The Ford Focus is dead: production of family hatch legend ends after 27 years
Ford’s family hatchback favourite is being axed as the brand focuses its efforts on EVs
The Ford Focus is no more. Auto Express can confirm that the final version of the legendary family hatchback has rolled off the production line, 27 years after it revolutionised Ford’s fortunes in Europe.
In a statement to Auto Express, Ford said “The Focus has been an important part of the Ford family in Europe for over 27 years, and we are deeply grateful for the loyalty and passion our customers have shown for this iconic vehicle.”
The Focus has been a fixture on UK roads since its introduction in 1998, and it follows the Mondeo and Fiesta into the history books. Ford announced the decision back in 2022 – the same year the Mondeo was axed in Britain, before the Ford Fiesta was laid to rest in 2023.
The long-serving trio have been culled as Ford continues to focus its attention on launching electric cars in Europe, such as the Explorer SUV and Capri coupe-SUV. However, demand for Ford’s EVs has been lower than expected, which the company itself confirmed when announcing more job cuts late last year due to concerns for the health of its passenger car business.
Ford may also be cutting up to 1,000 jobs at its electric car factory in Cologne, Germany, where the Explorer and Capri are made, due to demand for EVs in Europe falling well below industry forecasts.
The Ford Puma continues to be the UK’s best-selling car, and you can save more than £2,000 on one through our Buy A Car service. However, while Ford was the best-selling car brand in the UK a decade ago, it had dropped the fifth by the end of 2024, behind Volkswagen, BMW, Audi and Kia. What’s more, sales dropped by approximately 24 per cent compared to the previous year.
Every generation of Focus has been built in Ford’s Saarlouis plant in Germany, where the Escort and some of the brand’s other classic models were also made. The facility has been making cars since 1970, but Ford told us it will now transition to producing components, “adapting to the evolving landscape of automotive production.”
The brand wants to reassure Focus owners that their maintenance needs will still be catered for. “We remain committed to serving our Focus customers with ongoing service, parts, and support,” Ford told us earlier this year.
We’re not aware of any plans for a direct successor to the Focus, although Ford is reportedly working on smaller, more affordable electric cars that we could easily envisage heralding the return of the Focus or Fiesta name – especially after the Capri was reborn as an EV last year.
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