Paul's 2002 Toyota Yaris 1.0 VVTi GS

“Really?!” That was the slightly surprised reaction Paul gave to my acceptance of his half joking offer to review his humble little runaround. Fortified by several pints of Deuchers IPA in the warmth and comfort of the Low Light Tavern, I was confident that there would be plenty of note to write about. Fast forward a few weeks and sitting in the passenger seat at 7:30am on a bleak grey Thursday morning, my confidence has wained somewhat. The plan was simple enough and should provide the necessary opportunity for any car to show signs of promise beyond 'being better than public transport', but as we circumnavigated Newcastle upon Tyne on our way to Paul's workplace, I couldn't help but feel that this Yaris was going to be an uninspiring steer.

Mooching our way along the A1056 past Killingworth towards the A1, Paul and I were surprised to work out that he's had this car for six years, having made a rather swift purchase after the demise of his wife's old bubble shaped Nissan Micra, post MoT failure. Although he'd only just started to look for a replacement, the price of the then four years old car, with its low mileage, and only one or two minor interior blemishes, was too good a bargain to miss out on. As a second car to commute in and occasionally collect the kids from nursery, the fairly basic one litre 3 door hatchback was ideal. We eventually come to a halt outside the swanky out of town office complex where Paul is due to embark on another day of accountancy software development, and I finally get my hands on the keys and transfer to drivers seat.

Turning the key even that first notch in the ignition brightens my mood quite literally. The digital dials of the centre mounted display came to life in green and red LED's. This panel is angled towards the driver, so you don't notice it from the passenger seat, which is in some ways quite a shame. The dash had looked as bland and grey as the cloudy sky outside, but the sight of the large numeric speedo and semi circular bar graph rev counter cheer things up considerably, for the driver at least. That centre console allows for a very geometric dash layout with large clear controls that are easy to identify and use. Two decent sized glovebox replace the steering wheel on the passenger side and cubbyholes either side of the centre console prove to be more useful than they first appear.

As it's still early, I decide to join the hoards of commuters and trundle down The Great North Road through Gosforth and towards the City Centre. It becomes instantly clear that this is going to be an easy car to drive and well suited to the commuter crawl. All the pedals and controls are nicely weighted, with a smooth gear change, light steering, and good visibility. The humble 68bhp and 66ft/lbs of torque are both adequate to the task of keeping up with the traffic on the rare moments when the road ahead clears. I cut across the Town Moor in search of Westgate Road and the A69, intent on an escape to the country. On the westward bound duel carriageway, that modiste power output starts to struggle. It can manage a steady cruise on the level, but those Northumbrian hills are a constant reminder that you've only got one litre to play with. As I loose momentum up yet another steep incline, I start to wonder whether this was the best destination for a little city dweller.

Its reasonably refined in here and although there can be quite a bit of engine noise, its usually a sign that you're being over ambitious and need to ease off a little. The seating position does feel fairly upright, but the feeling of space is rather welcome in a car of this size. North of Hexham the lanes merge into a single carriageway and I slow to the inevitable crawl that often occurs when you catch up with one of the many articulated lorries that frequent the A69. A few miles later I get to peal off onto the A686 and take in the delights of the Alston Pass, a road which winds its way over the Pennines to Penrith, and has long been a favourite road of mine.

The first few miles twist and turn gently up hill through the forests beside Langley Burn and the constant stream of 2^nd gear corners make exploring the levels of grip easy enough. That little 16v power plant happily rev's quite hard and delivers enough go to pull the car willingly out of each bend. Those high seats and a fair amount of body roll leave you sliding around in your seat a bit, clinging onto the steering wheel, holding yourself in place with spirited driving. This is fine when you're in the car on your own, but could be alarming for any would be passengers. The great thing about the Alston Pass is the constant variation, so after a few miles of dashing through the forest, the road straightens out for a while and you get a chance to cruise past any slower moving road users. And so it goes on, twisty forest lined fun, then open moorland stretch, throw in the odd set of switch backs, village, or stout stone bridge, and beauty continues for mile after mile.

Finally I find myself entering the village of Melmerby, and stop at the Village Bakery for a coffee and to ponder the question 'what am I going to say about this seemingly consumer appliance of a car?' Sitting there sipping my Latte, I suddenly remembered my early journeys through this village in one small hatchback or another, dreaming of more power, better grip, and prestigious stopping power. These small base model motors give so many people their first taste of freedom, getting to enjoy the process of driving, learning to find the limits of the car, carry speed through corners, anticipate overtaking manoeuvres, and so much more. The fond memories of rusty old Metro's and dodgy Fiesta's being hurled at hill and dale as fast as their screaming valve gear would allow, provoke a more nostalgic view of the prospect of driving this Yaris back to Newcastle.

Retracing my route back into town, the confidence is swelling and I'm having a blast. I'm pushing harder through the corner, rev'ing the engine closer to the limiter in return for those final few horses and getting some encouraging engine noises to urge me on. On the big open switch backs near the hill top Hartside Cafe, I finally reach the limits of front end grip, the nearside wheel chugging in protest as it sheds off the excess speed. Theres no need to panic, no terminal understeer, or oversteer as you lift off a little, the car just gathers itself back up and resumes normal service. Even the run back along the A69 seems more fun, anticipating those hills and working to sustain you pace becomes quite enjoyable in its own right.

Back in the city centre, casually carving my way though the traffic I finally find a suitably urban corner to stop and take some photos. This car was ok looking when launched but the two later generations have left it looking a little frumpy. Looking more closely, I notice that the front is quite a good shape, the wheels fill the arches better than I had realised, the rear lines are good too, its the shape of the side windows on the 3 door that makes it look a little odd. Tootling around for the rest of the afternoon, doing the odd errand or two whilst waiting to retrieve Paul from his cubical, I cant help but find myself feeling quite fond of this little car in a way I hadn't expected. Its a bit like Ronseal, 'Does what it says on the tin'. Its no great revelation in motoring, or even small car packaging, and its probably not the best small car of its era, but it does the basic task of commuting very well, and within reason can do a pretty good job of motorways and entertaining A and B roads too. What more can you ask for?

Thanks to Paul for the loan of his car.
ⓒ Dan Ewing 2012

Suzanne's 2001 Ford Focus 1.8 TDDi Ghia

Any attempt to analysis the build quality and refinement will have to wait until I find the baby rattle that is currently jostling around somewhere it the back. Noise levels can't be too bad coz I can clearly hear the little beads rattling inside the plastic ring. Hawaiian flower Lei's and a Converse sneaker air freshener hang from the rearview mirror, a foam skull & cross bones flag on a spring bounces about on the dash-top, there's a bottle of diet Coke rolling around the front footwell, a handful of baby toys and abandoned homework on the back seat. I haven't dared peer into the rear footwells yet and have been advised not to bother trying to use the boot! This is the least cluttered I've seen this car since Suzanne first got 'Jack the Wrecker' last summer, but to be fair, as it is used to transport a teenage Lotte and a baby Io around, clutter is only to be expected.

Suzie chose this Focus primarily because of the good reviews that the TDDi diesel engine gets and previous experience of later model Focus' used for work trips. The low'ish mileage, bargain price, and Ghia spec list all helped to tip the balance in its favour. Living in Seaton Delaval, with family and friends in Whitley Bay, and work calling for travel all over Newcastle upon Tyne, the ensuing high annual mileage made the choice of a diesel as must really. It's a good looking car, the first to successfully use Fords 'New Edge' design philosophy (the Ka was a little too dumpy, the Cougar tried too hard). The exterior styling uses this one curved line that gets repeated across the car. Its there over the headlights, around the front wheel arches, in the rise of the A pillar, the fall of the rear windows, and the high mounted rear light clusters. It has aged well, the two replacement versions have never really improved on the original.

Having already gone north to pick up the car, I decided to head further north on a little trip around Northumberland to give this car every chance to show its merits. These first generation Focus' were highly lorded by professional journalists when first launched and they've been harking on about them ever since. So although on one level I want to like this car, there is also this niggling fear that it has been over hyped over the years. Picking up the A186 Spine Road I skirt around Ashington before following the brown Coastal Route signs that should lead me to Seahouses. It is a pretty route and good fun when its not too busy. Being after 4pm on a late October afternoon, it's getting dark and everyone seems to be heading home from work.

The steady traffic allows me time to get settled into a comfortable position and get use to the controls and adjust my expectations to match the modiste performance available from that 89bhp engine. Inadvertently missing the Coastal Route turn-off the other side of Amble, I end up on a quiet B road that runs through Eglingham and onto Chatton. Having read on Wikipedia that the multilink rear suspension gave exceptional ride comfort, I wasn't convinced at first, but as I track my way down this unknown road, it occurs to me that the surface is in a terrible condition and the suspension is absorbing the bumps very well. In spite of the failing light, unknown route, and muddy water that is streaming onto the road from the sodden fields, this car really starts to come alive.

Threading my way eastwards toward Bamburgh, it becomes clear that the steering is not only accurate, but well weighted, with sharp reactions and clear feedback of what the front wheels are doing. In addition to providing a good ride, that multilink rear suspension works a treat when it comes to handling, as the back end never seems to get out of shape. The gear change is very smooth and slick, the ratios are well chosen providing access to the lag free performance of the engine, delivering smooth progress. The engine does show signs of a little coarseness at times that betrays its lineage back to the mid 80's and the absence of a sixth gear shows itself when cruising back down the A19 later in the evening. The brakes are good and easy to moderate, unlike just about every Mondeo I've driven from this period, that were always so sharp that you'd end up head-butting the steering wheel for the first few miles of driving.

Sitting on the quayside at Seahouses eating a carton of Neptune's finest fish & chips I have a chance to take stock of my surroundings. At launch there were grumblings about the quality of the interior plastics, but I think they are okay. The consistent match of the different plastics and the lack of wear after 11 years of use help to make this a nice place to sit. The piano black inserts and super smooth velour of this Ghia model enhance things, as does the use of a swooping swag line that runs all the way across the car, from driver to passenger door, bringing that 'New Edge' design treatment to the interior. The ubiquitous Ford double din stereo fits nicely into the curvature of the centre console, unlike some other Ford dashboards.

Having refuelled myself and my ride, I make my way south back along the Coastal Route aiming to pick up the A19 for home at some point. With weather conditions worsening, I ere on the side of caution, consciously easing off in a desire to return someone else's pride and joy in one piece. Those modiste power and torque figures, together with the great ride and superb grip, along with the clear feedback from all the controls, mean that you never feel that you're pushing the car beyond its capabilities. Slowing down to potter though another village, it occurs to me that not only were those journalists right, but that I too, am quite smitten with this car.

Ford has always been a global manufacturer, selling high volume, cost engineered vehicles to the mass market. Having held such a large share of the market for so long, it is easy to become snobbish about the brand, allowing familiarity to breed contempt. The truth is that Ford Europe has been producing great small family cars for as long as it has existed. Cars that don't have to be expensive, thirsty, performance models to be entertaining to drive. This Focus of Suzanne's has reminded me that motoring doesn't have to about prestige, power, and performance, it can be about a well balanced mix of components that work together to deliver a truly enjoyable experience and a great all round package.

Thanks to Suzanne for the loan of her car.
ⓒ Dan Ewing 2012