Mini review

[MrFlibble]

Originally posted by sdp
It's a heavy car for a 1.6 I think.

It's crap pulling away at junctions as it's got no power there and the change to 2nd has to be done too quickly because it just runs out of steam. But foot down in 2nd or 3rd and it just wants to go and it's hard holding back from just slamming the pedal down sometimes. It hates hills though.

Mines a 1.6 LX
I think that sums it up quite nicely sdp - it can really shift when the time is right, just not from standing.
High driving position I find great, cos I'm a shortarse!
One thing that's brilliant is its much easier to park than you think it might be for its size.

I wub my focus!

[sdp]

i'd love a mini, they are amazin cars.

Top bloke, you got good taste

[Butuz]

The 2 litre most certainly improves on the torque issue. Its seems very responsive easily pulling away from 1000rpm, quickening at 1500, and then properly kicking in at about 3000-3500. It doesnt like high revs tho, or mine doesnt anyway. I change at about 5500. Anything over that just gives up.

Things i like about my focus:

* Engine is relaxing to drive, can pull of in 2nd from a stop with no clutch screwing, cruise around in 4th everywhere.

* Handling is superb. The feedback it gives you is best ive ever driven. It tells me exactly how its tyres are doing round corners, i know when its starting to lose grip, it whispers its limits in your ear. In terms of actual grip, its pretty good. I aint got good tyres atm tho. Body roll is a bit of a problem. I dont know whether its the throughly unsupportive seats, but it feels like your gonna scrape the wingmirror on the floor when cornering hard (ok bit of an exageration lol).

* It aint light, which means the 2.0 isnt particularly quick, the 1.6 and 1.4 must be horrific.

* Its bloody reliable. Mines 5 years young in april, nowt gone wrong with it apart from changin tyres and getting service done. Gonna need new disks all round at some stage tho. (what an excuse to uprate).

Things i don't like about my focus:

* The seats are rubbishrubbishrubbishrubbishe. Comfy'ish, but totally unsupportive in cornering. Yuk. Medoicre on long journys.

* Its a bit fat. Cant help thinking a little hot hatch would have been a better buy.

* Common.

The ST170 improves on the body roll situation. It also improves on the seat support. Though the seats are soddin uncomfy on long journys. Bloody uncomfy.

Butuz

[Shad]

Nice post Butuz

My Clio's been fixed so I've the 'pleasure' of driving it for the last time today. Oh what joy...