Ford promise ‘competitive’ pricing for new Focus – due out in summer

FORD insist that prices for their new Focus, revealed yesterday, will be “competitive” but are not announcing exact details until the end of April.

The current model starts from €25,175, and it is to be assumed there will be an increase of sorts given it’s brand new and, they claim, packed with technology. But you never know.

The first cars here, expected by late July, will be 5dr hatchbacks. All other bodystyles are due later. They include a 4dr saloon and an estate. A hot ST is expected too. There are unconfirmed reports of a high-performance RS model with a 400bhp mild-hybrid powertrain next year.

The Focus has also joined the crossover club with a new Active variant based on the 5drhatch.

It has better ground clearance (raised 30mm), protective black wheel arch and rocker claddings as well as front/rear skid plates and its own front end design.

It’s likely they picked up on the need for some semblance of SUV in the line-up during the extensive customer research carried out before building the range from the ground up (everyone wants a crossover these days).

They are also saying the basic car will be even more about driving dynamics, occupant comfort and safety than before.

Mind you, even though the Focus has shifted a lot with this fourth generation, the current one has done pretty well on several fronts. It has been a regular in the top 10 best-sellers here and, globally, more than 16 million people have bought a Focus since it was first introduced in 1998.

This promises more, as it’s the first Ford globally to be based on their new C2 platform. That allows for different tunings and adaptations of the suspensions, so there will be quite a bit of choice on ride and handling.

In terms of looks, it appears to be a more substantial car, though not a radical departure (certainly nothing like the massive leap its 1998 forefather was compared with the old Escort).

Adding to the deeper-set looks, though, are front pillars that have been pushed back, meaning a noticeably longer bonnet and quite a strong front end. The wheelbase is up 53mm and there are short overhangs so they can claim there’s more space in the cabin. Incidentally, the cargo area in the estate can now comfortably accommodate a dog crate.

There are, as you’d expect, a spread of petrol and diesel engines.

Petrols include 1-litre EcoBoost and 1.5-litre (including the first production-car cylinder deactivation of a 3cyl) with diesels comprising 1.5-litre and 2-litre versions. A new 8spd automatic transmission joins the standard 6spd manual.

The 1-litre EcoBoost comes with 85PS, 100PS and 125PS outputs while the 1.5-litre EcoBoost pumps 150PS and 182PS.

They expect the 5dr 1-litre EcoBoost will have emissions of 107 g/km, with the 1.5-litre EcoBoost starting from 122 g/km or thereabouts.

The 1.5-litre diesel comes in 95PS and 120PS guise with emissions as low as 91g/km for the 5dr.

The 2-litre diesel (150PS) starts from an anticipated 112 g/km.

The net result, Ford say, is they can claim a 10pc reduction in emissions across the new Focus range.

Trim levels include Trend and Titanium, ST-Line, Vignale etc.

It is not possible to accurately predict what will be standard, trim specific or optional, but there is a lot of stuff to go around by the looks of things.

Among the items on board, depending on your choice, will be a FordPass Connect embedded modem for connectivity on the move, a wireless charging pad, SYNC 3 with 8ins touchscreen etc.

The wi-fi hotspot (up to 4G) includes a complimentary wireless data trial that expires after three months or when 3GB of data is used. After that you need a subscription to Vodafone to avail of it. Other elements include a first head-up display for a Ford model in Europe, active park assist two, drive modes, continuously controlled damping, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, speed sign recognition and lane centring.

You can also go for adaptive front lighting or evasive steering assist – all self-explanatory but likely to be on the more expensive models.

Normal, Sport and Eco driving modes make their debut, while the new B&O PLAY 675- watt system has an impressive 10 speakers.

You can expect to hear a lot more about the Focus over the coming weeks.

It’s one of the major sellers here, but buying time will be limited this year given its arrival schedule.

We’ll have to wait until next year, with new models coming as well, to see how well it fares.