The 2004 Ford Focus isn’t the most impressive car on the market, but with fair market pricing starting below two grand, it’s hard to beat the car at this price. The backseat may be a bit cramped and the trim material a bit cheap, but the car is fun to drive with plenty of engine options.
Is the 2004 Ford Focus a Good Used Car?
- Overall Rating 7/10 – A 2004 Ford Focus is a solid C+ car at best, but when you look at the price, it’s easy to overlook a few shortcomings.
- Interior, Comfort & Cargo 7/10 – The suspension has held up well and the wagon model borders on SUV territory when it comes to cargo space, but the backseat’s a bit tight.
- Reliability 7/10 – You’ll be lucky to pass 300,000 miles in a used Focus, but 250,000 should be easy, and major mechanical issues are few and far between.
- Safety 7/10 – The safety tech is dated but the crash test scores are pretty good.
- Gas Mileage 8/10 – Very efficient for a twenty year old car, even the more powerful SVT trim gets a nice 21/28 miles to the gallon, city/highway.
- Value 8/10 – There are better cars out there, but not many at this price.
Positive Owner Reviews
Negative Owner Reviews
What Do Critics Say About the 2004 Ford Focus?
Consumer Reports were impressed with how well the 2004 Ford Focus combined practical design and fun-driving in a single European-developed package. But, excessive road noise and cheap interior quality cost the car a perfect score.
Kelley Blue Book users praise the 2004 Focus as a great value, with one driver reporting that they recently passed 245,000 miles on the original engine and transmission with no major mechanical issues. The “quirky, cute” styling earned the car some points, as well.
Edmunds report that the 2004 Focus features “thoughtful ergonomics” and spacious seating with sharp steering. But the interior layout might not be to everyone’s taste, with some possibly finding the seats uncomfortable and the interface unwieldy.
What Common Problems Does the 2004 Ford Focus Have?
With 182 reports on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, electrical complaints make up a little more than half of the 2004 Focus’ 385 total NHTSA complaints. The most worrying issue here has to do with possible electrical fires, with drivers reporting the ignition getting very hot and the smell of burning plastic.
There are 31 complaints on file for service brakes, with the worst issue being hydraulic brake fluid leaking from the clutch master cylinder. This issue is somewhat rare, but check the brakes and see if they feel sponge-like on the test-drive.
With just 20 complaints on file for the powertrain and 12 for the engine, transmission and engine complaints are thankfully pretty scarce. You don’t have too much to worry about under the hood beyond simple wear and tear.
The 2004 Ford Focus has 6 recalls on file in total, which is kind of low for a 20 year old car.
How Long Will the 2004 Ford Focus Last?
Ford Focus drivers typically report the car lasting anywhere from 200,000 miles on the low end to 300,000 miles on the high end. Expect to get around 250,000 miles on the original engine and transmission before the major issues start to pile up.
RepairPal estimate an annual maintenance cost in the area of $569, with new power steering hoses being the most expensive common fix, starting at $471.
Overall it is pretty reliable. I don't drive mine very far though because my car has some problems that need fixing. However this may be due in no fact to the type of car but just the fact that it is old.
How Is the Technology?
Entertainment technology is slightly above average for a 2004 model. You get a CD player and four speakers in the entry level Focus, and higher trims feature MP3 players, which you couldn’t always count on finding back in 2004.
Safety technology is adequate. You’ve got full airbags and child safety locks, but that’s about it. No traction control or anti-lock brakes or anything.
Is the 2004 Ford Focus a Good Value?
The 2004 Ford Focus is a very good value, with typical list pricing at around $3,086 for an SE sedan, and fair market pricing starting as low as $1,915 for a model with under 150,000 miles on the odometer. For a reliable, comfortable car that still has a lot of good miles ahead of it, that’s a bargain.
You’re going to get the best value with the higher trim levels. The top-of-the-line LX sedan typically lists for around $3,169, which isn’t even $100 more than the mid-range SE.
What are the Different Models of the 2004 Ford Focus?
The 2004 Ford Focus is available in seven basic trims with with sedan (SE, LX, and ZTS), hatchback (ZX3, SVT, and ZX5), and wagon (ZTW and SE) variants
The entry-level ZX3 features:
- SecuriLock anti-theft
- Cloth sport bucket seats
- AM/FM radio
The next level up is the LX, adding:
- 14″ steel wheels
- Cassette player
The mid-range SE adds:
- Manual air conditioning
- Remote keyless entry
- Optional CD player
- Optional power windows and door locks
Next up is the ZX5, which adds:
- CD player
The second-best ZTS features:
- Power windows and door locks
- Exterior power mirrors
The high-end ZTW adds:
- MP3 player
Finally, the top-of-the-line SVT adds:
- Leather wrapped steering wheel
- Leather bucket seats
- Unique SVT styling with black honeycomb grilles and SVT rocker moldings
What Engines Come In the 2004 Ford Focus?
- The base engine in the 2004 Ford Focus is a 2.0L inline-four delivering 130 horsepower and 135 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine is configured in front wheel drive and paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission. Expect to get around 27/36 miles to the gallon, city/highway.
- Also available is a 2.3L i4 delivering 144 horsepower and 149 lb.-ft. of torque. 4-speed automatic, front wheel drive, averaging 25/33 miles to the gallon.
- Exclusive to the SVT trim is a 170 horsepower 2.0L i4 boasting 145 lb.-ft. of torque, configured in front wheel drive, paired to a 6-speed manual transmission, and averaging 21/28 miles to the gallon.
What Colors Does the 2004 Ford Focus Come In?
How Comfortable Is the 2004 Ford Focus?
Drivers report that the Focus is one of the more comfortable cars in its class with nice thick seats and soft suspension. You’ve got just under fifty inches of rear hiproom, so you’ll have no trouble sitting four adults in the car, or two adults and three kids.
How Much Storage Space Does the 2004 Ford Focus Have?
The sedan model packs 13.8 cubic feet of cargo, the hatchback goes up to 35.1 cubic feet, and the wagon goes up to 55.8 with the seats down. While the car can’t compete with something like a mid-size Explorer for storage space, it does remind you of what we’ve lost with automakers phasing wagons out.
What Are the Differences Between Years?
The 2004 Ford Focus was the fifth model year of the 1st Generation for the nameplate, running from 2000 to 2007.
2002: 2002 saw the debut of a redesigned suspension system with stiffer springs and a new anti-roll bar.
2003: The cabin was redesigned for 2003 in order to address complaints of road noise. Interior fabrics got an upgrade as well.
2004: Optional leather seats were added to the ZX3, but there were no other significant changes for 2004.
2005: The exterior got a minor redesign in 2005, and Ford added 136 horsepower Duratec engine options.
2006: No major changes for 2006.
2007: The standard CD player was upgraded to include an MP3 player. Other than that, Ford was too busy gearing up the next gen to focus on improving the 2007 model.
How Does the 2004 Ford Focus Compare to the Competition?
The closest competition to the 2004 Ford Focus is probably the Hyundai Elantra, another budget-friendly compact. The Elantra is priced in the same range as the Focus, performance and reliability are comparable, but the Elantra doesn’t have anything to compete with the Focus’ sporty SVT trim.
Honda does have the Si Civic model to compete with the SVT, and it’s one of the most dependable cars on the road today with more than a few models hitting 500,000 miles on the original powertrain. The Civic is the better car, and it’s priced accordingly, averaging around $4,500 in the Blue Book.
The 2004 Ford Focus is easy to pick apart if you want to criticize things like cheap interior materials and cramped backseats, but the car is hard to beat for the price. Although, comparing the car to that year’s Elantra may be a matter of preference.
Do Owners Recommend the 2004 Ford Focus?
It's ok. Overall it drives well and is long lasting. However because of the smaller size, it is not very durable should you get into an accident.