Ford’s revised Focus packs a pleasant surprise

Donal Byrne

Mid-life revisions of cars - or facelifts, as they are known - are used all the time by car companies to keep buyers’ interests tweaked and keep costs down. Usually they don’t involve a great deal of change - the basic model remains the same but you are offered extras such as upgraded headlight systems and minor design changes: perhaps a new grille.

Every so often though a facelift comes along that is a genuine surprise, but it takes a manufacturer with deep pockets to introduce one. And Ford has surprised a lot of people with the revised Focus, which goes on sale in November. The car does not look all that different from the existing model - there is a new grille that borrows from Aston Martin and the same style features on the current Fiesta - but the car doesn't exactly have an arresting profile.

The interior has also been revised and information technology, obviously, is now a stronger feature for the car. There is a colour touch screen that allows you to access most functions and it is a big improvement on the cluttered dashboard of the previous model. This is quite a flaw on many Ford cars - everything works but there are simply too many buttons to fiddle with. Now you have something Ford’s competitors offer - a more intuitive experience.

What comes as a revelation with the new car, however, are its driving dynamics. The chassis has been finely tuned and leaves not just the existing Focus in its wake but also its direct competitors. The words “class leading” come too easily to the lips of everyone involved in developing cars but the accolade now rests with the new Focus rather than any of its competitors, the VW Golf and the Opel Astra included.

The car is surefooted and precise and gives a combination of ride and handling that you simply don’t expect in the C segment of the car market. After all, the Focus belongs to a class that offers up what it thinks the average motorist wants - predictable, safe, economical and comfortable driving. But this Focus goes much further. It is a pleasure to drive and delivers a really rewarding experience.

The big seller is likely to be the 1.6 Style diesel with a choice of either 93 or 113 horse power. There will also be a 2.0 litre with 147 horse power and Ford’s impressive - if thirsty - 1.0 litre EcoBoost petrol version will also be available with either 98 or 123 horse power resources.

Prices start at €20,295 but you will pay more for a Style version at launch time, which means you will pay extra for things like air conditioning and cruise control, neither of which comes as standard. The basic model does not get features such as electronic stability and hill launch assist but does not have the touch screen system. Prices for the Style version with the touch screen have yet to be finalised.

Given that about six or seven Focus cars have rolled off a production line since you started reading this, it is not surprising that Ford is anxious not to lose sight of its core customers and offer value for money but until we see the price of items like the Sync touch screen we won’t know what true value might have been offered. The screen is advanced but practical, offering everything from control of audio and navigation to voice recognition in the up-rated versions.

Other cars in this segment may offer more practicality than the Focus but the car does not fall all that far short of being a very attractive family option. Where it does shine is with the re-engineering that has given the class back some driving engagement. The Golf would be a hard competitor to knock off its perch but the new Ford certainly casts a long shadow for it.