Focus 1.8 or 2.0?

BinnsY · 20 Sep 2011 at 22:46

As much as they are hated in here and I will probably need to don my flame suit this is a time I feel suggesting an Astra would be appropriate. I only know one person with the old shape 2.0 focus and they struggle to crack 30MPG most of the time.

The 1.8 Astra from the same time frame offers 10bhp and 12nm of torque more than the 1.8 Focus whilst still returning 37mpg. I used to average 32 out of my 2.2 Astra so I dont find it hard to believe the MPG of the 1.8 astra will be far off that book figure.

jellybeard999 · 20 Sep 2011 at 23:15

38mpg here in my 2.0 Focus A/B road driving and 45ish on a motorway run. Drops fairly sharpish if giving it some, but I just drive frugally, but not snail like on my commute and manage the above figures.

brightside_ · 20 Sep 2011 at 23:33

If your talking about the mk1 2.0 focus then i call shenanigans, the mk2 engine is more modern i believe so i cant talk about that engine, but the 2.0 engine in the mk1 was infamous for its poor consumption as a few people have commented.

[TW]Fox · 20 Sep 2011 at 23:37

brightside_ said:
If your talking about the mk1 2.0 focus then i call shenanigans, the mk2 engine is more modern i believe so i cant talk about that engine, but the 2.0 engine in the mk1 was infamous for its poor consumption as a few people have commented.

I'm not disputing this but its always something I've found odd - I had the same engine in a Mk2 Mondeo, a heavier car, and was always rather impressed by its fuel economy. It seemed noticeably better than people reported from the Focus. I wonder what Ford did to the Focus!

jellybeard999 · 20 Sep 2011 at 23:43

brightside_ said:
If your talking about the mk1 2.0 focus then i call shenanigans, the mk2 engine is more modern i believe so i cant talk about that engine, but the 2.0 engine in the mk1 was infamous for its poor consumption as a few people have commented.

Mk1 - both according to the trip and verification through actual brim-brim calculation.

mathwat · 21 Sep 2011 at 05:41

[TW]Fox;20115826 said:
I'm not disputing this but its always something I've found odd - I had the same engine in a Mk2 Mondeo, a heavier car, and was always rather impressed by its fuel economy. It seemed noticeably better than people reported from the Focus. I wonder what Ford did to the Focus!

iirc the intake manifold and throttle body are different on the mondeo than the focus.

edit. For towing i would go for the desiel focus myself.

brightside_ · 21 Sep 2011 at 08:20

[TW]Fox;20115826 said:
I'm not disputing this but its always something I've found odd - I had the same engine in a Mk2 Mondeo, a heavier car, and was always rather impressed by its fuel economy. It seemed noticeably better than people reported from the Focus. I wonder what Ford did to the Focus!

No idea, but every person i've ever seen talk about the 2.0 focus has complained about its poor mpg, apart from jelly here. Literally never heard of anyone getting that mpg out of a 2.0. The 1.8 and the 1.6 aren't bad, ive had 40mpg out of the 1.6 on mixed driving, but the 2.0 i've driven have never reached that.

No offence mate, but having driven several of the 2.0 i've never seen that kind of mpg out of any of them, or heard of anyone getting that before so i'm a tad doubtful you actually get that. what age mk1 is it?

Jonnycoupe · 21 Sep 2011 at 08:33

The 1.8 is just as bad as the 2.0, its the same Zeta family unlike the lighter and more efficient1.6 Sigma Zetec lump, 35mpg is a very rare event. There seems to be no point doing 70 as Ill get the same tank average (~30) just sat at 85 :confused:

. Bit of a crummy engine in its Focus application.

Big Chris · 21 Sep 2011 at 09:07

I've got a '99 1.8 Focus and it's not 'slow' by any means. Granted it's not a 911 Turbo but it has more than enough poke for everyday driving and deals with the twisty stuff well too.

I've had mine 3 years and only had to change the tyres so far. I get approx 34mpg with mostly urban trips.

Scrutinize · 21 Sep 2011 at 09:12

[TW]Fox;20115826 said:
I'm not disputing this but its always something I've found odd - I had the same engine in a Mk2 Mondeo, a heavier car, and was always rather impressed by its fuel economy. It seemed noticeably better than people reported from the Focus. I wonder what Ford did to the Focus!

what was the gearing like on the mondeo, a mate of mine had the MK1 2.0 focus and the gearing was quite short so was at quite high revs on motorway, it only used to do 50/52 in 2nd gear, iirc at 70mph he was at around 3.5k rpm in 5th. he used to get about 30mpg combined,

Imy · 21 Sep 2011 at 09:29

I've had my mk1 2.0 focus since 2005. You can expect ~27mpg with a heavy foot, ~30mpg with a relaxed style and ~34mpg with supreme concentration and if you don't mind annoying everyone around you. Those figures are all for mixed driving.

For motorways, if you're gonna go over 60mph you may as well go 80mph as there seems to be little difference in mpg to 70mph ~around 34mpg. Revs are 3k for 70mph going up to 4k for 90mph but the increase in revs is sharper after 80mph.

The gearing is a bit different between the 1.8 and 2.0 I believe. My car in 2nd will only hit 57mph but from what I read in another thread the 1.8 will hit 60mph in 2nd.

Mine's done 94k miles and the engine is as sound as it was when I bought it.

therealnerd2 · 21 Sep 2011 at 09:37

I'm reasonably convinced by the sound of the 1.8 - I'll give it a test drive this weekend, check it's got enough poke to get by with.

Do these things have decent trip computers like the Mondeo? I'm already going to miss the cruise control...

Big Chris · 21 Sep 2011 at 10:12

My Zetec doesn't have a multi-function computer showing MPG etc but there are models that do as it refers to it in the manual.

Scrutinize · 21 Sep 2011 at 10:23

therealnerd2 said:
I'm reasonably convinced by the sound of the 1.8 - I'll give it a test drive this weekend, check it's got enough poke to get by with.

Do these things have decent trip computers like the Mondeo? I'm already going to miss the cruise control...

try to find the 2.0 as these seemed to come better specced and last time i checked went for less money due to lack of popularity.

for the focus you either want the 1.6 or 2.0 the 1.8 is the middle ground that has all the downsides of the 2.0 inc poor fuel economy but virtually the same performance as the 1.6.

shauncr91 · 21 Sep 2011 at 10:37

mrk1@1 said:
what was the gearing like on the mondeo, a mate of mine had the MK1 2.0 focus and the gearing was quite short so was at quite high revs on motorway, it only used to do 50/52 in 2nd gear, iirc at 70mph he was at around 3.5k rpm in 5th. he used to get about 30mpg combined,

That's strange, my mk1 1.8 Focus does 60 in second and is only at 3k at 70 in 5th.

Imy · 21 Sep 2011 at 13:00

therealnerd2 said:
I'm reasonably convinced by the sound of the 1.8 - I'll give it a test drive this weekend, check it's got enough poke to get by with.

Do these things have decent trip computers like the Mondeo? I'm already going to miss the cruise control...

As another poster said, I'd also go for the 2.0l (which I did).

Ghia's were the top spec back then I believe. Mine has the trip computer you mentioned +

full electric windows + side mirrors
heated front+back windows and side mirrors (option I think)
6-CD changer under front-passenger seat
steering wheel mounted audio controls
nicer trim
manual air con (climate control came in 2001 I think)
2-tone leather seats (option)

s0ck · 21 Sep 2011 at 13:13

therealnerd2 said:
I'm already going to miss the cruise control...

Invertigo · 21 Sep 2011 at 13:23

Imy said:
As another poster said, I'd also go for the 2.0l (which I did).

Ghia's were the top spec back then I believe. Mine has the trip computer you mentioned +

full electric windows + side mirrors

heated front+back windows and side mirrors (option I think)

6-CD changer under front-passenger seat

steering wheel mounted audio controls

nicer trim

manual air con (climate control came in 2001 I think)

2-tone leather seats (option)

Mine was similar, only differences being an in-dash 6cd changer instead of an under seat one, full black leather and cruise control

therealnerd2 said:
I'm already going to miss the cruise control...

Some of the 2.0 Ghia's have cruise. Mine does

therealnerd2 · 21 Sep 2011 at 13:36

Invertigo said:
Some of the 2.0 Ghia's have cruise. Mine does

OOoo, I clearly didn't look closely enough at Parkers. £200 extra apparently on the 2L - bargain. What age was yours?

Invertigo · 21 Sep 2011 at 23:34

2001. One of the last before the facelift, so I assume it was available on the 2.0 from start to end of production.

I wasn't even looking for half the features when I bought this car, just found a good condition, well maintained and priced one that happened to have every option box available at the time ticked! (Climate control is only available on the facelift models, if this concerns you)