Supercharged 2001 Ford Focus ZX3 Review - A Forgotten Import KILLER!

[@blakenichols4957]

Thanks for reviewing my car Zack, and thanks for the kind words!!

[@malcolmgray.5913]

Great MK1🔥 Have a few myself and still daily them the long way home😂

[@deejayimm]

The 2.0 zetec was DOHC (130hp). The SVT had variable cam timing(170hp). I had one. They were the bane of every Honda, back in the fast and furious days.

[@retrocompaq5212]

my friend had the svt with a small and useless blower, his car was slower than my ecotec cavalier on 1/4 mile

[@mbd501]

My 2004 ZX3 had the 2.3L Mazda engine (150 hp), with the 5-speed. It did 0-60 in about 7.3 sec, which was decent for the time.

[@kennethfrazee2540]

​@@mbd501see I think that's the one you can just bolt a 2.5 Fusion motor into and I guess they're getting Honda k na power levels out of them. An older focus would need a new harness and everything to run a duratec, I don't even think my 6sp getrag could be used.

[@fabyrbl8177]

as a european owner of the 2004 mk1 focus 5 door 1.8 zetec, i loved every single moment in these past 5 years, it was my first car, the interior aged great!( the shift nob got a bit loose but otherwise it is like new) mine has 280k km, the fun i had racing miatas and 3 series and imprezas was astonishing, it was super reliable and not only that, but my family moved from romania to norway in it (towing a trailer too) 3000km trip without any major issues, but it had 1 weak point: Rust, as of now my rocker panels, doors, wheel arches and the front right frame let are rotten beyond repair, with minor rust on the hood, roof and trunk, so my journey has come to an end with my focus, it was fun while it lasted, and i wish i could enjoy it more. Here are some fun/niche facts about mk1s 1. it has independent rear suspension 2. the zetec engines mate really well with rx8 transmissions bcz they have the same bolt pattern 3.not all 5 speeds are built the same, the diesels and 2.0L zetecs have a MTX gear box, while the 1.8L zetec has a IB5 trans, the IB5 is the older style trans that ford used and i find it more notchy and some forums say it can handle more power than the mtx and the getrag 6speed 4.this might be a Ford europe problem, but they seem to suffer from electrical gremlins when exposed to humid air(my experience ranges from no interior lights, to a speedo failure that lasts 1 min that also turns off abs and traction control until reset, to my radio catching fire randomly without any power going to it) 5. they are extremely good at handling light off road trails at some impressive speeds, they also make good boats 😅

[@sgrant9814]

I had one in this color and model year for 11 years and 80k miles and it never left me stranded and i never had a problem with it....mpg was not stellar but it was adequate,,,,it was not a barn stormer but it was peppy n fun to drive...i paid 10k new for it and sold it for 6500$ (in excellent condition) great visibility out while driving unlike most of today's cars.

[@colonelsandals6991]

just bought one. 3 hours to drive it back home and was a ton of fun with the 5spd and the 2.0L

[@snek5596]

Correction. All US market Zetec 2.0L's were DOHC. The SVT had a reworked cylinder head and intake manifold.

[@cypher1018]

Same in Aus. All Zetecs sold here were DOHC, too.

[@TheFalseProdigy]

This feels like the Fiesta ST’s cool uncle

[@Cats_Are_Scary]

What a cool little car especially supercharged!

[@theadvocate4698]

Sweet ride! Almost bought a brand new manual back in 2000, exactly like that...still looks good! And the sound of the supercharger is 😋

[@sampik2003]

I have to agree with you, these cars aged well! Not modern anymore, but beautiful lines, and this one must be a blast with that supercharger 😁 Great Job Zack, as always!

[@kartaku132]

I have a 07 ZX4 and I love it she needs a lot of work but worth doing imo

[@steveafanador6441]

I was so close to buying an SVT focus like this back in the day.

[@deejayimm]

Had one. I own a Fiesta ST now. Very similar in idea.

[@Hobotraveler82]

Nice ride. Love these Foci. ❤

[@antn8387]

I also have a MK1 SVT ST170. It's a great handling hatchback.

[@stevenjames1138]

Cool car! I had a 2001 ZX3 back in the day myself. I think I traded that car in too soon. It was a good car! I always wished I could have afforded to buy the SVT version. That would have truly been a keeper! It's really too bad Ford killed off the Focus brand in later generations due to those terrible Powershift transmissions. BTW, I love the styling, especially from the side and the rear. The front end was just okay.

[@DevonSimms683]

My mom used to own a 2005 ford focus very reliable car

[@phillyspitta8147]

So did my mom she had zts 4 door black wit a moonroof cd player

[@GeeEm1313]

They weren't for the first few years.

[@rafahrynkiewicz8274]

I've had a 2000 Cougar with the 2.0 Zetec 130bhp. It was slow, it was not the most fuel efficient, BUT. It was as reliable as a hammer, never ever had it broken down, stranded me or displayed any warning lights, started even in the harshest of winters with a touch of the key. Maintenance light engine - only fluids, filters, spark plugs and timing belt with tensioner. Only once it had issues with rough idling - a simple cleanup of the throttle body fixed it. Sadly as it was with fords of that era - salt and thus rust was the bane of it. After 22 years floor near the fuel tank and especially around the door was like Swiss cheese.

[@TekuJames]

My first car was a bright red '06 ZX5 auto. I've been driving a 2010 Corolla XRS manual for the past 3 or 4 years, and I would love to own a car like this. A dailyable hatchback that's fun and a great car in the winter with the right tires.

[@1975augusto]

The MK1 Ford Focus is one of the GOATs in my opinion even if the 2.0 zetec eats valve cover gaskets like they were a bag of doritos!

[@dmanww]

First new car my family bought. 1996 Aerostar in metallic beige (dad said it would look fine even with road dirt). Had the rear A/C and radio controls, with the 3rd row. Was good for road trips with 4 of us and the grandparents. Eventually replaced with a RX330

[@RemnantSRT440]

Love the focus. I had a ZTS 5 speed manual and an SVT Hatchback. Both were nice economical cars. I traded my ZTS for my SRT4, and low key i feel i messed up. My SVT focus snapped the timing belt and i ended up selling it. I was sad about it

[@mbd501]

I had a 2004 ZX3 with the 2.3L Mazda engine that made 150 hp, with a 5-speed manual. It was a fun little car. It handled like a go-kart.

[@DiscGolfDom23]

We took a 2003 Focus SE from 19k miles used to 297k miles. It blew up a transmission at 220k and it dropped a valve seat at 270k miles. We ground the high spots off the piston, got a reman cylinder head, and drove it another 27k until it rusted apart. Both front strut towers gave way. Awesome car though. Felt like driving a golf cart with its driving position.

[@devintacheny87]

I have one of these, when i first got it it had the supercharger and a header back exhaust. It dyno'd at around 120whp.

[@andrewshipman69]

Had one the s2 street edition and loved it . I plan on getting another.

[@ChoPi-Eww]

I had an SVT when i lived in Colorado. Handling was really well judged, very different from the Eclipse or Accord I'd owned. On one fun mountain drive, i passed a pickup (safely) and it triggered him to road rage on me. Felt threatened but couldn't get away from him with only 170 hp at 8000+ft elevation, and fortunately there wasn't an accident.

[@jamin63]

WAITING FOR THAT SVT REVIEW

[@runoflife87]

Erm, sorry, Zack, it's not an American car. It was designed on Europe by German and British teams. The last "true American" compact Fors is 1st gen Escort.

[@samblensdorf7384]

That was ford's first global car sir

[@runoflife87]

@@samblensdorf7384 it was, but that doesn't make it any more American.

[@tedfreakinray]

Technically it is American as it was sold in American. Designed by Germans, yes. Sold in Germany? Yes. But they most definitely were made right here in the USA. So in a way, he is correct.

[@markhealey9409]

​​​@@tedfreakinrayBritish & German Ford designed & developed as a global car. North American market Focuses were built in the USA....The European & I think African market models were built in Europe. Not sure if the Australian & New Zealand market ones were built in Australia,or Europe. Then the second gen Focuses were an American developed & designed & built in The USA for North America only...2nd gen Focuses built & sold in other markets had different designs. Then once again for the 3rd gen, they were a global design for all world markets...still built in The USA for North America,& Europe for Europe,etc. Markets other than The US & Canada got 4th gen Focuses,built in Europe...they were launched in 2018 or 2019,& they made them until 2023.

[@engineer_alv]

@@markhealey9409 Focus is still being made but it's getting the axe next year. End of an era because 8 out 10 car buyers now want an SUV

[@tooljst8]

It is DOHC. We have a 2003 ZTS sedan. Same engine. They are Ford's Civic. The later generations are junk.

[@shortbushero]

What we got in the US was junk…. But everywhere else got the ST and RS. And the MK2 used the volvo T5 (b5254T3/7) and what seperated the two trims was a k04 and k16 turbo. Torque monsters and horsepower with Volvo whiteblock reliability.

[@engineer_alv]

@@shortbushero The refreshed 08-11 Focus was terrible looking but it was also a high point for Focus reliability. Bulletproof Duratec engine, very reliable transmissions, just old platform and horrible looks. The MK3 Focus was ok and we got all the good stuff except for the Diesels. The Powershift ones were tragic, though but a base one with the 5 spd will run forever

[@shortbushero]

@@engineer_alv unfortunately, Volvo got hit with that uglification. Myself a C30 T5 tuner and owner with my 08’ consider found out that when I join the C30 community that our “twilight” c30 members are outspoken on why they buy pre 2011 cars. Because holy moly is the slant eyed ones ugly (there are jokes to be made with Geely’s aquisution and the facelift, but I’m not making them).

[@typedrew]

Accurate

[@kennethfrazee2540]

Yeah putting my Svt back together with rebuilt head after snapping the timing belt-oops, keep an eye on zetec belts.

[@typedrew]

Should have driven it in anger in some twisties, feel like you barely got the experience. These cars are fantastic and Blake’s is built very well, just need to wring its neck a bit to find why it’s so good. Edit. Odd fact to get wrong with so many photos and videos of the engine bay, and talking so nicely about the zetec engine. But it’s definitely DOHC, they didn’t make it any other way.

[@slr7075]

Zetec kick in yo

[@KevinCruz-pu2ue]

What I remember about these cars is they frequently had problems with AC components AND power window tracks. Not at all a good combination of things to be problematic when your AC goes out so to get by you roll down the windows and they don't want to go down or come back up. If you can stay on top of those two things though, or if you decided you wanted a little autocross racer and neither of those things matter, then they're great little cars.

[@celsovera91]

Keep in mind, these cars were designed by ford of europe which is why it drives like an import

[@josh1alderete]

I miss my focus 😭

[@Nik33615]

The Zetec wasn't a dual over cam engine? Do you bother to do any research before making your videos? The main difference between the standard Zetec and the one that came in the SVT was that Cosworth reworked the heads and it had an actual header that deleted the close coupled catalytic converter. It was a tubular stainless steel header. It also came with a dual stage intake manifold. The car you reviewed also seems to have the optional Euro style headlights or more likely the cheap aftermarket replacements.

[@blakenichols4957]

My car has the optional factory MACH headlights that came in SVTs or the MACH edition sedan. They're a factory HID projector.

[@James-mw6se]

Cool video

[@gabrielhenderson6959]

What's the aftermarket supercharger? I have a 13 cadillac ats 4 cylinder turbo...

[@blakenichols4957]

It's a Powerworks supercharger. They made them back in the 2000s for these but have since been discontinued.

[@James-mw6se]

Take care

[@davinp]

Unfortunately the American automakers don't focus on quality the way the Japanese automakers do. Instead they are focused on their bottom line and trying reduce production costs by using cheaper quality materials

[@calvin4319]

This dude literally comments on every single video as soon as it drops.

[@dave11686]

Cool

[@MLGJMoney]

Aye my girlfriend has a zx3 saleen.

[@ChefS.Keller]

Not an American made car! Do better research

[@damilolaakanni]

This one was built in America, but the Focus was a global car (designed by Ford of Europe).

[@typedrew]

@@damilolaakanni was built in Hermosillo Mexico

[@damilolaakanni]

@@typedrew it was also built in Wayne, Michigan.

[@blakenichols4957]

This particular car, as with all of the MK1 hatchbacks were built in Mexico. My previous MK1 sedan was built stateside in Michigan.

[@typedrew]

@@damilolaakanniBlake already covered it. But all hatchbacks 2000-2007 were built in Mexico. Sedans and wagons in Wayne Michigan

[@GeeEm1313]

Speed of an Si. Reliability of a Volare.

[@deejayimm]

I assume this volare was a reliable car? Because the manual transmission Focus certainly was. The Autos were garbage.

[@engineer_alv]

The base ones with the Split Port SOHC engine were bad. Zetec ones and SVTs were solid. And refreshed ones from 2005 to 2011 were the most reliable in Focus' history. Even the slushboxes were reliable on those

[@bwofficial1776]

@@deejayimm By 1970s American standards, the Volare was all right.

[@GeeEm1313]

lololol. The ignorance from this comment has given me night blindness.

[@retrocompaq5212]

its not an import killer, car is based on a mazda and the drivetrain is a reworked mazda engine from ford germany, its not american, at least the engine was not as awful as the mazda fsde, man my proteges were fun to drive but the engines died every 30k miles from lose pistons, after having tons of issues on my probe and proteges, i said fuck ford and mazda then went to gm, cavalier and cobalts were much better over the time but 10 years later gm made the cruze and now its even worst... fml

[@mcn1127]

First!!!

[@ront5689]

Cool car but dam that dashboard is ugly 😂

[@typedrew]

That’s the best part

[@zalanr.2951]

European cars are sooo boring!

[@louisbeerreviews8964]

It’s not European