2002-2004 Ford Focus SVT

Pros :
- Naturally-aspirated 170 hp is pretty good.
- Exterior enhancements helps the Focus's looks.
- Good seating position and all-round visibility.
- Great handling of the ZX3 is further improved in the SVT.
- Base price is a bargain.

Cons :
- Styling not for everybody.
- Interior material quality feels cheap.
- The Focus has a history of recalls.
- Torque steer on acceleration.
- Fuel economy of a larger car.

Interior :

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Press Coverage :
The three-door Ford SVT Focus has SVT-specific front bumper, rear high-mount spoiler, interior trim, wheels, brakes, suspension tuning and the highly tuned ZETEC 2.0L engine. A six-speed Getrag manual transmission is standard, with no automatic available. Options include traction control, MP3 player, heated seats, heated mirrors, alarm system and an expensive AdvanceTrac system that can detect if the car is about to skid and selectively apply brakes to each wheel individually, in order to make the car more stable.
Since its debut in 2002, there were minor changes to the Ford Focus SVT for 2003, namely a body-colored rear boot handle. The same model carries on to 2004 with no changes except for an options package. The new European package goes for $3,410 and adds black leather Recaro seats, unique wheels, Audiophile stereo system, the Cold Weather Package, high-intensity discharge headlights and a moonroof. The color palette now includes Competition Orange and Screaming Yellow.
ModernRacer.com

Nearly everything about the Ford Focus SVT is improved versus the base car, and for that you have to tip your cap to Ford's special vehicles team (aka SVT), the same crew who put the electricity into Ford's Lightning pickup and the hiss into the Cobra Mustang.
And the SVT-tuned Ford Focus comes fairly loaded. On top of it all, the SVT Focus is as much fun to drive as any of those cars and can hang with all but the WRX on any reasonable corkscrew of American back road. That it also happens to exhibit the everyday driving characteristics of a fine commuter car rather than a nailed-to-the-pavement go-kart makes it a world beater.
With its Euro-look exterior, there's a lot more of a Continental quality to this Ford than you might expect from a Michigan-based carmaker (by the way, the SVT Focus is made in Mexico). That's certainly due to Ford's goal for the Focus, which is to sell it all over the planet. That means its thoroughly modern, sculpted shape is not only an asset but de rigueur.
Inside you find a perforated leather-wrapped wheel, cruise control and audio switches on that same tiller, firm and sporty cloth seats with leather bolsters, metallic-flecked gauges and oil-temperature/pressure gauges unavailable in the stock Focus. All that is reasonably sorted and attractive, but trim bits in the Focus don't line up neatly and many small details like the door-lock buttons and door trim feel chintzy and don't mate well with the aforementioned extra-spiffy items. Ford's in the midst of a cost-cutting spree at the moment and they ought to be careful not to make cars like the Focus look even cheaper inside. There's a lot of cheap-looking plastic here. On the upside, this is a comfortable cabin with lots of head and shoulder room, easily adjustable seats and a good, upright driving position. Also swell: the $675 optional six-disc in-dash CD player. Not only does it blast out excellent, crisp sound through upgraded speakers and an eight-inch subwoofer, but it comes with a slick little pen-size locking mechanism. Remove the "pen" (it has a clip so you can attach it to your shirt pocket to prevent loss) and the sound system is rendered useless to would-be crooks.
Okay, so you're grooving to your favorite tunes, comfortably at the wheel and ready to roll. What's that like? Impressive. Really impressive. As we said, the usual sensation of a pocket rocket is sort of like being chained to a chipmunk on caffeine--hyper-quick reactions, but never relaxed when you just have an errand to run. The Ford SVT Focus is instead a pure sleeper. The car is reasonably composed on less than paper-flat pavement, but not soft. There's lots of low-range torque (most of the 145 foot-pounds of peak churn appear at a mere 2200 rpm), so you never feel the need to flog the 2.0-liter motor on a run to the market or on your daily commute. Just drive it like a reasonably upstanding citizen and there's nary a hint of menace, despite an engine that's been worked over with variable intake timing (to give better response at all revs), new pistons, altered camshaft shapes and an increased compression ratio.
Oh, you want menace? Then ratchet through the SVT Focus' sharp, six-speed gearbox (sourced from the same supplier that sells shifters to BMW, Getrag) and get flying. This is not a Porsche-quick car in a straight line, but in modest bends, over undulating rollers or around all-out loops of tarmac the SVT Focus is a delight. New bushings and tuned struts as well as beefier anti-sway bars forestall body roll and you can dart around at breakneck speeds with delightful abandon. There's plenty of meat to grab the road, too: 17-inch wheels wearing 215/45-series tires. Also impressive: the very large vented front, solid-disc rear brakes. These are easy to modulate and will halt this car safely and swiftly. Still, it's the well-behaved character of this Focus that really stands out. Push all you want and it doesn't hurt, not even on rough roads. On the track you'll find more than enough grip and excellent steering. We also drove this car at Virginia International Raceway, and there we got the SVT's traction control working, but only during fully abusive maneuvers you wouldn't try on the road (stab the button to disable traction control if you like). Otherwise what shines here is the same thing you feel on Elm Street: Excellent steering that transmits all the action going on at the pavement surface but doesn't beat you to death with vibration, and a rally car-imitating exhaust tone that turns to a high rasp near redline. What we like most about the SVT Focus is that it never feels like a bucket of bolts. It's quietly reserved when you just drive it--and even at 80 mph on the freeway the rev noises never clatter through the highway cabin, especially if you select sixth gear. You might encounter a bit of torque-steer on takeoff, and there the Mini Cooper has the SVT Focus licked, since its equal-length half-shafts defeat that nasty front-wheel-drive-car behavior handily. But the pull of the front wheels is so mild in the Focus, you're not going to hate life because of it. And because the SVT Focus can be had for so much less than anything as well behaved--not to mention as capable--it's hard to argue with getting one.
Forbes.com

The 2003 Ford Focus rides more quietly (by a significant 2 decibels) than last year as a result of improved body sealing, sprayed on underbody sound deadening, and thicker carpeting. New seating fabrics and trim details upgrade the interior further for 2003. The Focus is designed from the inside out for maximum interior space within the confines of a compact body. Its raised roof is designed to provide room for today's taller average heights. Elevated seating height adds comfortable legroom.
The front seats are cushy comfy, well bolstered for side support. The seats have an exceptionally high hip point, 20 inches above the ground. The advantages of this seating include a better view down the road, plus more effective leg room front and rear. The high roofline provides lots of head room and makes entry and exit easier. Manual height adjustment allows almost everyone to find a comfortable position behind the wheel and an easy arm's length away from the manual shifter. Sporty woven seat material is designed for younger drivers, while a textured velour fabric is designed for a more upscale ambiance. Ford says it tested both fabrics extensively for color and wear durability, simulating 10 years and 100,000 miles of use and exposure to the sun.
With its asymmetrical design, the interior looks both informal and rich at the same time. Control knobs all have distinctive shapes for easy identification. Rotary controls are rubberized for pleasing soft-touch operation. The steering wheel is leather-covered and satisfying to touch. Even the plastics used on the dash and door panels have a finger-friendly soft-touch feel. Our only quibble is that the inside door releases don't feel as substantial as they should.
The back seat of the three-door hatchback is best accessed by the young and agile, however. Once there, rear-seat riders have lots of legroom, thanks to widely spaced runners under the front seats, plus adult-sized head and shoulder room. Rear-seat air ducts add comfort winter and summer. Fold the back seat and there's 18.5 cubic feet of cargo space. Access to this area is easy through the big rear hatch.
Nctd.com

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History:
2000-2003 Ford Focus ZX3
1,986 cc / 130 hp / 135 lb-ft / 2551-2600 lbs / 0-60 mph 9.0 sec.