JOE went to have a look at the latest incarnation of the Ford Focus as it arrived in Ireland recently and was quietly impressed by a car that will be the benchmark by which so many other cars will be judged.
If there’s one word to describe the Ford Focus then that word is ‘solid’. Of all the cars out there on the market, the Focus is the everyman car – not too small, not too big; not too fancy but fancy enough; the benchmark by which other cars are judged.
A Ford Focus is fairly priced and it can be relied upon to get you from A to B while you sit ensconced in a reasonably comfortable setting. It’s in the C sector of cars and you’ll see a lot of them making their way confidently around Irish roads.
It’s been around for well over a decade and the models that have just been replaced didn’t particularly need replacing as, frankly, there was nothing at all wrong with them.
Not that Ford wasn’t right to replace the existing Ford Focus – to keep punters visiting the forecourts you have to give them something new to have a look at, once in a while.
The concern, however, was this – what if alterations made to the model that replaced the existing car made it not quite as good a car? If it ain’t broke and it’s still selling well, surely it doesn’t need taking back to the boffins at Ford for an overhaul?
Gizmos
Well, the good news is that the new Ford Focus is a noticeable improvement on the car it replaces – with a couple of gizmos included on some models that you’d only really expect on much more expensive vehicles.
It boasts an almost Germanic solidness in the build quality and even the entry-level version I got to drive around Wicklow felt like it had a powertrain that was big enough for the car and for putting through its paces.
And in the case of the new four-door saloon version, it’s so impressive that it’s likely to even give its big brother, the mighty Ford Mondeo, a run for its money. It looks good in pictures, but in the flesh (or rather, the metal) it looks particularly striking.
The engines on the Irish-spec models are all efficient. It comes in the following varieties: 1.6 TDCi 95PS and 115PS Band A diesel (with Auto-Start-Stop technology); 1.6 VCT 105PS and 125PS Band B petrol; and 2.0 TDCi 115PS 6-speed Powershift automatic Band B.
Among the nifty gizmos available are Active City Stop, a system that will automatically bring the car to a halt in the event of a low-speed collision; Auto-Start-Stop which effectively turns off the car’s engine once the car has remained immobile and in neutral for a period of 0.5 seconds, thus saving fuel and reducing emissions; and Torque Vectoring Control which greatly improves cornering as the car reacts to the road 100 times per second resulting in more grip and ultra-precise handling.
Specification details for the range are as follows:
The entry-level Focus features: ESP with traction assist; Ford Intelligent Protection System; body colour bumpers, mirrors and spoiler (5 door); electric front windows; power door mirrors; remote central locking with flip key; stereo radio / CD with USB connectivity; and capless refuelling.
The Focus Edge range offers all of the above, plus air conditioning; trip computer with fuel computer and eco mode driver information system; radio steering wheel toggle controls; leather trim steering wheel; power heated door mirrors; body colour door handles; and comfort front seats.
The Focus Zetec includes everything you get on the Focus Edge, plus 16” 5×2 alloys; front fog lights; Quickclear Windscreen; sports tuned suspension; driver lumbar support; sports style front seats; premium centre console with arm rest and Z-design handbrake.
Finally the Focus Titanium adds 16” 10×2 alloys; dual-zone electronic temperature control; automatic wipers; automatic lights; auto-dimming rear view mirror; hill start assist; and cruise control with automatic speed limiter.
Auto-park
That’s all great, but the gadget that most impresses is the auto-parking function. There are few weirder feelings that can be legally experienced in Ireland than sitting behind the wheel of a Ford Focus as the steering wheel spins and the car parallel parks itself.
In one way letting the car park itself feels a bit like a small part of your manhood has been taken away from you, but on the upside it’s an incredibly efficient way of parking in a small space with minimal effort and zero risk of bumping bumpers.
And even if you do use the auto-parking function, you still have the chance to prove your parking ability when the time comes for you to manoeuvre your way out of the teeny parking space that the car has happily put itself into.
This is a device we’re going to have to get used to – now it’s on a Ford Focus, it won’t be too long before it becomes as standard on cars as airbags and seatbelts.
Prices for the range are as follows:
Focus:
1.6 VCT 105 PS petrol priced from €20,825 (Band B)
1.6 TDCi 95 PS priced from €21,325 (Band A)
Edge:
1.6 VCT 105 PS petrol priced from €21,675 (Band B)
1.6 TDCi 95 PS priced from €22,175 (Band A)
2.0 TDCi 115 PS automatic Powershift priced from €27,425 (Band B)
Zetec:
1.6 VCT 125 PS petrol priced from €23,325 (Band B)
1.6 TDCi 95 PS priced from €23,025 (Band A)
1.6 TDCi 115 PS priced from €23,875 (Band A)
2.0 TDCi 115 PS automatic Powershift priced from €28,275 (Band B)
Titanium:
1.6 VCT 125 PS petrol priced from €24,475 (Band B)
1.6 TDCi 95 PS priced from €24,175 (Band A)
1.6 TDCi 115 PS priced from €25,025 (Band A)
2.0 TDCi 115 PS automatic Powershift priced from €29,425 (Band B)
Prices quoted exclude delivery and related charges. For full listing of prices and options, check out www.ford.ie
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