Skip advert
Advertisement

Ford Focus: Third report

Five-door Focus has won over our family man with its entertaining drive as well as its gadgetry

Avg. savings
£2,514 off RRP*
Pros
  • The Driver Assistance Pack is great. Sensors incorporate Active City Stop, Traffic Sign Recognition and the Lane Keeping Aid, while there’s also Driver Alert, Auto High Beam and a Blind Spot Information System. It’s well worth the £750 – Active City Stop has already paid for itself by preventing an accident.
Cons
  • Rear visibility is limited and the cream boot trim reflects in the rear window. This can catch your eye and makes it look as if a car has moved into the blind spot. And while our Titanium car has a raft of standard kit, I think it should include rear parking sensors as standard.
Find your Ford Focus
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

Our Focus is packed with technology. You can bypass traffic jams, monitor your blind spots and prevent low-speed shunts around town, but the fun really starts when you reach some open roads. The key to falling for this Ford is getting out of town.

It really is a hoot to attack some country lanes with. The confidence-inspiring grip and well judged steering allow you to make the most of the 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine. After running a string of diesel models, I’m really enjoying the fruity soundtrack of the high-revving petrol engine.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The turbo provides nippy performance and pushes you to drive quickly. Throw in a six-speed manual box and precise brakes and you get a highly entertaining family hatchback.

It’s comfortable, too. The driving position is ideal, as the seats provide plenty of support and the pedals are exactly where you want them. I can sometimes feel my six-year-old son’s feet pressing through the back of my seat, which suggests space in the rear is limited. But this is more down to the fact he struggles to keep still for any length of time.

So what about the technology? Well, after initially being daunted by the array of buttons covering the dash, I now get it. Like most things, the layout is quite simple and reasonably intuitive once you have lived with it for a few days.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

Focus

2014 Ford

Focus

117,600 milesAutomaticPetrol1.6L

Cash £3,480
View Focus
Focus

2016 Ford

Focus

85,341 milesAutomaticPetrol1.6L

Cash £6,184
View Focus
Focus

2021 Ford

Focus

31,979 milesManualDiesel1.5L

Cash £13,997
View Focus
Focus

2023 Ford

Focus

14,359 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £15,800
View Focus

Controlling the sound system is a doddle. The joystick to the left of the steering wheel scrolls through various options, much like an original iPod. And when you connect a music player, you can control it from the dash, which is great. But unless I hit the shuffle option, I tend to listen to music beginning with the letters A, B and C, as I can’t be bothered to scroll down the list. So sadly there’s no chance of getting any Velvet Underground or Yazoo.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Still, Ford fits a DAB radio to the Focus as standard, so it’s debatable whether you need to connect a device at all. If you’re a news and sport fan, once you’ve heard Radio 5 Live without the medium-wave crackles, you won’t want to go back.

Some of the other technology from the Driver Assistance pack is incredibly clever and needs no effort on your part. I experienced Active City Stop when I got too close to a truck. The brake pedal dropped from beneath my foot and I felt the familiar grind of ABS as we came to a sharp halt. So the £750 option pack paid for itself without me lifting a finger (or pressing a pedal).

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

I’ve yet to experience the Focus steering itself, but I keep telling myself that my failure to trigger the Lane-Keeping Aid by staying alert and awake is a good thing. In any case, it’s amazing to find this level of kit in a family hatch – although rear parking sensors are a surprising omission. I’ve seen the TV ads highlighting the self-parking function. For me, this is a step too far, but limited rear visibility means sensors would help around town.

The boot isn’t huge, but it’s had no problem with camping trips, family holidays and weekly shopping. A Christmas getaway could be more of a challenge, but I’m more excited about tackling the open road than packing...

Extra Info

“I think I’m alone in actually finding the Focus quite attractive, but then it’s not hard to look good next to a Golf. Other than that, I just find it a little, well, dull. Yes, it drives nicely and the engine’s great, but it just doesn’t feel special. And the keyless go system is bonkers – you only need to press a button on the dash to start or stop the car, but you have to dig the keys out of your pocket to lock it.”

Steve Fowler, editor-in-chief

Skip advert
Advertisement
Creative director

​​Darren looks after Auto Express magazine, planning new content, overseeing the design, layout and photography, and managing the production team. He has been working on Auto Express for more than 30 years under the ownership of United News and Media, Dennis Publishing, Autovia and Carwow.

New & used car deals

Ford Focus

Ford Focus

RRP £20,955Avg. savings £2,514 off RRP*Used from £6,995
Vauxhall Astra

Vauxhall Astra

RRP £26,090Avg. savings £4,327 off RRP*Used from £14,587
KIA Ceed

KIA Ceed

RRP £19,965Used from £8,599
Ford Puma

Ford Puma

RRP £21,035Avg. savings £2,280 off RRP*Used from £10,495
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Peugeot 208 GTi: electric hot hatch gets stunning looks and plenty of power
Peugeot E-208 GTi - reveal front

New Peugeot 208 GTi: electric hot hatch gets stunning looks and plenty of power

Hot Peugeot E-208 gets racier styling, 276bhp and does 0-62mph in just 5.7 seconds
News
13 Jun 2025
New BYD Dolphin Surf Comfort review: the best BYD yet
BYD Dolphin Surf Comfort - front

New BYD Dolphin Surf Comfort review: the best BYD yet

The new BYD Dolphin Surf Comfort is arguably the Chinese brand's most convincing model in its range
Road tests
11 Jun 2025
New entry-level Renault Symbioz is £3k cheaper than a Nissan Qashqai
Renault Symbioz hybrid - front angled

New entry-level Renault Symbioz is £3k cheaper than a Nissan Qashqai

The Renault Captur has also been fitted the new full-hybrid powertrain, which gets a bigger battery for more pure-electric driving
News
12 Jun 2025