Overview & Reviews

Minor changes are in store for the 2003 Ford Focus. Two new trim levels increase the breadth of prices for Ford's economy car; a base trim for the three door hatchback renders air conditioning optional and only comes with a manual transmission. For the five door hatchback, a tilt and telescoping steering wheel, cruise control, front reading lights and a center console are available when you step up to the comfort trim level from the base level. Heated front seats are a new option, as is a traction control and ABS package. New colors for the exterior brighten up the color palette, and the interior is freshened with two new fabric trims. Finally, a CD/MP3 player is now standard on the ZX3 and ZX5. A SVT version of the ZX5 is also scheduled to appear later in the year.

• Thoughtful ergonomics, large interior, smooth ride, sharp steering, impressive selection of body configurations and features.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 353.00

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  Absolute piece of garbage - 2003 Ford Focus
  By invisiblekid87 - April 3 - 1:45 pm

  Bought the car back in 2011, used, about 65,000 miles on it. I should be able to get some life out of it, right? Wrong. About 4 months later, the alternator had to be changed. Figured that was normal - took it for inspection in June of 2012 - needed a tune-up. Then - the ignition started sticking, got to the point where I was coming out of a hair appointment and the car would not start. Had to call a mechanic - $400 dollars to get the ignition fixed! Now - the batterys drained and my transmission is sticking. I have no clue how much its gonna be, but the car has been sitting in the driveway for about 3 months and I refuse to put another dime into it. Good riddance.

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  Underpowered, boring, but reliable. - 2003 Ford Focus
  By njoosse - January 4 - 11:41 am

  We owned this car for a little over 5 years. It gave us very little trouble, and was very economical. We got rid of it with 100,000 miles. At that point it was a very rattly annoying car to drive. Also very underpowered, passing someone had to be all planned out. Awesome on fuel, but I think a Civic or a Mazda would have been a lot more fun.

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  Horrible Car - 2003 Ford Focus
  By laurenglamtm - November 21 - 11:19 pm

  I bought this care used at 85,00 miles for $5000 and I guess you get what you paid for. Within the first few months I had to get the transmission replaced and from there it has been down hill. I havent even had the car for 4 years and I have had to get a new alternator, spark plugs, coolant resivor, vacuum pump, two thermostats, a plastic piece that connects my coolant resivor to my radiator, and two window pullys that broke. Id say by now I could have gotten a brand new car....Thats how expensive all the repairs cost. Now it makes a weird rattle noise when I idle and the ford dealership cant figure out what it is....and let me tell you it is a really LOUD rattle. DO NOT BUY THIS CAR!

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  Ford = Fix. Or. Repair. Daily. - 2003 Ford Focus
  By jaym83 - September 26 - 9:54 pm

  This car is a nightmare. Every other focus owner ive talked to hates this car too. Never buy this vehicle. Even the ford mechanics at the dealerships ive been to tell me this car is nothing but a bag of issues. I have had this car for less than six years and put less than 40,000miles on it and have had so many issues. This car eats tires and rear brakes like candy. So far, new ignition cylinder after six months of ownership, new motor mounts, new fog lights, new throttle cable, more new tires, more new brakes, rear defroster repair, new alternator, driver seat broke (spot welds that hold the seat up right broke), manual window crank broke off, ECU repair, and none of this is covered by Ford.

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  Got ripped off what people say is true about the focus - 2003 Ford Focus
  By kyle710 - January 9 - 4:20 pm

  Bought it 6 months ago its a 2003 with 96000 miles I got a bad deal on it since it was a buy here pay here deal 8500$ but still. In the 6 months its been on a tow truck 3 times first the alternator that happen 20 min after I bought it! But they thought it was the battery so they fixed that for me then The check engine light was on brought it to my mechanic and they said it needed a thermostat and new hoses. 610$ later. Then the ac compressor went out and had that towed because it LOCKED the whole car up and wouldnt start. Now my check engine lights on again and also the "check gas cap" light and the gas cap is on... I never thought a car could be so buggy. Giving it back when taxes come back

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  TERRIBLE - 2003 Ford Focus
  By poohbealov - December 4 - 8:08 am

  bought this at 81,000 miles was good until about 85,000. New motor mount, then a new engine, then a huge exhaust leak, then the engine was misfiring, then had to take it back to ford to get the lifters replaced, now i am waiting on it in the shop because they had to replace the instrument cluster. a total of about 5,000 in repairs in just a year. Its rediculous! i spend more time without a car then i do with one. I just barely hit 97k miles!

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  Laundry List of Problems!!! - 2003 Ford Focus
  By rlsid21 - September 14 - 10:33 am

  My 2003 Ford Focus SE (Automatic) was my first car I ever purchased, little did I know that I should have done my homework before making the commitment. I bought it pre-owned through the Ford Dealership. I should have inspected it at first sight. It had two torn tires, the roof interior was covered completely in ketchup! I let that one go. Over the years, the ignition locked up, had to get that replaced, the engine gasket broke, the transmission went out completely, got that replaced $4,000 later (in March 2011), the sway bar started squeaking, now the having engine problems, the timing belt broke off, and valves need to be replaced (Sept. 2011) Mechanics quoted $2,000 for repairs.

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  car from hell - 2003 Ford Focus
  By nel7 - March 19 - 11:54 pm

  I bought a Ford Focus 2003 (automatic) from a private party, used. Only after owning and driving regularly, I noticed how poor the suspension was. It is the stiffest suspension one can imagine. It is so bad that I bought heel support/shock absorber for my feet to heal my right heel, which is soar from all the suspension-related "beatings". My back hurts from longer drives as well. The seat is a horror-trap, despite added pillows. The mileage per gallon is rather poor: about 23 at the most in the city, and about 32 on the freeway. For a 2.0 engine, this is rather weak. And it has the classic Ford engine noise. Uncomfortable, weak mileage, noisy, and undesirable. Dont buy a Ford Focus.

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  Money Pit - 2003 Ford Focus
  By u2 - August 1 - 10:01 pm

  Been towed to repair shops about a dozen times over the past 6 years. I would not buy a ford focus again.

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  PZEV only lasted 98,826 miles! - 2003 Ford Focus
  By Mirox - May 5 - 12:28 am

  Quite funny to get a car that is designed to be maintenance FREE for 15 years or 150,000 when in reality it does not make it to 100,000 ! The 2.3 L engine with Timing Chain supposed to be an improvement over the 2.0 L with timing belt! Except when the plastic slippers wear out it jumps timing and bends all valves - hence a JUNK! Now at to that clutch that lasted only 36,000 miles, Audio system that had to be replaced 5 times, Steering wheel that just locks and can not be unlocked again without replacing the key switch, RIGHT engine mounts that break, and host of other things like worn out Front Struts at 78,000. This vehicle has problems that YUGO never had! Simply a BAD CAR