The Ford Focus was once the best-selling car in the world, an apex of success it attained for a few years in the first half of the 2010s. Changing buyer and market trends dramatically reversed the fortunes of the Focus, though; it was discontinued in America in 2018 and Ford plans to stop making the car elsewhere in 2025. Known for its engaging driving dynamics, the Focus not only lost ground to newer rivals but also SUVs. If you want to buy a cheap used Ford Focus, where do you begin? We’ll make the decision a bit easier by ranking each Ford Focus generation from least to most reliable.

3 Third Generation: The Most Advanced One

The most recent generation of the Ford Focus to be sold here was also the most troublesome, so it takes the third spot among America’s three generations. With this Focus, Ford introduced a range of new technologies and far more powertrain choices, but the greater complexity of the cars didn't do any favors for its reliability.

According to Car Complaints, the 2012 model year was the worst, with 797 reported problems, and the 2013-2014 models weren’t great either. The NHTSA lists the 2012 model as having 3,693 complaints, behind only the 2000 Focus from the first generation. J.D. Power handed the 2014 Focus a disappointing 62 out of 100 for quality and reliability, far behind rivals like the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic. Based on the NHTSA’s data, the 2012 Focus was plagued most often by issues with the following components:

• Powertrain
• Steering
• Engine
• Electrical system
• Transmission

Steering issues often involved failure of the power steering, which required a typical repair cost of around $1,900. The PowerShift dual-clutch automatic transmission is another known issue with third-gen Focus models, leading to shuddering caused by the use of the dry-type clutches. The typical repair cost here is $1,650. Many complaints on the NHTSA’s site relate to these transmissions.

There have been many redesign years for the Ford Focus, including the third-gen's attractive facelift for the 2015 model year. It was also more refined and brought back some of the Focus magic missing in the second gen, but it wasn’t known for great reliability. If you do buy one, we’d recommend looking for a model with a manual gearbox.

2 First Generation: The Game-Changing One

Manufacturers often struggle with reliability when asked to innovate. New technologies, platforms, or powertrains are needed to lure buyers, but not all of them make for a dependable car. In the case of the first-gen Focus, it was a cutting-edge car when it was launched, but this didn’t translate into stellar reliability. The first four model years of the first-gen Focus all had over 400 complaints each, according to Cars Complaints. Looking at NHTSA data, the 2000 Focus accumulated 18 recalls and 3,881 complaints, more than any other Focus model year in America. The most commonly reported issues for the first-gen Focus relate to the following:

• Interior accessories, specifically key/ignition problems
• Engine/engine cooling
• Powertrain
• Electrical system
• Loss of wiper function

The ignition issue, whereby the car can’t be started, is the single most common Focus problem, and has left many owners stranded. One of the most widespread recalls (affecting over a million Fords and Lincolns) involved a loss of wiper function, with an obvious impact on visibility. 671,000 Focus models from 2000-2001 were recalled for contamination of the filter in the fuel delivery module, which could cause a stall.

Despite these issues, the first-gen Focus was very popular for good reason. It was stylish, more fun to drive than most rivals, and the Duratec engines are generally robust. The body styles by year for the first Ford Focus were also the most diverse.

1 Second Generation: The One For America

Americans missed out on the second-generation Focus introduced in Europe and other markets. Instead, local models were updated with fresh styling, new interiors, and other updates, but retained the same platform as the first-gen model. Perhaps because of its underpinnings being the same, this generation of the Focus has the lowest number of reported problems in the USA. This Ford Focus was on sale for just four model years (2008-2011), and it has the lowest overall number of complaints on Car Complaints. The 2011 model, similarly, has the lowest number of complaints on the NHTSA’s site and not a single recall to its name. It wasn’t perfect, though, with some of the following being the most common issues:

• Suspension problems
• Interior accessories
• Transmission issues
• Body/paint issues

Sadly, Ford discontinued the hatchback and wagon for this generation, and the sedan and coupe that were sold have rather gawky designs that haven’t aged well. The conventional four-speed automatic is dated by today’s standards, but at least it wasn’t prone to the issues of the third-gen’s PowerShift dual-clutch.

Ford discontinued the 2.3-liter Duratec, so all Ford Focus models for this gen had the 2.0L engine. Ford also experimented with a hydrogen-powered model known as the Focus FCV. Only 18 cars were delivered to customers, and they had a range of between 150 to 200 miles.

Although not a particularly memorable car, America’s second-gen Ford Focus is the one to get if you’re looking for a cheap secondhand car and want to lower your chances of inheriting high running costs.

Summary: Stay Away From The PowerShift

If you're looking for a used Ford Focus, chances are you want a car that will save you a significant amount of cash over a new one. If we can leave you with just one bit of advice, it would be to avoid any Focus with the infamous PowerShift dual-clutch automatic. The amount of issues customers have faced with this transmission isn't worth the risk. If you prioritize reliability above all else, avoid the third generation completely, as it was the most advanced - and, therefore, the most complicated - of all the Focus models sold in America. Then again, you can still get away with a well maintained, lower-spec model with an old-school manual. The number of problems decreased for the third-gen Ford Focus models by year, so look out for the newest one possible.

The main issue facing the first-gen Focus right now is age. This isn't a truck or high-end luxury car, so there will be obvious signs of wear and tear on many of them. The second-gen Focus, while being the least exciting of the three to be sold in America, ends up being the safest bet. A couple of the first-gen's issues seem to have been ironed out, and it preceded the much more up-to-date third-gen car. The second-gen coupe is also a bit of a novelty, considering that small coupes have been largely culled from most manufacturers' lineups over the last few years.