"OI, YOU'VE had a sexy new car," a five year-old impish neighbour shouted when I turned up at home in this popular hatchback.
Which made me smile, because I reckon it actually has the ugliest butt on the road.
I make this admission only after much thought.
The Ford Focus is, after all, the UK's best selling car for the past three years.
I love the car's shape until you reach the business end. The back end is undeniably distinctive - but bland, with ugly, high-fitting tailights above a big expanse of boot.
Did the designers run out of ideas or am I missing something?
I'm sure the answer is the latter, but it's just as well that when you're in it, you can't see its bum as far as I am concerned!
There are plenty of other things to grab the attention when you are behind the wheel.
And despite my misgivings over the rear, I couldn't fail to be impressed overall.
My Zetec featured alloy wheels, sports-style front seats and a terrific sound system.
I had a new 1.8 litre TDCI. My three-door Zetec model is priced at £14,100 and for that you get a performance car - it can do more than 120 mph - which is also top notch in the economy stakes.
Its frugal common rail turbo diesel returns more than 50 miles per gallon.
And incidentally, in response to growing demand for alternative fuels, Ford is also introducing a new range of factory fit liquefied petroleum powered Focus models, which will be exempt from London's congestion charging programme.
The Zetec I road tested is the new sibling of the 115PS TDCi Focus which was voted diesel car of the year in 2002 by What Car? magazine.
There is much to admire inside the Focus, which was designed "from the inside out," with the objective of providing maximum comfort and space for five adults, along with room for four large suitcases to lie flat in the luggage compartment.
Five adults and four large suitcases may be pushing things if you are talking about genuine comfort, but you do get plenty of choice of models to suit your tastes and pockets.
There are three-door, four-door, five-door or estates to choose from; five different petrol engines and a choice of three diesels.
Engineered for comfort and practicality, its tall, wide-opening doors and a higher seating position help getting in and out.
My diesel test car was a little too noisy for my tastes when starting off.
I like a little throatiness in a diesel, but my Focus growled a little unnecessarily in my opinion!
But while motoring generally the engine was quiet, and overall the quiet smoothness of the cabin environment matched that of many larger saloons.
That is partly due to the stiffness of the bodyshell, as well as the innovative Control Blade rear suspension.
With the Focus racking up just over 150,000 sales in 2002 and looking set to consolidate that figure this year, my criticisms over the back of the vehicle would appear to carry even less weight.
After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
FAST FACTS
Ford Focus Zetec 1.8 TDCI 3 dr
Price: £14,100
Mechanical: 115bhp, 1,753cc 4 cyl common rail turbo diesel engine driving front wheels via 5-spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 122mph
0-62 mph: 10.6 secs
Combined mpg: 51.4
Insurance group: 6
CO2 emissions: 145g/km
BiK rating: 18%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles; 12yrs anti-rust