The 2006 Ford Focus ZX4 is a very reliable car. When I was in a crash a few years back, the person who hit me totaled his car and the Focus barely had a scratch, or so it looked like it. Turns out the truck is collapsible in a accident so that the passengers are not injured. The style is sleek and attractive, especially in the royal blue color. It is very comfortable for both the driver and the front seat passenger. The back seat is not very comfortable so I would not recommend this car to families with older children. However, I am able to fit my son's car seat in the backseat without any problems. In the 7 years that I have owned it, I have never had to have it in the shop other than from the accident and routine maintenance. The blind spot is small and never caused me any issues. The gas mileage is good for a 2006 sedan but not good by 2013 standards. The car accelerating, breaking, and handling are similar to other sedans. I would not mind some additional horsepower, but not at the cost of gas mileage. It is easy to park the focus since it is a compact car, which comes in handy when parallel parking. Overall I would say this is an excellent car for people on a tight budget, especially college students.

It seems to me that every time I see an older Focus it has at least a bit of rust on it, and my car is no exception. I won't let a little rust throw me off though, as long as it runs well. This car does. I haven't had any major trouble with it. I do the usual maintenance on it and it seems to be all it really needs to continue running like a champ. One major drawback is that it seems like little thought was put into the interior. If it has a knob, button, or handle, it is falling apart or is broken. Handles above the windows have fallen off. Cup holders for some reason are in 2 parts, and if one part is missing, it's useless (and mine currently are). The radio cuts out if you go over a pebble (and sometimes for no reason at all.) But for getting me from point A to point B, this car does a great job.