Ford Focus Vignale

Big-selling family hatch gets posh makeover. Is it a hit?

FORD’S resurrected Vignale brand has been around since 2015. It now spans almost the entire range, from the Fiesta supermini to the flagship Edge SUV.

But until now, a chrome-covered Focus has been conspicuous by its absence; Ford buyers in search of a posh family car have been forced into the larger Mondeo or Kuga Vignale models. Keen to rectify this, the all-new Focus Vignale will appear in dealerships over the coming weeks.

Designed to sit above the Titanium X in the Focus range, it offers buyers a bit more of everything. A bit more luxury and a bit more kit; inevitably for a bit more money, too.

Prices start at £25,800 – or £2,670 more than the equivalent 1.0 Ecoboost 125PS in Titanium X guise. That price difference remains pretty much in step throughout the range, right up to the flagship diesel, which costs from £29,550. It’s available on the Focus Estate, too, for £1,100 more.

We tested something of an anomaly, however, because the mid-range 148bhp 1.5-litre Ecoboost fitted to our car has been dropped for the Vignale. As a result, buyers not taken by the cheapest Ecoboost or the punchy diesels are forced into the flagship 180bhp version – as per our spec panel.

Look at the costs on a PCP finance deal and you’ll be paying roughly £52 more per month for the flashy Vignale with the entrylevel engine and box than for a 1.0 Ecoboost Titanium X. Higher-rate company car drivers will fork out another £28 per month in BIK tax, too. So whether you consider it good value for money will depend largely on the added kit the more expensive car offers.

But the Ford Focus Titanium X is already a well-equipped car. You’ll find 17-inch alloy wheels as standard, as well as front and rear parking sensors, automatic lights and wipers and dual-zone climate control, along with part-leather trim. Also included is Ford’s latest SYNC3 infotainment system, which features sat-nav and a DAB radio, along with Apple Carplay and Android Auto.

Vignale models, like ours, then add larger 18-inch wheels, LED headlights, a wide-view reversing camera, head-up display and Active Park Assist. That’s a lot of kit for your cash, whichever way you look at it. On top of that, there’s also fullleather trim with Vignale badging, a B&O premium audio system, multi-colour ambient lighting and bespoke exterior styling.

Speaking of which, Ford has consciously made the latest Focus Vignale appear a bit sportier than its Fiesta, Kuga and Mondeo siblings. There’s less chrome and more body-coloured trim, while the chunkier bumpers and big wheels give it a more aggressive look. Design-wise it occupies a middle ground between the grown-up Titanium and the racier St-line models.

Inside, you’d expect the Vignale to feel posher than the standard Focus given the price premium it commands. You’ll notice the contrast stitching on the dash and leather seats, but aside from that it’s standard Ford fare. And while that may sound like a negative, it’s actually an acknowledgement of how well built the latest Focus feels. There are a few scratchy plastics around the lower centre console, but it appears almost as plush as a comparable Volkswagen Golf or Audi A3.

To drive, the Vignale is just like any other new Ford Focus as well. That is to

“Designed to sit above the Titanium X in the range, it offers buyers a bit more of everything”