Ford Focus Review & Prices

The Ford Focus won’t be in production for much longer, which is something of a sad thought. This was once the absolute zenith of the family hatchback, but now it’s like a grizzled old gunslinger in a Saturday afternoon western, saddling up for one last ride into the sunset.

If you’re in the market for a family hatchback, then you should definitely consider a Focus alongside such talented others as the Mazda 3, Vauxhall Astra, Peugeot 308, and of course the Volkswagen Golf.

From the outside, the Focus looks very much as it did when Ford first introduced this version in 2018. There was a general update in 2022, which brought with it some new exterior styling, but the overall effect is still the same — it’s a sleek, neat-looking five-door hatchback.

On the inside, there’s a big 13.2-inch touchscreen, which also came along in 2022, and which brought with it slick and impressive new software, which replaced the old, slightly Fisher-Price menu layout. It’s a good system, and easy to use, but the fact that it also meant Ford got rid of most of the Focus’ interior buttons and switches means it’s something of a mixed blessing.

Video group test: Honda Civic v Vauxhall Astra v Ford Focus v Volkswagen Golf

A mixed blessing rather neatly sums up the rest of the cabin design, which is actually pretty well bolted-together, but which doesn’t have the lustrous, high-quality feel of a Golf nor a Mazda. At least you get standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the driving position is excellent — hugely adjustable, and nice and low-down in the car.

There’s plenty of space in the back, but the boot is only okay. At 391 litres, it has 11 litres in hand over a Golf, but it’s less than you get in an Astra or a 308, not to mind the gargantuan load space of a Skoda Octavia. Of course, if you want more space, you can always buy the Focus Estate, which can lug up to 575 litres.

Ford has been steadily trimming down the Focus’ engine lineup in the last couple of years, so all you get now is a choice between two variations of the 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine. You can choose between a 125hp version with a six-speed manual gearbox, or a 155hp version with a seven-speed ‘PowerShift’ dual-clutch automatic. Both engines get a dab of mild hybrid electrical assistance which helps a bit with fuel economy and emissions.

Of the two engines, the 155hp version is the one to pick as it’s more brisk to drive, and not really any less economical — 50-55mpg should be do-able in daily driving.

All Focuses, though, are terrific to drive with fantastic steering, and the way the Focus manages to feel sporty yet comfortable is a trait that’s unmatched by alternatives.

It’s an easy car to drive around town — the Focus isn’t especially big, and it’s easy to manoeuvre, though you might miss the visibility offered by the high driving position of an SUV. It’s also comfy on the motorway aside from a touch of wind noise. Twisty roads are where even the humblest Focus really comes alive, though…

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The Ford Focus has become really quite an expensive option of late. It’s the same price as a Volkswagen Golf, more or less, and traditionally the Golf was always the more expensive car. Equally, the Mazda 3, one of the few cars to get close to the Focus’ level of driving fun, was in the past generally a pricier car, but it’s now around £3,000 less expensive than the Ford. Likewise, a Seat Leon undercuts the Focus by a similar amount, while the Skoda Octavia — a considerably bigger car on the inside with a much bigger boot — is pretty much bang on the same price. And the Vauxhall Astra, the Focus’ primary sparring partner all through the late 1990s and 2000s? £3,000 cheaper in basic form, now.

The Ford Focus is comfortable on the motorway and fun in corners, but there is a little wind and road noise

In town

The Ford Focus is a great size for town driving, feeling light and manoeuvrable in traffic. That said, it’s slightly more uncomfortable over bumps than alternatives, which is a trade-off for being fun in the twisties.

ST-Line X models, with the stiffer suspension and 18-inch alloy wheels, is about as jiggly as this car gets – but doesn’t verge on being annoying or a deal breaker.

The more powerful petrol engine feels nippy and responsive. Steering is well-weighted, which enthusiasts love, though those who spend most of their time in town might appreciate it if it was a touch lighter at lower speeds.

On the motorway

Spend some time at 70mph and the Focus is impressively refined, perhaps even more so than a Volkswagen Golf. There’s a little wind and road noise but it’s not too intrusive, so you’re left to enjoy the comfortable driving experience.

The seats are supportive and the great driving position means you feel fresh getting out after a long journey.

Basic cruise control is standard-fit, but it’s slightly disappointing that the pricier X trims don’t include the adaptive system that can control your distance to the car in front. This is included in the £575 Driver Assist Pack instead.

On a twisty road

Although the Focus is comfortable and refined on the motorway, it’s winding countryside roads where it really excels. It is by far the best handling car in its class, particularly in ST-Line guise, where it holds on in corners and does not get unsettled by bumps and crests in the road.

You’ll notice a little more sway and a little less road holding ability in the Active, but even then it’s more fun in the twisties than just about anything else you might be considering.

Naturally, if handling prowess and punchy performance is your primary concern, you’ll want to step up to the Focus ST hot hatch model, if you can find one of the last ones available (Ford has already stopped production of the ST). This gets lots of trick technology and mechanical upgrades that make it just as at home on the race track as it is on the school run.

The Ford Focus is impressively spacious for passengers, particularly those in the back, but the boot could be bigger

Practicality

From the driver’s seat the Ford Focus is clearly well-thought-out, feeling pretty spacious even for taller drivers, thanks in part to the excellent driving position, and everything’s logically laid out, even if we miss some of the buttons of the previous version. Although the trim is dark it doesn’t feel claustrophobic up front, with good space to rest your clutch foot on longer stints.

The centre armrest lifts to reveal a deep space for items you perhaps use less often, while a shallow tray can be placed on top to keep smaller items you don’t want to lose. Ahead of this is the cup holder tray, which can hold two bottles of varying sizes thanks to the clever adjustable arms. This can also be covered to keep smaller items out of sight if required.

Beneath the dashboard is a mobile phone tray that should hold even the largest modern smartphones comfortably. This is also where the wireless charging pad is located on high-spec trims. Alongside the usual 12-volt socket sits both USB-A and USB-C slots, meaning all smartphone cables should be covered without the need for adapters.

Space in the back seats

Space in the back seats is pretty good in the Focus. It’ll easily carry a couple of adults in the rear with decent leg and headroom, though if you opt for the panoramic roof option taller people might find their hair brushing on the roof.

Carrying three adults is a bit of a squeeze, though it’s more spacious than most alternatives. There’s also a small hump in the middle of the floor which can make foot space a bit tight when someone is sitting in the middle.

Boot space

The Ford Focus has an average-sized boot at 391 litres, which is a bit bigger than the 380 litres found in a Golf and smaller than the 400 litres found in the Honda Civic. It’s a good, usable space, though there’s no underfloor storage.

Pop the rear seats down and you get 1,350 litres, which again, is on the high side of average. Post-2022 models removed the annoying lip that appeared in older models when the seats were folded. This creates a flat floor and makes it easier to push items in. The Estate’s 575 litres is far more useful, but even that’s behind other mid-sized estate cars, notably the Skoda Octavia.

The updated infotainment system is a big improvement for the Focus, but otherwise the cabin has quite a dark and uninspiring design

The Focus has a stylish exterior but the interior is less flashy. It’s smart, if a little dark and subdued, with plenty of squidgy materials in places you’ll touch and scratchy plastics typically reserved for places you won’t.

The 13.2-inch infotainment display now dominates the cabin, and while it feels a bit close to you considering its size, you quickly adjust. Either way, it’s a massive upgrade on the 8.0-inch system in pre-2022 cars, while the new software has clean, modern graphics and is easy to use.

Standard cars get analogue instruments with a small display between them, while X cars get a fully digital instrument display. These high-spec cars also get wireless phone charging, which is particularly useful considering you get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.

One of the upgrades for the facelifted Focus was the addition of mild hybrid technology for both versions of the 1.0-litre engine, which is designed to help a little with fuel economy. As such, the manual version of the 125hp petrol claims an average of 54.3mpg, slightly better than the fuel economy figure for the 155hp automatic which can hit 53.3mpg. Both should settle somewhere between 45mpg and 50mpg in real-world driving.

The manual 125 has the lowest CO2 emissions, with up to 118g/km, while the automatic 155 is only slightly worse off, at 119g/km — impressive, given the extra 30hp.

Those numbers do mean you’ll face a chunky first-year road tax bill, but at least you don’t need to worry about the over-£40,000 road tax levy in years two-to-six, as the only Focus that pokes over that barrier is the top-line ST Edition version (assuming you can even find one).

When the Ford Focus was tested by Euro NCAP it received the full five stars, scoring particularly well for its occupant protection — 96% for adult occupant protection is a remarkable figure for a compact hatchback, but it’s worth bearing in mind that the NCAP test was carried out in 2019, so the Focus would probably score a bit lower if it was re-tested today.

Standard driver assistance technology includes front and rear parking sensors, lane-keeping assist and a pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian/cyclist protection.

Extra kit is included in option packs, such as a reversing camera, a blind spot indicator, a head-up display, traffic sign recognition and adaptive cruise control.

Ford generally has a pretty good reputation for reliability, but pre-update models, which were on sale between 2018 and 2021, faced a lot of recalls. These included various issues such as a problem with the brake pedal, an oil separator in the engine, and the rear doors opening when the window was lowered.

Equally, the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine has an unlovely reputation for clogged oil systems and prematurely worn timing belts, thanks to Ford’s insistence on fitting a ‘wet’ belt that shares space with the car’s oil reservoir. That’s good for efficiency and emissions, but lousy for reliability.

As standard the Ford Focus comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, but you can buy an extended warranty for four years/80,000 miles or five years/100,000 miles.