Skip advert
Advertisement

Ford Focus Estate 2014 review

Updates have improved Ford Focus Estate's tech and efficiency, but we’re not sure about the boot

Overall Auto Express Rating

4.0 out of 5

Find your Ford Focus
Offers from our trusted partners on this car and its predecessors...
Or are you looking to sell your car?
9/10 sellers got the price they expected
Advertisement

Changes to the Focus Estate’s design and interior are welcome, and have helped to create a much more appealing car inside and out. The updates to the driving experience are less noticeable, although we never had too many qualms from behind the wheel of the Ford anyway. Unfortunately, its main failing as an estate car has not been addressed – the Focus is just not as practical as it should be.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Ford has radically revamped its Focus hatchback with a host of changes designed to help it battle the excellent new VW Golf. And it’s applied the same far-reaching changes to the Estate, which now has to compete against a line-up of fresh rivals that weren't around when it was introduced, such as the latest Golf Estate, the SEAT Leon ST and Peugeot’s 308 SW. As a result, the Estate benefits from Ford’s new grille design with sleeker headlights and a simpler rear to help create a more premium feel.

Inside, there’s a new steering wheel, while all but the entry-level models get an eight-inch touchscreen that’s far easier to use than the old layout, which had a confusing array of centre console buttons.

Titanium models like ours also get the latest version of Ford’s SYNC system as standard. This allows you to control a wide range of functions using voice commands. The functions include setting the cabin temperature and playing any music track from your phone or USB drive. If you have sat-nav you can also ask the car to tell you where the best restaurants are nearby, or which is the quickest route to a local petrol station.

There are plenty more changes under the skin of the Ford Focus Estate, too, but they’re a little more difficult to spot. Ford has altered the electric power-steering to make it more responsive when you first turn into a corner, while the suspension has been tweaked to provide a slightly smoother ride.

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Admittedly, slow steering and a lack of comfort were never a problem with the Focus Estate in the first place and these improvements will be virtually impossible to discern without a back-to-back test with the old model. They’re welcome updates nonetheless, though.

Apparently, the new Focus is less noisy than before, too, thanks to better wheelarch insulation and door seals. In fact, Ford claims to have improved cabin insulation meaning the Focus is now the quietest car in its class.

Indeed, the 2.0-litre diesel engine in our test model did seem a little less grumbly than before. It also feels a bit quicker as Ford has increased power and torque by 10bhp and 10Nm respectively. Yet, thanks to revised fuelling and the addition of stop-start, economy is up from 57.7mpg to 70.6mpg, with CO2 cut to 105g/km.

If there’s one problem with the Focus Estate, it’s that the 476-litre boot trails those of rivals. The Golf Estate has 129 litres more space and the 308 SW offers 134 litres more. As both models have the same kind of premium design, relaxing drive and efficient engines, small details matter – and the boot size could be enough to put customers off the Ford.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Huge Audi new car blitz to bring us 9 models in 2 years
Upcoming Audi models - four-way image
News

Huge Audi new car blitz to bring us 9 models in 2 years

After a quiet few years, the German giant is gearing up for its biggest product onslaught to date
25 Mar 2024
Posh new trim level for Dacia Sandero while the Sandero Stepway gets more power
Dacia Sandero - front
News

Posh new trim level for Dacia Sandero while the Sandero Stepway gets more power

Both the Sandero and Sandero Stepway ranges have been tweaked, gaining more safety features to meet the latest regulations
26 Mar 2024
Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay
Road tax documentation
News

Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay

Drivers with newer cars can expect to be paying roughly £10 more per year, a although the biggest gas guzzlers will fare the worst
26 Mar 2024