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Ford Focus Zetec TDCi 100PS

Sometimes less is more - but not if you are talking about engine power, surely? We are big fans of Ford's 113bhp TDCi diesel Focus, and now a lower bhp version has been added to the range, offering improved economy and fewer emissions in exchange for a reduction in performance. But is the newcomer worth the sacrifice?

By Chris Thorp

December 2002

Sometimes less is more - but not if you are talking about engine power, surely? We are big fans of Ford's 113bhp TDCi diesel Focus, and now a lower bhp version has been added to the range, offering improved economy and fewer emissions in exchange for a reduction in performance. But is the newcomer worth the sacrifice?

Ford quotes the power output at 100PS, which equates to just under 100bhp. Thankfully, the punch from the torquey engine hasn't been diluted too much with the loss of 14bhp, and there's still a real shove in the back through the low gears. Off the line, the 0-60mph sprint takes 11.2 seconds - only 0.4 seconds slower than the 113bhp unit - and a maximum speed of 115mph is available.

Around town, the TDCi powerplant is hard to fault, offering a great wave of torque exactly when you need it - at low revs. In fact, the reduced output of the new version only really becomes apparent at higher speeds, with motorway overtaking requiring a bit more planning and time.

What you can't complain about is the fuel economy - 54.8mpg is an extra 3.8mpg over the more powerful version, and should keep diesel bills down to a level which would make even Scrooge happy this Christmas. Company car drivers can cash in, too, with CO2 emissions of 138g/km keeping the new model in the lowest diesel tax bracket for the foreseeable future.

A trio of trim levels are available in either three or five-door form, with LX and Ghia models on offer as well as the Zetec version tested here. And there's further good news with the price, which at ΂£13,445 for the three-door Zetec model is around ΂£400 cheaper than the 113bhp version. Unfortunately, that ballooned to ΂£17,020 for our test car, which came with a long list of options, including 16-inch alloy wheels, Xenon headlamps, climate control and a six-CD multichanger.

For those who are working to a more restricted budget, Ford will continue to sell the ageing 89bhp, 1.8-litre TDdi unit, costing ΂£450 less than its equivalent in the latest common-rail range. But buying one of these would be false economy in the long term, as it has slightlier dirtier emissions at 145g/km, greater fuel consumption (an average of 52.3mpg compared to 54.8mpg), and less refinement.

And it's the last of these that is most significant. The 'C' rather than the 'd' on the bootlid badge means the Focus has Ford's state-of-the-art common-rail system, which squirts fuel into the combustion chamber at high pressure in very precise quantities and at different times in the engine's cycle. Besides making the most of your precious fuel, it also ensures there is less noise. In common with its more powerful brother, the result is that the new TDCi powerplant is superbly refined, with the absolute minimum clatter at idle and low sound levels at speed.

It's good enough for us to think that the TDCi engines are now preferable to the petrol units in the blue oval range. And with the Focus still more fun behind the wheel than the Volkswagen Golf and Honda Civic, it's a serious choice for driving enthusiasts, too. Renault's new Mί¿½gane looks a tempting choice, but there is a yawning gap in the diesel line-up with nothing between the 80bhp 1.5 dCi and 120bhp 1.9-litre. So for most people, the 99bhp Focus could offer the ideal blend of performance, low running costs, style and driver enjoyment.

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FIRST OPINION

    Modern diesels are all about great performance and unrivalled mpg. Losing 14bhp has had minimal effect on the Focus TDCi's pace, and made it even cheaper to run. Both economy and emissions are near the top of the class, and the fine chassis balance and great handling are also standard.
 

AT A GLANCE

    New, lower-powered version of Ford's TDCi diesel now in Focus
    Zetec, LX and Ghia on sale now
     
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