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Family favourite facelifted. Image by Kyle Fortune.

Family favourite facelifted
Ford demonstrates once again that family motoring and fun are not mutually exclusive.

   



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| First Drive | Nice, France | Ford Focus facelift |

Ford's badge may be a bit Top Man in a Hugo Boss world, but is that such a bad thing? With the Focus, Ford has ably demonstrated that many buyers - and we're talking about a consistent best-seller here don't forget - want high street products at high street prices. But don't let that fool you into believing that the Focus or its ilk is sub-standard; in fact in the case of the Focus it's quite the opposite. If anything, the shift of buyers from mainstream to premium has made sure mainstream brands have had to fight hard to retain their customers.

The original Focus demonstrated this with class-leading dynamics, its successor cementing the Focus as the choice for those wanting to enjoy their daily driver. Unsurprisingly, the new one's just the same, driving with such fluidity and precision you really have to wonder why you'd want - or need - anything else.

This market doesn't sit still though, and while rivals might not yet have caught up with Ford dynamically, many had the Ford licked for style. High street buyers are just as conscious of looks as the next person. So, sensibly, Ford has restyled its Focus, the visual makeover pretty subtle in detail but very effective as a whole. There's a new line down its flanks that adds some tension to its profile, the headlamps are completely new and the surround, bonnet and grille are all re-profiled. The changes around the back again aren't so obvious at first glance, but look closer and there's a bulge on the bootlid where it was previously featureless.

The combination of detail changes is highly effective, the Focus retaining its solid (obviously Focus) look, but adding a touch of athleticism that was absent from the previous car. With the Focus always topping the class with regards to driver dynamics, that's no bad thing. Really, for a mere 'ordinary' family hatchback it possesses the unusual quality of feel and feedback, meaning everyone driving it, even those unconcerned or deriving little pleasure from the act of driving, is animated in their response.

It's those intangible details like the accuracy, weighting and feel from the steering that help make it so enjoyable. That and the suspension's unusually good ability to both isolate poor road surfaces and provide supreme body control, yet deliver enough information through the seat of the pants to imbue the driver with the sort of information usually denied in a car in this class. The gearshift slips though its gate with slick precision and decent weighting; the clutch, brake and accelerator pedals are all nicely spaced and operate well together.

All that makes the Focus a pleasurable car to drive. Not just on those occasions when you drive for the hell of it, but everyday. The engine line-up of the new car largely follows that of the previous model, but with the environment in mind though Ford has worked on reducing CO2 and improving economy. So every 1.6-litre TDCi Focus achieves a sub 120g/km CO2 rating. If that's not enough to satiate your hunger for green-ness Ford is also introducing an ECOnetic model with a 115g/km CO2 rating and a Toyota Prius-equalling 65.7mpg on the official combined consumption cycle. Ford will also offer a flexi-fuel Focus using the 1.8-litre Duratec that can run on E85 bio-ethanol, regular unleaded petrol or any combination of both.

The rest of the range comprises of 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0-litre petrol choices, and 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0-litre turbodiesels. The range-topping ST, with its 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder unit, heads the range. Ford is still undecided as to whether it can justify the expense of producing an RS model for the small volumes it attracts: if you want one, be sure to lobby your dealer. What Ford will produce is the usual range of body styles, which consists of the five- and three-door hatchbacks, estate and four-door saloon. The five-door takes around 79% of sales in the UK, the estate 12%, the three-door 7% and the unloved saloon just 2%. Despite its advantages at the pumps diesels only make up 35% of the model mix.

It's not just the extra mpg that appeals with the diesels, but the way they drive. It's the torque that makes the difference, the easy low-rev urgency of the turbodiesels suiting the flow of the Focus. The petrol options are up to the standards of the competition, but given the choice we'd take a diesel every time - even though there's a penalty to pay in refinement.

Inside the 'new' Focus Ford has busied itself by tidying up the controls and instruments. The effect is hardly radical, but everything's neat and easy to use and there's more equipment as standard across the range. Perhaps most significant on the kit front is Ford's decision to fit ESP as standard across the range, statistics suggesting that Electronic Stability Programmes are a significant benefit to road safety. The Focus is as spacious as it ever was, meaning a huge boot and decent passenger room front and rear. So the new Focus is smarter, better equipped, greener and still the best in class to drive, too. Little wonder then it remains so popular.

Kyle Fortune - 7 Dec 2007



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2008 Ford Focus. Image by Ford.2008 Ford Focus. Image by Ford.2008 Ford Focus. Image by Kyle Fortune.2008 Ford Focus. Image by Kyle Fortune.2008 Ford Focus. Image by Kyle Fortune.



2008 Ford Focus. Image by Kyle Fortune.
 

2008 Ford Focus. Image by Kyle Fortune.
 

2008 Ford Focus. Image by Kyle Fortune.
 

2008 Ford Focus. Image by Kyle Fortune.
 

2008 Ford Focus. Image by Kyle Fortune.
 

2008 Ford Focus. Image by Kyle Fortune.
 

2008 Ford Focus. Image by Kyle Fortune.
 

2008 Ford Focus. Image by Kyle Fortune.
 






 

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