FORD FOCUS SEDAN 1,0 ECOBOOST TREND POWERSHIFT

ON paper, a family sedan fitted with a 1,0-litre engine does not sound like a good fit, but that does not mean it’s unduly compromised... The 1,0-litre Ecoboost is a multiple Engine of the Year award recipient, and is based on the principle of producing the same performance as a larger engine (in this case, a 1,6-litre naturally aspirated unit), but with better fuel economy and lower emissions.

That’s the theory, at least. In practice, I've found the mill compromised in terms of fuel consumption. The claimed figure is 5,5 L/100 km but, to date, the best I’ve managed is 8,76 L/ 100 km. Granted, we’re often five people in the car and the boot is occasionally full, but the average figure should really be lower.

Otherwise, life with the Focus has been good. The cabin is spacious enough to house my three kids across the back seat, and the boot swallows a considerable 376 dm3 that expands to 1 032 dm3 with the 60:40-split rear bench seat folded forward.

Driving the Focus is a fuss-free affair thanks to loads of power that’s instantly on tap (in this guise, the Ecoboost delivers 92 kw and 170 N.m of torque from just 1 400 r/min) and a slick-shifting six-speed dualclutch transmission.

In Trend specification, the Focus is packed with standard features, but the two options fitted to this test vehicle that I’m really enjoying are the rear-view camera with parking sensors and the lane-departure warning with lane keeping aid. The latter takes some getting used to because it delivers strong feedback via the steering wheel.

I’m looking forward to a long road trip up the Garden Route, where we will truly test the Focus’ family-sedan status.