Ford Focus
A mild mid-life refresh helps to keep Ford’s perennial favourite competitive against a raft of talented rivals
MODEL TESTED: Ford Focus Titanium Vignale
1.0 EcoBoost 125 PRICE: £26,950 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 123bhp
WHILE the Focus shown in our pictures is the Titanium trim, we’re testing it against its rivals here as the higher-spec Titanium Vignale, which is the closest match on price. It starts from £26,950, slightly undercutting the Astra. Options fitted here that are still cost extras on the Titanium Vignale include the grey Magnetic paint (£725), Driver Assist Pack (adding traffic-sign recognition, adaptive cruise control and auto high beam for £525) and the Parking Pack (a £500 option that adds park assist, a rear view camera, and door edge protectors).
Design & engineering
THE Astra faces an even tougher task in this contest, because the Focus has recently benefited from a mid-life refresh. Cosmetic changes mainly take place at the front, where a new set of headlights straddle a fresh grille design. It now features the Blue Oval logo at its centre; the previous Focus placed it on the leading edge of the bonnet. Subtly reprofiled tail-lights, plus new wheel and colour options, round out the changes.
Inside, a key revision comes in the form of Ford’s latest SYNC 4 infotainment system, reviewed on p46; it’s a vast improvement over the previous set-up. Little else has changed. The cabin quality is only okay; none of these cars top the class in this area – look to the Skoda Octavia or the Peugeot 308 if that matters most to you – but even in this company, a slightly plain layout and too many cheap-feeling plastics mean that the Focus impresses the least.
Under the bonnet, the Focus soldiers on with Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine. Like the Astra’s motor, it has three cylinders and a turbocharger – although more potent variants have now been equipped with mild-hybrid power that helps to reduce load on the engine and save a little fuel as a result.
The Focus is now one of few competitors in this segment not to share its underpinnings with any other manufacturer, which offers the potential for a unique feel beside the competition here.
Driving
IT might have been around for longer than either of its rivals, but the Ford’s chassis still feels the most sophisticated here. There aren’t many everyday family hatchbacks that are fun to drive, but the Focus certainly sits at the top of the pile. It feels agile yet predictable when turning in to corners, there’s loads of grip, and the steering has a linear, responsive weighting. Taken at face value, these traits won’t necessarily sound vital for many family car buyers, but they mean the Ford delivers a feeling that you don’t get from its rivals – and peace of mind that it’ll respond accurately when you need it to.
Most impressive of all is that, despite this sharpness, there’s little in the way of compromise when it comes to comfort. It is marginally the firmest of this trio over bumps, but it never jars or throws its occupants about. Wind and road noise are slightly more audible than in the Astra at higher speeds, but the levels of refinement are still more than good enough.
If there’s one area in which the Focus is starting to show its age, it’s the powertrain. The 1.0-litre
EcoBoost engine is the smallest here, which means that before the turbo chimes in, it feels a little lethargic. If you want to pull out of a junction, you will need to set a few more revs than you might initially think is acceptable – if you don’t, it’ll crawl away from the line and eventually surge forward when the boost arrives. The three-cylinder motor also transmits more vibration into the cabin than either of its rivals here. At least the six-speed manual gearbox is slick in its operation.
Practicality
FORD’S trump card here is its rear passenger room. In this company, it’s the most spacious choice; even taller adults won’t have much to grumble about in the back. It’s also the best for a third passenger because the centre hump in the floor is low, so obstructs feet the least, and the middle seat is the softest here.
The job of installing a child seat is also made easiest in the Focus, thanks to it having the largest rear doors and all that space. The Isofix brackets are also really easy to get to behind removable plastic covers. The Golf ’s fixing points are great, too – they’re covered by hinged plastic doors – but the Astra’s are behind small zips, so they are much more fiddly to reach than the others here.
The Ford’s boot lacks the twin-level floor of its rivals, but like the other two, it comes with a couple of bag hooks, and a ski hatch for carrying longer items while allowing a pair of passengers to continue using the outer two rear seats.
Ownership
NONE of these three manufacturers covered themselves in glory in our Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, with Ford faring the worst of the three. Of the 29 included brands, Ford took a disappointing 25th overall; Volkswagen and Vauxhall weren’t too far ahead, taking 18th and 19th respectively. Vauxhall owners experienced the fewest faults of those three, with 16 per cent reporting an issue of any sort, compared with 19 per cent of VW drivers and 21 per cent of Ford’s customers.
Running costs
COMPANY car users will swing towards plug-in hybrid or fully electric models because of the tax benefits they bring. Unfortunately, Ford doesn’t offer a model with a plug in this class – PHEV versions of the Astra and Golf present more tempting solutions.
Of these specific models, there is little to separate the trio on Benefit in Kind; all sit in the 29 per cent category and a standard-rate taxpayer will face annual deductions of £1,564 (Vauxhall), £1,549 (Ford) and £1,596 (VW).