Ever since I have driven this car I've never got the mileage ford promised.

#1 I don't drive aggressive, I'm a light footed driver for the most part. I've done oil changes on schedule, kept proper tire pressure, did a tune up at 60,000 miles because it was running rough, changed the fuel filter recently, and all of all that never got the mpg that I was promised.

#2 on the highway if lucky I would get 309 miles to a tank at 26 mpg, mixed city and highway driving. the majority of my driving I get around 268 miles to a tank at 19.8 mpg, NOW City driving it's very poor at 257 miles and 18 mpg for a 4 cylinder car, you would think you get more than 28 mpg and all the other 4 cylinder cars even 6 and 8 cylinder cars I've driven even the new focus got better or promised gas mileage than this junk that i fill up almost 2 times a week and the only time I would get somewhat good gas mileage is on the highway trips.

#3 since I have the station wagon focus I would believe that it has the worst drag coefficient and aerodynamics, another thing that can contribute to the gas mileage is the automatic transmission regardless if the transmission is in good shape or not, since I don't have a tachometer on my car and I witnessed this on my aunts 2004 ZTS 2.3L Focus since it has a tach when you step on the gas it climbs up to a higher rpm and driving up hills are the worst on gas for these particular cars with lack of power.

For a 4 cylinder car this is very unacceptable.

Since I purchased this car used with 25,000 miles on it I have not been able to get more than 19 mpg. The car is supposed to be rated to get 26-34 mpg. I do not drive with a heavy foot, every other vehicle (all Fords) I have ever owned got what they were rated for, some better. Now that my transmission went out at 40,000 miles I think it may have something to do with that. I kind of wonder if it has always had a transmission problem and the bad mpg was the only symptom. All I know is, this car has been the WORST purchase I have ever made. When I researched cars to see what I wanted to buy I found great reviews of this car, I couldn't find anything bad except on the 2000-2001 models. Supposedly this car was soo great that it won car of the year, used car awards, etc. I don't know what they were basing that on, but I think it should've been awarded worst car.