On a twisty roadĪlthough the Focus is comfortable and refined on the motorway, it’s winding countryside roads where it really excels. This is included in the £575 Driver Assist Pack instead. The seats are supportive and the great driving position means you feel fresh getting out after a long journey.Ĭruise control is standard-fit, but it’s slightly disappointing that the pricier X trims don’t include the adaptive system that can control your distance to the car in front. There’s a little wind and road noise but it’s not too intrusive, so you’re left to enjoy the comfortable driving experience. Spend some time at 70mph and the Focus is impressively refined, perhaps even more so than a Volkswagen Golf. Steering is well-weighted, though those who spend most of their time in town might appreciate it if it was a touch lighter at lower speeds. The more powerful petrol engine feels nippy and responsive. The ST-Line X, with the stiffer suspension and 18-inch alloy wheels, is about as jiggly as this car gets over bumps – but doesn’t verge on being annoying or a deal breaker. That said, it’s a little stiffer than most in this class, which is a trade-off for being fun in the twisties. The Ford Focus is a great size for town driving, feeling light and manoeuvrable in traffic. The Ford Focus is comfortable on the motorway and fun in corners, but there is a little wind and road noise In town If you want to make the most of the handling without going full ST, the ST-Line has a sportier suspension set-up that makes it a little more fun without sacrificing too much comfort.įord has done it again: the Focus is superb to drive, is now filled with an impressive level of tech and safety kit and offers good space for families The Focus’s party trick has long been a better driving experience than you’d ever expect from a family car, and the latest model continues this trend. There’s also a 1.5-litre diesel making 115hp, but at the time of writing this is unavailable because of ‘supply constraints’, while the high-performance ST model gets a 280hp 2.3-litre petrol engine. The more powerful engine is the best pick, because it’s just as economical as the lower-powered model, getting up to 55mpg with the manual, while also offering a bit more punch when you need it. Your engine choices are pretty simple as there are just two variations of a 1.0-litre petrol engine on offer, with 125hp and 155hp and a choice of manual and automatic gearboxes. The Focus’s boot has a useful square shape to make the most of the space, so you’ll have no trouble getting the weekly shop away. All are swamped by the cavernous Skoda Octavia’s near-600-litre boot. At 391 litres it’s about average for the class, being a bit bigger than a Volkswagen Golf and a bit smaller than a Honda Civic. There’s less to shout about in the boot, though. The rear seats are particularly impressive, being more spacious than most alternatives. It’s easy to get comfortable, with plenty of adjustability making for a decent driving position, while all but the tallest passengers should have decent leg and headroom. Video group test: Honda Civic vs Vauxhall Astra vs Ford Focus vs Volkswagen Golf You also get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. It’s huge – almost too big for how close it is to you, actually – but it brings the cabin bang up to date and uses Ford’s latest software, which gets modern graphics and is slick to use. The changes are subtle but there’s no denying it’s a sleek-looking thing regardless of whether you go for the hatchback or big-boot estate option.Īgain, the interior design has been largely left as-is – except for one obvious addition in the form of a 13.2-inch infotainment display. It’s much the same as it was, but a huge new infotainment screen, some updated engine tech and minor styling tweaks have freshened things up a little. In fact, buying an SUV is a bit like wearing your hiking gear to do the weekly shop down Tesco, while the Focus is more like comfortable leisure wear – just a bit more stylish.įord has given the Focus a minor update for 2022. But if you don’t live out in the wilderness you probably don’t need a 4x4, making the Focus (and other alternatives such as the Volkswagen Golf and Kia Ceed) a sensible alternative. ![]() For more than two decades, the Ford Focus has been one of the go-to names in the family car business, despite small SUVs being more in vogue these days.
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