Focus 1.6 MK1 - Slow......

[Dagger]

Hi

 

I'm a bit disappointed with my Focus atm - It feels slow to me, doesn't have the acceleration a 1.6 should have - or am I being paranoid ???? 

 

Doesn't help having a 2 litre Jaguar before this though 

 

 

Thanks

 

[Dagger]

Is the 1.6 MK1 slow ???

 

 

[Ryan_Tango]

I wouldn't say it's very slow but it's not fast, give it a new set of spark plugs, oil change + filter and new air filter see how it feels after all that. 

[isetta]

we had a mk1 1.6 focus for 8 yrs and I always considered it a bit slow. It was certainly worse than my previous 1.6 escort. I always assumed it was down to them (de)tuning it for higher mpg.

When I first had it I though it was not right and someone said it could be the mass airflow sensor. And then i found they don't have one on there (at least my March 2001 Mk1 did not I don't know if earlier or later ones did).

It just didn't really pickup when the revs got up, it was just very flat up the rev range and also I really noticed the lack of performance on long uphill stretches like on a motorway, it would just get slower and slower. When on hols I hired a Fiesta 1.4 (about 2004 type), that has same type of engine just a bit smaller and it had the same characteristics. 

Other people I spoke to who had these cars felt the same as i did. A friend changed from an early Focus 1.8 (older type engine) to the 1.6 and was very unhappy about the difference in performance.

It's hard to say if yours slower then it should be, but I have found these engines a bit gutless (but they do last a long time as long as timing belt is changed - and that is difficult job as they do not have a woodruff key on the cogs/sprockets/pulleys)

[Hellboy80]

I had a 1.6 to and I thought it was ok. Nothing special. 3rd and 4th had loads of pull and you could get away with no 5th.

 

It has the same engine as the Fiesta Zetec-s but is a lot heavier and set up differently.

[jmurray01]

I've never driven a 1.6 Focus, but personally the 1.8 is the minimum I'd go with in terms of power.  Anything less would still be a perfectly usable car, but nothing remotely "fast", and bordering on chronically slow.

[James]

If ya think the 1.6 is slow drive the 1.4 ha. My old mk1 Focus had that engine and it was like driving in slow motion. Great handling car though which I miss. Diesels are to front heavy. 

[jmurray01]

18 minutes ago, James said:

If ya think the 1.6 is slow drive the 1.4 ha. My old mk1 Focus had that engine and it was like driving in slow motion. Great handling car though which I miss. Diesels are to front heavy. 

That's the best description I've heard in a long time!!  It's funny because that engine in the MK4 Fiesta was considered "fast", but in a car as big and heavy as the Focus is just doesn't cut the mustard at all.

The handling would still be superb as nothing can change that (except the diesel which as you say is front-heavy), but with no straight line speed the car is not going to be an exciting drive, regardless of how well it handles corners. 

The irony is that if you wanted an automatic MK1 then the only option was the 1.6...  Did Ford not know that automatics reduce engine power output at the best of times?  In my opinion they should have offered the automatic with the 2.0, as a 1.6 is just not powerful enough to begin with let alone putting an auto box on it.

[Ryan_Tango]

I learnt to drive in a mk1 1.6lx it was looking back at it not fast but had great pull after 3rd, 5th was not great but perfect on dual carriageways

[Ford_lover38]

Dont know about the MK1 but my MK2.5 Focus which is a petrol 1.6 doesn't have that "go" factor about it either! *regrets not going for the 1.8 option*.