The best and worst Ford Focus years, by the numbers
Short answer: among Ford Focuss old enough to judge (2005–2019), the 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2019 have the fewest owner complaints per 10,000 sold. The 2012–2014 and 2018 have the most.
We counted every owner complaint filed with the federal government (NHTSA) for each model year and divided by how many were sold that year, so a year that sold more doesn’t look worse just for being popular. Years newer than 2019 are shown but not ranked — they haven’t been on the road long enough. How this is calculated.
Years with the most complaints
2012 Ford Focus · 141.2 per 10,000 sold (8.2× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Harsh, delayed or erratic shifting, typically around 47,000 miles; then electric power steering motor and module.
2013 Ford Focus · 92.9 per 10,000 sold (5.4× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Harsh, delayed or erratic shifting, typically around 35,000 miles; then body control and other modules.
2014 Ford Focus · 120.8 per 10,000 sold (7.0× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Harsh, delayed or erratic shifting, typically around 30,750 miles; then manual clutch, flywheel and hydraulics.
2018 Ford Focus · 72.8 per 10,000 sold (4.2× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Harsh, delayed or erratic shifting, typically around 44,750 miles; then tank, lines and filler.
Years with the fewest complaints
2006 Ford Focus · 7.9 per 10,000 sold (0.5× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Airbags, seatbelts and restraints, typically around 75,000 miles.
2008 Ford Focus · 11.6 per 10,000 sold (0.7× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Doors, windows, latches, seats and trim, typically around 74,100 miles.
2011 Ford Focus · 6.4 per 10,000 sold (0.4× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Doors, windows, latches, seats and trim, typically around 50,000 miles.
2019 Ford Focus · 0.0 per 10,000 sold (0.0× this model’s typical year)
Every year: complaints per 10,000 sold
Typical Ford Focus year: 17.3 per 10,000 sold.
Complaints are counted once each, even when an owner lists several parts. Sales are US units sold in the calendar year, a close stand-in for the model year.
Common questions
What is the worst year for the Ford Focus?
Among Ford Focuss old enough to judge (2005–2019), the 2012 has the most owner complaints per 10,000 sold: 141.2, about 8.2× a typical Ford Focus year. The 2013–2014 and 2018 also stand out.
What is the best year for the Ford Focus?
The 2019 has the fewest owner complaints per 10,000 sold among Ford Focuss from 2005–2019: 0.0, against 17.3 for a typical year. The 2006, 2008 and 2011 are also well below typical.
What goes wrong on the 2012 Ford Focus?
The most-reported problem on the 2012 Ford Focus is harsh, delayed or erratic shifting, typically around 47,000 miles.
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Source: NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; US sales from public industry figures. Complaints are self-reported and not independently verified. This is not an inspection and not a recommendation to buy or avoid any vehicle.