2011
Used 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

Ford Focus Change Vehicle

A freshening didn't hide the fact this was a nine-year-old design. Once our top-rated small car, this version rated only midpack. It retained some of its agile handling, plus the composed ride and roomy interior. But fit and finish and noise remained weak points. Further, there was no longer a telescoping steering wheel, or assist handles to aid access. Braking distances got longer.
2011
Used 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

Ford Focus

Reliability
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Owner Satisfaction
See All
Crash and Rollover Tests
IIHS Front Moderate Overlap Good
IIHS Front Small Overlap, Driver NA
IIHS Side Crash Acceptable
NHTSA Frontal-Crash, Driver NA
NHTSA Frontal-Crash, Passenger NA
See All

Road Test Results

Performance
Acceleration Acceleration Acceleration tests are conducted on a smooth, flat pavement straightaway at the track. Time, speed, and distance measurements are taken with a precise GPS-based device that’s hooked to a data-logging computer.
0 to 60 mph 0 to 60 mph (sec.) The time in seconds that a vehicle takes to reach 60 mph from a standstill with the engine idling.
Transmission Transmission Transmission performance is determined by shifting smoothness, response, shifter action, and clutch actuation for manual transmissions.
Fuel Economy Fuel Economy We perform our own fuel-economy tests, independent of the government's often-quoted EPA figures and the manufacturers' claims. Using a precise fuel-flow measuring device spliced into the fuel line, we run two separate circuits to represent city and highway consumption.
CR's Overall Mileage CR's Overall Mileage CR's overall mileage is a composite of measured fuel usage on a prescribed city course and highway cruising; and CR's 150-mile test trip of mixed driving, if tested. In recent road tests, we've discontinued the 150-mile trip test.
CR's City Mileage CR's City Mileage Measured fuel usage on a prescribed city course.
CR's Highway Mileage CR's Highway Mileage Measured fuel usage on a prescribed highway cruising.
Annual Fuel Cost Annual Fuel Cost The cost and amount of fuel used in 12,000 miles and is calculated from CR's overall mileage.
Braking Braking The braking rating is a composite of wet and dry stopping distances and pedal feel. Braking distance is from 60 mph, with no wheels locked.
Emergency Handling Emergency Handling Several factors go into the rating, including the avoidance maneuver speed and confidence, as well as how the vehicle behaves when pushed to its limit,
Comfort / Convenience
Ride Ride Our expert judgment of how well the suspension isolates and absorbs road imperfections and how steady it keeps the body on various road surfaces.
Noise Noise Our expert judgment of the vehicle's interior noise level in everyday driving.
Front Seat Comfort Front Seat Comfort Our judgment of how comfortable the front seat is for drivers of various heights.
Rear Seat Comfort Rear Seat Comfort Our judgment of how comfortable the rear seat is for two passengers to sit across.
Interior Fit and Finish Interior Fit and Finish An expert evaluation of the interior quality and craftsmanship.
Trunk/Cargo Area Trunk/Cargo Area Our rating is based on the amount of luggage or cargo space that a vehicle has in the trunk or cargo area.

Owner Reports

Worse Better
Reliability History Reliability History The reliability charts are based on responses on hundreds of thousands of vehicles from our latest Annual Auto Survey. Consumer Reports subscribers reported on any serious problems they had with their vehicles during the past 12 months that they considered serious because of cost, failure, safety, or downtime, in any of the trouble spots included in the table below. The results are presented relative to the average model that year. Extra weight is given to the more serious areas such as major engine or transmission problems. Based on this data and further analysis, we predict reliability for the latest year. N/A indicates that we did not receive a large enough sample size to provide data for a specific year. An X indicates that the vehicle was not manufactured for a specific year.
2000
NA
2001
NA
2002
NA
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
Reliability Trouble Spots
Engine Major Engine Major Engine rebuild or replacement, cylinder head, head gasket, turbo or supercharger, timing chain or timing belt.
NA
Engine Minor Engine Minor Accessory belts and pulleys, engine computer, engine mounts, engine knock or ping, oil leaks.
NA
Engine Cooling Engine Cooling Radiator, cooling fan, antifreeze leaks, water pump, thermostat, overheating.
NA
Transmission Major Transmission Major Transmission rebuild or replacement, torque converter, clutch replacement.
NA
View all Reliability
Owner Satisfaction Owner Satisfaction To learn about satisfaction, CR has collected survey data from our annual survey on more than half a million vehicles. Our subscribers provide great insights into their satisfaction by answering one simple question: If they had it to do all over again, would they definitely buy or lease the same model? In addition, respondents also rate their cars in six categories: driving experience, comfort, value, styling, audio, and climate systems. N/A indicates that we did not receive a large enough sample size to provide data for a specific year. An X indicates that the vehicle was not manufactured for a specific year.
2000
NA
2001
NA
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
Driving Experience Driving Experience Includes acceleration and handling
Comfort Comfort Includes seats, climate control, noise, and ride
Value Value Did you get what you wanted relative to the price you paid?
Styling Styling How it looks inside and out
View all Owner Satisfaction
Safety Equipment
ABS and side air bags available. ESC available 2001-2003, 2009; standard from 2010. Side and head protection air bags standard from 2008.
Road Test

A freshening didn't hide the fact this was a nine-year-old design. Once our top-rated small car, this version rated only midpack. It retained some of its agile handling, plus the composed ride and roomy interior. But fit and finish and noise remained weak points. Further, there was no longer a telescoping steering wheel, or assist handles to aid access. Braking distances got longer. Fuel economy improved, but it was still not great for the class.

Seating
2 front, 3 rear
Drive Wheels
Front
Warranty

In most cases, automotive warranties are based on the vehicle identification number (VIN), and the warranty will be valid regardless of ownership. The dealership can tell you exactly how much warranty is left.

Read more about extended warranties
Body Styles
coupe
sedan
Transmissions Available
  • 5-speed Manual
  • 4-speed Automatic
Engines Available
  • 2-liter 4 (132 hp)
  • 2-liter 4 (140 hp)

Owner Reported Trouble Spots

The Reliability score is based on our latest subscriber survey of 2011 Ford Focus owners. The owner comments describe problems respondents experienced with this vehicle.

Suspension

Shocks or struts, ball joints, tie rods, wheel bearings, alignment, steering linkage (includes rack and pinion), power steering (pumps and hoses, leaks), wheel balance, springs or torsion bars, bushings, electronic or air suspension.

What Owners Say

Tie rods

"During mandatory yearly provincial inspection, tie-rod on passenger side of vehicle was deemed to be worn to require replacement"

Hubert B., NB (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)
Wheel bearings

"Failure of rear left wheel bearing, I've been told that this is common on this model year Focus"

John K., ON (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

"Had to replace front bearings"

Anonymous, IL (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

"Car always pulled/pulls to the left even after an alignment"

Anonymous, MN (2011 Ford Focus S 2.0-L 4 Cyl)
Power steering pumps and hoses

"Failed power steering pump"

Anonymous, TN (2011 Ford Focus SEL 2.0-L 4 Cyl)
Shocks or struts

"Shocks and struts"

Larry B., IL (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

"We had to replace the suspension on the back of the car, they were the original parts and the car has alot of mileage so not unreasonable if you ask me"

Serge B., NB (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

"Rear shocks failed while still under warranty, they were cheap. Struts have been replaced also, they were wearing out and there was lots of eneven tread wear and road noise because of it"

Anonymous, AR (2011 Ford Focus Unsure 2.0-L 4 Cyl)
Tire wear is uneven

"On THIRD set of tires at 60k miles due to uneven wear and cupping. Told (to late) that Focus's "eat tires". Ford denies that warranty covers this. Goggle "focus tire wear" and see that this really is a known problem"

Curtis A., MN (2011 Ford Focus SEL 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

"Shocks were bad and left cupping on tires"

Larry B., IL (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

"Wheel balance problem comes from cupping/ uneven wear; even though I had service (including rotating) as recommended. TELLING FOLKS THAT I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER FOCUS"

Curtis A., MN (2011 Ford Focus SEL 2.0-L 4 Cyl)
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Paint/Trim

Paint (fading, chalking, cracking, or peeling), loose interior and exterior trim or moldings, rust.

What Owners Say

Loose interior trim or moldings

"driver side molding on door sill came off, and driver window motor was failing"

Anonymous, CA (2011 Ford Focus Unsure 2.0-L 4 Cyl)
Paint (fading, chalking, cracking, or peeling)

"Rocker panels rusting away, rear wheel panels a bottom back doors rust and paint peeling"

Anthony K., ON (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

"From being by other people opening doors to there cars and hitting mine"

Anonymous, NJ (2011 Ford Focus SEL 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

"Paint is chipping away at transition of rocker panel to rear quarter panel at seam of rear door on both sides of car (worse on driver's side)"

Anonymous, OH (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

"chrome water spots"

Anonymous, CO (2011 Ford Focus SEL 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

"The paint on the rims that came standard with the car has peeled off on all four wheels in multiple places. Also, the spoiler has two spots where the paint has peeled off"

Brad V., TN (2011 Ford Focus SES 2.0-L 4 Cyl)
Rust

"right side rocker panel rusting through"

Ronald P., PA (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

"This is our 3rd Ford and all of them have had rust problems, we will have the bottom of the car and doors redone this summer"

Serge B., NB (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)
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Transmission Major

Transmission rebuild or replacement, torque converter, clutch replacement.

What Owners Say

Clutch replacement

"One the clutch was replaced (warranty/recall), it is shifting properly and smoothly"

Anonymous, FL (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

"Rough shifting required warranty-covered clutch replacement"

Luke S., AZ (2011 Ford Focus SEL 2.0-L 4 Cyl)
Transmission rebuild or replacement

"Died after 20000 miles. Had to be replaced under warranty"

Robert C., WV (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

"Multiple problems with transmission from the first months of the car's purchase. Several repairs and rebuilds over a couple of years before Ford finally replaced it. It has been fine since"

Anonymous, GA (2011 Ford Focus SEL 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

"slippage, needed rebuilt"

Julie D., SC (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)
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Body Integrity

Squeaks, rattles, wind noises, loose or cracked seals and/or weather-stripping, air and water leaks.

What Owners Say

Air or water leaks

"WATER LEAK IN TRUNK"

Anonymous, MA (2011 Ford Focus SES 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

"There are general squeaks and buzzes that happen when driving that are not terrible but happen frequently and started in the past year or so"

Barry L., PA (2011 Ford Focus SES 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

"this has a little squeak in the back area dont know what is causing it"

Jeffrey H., MO (2011 Ford Focus SES 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

"There has been squeaking noises in the right rear which turned out to be loose bolts in the trunk lid"

Anonymous, AR (2011 Ford Focus Unsure 2.0-L 4 Cyl)
Wind noise

"The vehicle is loud with wind noise. Everything is sealed and there are no leaks but the car is just noisey"

Allen B., PA (2011 Ford Focus SEL 2.0-L 4 Cyl)
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Climate System

Blower (fan) motor, A/C compressor, condenser, evaporator, heater system, automatic climate control, refrigerant leakage, electrical failure.

What Owners Say

A/C compressor

"Compressor replaced"

Anonymous, ON (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)
Evaporator

"Air conditioning stopped working - have had it serviced twice and coolant refilled several times before they determined it's a problem with the evaporator coil"

Sally W., IN (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)
Refrigerant leaks

"Hose clamp broke"

Anonymous, ON (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)
Heater system

"In general, the heater is fine. The problem lies in the flow of air to the windshield. There is no direct source of heat going directly at the driver's windshield view, leaving a huge "fog spot" that totally impedes safe viewing/driving"

Robin G., NY (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)
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Transmission Minor

Gear selector or linkage, leaks, transmission computer, transmission sensor or solenoid, clutch adjustment, rough shifting, slipping transmission.

What Owners Say

Transmission sensor or solenoid

"Could not move the shifter"

Denis C., CA (2011 Ford Focus SEL 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

"The car was recalled for leaking seals causing a shutter and rough shifting. They replaced the seal, but not the clutch. The rough shifting got significantly worse after that and I ended up having to get the clutch replaced. It works great now"

Anonymous, FL (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

"at stop sign, car accelerated several times. lucky avoided accident. after stop, racing 40 mph. Ford claims it is OK I sold the car, 8000 miles, for $6000. Financial loss"

Michael B., CA (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)
Transmission leaks

"Noise in rear when driving - increased as speed increased. Took it in and found that my right rear axle assembly had to be replaced (it was a scored axle bearing). Fully covered under my Extended Warranty"

Frank M., NY (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)
Load more

Brakes

Antilock system (ABS), parking brake, master cylinder, calipers, rotors, pulsation or vibration, squeaking, brake failure or wear.

What Owners Say

Premature brake wear

"Break pads had to be replaced in 30k miles"

Anonymous, NC (2011 Ford Focus SEL 2.0-L 4 Cyl)
Normal routine brake wear

"Normal Brake wear"

Charles L., MI (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

"My drive to work is very short, so I think the stopping and starting constanty contributed to the quicker than normal break wear"

Anonymous, OH (2011 Ford Focus SE 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

Body Hardware

Power or manual windows, locks and latches, tailgate, hatch or trunk, doors or sliding doors, mirrors, seat controls, safety belts, sunroof, convertible top.

What Owners Say

Glass defects

"Windshield shattered"

Bonnie G., NM (2011 Ford Focus S 2.0-L 4 Cyl)

Fuel System

Check engine light, sensors (includes O2 or oxygen sensor), emission control devices (includes EGR), engine computer, engine computer, fuel cap, fuel gauge/sender, fuel injection system, fuel pump, fuel leaks, stalling or hesitation.

Engine Minor

Accessory belts and pulleys, engine computer, engine mounts, engine knock or ping, oil leaks.

In-car Electronics

CD or DVD players, radio, speakers, GPS, communication system (e.g., OnStar), display screen freezes or goes blank, phone pairing (e.g. Bluetooth), voice control commands, steering wheel controls, portable music device interface (e.g., iPod/MP3 player), backup or other camera/sensors.

Electric System

Alternator, starter, hybrid battery and related systems, regular battery, battery cables, engine harness, coil, ignition switch, electronic ignition, distributor or rotor failure, spark plugs and wires failure.

Exhaust

Muffler, pipes, catalytic converter, exhaust manifold, leaks.

Drive System

Driveshaft or axle, CV joint, differential, transfer case, 4WD/AWD components, driveline vibration, traction control, electronic stability control (ESC), electrical failure.

Engine Cooling

Radiator, cooling fan, antifreeze leaks, water pump, thermostat, overheating.

Engine Major

Engine rebuild or replacement, cylinder head, head gasket, turbo or supercharger, timing chain or timing belt.

Power Equipment

Cruise control, clock, warning lights, body control module, keyless entry, wiper motor or washer, tire pressure monitor, interior or exterior lights, horn, gauges, 12V power plug, remote engine start, alarm or security system

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