Ford Focus 2013 - 17" v 18" alloys.

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Fri 10 Jul 2015 18:53
Ford Focus 2013 - 17" v 18" alloys. - Irony

Our Focus Titanuim is a great all-round car but fuel consumption remains disappointing. Despite having fuel-saving technology as well as an extra gear, our old Mk2 Focus was a better car to drive as well as being far more economical (58mpg -v- 51mpg). How can this be?

So imagine my surprise when I just handed back a hire vehicle - a Focus with the same engine. Over the past two weeks I covered just under 700 miles, average mpg? 62mpg. The rental car had done similar miles, same model year, same engine, basically the same car (Zetec S -v- our titanium) driving on same roads, same driving style.

There is one major difference however, my own car has the optional 18" alloys fitted, the Zetec S had 17" std Zetec S wheels. And what a difference 17" rubber makes. Not only a marked improvement in economy, better handling, and far quieter.

The 18" wheels may be better on the eye and easier to clean, but my advice would be never buy a Focus with 18" alloys.

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Fri 10 Jul 2015 19:45
Ford Focus 2013 - 17" v 18" alloys. - scot22

Thanks I've thought about a Focus - they seem to be very good all round. My one concern has been comfort and your post has me wondering.

Are all Focus models aimed at the sporting market, e.g seats and suspension or are some suitable for wimps like me more concerned with a comfortable ride ?

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Fri 10 Jul 2015 19:59
Ford Focus 2013 - 17" v 18" alloys. - skidpan

Its not the size of the wheel that affects your mpg, its the width of the tyre. I bet the 18" option has wider tyres. Most of the economy models have narrower tyres.

But it does not make a huge difference, perhaps a couple of mpg. The brand of tyre, tyre pressures and roads you drive on will make more difference.

But the 18" option will almost certainly be noisier and give a harsher ride.

All for better looks and slightly sharper handling.

Are all Focus models aimed at the sporting market, e.g seats and suspension or are some suitable for wimps like me more concerned with a comfortable ride ?

When I bought my last car the Focus Titanium had sensible 16" wheels and decent seats. Shame about the engines available but that has now improved.

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Sat 11 Jul 2015 19:51
Ford Focus 2013 - 17" v 18" alloys. - cockle {P}

Its not the size of the wheel that affects your mpg, its the width of the tyre. I bet the 18" option has wider tyres. Most of the economy models have narrower tyres.

When I bought my last car the Focus Titanium had sensible 16" wheels and decent seats. Shame about the engines available but that has now improved.

You're not wrong there, skidpan.

The 18" are shod with 235/40 rubber, the 17" with 215/50, the 16" with 205/55, the 16" steel wheels on the Style model are 205/55.

I'm now just coming up to changing my third Focus for a new one, my first two were 2009 and 2011 Titaniums and I had 16" alloys on both. My next, current, one is a 2013 Zetec which was shod with the then standard 17" 215/50's when I test drove it, hated the ride. Also preferred the 125 option on the engine.

Got the dealer to put 16" 205/55's on a 125 Zetec; totally different car to drive both ride and handling wise, just felt better all round. They really didn't seem to want to sell me the car with 16's on, 'But, sir, it spoils the style the designers had in mind for this model.' Brought my response of, 'Sod the designers and their style. Do you want to sell me the car I want, or not sell me a car at all?'

Suffice to say I have been very happy with both the ride, nice and easy on the motorway both on the body and the ear, happy with the economy, don't get the claimed figures but I've never had a car that I have. Also happy with the performance of the 125 rather than the 100.

Going to be looking at going back to a Titanium this time round, if the deal is right; SWMBO likes the bells and whistles, although I'm winning the battle on changing from black to electric blue, black is just so common these days :-)

Whatever model I end up with I'm pretty sure it's going to have 16" 205/55 in each corner with a 125 engine driving them ;-)

Edited by cockle {P} on 11/07/2015 at 19:56

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Sat 11 Jul 2015 07:21
Ford Focus 2013 - 17" v 18" alloys. - S40 Man

It could also be due to the weight of the wheels. As the car accelerates the wheels spin round, this takes energy, the heavier the wheels the more n energy is needed. Maybe the 18" alloys weighed more than the 17"

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Sun 12 Jul 2015 17:04
Ford Focus 2013 - 17" v 18" alloys. - hillman

"Going to be looking at going back to a Titanium this time round, if the deal is right; SWMBO likes the bells and whistles, although I'm winning the battle on changing from black to electric blue, black is just so common these days :-)" cockle (P)

The wheels and tyres are getting ridiculous !

The colour is important; don't go for black. Every slightest scratch will show up. I once had a car hired by the company I was working for. The car was a small one, adequate for my needs. It was changed at a moments notice by the hire company to a big top of the range Ford, black, with scratches next to the boot lid catch where someone had clumsily opened the boot. The undercoat for black topcoat seems to be white, and it really showed through.


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