Ford Focus

Tell me about it

The Focus has to be one of most recognisable car names in the UK – even to those who’ve never owned or driven one.

That’s hardly surprising of course: for the last 25 years it’s been a tour de force, spending many of those years as the best-selling car in the UK.

More recently though, the Focus has been slowly fading into the background. Crossovers like the Nissan Qashqai – and Ford’s own Puma and Kuga – have taken over supermarket car parks across the land, with regular hatchbacks like the Focus falling out of favour.

That doesn’t mean the Focus isn’t worth a look, of course, and (for now) it soliders on in both hatchback and estate form.

Exterior

The Focus’s exterior styling is – much like its interior – attractive enough, but nothing out of the ordinary. It’s much less bulbous than the model it replaced, but doesn’t have the effortless good looks of something like a Mazda 3.

There’s two bodystyles to choose from – a hatchback or an estate – and like the Ford Fiesta, also comes with the option of rough-and-tough ‘Active’ trim. This raises the ride height a little and adds some black plastic around the wheel arches and bumpers, but doesn’t give the Focus any actual off-road ability.

Alternatively, there’s the regular Focus ‘Titanium’, or the ‘ST-Line’ – which lowers and firms up the suspension, along with adding a sporty bodykit that’s designed to look like the Focus ST hot hatch.

Interior

Like most other Fords, the Focus’s interior is a great example of ergonomics and logical design winning out. You’ll find it easy to get comfortable and find all the usual knobs and buttons, but there’s not much in there to surprise or delight.

Things have got a bit jazzier recently with the introduction of an enormous touchscreen in the centre of the dash, but beyond that everything’s still very sensible-trousers.

Fit and finish is pretty good, and everything feels solidly put together. Things don’t half look drab, though – an unremitting sea of black plastic, even in top spec models.

Technology & equipment

Ford has loaded the Focus up with pretty much everything you’d expect from a car of this type. All Focus models get LED lights, dual zone climate control with air conditioning, cruise control, front and rear parking sensors and various bits of safety kit.

Also standard is a 13-inch touchscreen in the centre of the dash, complete with sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Focus trim levels with an ‘X’ in the name – Titanium X, Active X and ST-Line X – get extras like electrically adjustable heated seats, a heated steering wheel, digital instrument cluster, and a wireless phone charging pad.

Options include an opening panoramic sunroof, active park assist and head up display. Adaptive cruise control and blind spot monitoring – both standard on some rivals – are also only available as extra cost options.

Safety and security

As with most other cars of this size, the Focus has a five star EuroNCAP safety rating. This was awarded in 2018 though, and crash tests have since become even more stringent.

Whichever Focus you choose, there’s plenty of safety gear bundled in: pre-collision assist with autonomous emergency braking, trailer sway control and of course lane keep assist.

However, many desirable things are only available on higher trims, or as an option. Cruise control is standard, but adaptive cruise control requires paying extra for the ‘Driver Assistance Pack’. Blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert are also only available as optional extras.

Engines and performance

Ford has kept this nice and simple: there’s only two engine choices with the Focus, both of which are turbocharged 1.0-litre petrols.

The cheapest is the EcoBoost ‘125’ – with 123bhp, and only available as a manual. It’s a perfectly acceptable fit for a car the size of the Focus, with a 0-60 time of 10.4 seconds.

If you’re after a bit more oomph, the EcoBoost ‘155’ is the other choice. Only available with a seven-speed automatic, it hits 60mph in 8.6 seconds – not lightning fast, but appreciably quicker than the lower-powered engine.

They’re both fundamentally the same engine, and whichever you go for, the Focus makes for a refined motorway cruiser.

There’s also a Focus ST, powered by a turbocharged 2.3-litre petrol, which we cover in a separate review.

Ride and handling

The Focus has always been a great car to drive, and the same is true of this version. You’ll find a balance of decent ride comfort and purposeful handling whichever Focus you select, though the regular ‘Titanium’ models offer the best mix.

‘Active’ models get slightly taller suspension which leads to a bit more body roll in corners, while ‘ST-Line’ models get lower suspension and a firmer ride.

Also keep an eye on the size of alloy wheel fitted to whichever Focus you’re choosing, as the 18-inch wheels on ‘Active X’ and ‘ST-Line X’ will affect ride comfort even further.

Should I buy a Ford Focus?

The Focus has lots to recommend it, from its amiable ride and handling, torquey pair of turbocharged petrol engines, and even its sensible (and sizeable) interior.

It’s now reaching the end of its life, and that does show in a couple of areas. Some rivals are just as fun to drive, and most now offer more powerful – and more efficient – range of engines.

It’s also not as affordable as you might imagine. Even a Volkswagen Golf is cheaper, while the Mazda 3 and Seat Leon undercut the Focus by as much as £4,000.