The Lemon Index

All cars · Ford Focus

2010 Ford Focus.

The 2010 Ford Focus is better than average by owner complaints: 108 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 56, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 0 recalls, and it gets 28 mpg combined. The best Ford Focus year is 2011.

56Lemon Index · 100 = average car

Better than average. 1.8× fewer complaints than average.

Best year 2011 · Worst year 2012

Ford Focus
Photo shows a 2014 Ford Focus. Kevauto, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Before you buy. What matters most for this car.

Owner complaints108first 3 years
Fuel economy28 mpgcombined, EPA
Front crash★★★★★NHTSA, driver

How serious. Out of 287 owner complaints, owners reported:

22crashes
16injuries
4fires
6tows

What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.

transmission & drivetrain18%
doors, locks & latches18%
electrical14%
speed control14%
suspension10%

Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.

Transmission problems in every Ford Focus year →

When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.

half by 50K
0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 28K to 86K miles on the car (247 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.

  • speed control complaints mostly came at 33K–135K miles
  • transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 28K–80K miles
  • electrical complaints mostly came at 29K–100K miles

Recalls 0

No safety recalls on record.

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.

Check a VIN for open recalls

Problems Ford told dealers about

Ford sent dealers 24 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:

  • On vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission it is imperative that the converter pilot…
  • Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory…
  • Horn inoperative

Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.

Safety

Stability controlStandard
Collision warningNot offered
Lane departure warningNot offered

Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★★☆

NHTSA front crash test of the 2010 Ford Focus
Front crash test · NHTSA
Fuel cost and engines

About $2300 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.0L 4-cyl.

Quick answers

Is the 2010 Ford Focus reliable?

Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.8× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 56; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Ford Focus year by this measure is 2011.

What are the most common 2010 Ford Focus problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (18%), doors, locks & latches (18%) and electrical (14%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2010 Ford Focus have?

None: NHTSA has no safety recalls on record for it.

What gas mileage does the 2010 Ford Focus get?

28 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

At what mileage do 2010 Ford Focus problems start?

Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 28,800 and 86,000 miles. The middle report was at 50,000 miles, from 247 complaints.

Does the 2010 Ford Focus have transmission problems?

Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 18% of its owner complaints.

How much does the 2010 Ford Focus cost in fuel a year?

About $2300 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2010 Ford Focus have?

2.0L 4-cyl.

What Ford Focus year is better than the 2010?

By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2011, 2010 and 2015.

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works

Updated

Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data