Ford Focus - Road Tests

# The Ford Focus: A Legacy of Excellence Continues

The Ford Focus has been a staple in the automotive world since its debut in 1998. With over 4 million units sold globally, it’s no wonder this compact car has earned a reputation for being one of the most successful vehicles on the market. Over the years, it has claimed the title of "Car of the Year" on both sides of the Atlantic and has garnered an impressive collection of over 75 car awards. Furthermore, it has held the crown as Britain’s best-selling car for the past six years—a testament to its enduring appeal.

From its sharp, wedgie profile that continues to look fresh decade after decade, to its reputation for being great fun to drive and offering exceptional value for money, the Ford Focus has consistently delivered on what drivers expect. However, in the fast-paced world of automotive innovation, standing still is not an option. Enter the new Ford Focus—designed to carry forward the legacy of its predecessor while introducing improvements that keep it competitive in today’s market.

## A Subtle Evolution in Design

At first glance, the new Ford Focus might appear to be a safer bet compared to its predecessor. Its styling takes a softer, more rounded approach, which some may find a bit less exciting than the original’s bold lines. However, this isn’t to say that the new model lacks character entirely. The design team at Ford has managed to retain enough of the Focus’ signature DNA while incorporating modern touches that keep it relevant in an ever-changing automotive landscape.

While opinions on the外观 may vary, spending a day behind the wheel quickly shifts focus (pun intended) away from aesthetics and towards what truly matters: driving dynamics and overall refinement.

## A Sharper, Smoother Driving Experience

In recent years, Ford’s competitors have upped their game. The Opel Astra and Volkswagen Golf, among others, have become more engaging to drive, offering sharper handling and a more dynamic experience. To stay competitive, the new Focus had to not only match but exceed these improvements.

Fortunately, the new model delivers on this front with ease. Equipped with a 2-liter diesel engine, the Focus provides impressive performance, comparable to its more expensive rivals like the BMW 1 Series. The driving experience is seamless, with a comfortable seating position, smooth and slick gear changes, and a steering system that offers three modes—Comfort, Standard, and Sports—selected via the dashboard menu.

But how does it stack up against its predecessor? The answer, in short, is that it’s better. The chassis has been sharpened to offer a more precise driving experience while maintaining compliance over bumpy roads. The cabin feels quieter, thanks in part to improved隔音 measures, and the new electronic power steering system provides excellent feedback, ensuring that drivers feel connected to the road at all times.

## Interior Improvements

One area where the original Focus fell short was its interior design. Critics often cited cheap plastics and an unconventional layout as drawbacks. Ford has clearly taken these criticisms to heart with the new model. The cabin now features a more conventional design, with better-quality materials that exude a sense of luxury. Everything feels more refined and intuitive, making it easy for drivers to adapt to the car’s ergonomics.

In fact, the interior of the new Focus is now on par with competitors like the latest Volkswagen Golf, offering a more premium feel without compromising on functionality. Gone are the days of the clunky, oddball layout—replaced instead by a cohesive and user-friendly environment that feels both modern and luxurious.

## Looks That Grow on You

While some may initially find the new Focus’s styling a bit underwhelming, spending time with the car quickly changes perceptions. The subtle evolution in design may not be immediately striking, but it grows on you over time. It’s a balance between being familiar and fresh, offering a sense of timelessness that ensures the Focus remains relevant without feeling outdated.

## A Winning Package

Ultimately, the Ford Focus is more than just an incremental update—it’s a complete package that checks all the right boxes for modern drivers. Whether it’s comfort, refinement, or driving dynamics, the new Focus delivers on every front. And perhaps most importantly, it continues to offer exceptional value for money, ensuring that it remains accessible to a wide range of buyers.

With its rich history and continued evolution, the Ford Focus is poised to remain a dominant force in the compact car segment for years to come. It’s a testament to Ford’s ability to listen to its customers, adapt to market trends, and deliver a product that not only meets expectations but exceeds them. So, whether you’re a long-time fan of the Focus or simply looking for a reliable and enjoyable vehicle, the new model is sure to leave a lasting impression—one that keeps it on the road in record numbers.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enthe Ford Focus is an amazingly successful car since 1998 Ford has shifted over 4 million of them it's been car the year on both sides of the Atlantic and it's won no less than 75 other car Awards oh and it's also been Britain's bestselling car for the last 6 years and for good reason its sharp wedgie profile still looks fresh it's always been good value and above all else it's what it was when it was launched all those years years ago great fun to drive but you can't stand still in the volume car game and now it's time for the new focus and this is it and at first glance it looks as if Ford have played it safe it's a sort of softer more bloated version of the original styling themes but compared with the old car well it looks a bit boring but more of that later the big question is is it as fun to drive now Ford's Rivals have recently smartened up their act the Astra and the golf are now much sharper to drive I've just recently driven the much more expensive but similar sized BMW 1 series and that really is a great drive and I have to say with the same size 2 L diesel engine the new focus is nearly as good everything works well the sea position is just right the gear change is smooth and Slick the car's very easy to drive the steering wheel you've got three three different modes you've got Comfort standard and Sports in terms of the waiting that can be selected on the dashboard menu and the answer to the big question is it as good to drive as the old one is a resounding yes in fact it's better the chassis is sharper whilst being more compliant over bumpy roads the cabin is quieter and the new electronic power steering gives you all the feedback you need but Ford hav only made their bestseller better to drive they've also managed to improve on some of the old car's weak points the old Focus was a visual catastrophe inside with its cheap Plastics and odd ball lout I'm pleased to say the new version uses a more conventional design better quality materials and has a much more luxurious feel nothing feels clumsy anymore in fact it's now Easy On a par with say the new golf so what about those looks well initially I thought it was a tad boring but having spent a day with a car it's kind of grown on me but I'll tell you what the upshot is it's a great package it's comfortable it's very well refined it drives well but more importantly it's going to be great value for money and that's why you're going to see thousands on the roadthe Ford Focus is an amazingly successful car since 1998 Ford has shifted over 4 million of them it's been car the year on both sides of the Atlantic and it's won no less than 75 other car Awards oh and it's also been Britain's bestselling car for the last 6 years and for good reason its sharp wedgie profile still looks fresh it's always been good value and above all else it's what it was when it was launched all those years years ago great fun to drive but you can't stand still in the volume car game and now it's time for the new focus and this is it and at first glance it looks as if Ford have played it safe it's a sort of softer more bloated version of the original styling themes but compared with the old car well it looks a bit boring but more of that later the big question is is it as fun to drive now Ford's Rivals have recently smartened up their act the Astra and the golf are now much sharper to drive I've just recently driven the much more expensive but similar sized BMW 1 series and that really is a great drive and I have to say with the same size 2 L diesel engine the new focus is nearly as good everything works well the sea position is just right the gear change is smooth and Slick the car's very easy to drive the steering wheel you've got three three different modes you've got Comfort standard and Sports in terms of the waiting that can be selected on the dashboard menu and the answer to the big question is it as good to drive as the old one is a resounding yes in fact it's better the chassis is sharper whilst being more compliant over bumpy roads the cabin is quieter and the new electronic power steering gives you all the feedback you need but Ford hav only made their bestseller better to drive they've also managed to improve on some of the old car's weak points the old Focus was a visual catastrophe inside with its cheap Plastics and odd ball lout I'm pleased to say the new version uses a more conventional design better quality materials and has a much more luxurious feel nothing feels clumsy anymore in fact it's now Easy On a par with say the new golf so what about those looks well initially I thought it was a tad boring but having spent a day with a car it's kind of grown on me but I'll tell you what the upshot is it's a great package it's comfortable it's very well refined it drives well but more importantly it's going to be great value for money and that's why you're going to see thousands on the road\n"