but IMHO they've got the worst engines out of pretty much anyone if you consider fuel consumption for real world driving. What I'd give for a focus with the 1.4 tfsi from the VW group or the 1.6cdti from Vaux.