I love the simple lines of this car and the roomy interior. It may technically be a compact, but I often find myself giving friends rides at school, and the back seat easily accommodates three adults. There is a hook-up for my audio jack, and the speakers have great sound. As far as performance goes, this car meets my needs and has taken me out of state to many events without out ever needing a major repair, during my past four years of ownership. The only real money I've put into it is a new set of tires. It is easy to keep clean, and the body is holding on well with just a little rust around the doors. Inside everything is still in good condition, and there is plenty of headroom for my tall figure. The light color material keeps the car pleasantly cool on sunny summer days. I love the feel of this car while I'm driving. It is very responsive for an older vehicle. The trunk is roomy, and gas mileage is great. I average 34 miles per gallon, and again, I think that is great for a vehicle that is 10 years old. I drive a lot, and I always feel safe in my car. The seatbelts hold me securely, but comfortably. It makes it easy to encourage passengers to buckle up. I strongly recommend this model to any other young person looking for a great first ride.

The Ford Focus is what people think to be the American dream of cars. It's Ford after all. But maybe that's not a good thing. Maybe the acronym that people state often is true about it. I think it would be true, in my personal opinion. This car lasted me only about five years, and along with it being my second Ford that I had to repair at least once yearly, I realized that I'll most likely never shop American again. The car consistently had problems with it and often they were expensive fixes. A few months into buying it, the tie rods went. Shortly, and by shortly I mean, really shortly after, the transmission went. This isn't something that should be happening. I think a car that you buy new should be something that lasts you at least ten years, minimum. One positive is that the fixes were usually fairly cheap as well. Other than the expensive fixes that are common on every car, an alternator here, a transmission there, everything was pretty affordable. The tires lasted a long time too. Maybe back in the old days, Fords were reliable, but this day and age, I'd say no.