There was a time when the Ford Focus was a comfortably straightforward alternative in the mainstream family hatchback market. But just lately, Ford’s star automobile has been feeling the squeeze. The Golf is more inexpensive than ever (and no less brilliant), while the Astra has been reworked because it shed just a few kilos. Greater than ever, the likes of Kia and Hyundai are snapping on the heels of the Concentrate on practicality, inside finish and value of ownership, too. Heck, even the forthcoming Toyota Auris appears good. So Ford really has pulled out all of the stops for the fourth era of Focus, pushed here for the first time forward of first deliveries in September. The car sits on an all-new platform, known as C2, and lots of variations characteristic unbiased rear suspension and the choice of continuously variable damping. The engine line-up is probably the most familiar bit of the package deal. The vary begins with a style version at a smidgen below £18,000 - significantly lowering the Focus’s entry worth level, albeit without much in the way of infotainment past a DAB radio.
To get better connectivity you’ll have to step as much as mainstream Zetec, which is followed in the road-up by sport-targeted ST-Line and ST-Line X, and the more luxurious Titanium, Titanium X and Vignale. There’s an Estate, naturally, and there'll also be a jacked-up pseudo-SUV known as the focus Active, although we’ll have to wait a number of more months before we get a chance to try it. The regular five-door’s styling is clearly an evolution of what’s gone before - notably across the front finish, which looks very a lot like the Fiesta’s massive brother (as it ought to, you would argue). But glance down the flanks and the transformation shortly turns into obvious; there are fifty three additional millimetres within the Focus’s wheelbase, in a clear bid to enhance one of many Mk3’s greatest drawbacks: limited rear cabin space. The view from behind the wheel has a distinct whiff of ‘latest Fiesta’ about it - but that’s not necessarily a nasty factor.
All however Style editions get a SYNC 3 infotainment system, full with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Its accessed both by means of a 6.5-inch touchscreen on Zetec and ST-Line fashions or an eight-inch show on ST-Line X, Titanium, Titanium X and Vignale. The bigger display was present on the automobiles we examined, mounted high up in front of the facia; it’s crisp, clear and blessed with a powerful processor for rapid jumps between features. The remainder of the sprint is a mixture of smooth-contact and better-quality metallic-end materials up excessive where you’re more likely to contact them, and more durable, textured plastics down low the place you’re not. It’s enough to get the main focus right again into the game on interior quality - although even now, it still doesn’t actually look any smarter than a mid-spec Golf. In addition to extending the wheelbase, Ford’s engineers have additionally pushed the dashboard as far forwards as doable, helping to ship more room for passengers within the entrance and extra knee and shoulder room for these within the again. There’s a flat flooring, too, so anyone restricted to the center spot within the second row shouldn’t have an issue inserting their toes.
It’s definitely a big enchancment on what’s gone earlier than - to the point the place it feels right up there with the very best in school for rear accommodation. Four six-footers might journey in real comfort in this automobile. There must be just about enough luggage area on supply to them, too. At 375 litres, the capability is simply a few first rate-sized cartons of milk off the present Golf’s and a bit bit additional behind the latest Kia Ceed’s, however it’s in all probability sufficient to cope with most everyday wants. There is a little bit of a lip to load heavier items over, thoughts. Ford is piling on the safety equipment - keen, no doubt, to nail a 5-star EuroNCAP ranking for this most ubiquitous of family transport. You’ll be able to order Co-Pilot360, which brings adaptive cruise management with cease & go, traffic sign recognition and lane centring. Other equipment on supply includes evasive steering assist, blind spot monitoring with cross visitors alert, inflatable seatbelts and pre-collision assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection.
