Which petrol engine is the best choice in the mk1 Focus?
Car will commute along motorway from Poole to Southampton and back and therefore do 15kmiles per year. Is the 1.6 up to the job and at motorway speeds is it noticeably more economical than 1.8? Any other service costs that favour one over the other?
Thanks as ever.
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General consensus is that the 1.6 is the better engine - there is barely any extra oomph from the 1.8 and its quite a bit more thirsty. Adam who used to be on here had a 1.8 and its fuel consumption was well discussed.
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Thanks very much. I thought that was the case but not experienced both.
Have to advise a friend..
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FYI there's very little in it between a 1.6 and a 1.8 for insurance.
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1.6 is the better choice, economy and smoothness is better than 1.8.
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2.0 petrol Ghia is best. Good spec, comfortable seats, good performance and good economy. I regularly get a better (and genuine!) average than the official combined figure without even trying.
Edited by L'escargot on 08/05/2008 at 08:56
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What sort of mpg figures do you get on a run Monsieur L'escargot?
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FWIW (and this is based on the trip computer so make of it what you will) our Y reg 2.0 ghia estate hovers just above 30mpg when driven around town, but recently went over 40mpg on a trip up to the Lake District and back, which was >500 miles of motorway driving mostly at an indicated 75mph approx.
I wouldn't describe the engine as particularly smooth or free revving, but it pulls strongly so progress is quick enough and relaxed, and I love driving it.
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SWMBOs 1.6 auto does 30 on short trip usage, and on a 400 mile round trip to Liverpool, 95% motorway, 75 mph indicated I measured just over 37, brim to brim. It wouldn't be my choice with four plus luggage, but with two/three it's fine.
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ISTRC the 1.6 is part of the "Sigma" / Zetec-SE family of engines co-developed with Yamaha, and the 1.8 and 2.0 are the Ford / Mazda "Duratec" engine family.
I have had several vehicles with the Sigma engine and all have impressed me. Gutsy for its size, smooth, free revving and frugal. We had an old mk4 Fiesta with a 1.4 version of this engine which, even when mercilessly thrashed, would not return less than 38 mpg, and felt more like a 1.6 from behind the wheel.
Caterham liked the Sigma so much, they selected it as their K-series replacement after evaluating more than 80 equivalent engines from various other manufacturers. They're getting >100 bhp per litre out of it already without forced induction. It's a good, tough, well engineered engine.
Cheers
DP
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What sort of mpg figures do you get on a run Monsieur L'escargot?
I only measure the average consumption. Over the 32,000 miles I've had it the monthly average has varied from 36.1 mpg to 39.7 mpg, and the overall average is 37.8 mpg. The official "combined" figure is 32.5 mpg.
L\'escargot by name but not by nature
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I'd go for the 1.6 - the 1.8 offers little advantage over the smaller but sweeter unit.
But then, I'd really recommend the 2.0 zetec unit. That is a peach, and turns the Focus into something you want to drive.
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I've never done any brim-to-brim in it, but my elderly manual 1.6 does upper twenties round London and upper thirties on the road. It is quite refined for a Ford unit and runs very freely on the overrun in top gear.
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It is quite refined for a Ford unit
That's because it's largely Yamaha! :-)
Cheers
DP
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SWMBO's 1.8 sounds particularly unrefined (if that sort of thing bothers you), but has proved to be very reliable if a tad thirsty (300 - 350 miles on a full tank)
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SWMBO's 1.8 sounds ........... if a tad thirsty (300 - 350 miles on a full tank)
The worst monthly average I have had out of my 2 litre petrol is 36.1 mpg which equates to 437 miles per tankful. Your wife must really cane her 1.8 to get such poor economy.
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.... runs very freely on the overrun in top gear.
I find that a shortage of engine braking can be a disadvantage (and you have to use the brakes) when following something which has good engine braking. I assume that a shortage of engine braking is a characteristic of engines having 4 valves per cylinder. I never noticed it in the days of 2 valves per cylinder.
Edited by L'escargot on 09/05/2008 at 08:47
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Does this also apply to the MK II Focus. I really can't decide which engine to go for.
I am worried that a 1.6 may not be powerful enough on the motorway.
Any ideas?
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Hello Again,
How can I find out the CO2 emissions for the Mk1 Focus 1.6 and 1.8petrols.
I normally look on the HJ roadtests but looks like he never did a Mk1 focus!
Thanks
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1.6 litre petrol, manual ~ 165 to 169 g/km, depending on tyre size.
1.8 litre petrol, manual ~ 181 to 185 g/km, ditto.
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