Ford Focus
FINAL REPORT Fun-driving Focus proves a great car for everyday life
MY Ford Focus has been doing the rounds in the office recently, while I spent time in our Volkswagen California and recently departed Skoda Fabia. Both are outstanding vehicles for all sorts of reasons, but the Focus is so simple to slip back into that returning to it is like putting on a comfortable pair of shoes. It just feels right, and I’m rather sad that it’ll be heading off to a new owner very soon.
In a world where the SUV is king, getting behind the wheel of a comparatively low-slung hatchback feels good. It’s easy to live with and the in-car tech just works. My kids love it too, and my youngest tells me he loves it every time we strap him into it.
I’ve mentioned it before, but the way the new Focus drives is a delight. That’s something that was highlighted with a recent blast behind the wheel of a diesel Focus ST. The hot model is an outstanding car, with a superbly responsive chassis, a forgiving ride and deeply impressive performance. It even sounds good, a little like a six-cylinder BMW to my ears. But while I’d expected the ST to overshadow my 2.0-litre Titanium X, it merely reinforced
what a fundamentally good car the Focus is, even in a more everyday spec.
The price of our car – more than £28,000 with all its options – seemed steep initially, but over the past few months the breadth and depth of its talent is making that number ever-more palatable. Yes, you could have a Mercedes A-Class for similar monthly repayments, but I doubt I’d be enjoying the driving experience of the Mercedes quite as much.
More pragmatically, the Ford is just so easy to live with. I’ve been slightly critical of the luggage capacity in previous updates, but it’s recently carried lengths of timber and a full load of tools during a particularly ambitious DIY project. It can’t quite take my daughter’s bike, although my two-year-old’s trike will fit after a bit of dismantling.
Storage space in the front is just right; the door pockets are big enough, and the central cubby between the seats has a sliding divider, which makes it equally adept at carrying a large(ish) drinks bottle, a mobile phone or a set of keys.
However, after more than 3,000 miles, the hard plastic that surrounds the parking
brake is getting a little scratched, and I’m still finding that the car’s starter button is sited in an awkward place – it sits at an angle, and is irritatingly hidden behind the steering wheel rim.
And after those 3,000 miles, the fuel economy has settled to 45.9mpg. I’m fairly happy with that, given that I seem to spend most of my time stuck in rush-hour traffic, but most of my mileage is done on national speed limit A and B-roads. And even when I do need to fill up, the Ford ‘Easy-Fuel’ filler neck means there’s no dirty fuel cap to manhandle either. This innovation was unique to Ford models for a while, but we’re starting to see it more often on other cars, which is certainly a good thing.
The interior lighting is becoming a bit of a problem as the nights draw in. It’s not the brightness of the instruments, so much as the colour. Even when the intensity is reduced, I find the white light just a little too piercing. By contrast, the green hue of the instrumentation in my Mk1 Focus is pleasantly soothing. At least the main touchscreen can be turned on and off at the touch of a conveniently positioned button.
One feature that’s come into its own is the Focus’s auto high beam, which is part of the £500 Driver Assistance Pack. It gradually fades in the high beam, making the switch from dipped-beam almost imperceptible. It’s initially a little odd not to spot the point the lights suddenly activate, but it removes the sudden glare from reflective signs and other roadside objects, which is good.
“Driving a Focus ST just reinforced what a fundamentally good car my one is”
“Returning to the Focus is so simple. It’s like slipping into a comfortable pair of shoes”