Reply #8: I love my 2000 Escort ZX2

[B3Nut]

with its Mazda/Cosworth-designed Zetec engine and Mazda Protege chassis. The Focus was a good car after they worked the bugs out (even though the car had been great in Europe since its 1998 debut there, 2 years before Ford decided to bring it stateside) but has only been warmed-over in 2005 with a bad nose job in the US, and is long in the tooth. If Ford really cared about their American customers they'd have brought the new-generation Focus from Europe last year (which shares the Mazda3 chassis along with the Volvo S40). Feh. Even Hyundai-Kia is making better small cars than Detroit, the new '06 Kia Rio/Hyundai Accent twins are really nice. I'm fixing to get the Rio5 hatchback version, 29 city/38hwy mpg with the slushbox. Small, efficient, great driving, and more cargo room with the seats down than the Focus.

Todd in Beerbratistan