New Car Focus V Fiesta

[kevino]

In the market for a new car 12-15 months.
Prefer sedan to hatchback and prefer manual to auto.
Maximum spend say 22k.

So we have Focus Ambiente 1.6 manual hatch
versus
Ford Fiesta sedan 1.6ltr manual petrol or diesel.

I had a 2004 Focus 1.6 in Nz and it was a very good car for the money.

What are everyones thoughts on the merits of Focus v Fiesta, in that price bracket.

[In Focus]

Take the Focus if you need the extra space. Take the Fiesta if you want the extra grunt/performance/handling (or the 2L Focus).

[Franco Cozzo]

Don't bother with the Focus in 1.6L trim, same engine as the Fiesta with a bit more power, the car is too big for that little power by todays standards (but its got more power than our 2003 Mazda 323, so go figure).

+1 for Fiesta diesel (chip tune gets them going good).

[Ratmick]

I have an ex-Ford LV MKII Focus (first registered in May last year) hatch. My partner has a new WT LX Fiesta sedan. Both are turbo diesels, and both manual.

The Focus is a much better car in nearly all respects, except boot space and fuel economy. The Fiesta has a huge boot. I have no idea how the hell they did it but it swallows a week's worth of groceries for a family of six (four teenagers) without any issues what so ever. My Focus can also fit a load but it requires stacking .

She also gets slightly better mileage, but it's not that much better (about 0.5 litres less per 100km). It also has the 1.6 litre TDCi against my Focus' 2 litre TDCi but they drive like chalk and cheese. Her car drives fine, it's certainly not going to win any drag races but it'll quite happily cruise on the freeway speed limit all day.

The Fiesta is a bit smaller in the wheelbase front-to-back and narrower side-to-side plus the wheels are smaller so it feels the bumps in the road a lot more than the Focus...which goes like a rocket. The Focus also accelerates better, corners better and stops better.

The Fiesta new was $19,000 on the road (a you-beaut Ford deal last September). The Focus six months from first rego with a towbar, rustproofing and 18,000km on the clock was $20,000 on the road.

You don't think it may be worth looking at a low-mileage ex-Ford Exec 2.0 litre diesel/petrol Focus when the time comes and see what the prices are like against the Fiesta?

Hope this helps...

Mick

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Ratmick

I have an ex-Ford LV MKII Focus (first registered in May last year) hatch. My partner has a new WT LX Fiesta sedan. Both are turbo diesels, and both manual.

The Focus is a much better car in nearly all respects, except boot space and fuel economy. The Fiesta has a huge boot. I have no idea how the hell they did it but it swallows a week's worth of groceries for a family of six (four teenagers) without any issues what so ever. My Focus can also fit a load but it requires stacking .

She also gets slightly better mileage, but it's not that much better (about 0.5 litres less per 100km). It also has the 1.6 litre TDCi against my Focus' 2 litre TDCi but they drive like chalk and cheese. Her car drives fine, it's certainly not going to win any drag races but it'll quite happily cruise on the freeway speed limit all day.

The Fiesta is a bit smaller in the wheelbase front-to-back and narrower side-to-side plus the wheels are smaller so it feels the bumps in the road a lot more than the Focus...which goes like a rocket. The Focus also accelerates better, corners better and stops better.

The Fiesta new was $19,000 on the road (a you-beaut Ford deal last September). The Focus six months from first rego with a towbar, rustproofing and 18,000km on the clock was $20,000 on the road.

You don't think it may be worth looking at a low-mileage ex-Ford Exec 2.0 litre diesel/petrol Focus when the time comes and see what the prices are like against the Fiesta?

Hope this helps...

Mick

I found the opposite with my WS Fiesta and LV Focus, but my Fiesta is petrol, so obviously lighter engine, Focus diesel.

My Focus will understeer fairly badly when pushed into a tight corner and it body-rolls like the Costa Concordia, but its more comfortable, soaks up the bumps, interior is low quality as well, but the LW Focus fixed that issue.

Focus feels quick because its surge of torque from 1750 RPM.

Fiesta handles like a go-kart, you can throw that thing into corners and it just goes around, plus its steering is dead on, point it and it goes where you want but its also fitted with a lot better tyres, continental's over the crappy goodyear junk on my Focus.

[DeKa]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

My Focus will understeer fairly badly when pushed into a tight corner and it body-rolls like the Costa Concordia, but its more comfortable, soaks up the bumps, interior is low quality as well, but the LW Focus fixed that issue.

...

Fiesta handles like a go-kart, you can throw that thing into corners and it just goes around, plus its steering is dead on, point it and it goes where you want but its also fitted with a lot better tyres, continental's over the crappy goodyear junk on my Focus.

Sounds like you just need better tyres on the Focus to solve the understeer.

[Ratmick]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Fiesta handles like a go-kart, you can throw that thing into corners and it just goes around, plus its steering is dead on, point it and it goes where you want but its also fitted with a lot better tyres, continental's over the crappy goodyear junk on my Focus

I normally describe driving my partner's (her name is Glenys) Fiesta as strapping on a roller skate and taking it for a spin . It's certainly entertaining enough to punt around but the Focus is a much better drive and it corners pretty well flat. Now you've mentioned yours rolls I'm wondering whether mine has had something done to the suspension. Maybe I should drive another car of the same marque and get an idea what is going on.

The only real issues I have with the Focus is that first gear is largely a waste of time...you need it to get off the mark but it quickly loses any useful pick up. As I said before the boot space is also pretty minimal. Plus the OEM Goodyears are bloody noisy and unfortunately long-lived.

I've also had no issues with the interior of mine and prefer it over the Fiesta's...

thks, Mick

[josem]

The current driveaway pricing ($18,990 for fiesta vs. $19,990 for the 1.6 focus) means there is only a 1k difference between the two cars. The focus is definitely worth more than the 1K difference. Plus German built quality vs. Thai made (I am not saying thai quality is bad). Same 1.6 sigma engine but on paper the Focus has more power. Fiesta model is older so might be able to squeeze more discount. The Focus has more goodies too. I have the auto Ambiente and loves it.

[Ratmick]

I was under the impression both cars (the WT Fiesta and LW Focus) were both made in Thailand. That's what the dealer told us anyway...

Mick

[josem]

The runout 2011 LW Focus are made in Saarlouis, Germany. The 2012 Focus arriving mid 2012 will be from Thailand.

[LeadFoot81]

When I compared the LW Focus to the WS Fiesta, I found that interior space in the Fiesta wasn't much smaller, and I preferred the ride and handling in the Fiesta. The 1.6L is perky coupled with the manual trasmission, and while it's not a rocket from a standing start, I've had no dramas with overtaking, driving up hills etc

The Fiesta's cabin is also much more modern (and funky/cheeky) than the (plain/mature) cabin in the Focus.

Overall the Fiesta felt a generation ahead (because it pretty much is)

[sysh]

... for 22k, you probably could squeeze in the Focus Trend Manual (Demo)?

[johnydep]

Originally Posted by josem

The runout 2011 LW Focus are made in Saarlouis, Germany. The 2012 Focus arriving mid 2012 will be from Thailand.

Mid year I heard. Think there has been a price rise, starting today.

[graham_h]

I'm not sure I understand the 12-15 months part

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Ratmick

I normally describe driving my partner's (her name is Glenys) Fiesta as strapping on a roller skate and taking it for a spin . It's certainly entertaining enough to punt around but the Focus is a much better drive and it corners pretty well flat. Now you've mentioned yours rolls I'm wondering whether mine has had something done to the suspension. Maybe I should drive another car of the same marque and get an idea what is going on.

The only real issues I have with the Focus is that first gear is largely a waste of time...you need it to get off the mark but it quickly loses any useful pick up. As I said before the boot space is also pretty minimal. Plus the OEM Goodyears are bloody noisy and unfortunately long-lived.

I've also had no issues with the interior of mine and prefer it over the Fiesta's...

thks, Mick

First and second are fairly useless on my Focus, as they're torque limited and all first gear does is rev out quickly which is useless on a diesel car, but the torque limiter prevents you from doing a nice take-off in second gear.

Yes, the Goodyear NCT5s are junk, crappy grip and lots of noise, the only thing they have going for them is long life I guess. Fiesta has continentals but they're noisy too but they grip like poo to a blanket.

My interior rattles, and the drivers seat makes clicking noises but it only started after I bashed it around a bit on the pitted and holed dirt roads I drive on.

[kevino]

Damo
I have 2 Goodyear NCT,s on the rear of my LT TDCI Focus which have done 75000 and look good for another 10000. I had to replace 2 with Toyos as one got wrecked with steel rubbish piercing it. Like you I hate the Goodyears noisy bloody things.
The focus v fiesta comments are appreciated, its to replace my wifes 2006 CL Focus.
I must say reading everything I am leaning towards a 1.6 Fiesta manual sedan as the new Focus in manual Ambiente form is a hatch (opening the hatch in our garage catches the hatch on the roof) and the Focus sedan is only auto(dont like what I have read about powershift low speed changes).

[notoriousnick]

Originally Posted by josem

The current driveaway pricing ($18,990 for fiesta vs. $19,990 for the 1.6 focus) means there is only a 1k difference between the two cars. The focus is definitely worth more than the 1K difference. Plus German built quality vs. Thai made (I am not saying thai quality is bad). Same 1.6 sigma engine but on paper the Focus has more power. Fiesta model is older so might be able to squeeze more discount. The Focus has more goodies too. I have the auto Ambiente and loves it.

The 1.6L Focus is rated as having more power than the same engine in the Fiesta because the Fiesta's output is rated based on ULP, while all the petrol Focus models' outputs are rated based on PULP.

In other words, it's the Octane rating of the petrol that's determining the difference in power between the base Focus and the Fiesta.

In the USA, the 2.0L petrol Focus is rated at 120kW using their equivalent of ULP. Here, the same engine is rated using PULP and gets (you guessed it) a higher output of 125 kW.

[johnydep]

Originally Posted by notoriousnick

The 1.6L Focus is rated as having more power than the same engine in the Fiesta because the Fiesta's output is rated based on ULP, while all the petrol Focus models' outputs are rated based on PULP.

In other words, it's the Octane rating of the petrol that's determining the difference in power between the base Focus and the Fiesta.

In the USA, the 2.0L petrol Focus is rated at 120kW using their equivalent of ULP. Here, the same engine is rated using PULP and gets (you guessed it) a higher output of 125 kW.

I thought the Focus had a redesigned cam, to give it slightly more torque to overcome the extra weight.

[notoriousnick]

Originally Posted by johnydep

I thought the Focus had a redesigned cam, to give it slightly more torque to overcome the extra weight.

I was mostly speculating about the 1.6L Focus vs Fiesta power differences, as the magnitude of those differences in peak power seemed consistent with the differences in power in the Focus 2L engines when changing from ULP to PULP.

So that's not to say Ford haven't made other changes (as you suggest)... It would be interesting though to see torque curves for the two 1.6L engines, both running ULP or both running PULP