Technically speaking, the Focus is an excellent car. It is very good value for more compared with the Golf, the build quality is acceptable, it is very reliable indeed, there is a fantastic range of engines and the car handles far better than a car of this type ever needs to - it really rewards the driver. And although people think they look dull thats only becuase they are everywhere - it was a real breakthrough in terms of radical styling when it came out.
Unfortunately, however, the Focus has one rather big problem.
The interior was designed by somebody who had clearly been out on the beers the night before. Sure, functionally its all there, the materials quality is fine, etc etc but... OMG, what happened to the styling? It's wacky and I hate the way the dash doesn't flow into the centre console/handbrake area.
It's enough to understandably put people off what is otherwise surely by far the best car of its type.