Fords have been widely regarded to produce some of the best handling cars on the market. I have personally experienced great driving pleasure in the Mondeo as well as the Galaxy. Considering that the new Focus ST and RS are developed from the basic Focus chassis, it should speak volumes about the basic Focus 1.6 right? Thankfully though, that's true.
Launched at the Paris Motor Show in 2004, the current Mk 2 Focus shares the same chassis with quite a few of its brethren under the Ford umbrella. The Ford C1 platform is the same used on the Volvo S40, V50, C70, Mazda3 and Focus C-Max.
Being branded as UK's best selling hatchback is no small feat. From early on, Ford applied experiences from their years of rallying to the development of the Ford chassis. This has translated to pin sharp steering, pliant ride and sweet grip in the twisties. It has brought itself to such high regard in the UK that consumers are buying it based on the reputation of the MK I Focus alone.
Exterior
Externally, little has changed from the earlier MK2 Focus to the current facelifted version. Most notable though is the slight nip tuck on the front fascia.
Launched at the Paris Motor Show in 2004, the current Mk 2 Focus shares the same chassis with quite a few of its brethren under the Ford umbrella. The Ford C1 platform is the same used on the Volvo S40, V50, C70, Mazda3 and Focus C-Max.
Being branded as UK's best selling hatchback is no small feat. From early on, Ford applied experiences from their years of rallying to the development of the Ford chassis. This has translated to pin sharp steering, pliant ride and sweet grip in the twisties. It has brought itself to such high regard in the UK that consumers are buying it based on the reputation of the MK I Focus alone.
Exterior
Externally, little has changed from the earlier MK2 Focus to the current facelifted version. Most notable though is the slight nip tuck on the front fascia.
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Where the first MK2 looked a little too docile with its conservatively shaped headlights, the latest version has been given a slight crease in its 'eyeline' to give it a more aggressive and purposeful look. Overall, minor as the nip tuck was, it has improved the look of the Focus significantly.
The raised snout on the bonnet has been given even greater definition with the addition of 'go faster' stripes running along the length of the Focus. This stripe leads the eye to the steeply raked A-pillar that leads to a rather high roofline. Curving abruptly over the hatchback then leading to the vertical drop off in the rear.
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In the rear, the large hatchback tailgate is flanked by conservatively sized taillights that have been placed high on the C-pillars. The large hatchback tailgate facilitates the loading of large bulky items when needed. Unlike the wheels pictured, the Ford comes standard with 16 inch alloys.
On a whole though, perhaps a lower stance on the Focus might've been more appealing as I personally feel that it is riding a little too high for a hatchback.
Interior
Having already perfected the driving characteristics of the MK2 Focus the first time around, Ford focused (pun unintended) more of their attention on the interior in the facelift. Having driven quite a few Fords in my last couple of months, their interiors have always agreed with me. It might not be über luxurious like the ones in the premium continental models, but it is definitely on par with the likes of Volkswagen.
Ford has always offered one of the best driving positions around. In the Focus, things are no different. The perfect driving position can be found with the rake and reach adjustable steering. Both driver and front passenger seats are comfortable and supportive. It is even more evident for the driver's side as it keeps you in the seat even while taking exuberant drives along twisty roads. Beyond the simple four spoke steering wheel you find an instrument cluster with silver surrounds. An orange LCD in the centre displays various information for the driver like fuel consumption and other essential information.
On a whole though, perhaps a lower stance on the Focus might've been more appealing as I personally feel that it is riding a little too high for a hatchback.
Interior
Having already perfected the driving characteristics of the MK2 Focus the first time around, Ford focused (pun unintended) more of their attention on the interior in the facelift. Having driven quite a few Fords in my last couple of months, their interiors have always agreed with me. It might not be über luxurious like the ones in the premium continental models, but it is definitely on par with the likes of Volkswagen.
Ford has always offered one of the best driving positions around. In the Focus, things are no different. The perfect driving position can be found with the rake and reach adjustable steering. Both driver and front passenger seats are comfortable and supportive. It is even more evident for the driver's side as it keeps you in the seat even while taking exuberant drives along twisty roads. Beyond the simple four spoke steering wheel you find an instrument cluster with silver surrounds. An orange LCD in the centre displays various information for the driver like fuel consumption and other essential information.
Like all Fords, the centre console is dominated by the extremely capable Sony factory fitted audio system. It is perhaps one of the best systems I've heard in a factory unit thus far. The buttons on the audio unit is easily within reach of the driver and passenger. It comes with a six CD changer with MP3 capability. To enhance the sonic pleasure further, an AUX-in jack is hidden away in the glove compartment for even more tunes. Instead of placing audio controls on the steering wheel, Ford opted to have an additional stalk with audio controls mounted on the left side of the steering. It is easy and intuitive to use but might get confused with the signal stalk just above it the first few times you reach for it.
Below that, a simple analog climate control system with three large dials can be found. The Ford's interior is built pretty well in general but perhaps they could pay a little more attention to the plastic surrounding the climate controls and audio system. This plastic panel looks a little tacky when compared to the rest of the interior. Perhaps using a different sort of material would elevate the interior's quality feel further.
Unlike most hatchbacks that treat rear comfort as an afterthought, the legroom in the back of this Focus is great. Even for a tall driver like myself, getting into the back seat is just as comfortable. The rear seats do split fold as necessary but that would be a rare occurrence with the boot already providing a significant amount of storage space for a hatchback.
On another note, I would like to provide a public service to its potential owners and to save them the 20 minutes I spent trying to figure the hood out. Unlike every other car manufacturer, Ford decided not to provide a lever hidden on the driver's side foot well to open up the hood. Nooooo, they instead elected to hide a keyhole behind the Ford badge in the front radiator grille.
Below that, a simple analog climate control system with three large dials can be found. The Ford's interior is built pretty well in general but perhaps they could pay a little more attention to the plastic surrounding the climate controls and audio system. This plastic panel looks a little tacky when compared to the rest of the interior. Perhaps using a different sort of material would elevate the interior's quality feel further.
Unlike most hatchbacks that treat rear comfort as an afterthought, the legroom in the back of this Focus is great. Even for a tall driver like myself, getting into the back seat is just as comfortable. The rear seats do split fold as necessary but that would be a rare occurrence with the boot already providing a significant amount of storage space for a hatchback.
On another note, I would like to provide a public service to its potential owners and to save them the 20 minutes I spent trying to figure the hood out. Unlike every other car manufacturer, Ford decided not to provide a lever hidden on the driver's side foot well to open up the hood. Nooooo, they instead elected to hide a keyhole behind the Ford badge in the front radiator grille.
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To release the bonnet, you'll have to insert the key and turn anti-clockwise. That's not all and it was also this part that I spent the next 10 minutes trying to figure out (which I didn't). You have to turn clockwise to release the lever so the hood can be raised. Yes, I spent 20 minutes baffled by the hood mechanism until I gave up and asked Ford's sales manager for help after I drove it back.
The Drive
On the road, you immediately notice Ford's efforts at improving the sound insulation over the pre-facelift version. Things are quite serene on the highways as tyre noise is quite minimal. Damping too is expectedly pliant with the Focus hardly upset by anything really. Off the highway, things are equally pliant with little complaints.
Now, what I loved most about the Focus was the handling in the corners. I drove the Focus into a medium corner at 70kmh and it stayed the course without ever letting go. The grip level in the little hatch was fantastic.
The Drive
On the road, you immediately notice Ford's efforts at improving the sound insulation over the pre-facelift version. Things are quite serene on the highways as tyre noise is quite minimal. Damping too is expectedly pliant with the Focus hardly upset by anything really. Off the highway, things are equally pliant with little complaints.
Now, what I loved most about the Focus was the handling in the corners. I drove the Focus into a medium corner at 70kmh and it stayed the course without ever letting go. The grip level in the little hatch was fantastic.
Unfortunately, what was painfully obvious though was the severe lack of power to fully capitalize on the chassis's ability. I truly believe the basic hatch deserves a charged 1.6-litre for it to become a truly engaging drive. Unfortunately that would also mean that consumption from its current 12.9km/L would plummet.
Conclusion
If you're not too concerned about the power deficiency, you can't go wrong with Britain's best-selling car. You get pretty decent build quality, excellent Euro NCAP five star rating and a pretty good list of standard options.
To sum up, if you're looking for a practical four door hatch with decent mileage, the Ford Focus shouldn't be far from your mind. It is still a pleasure to drive despite the asthmatic 1.6-litre. Although a slightly larger powerplant would definitely win it a lot more fans.
Conclusion
If you're not too concerned about the power deficiency, you can't go wrong with Britain's best-selling car. You get pretty decent build quality, excellent Euro NCAP five star rating and a pretty good list of standard options.
To sum up, if you're looking for a practical four door hatch with decent mileage, the Ford Focus shouldn't be far from your mind. It is still a pleasure to drive despite the asthmatic 1.6-litre. Although a slightly larger powerplant would definitely win it a lot more fans.
