New Focus

[Simon]

Have sat in a couple over the last week. Didn't get to drive either as the dealers in question are both waiting for their 180bhp cars to come in (they only had 125bhp cars in stock, and Ford have only just started building the former).

Firstly, these are ST-Line X models. Ford have really upped their game. The first thing you notice is that you can sit so much lower than any Focus from before. The seats are very supporting. Electric in this case, but it's a shame you can't raise and lower the front and rear of the seat separately. The wheel is chunky - maybe too chunky - but feels high quality and nice to hold. The pedals are well spaced, with space to rest your left foot and they're not offset at all. Infotainment is Sync3, which has been around for a couple of years in the Mondeo. Decent. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It's not an integrated screen, like so many cars nowadays, but it seems to sit on a ledge on the dash (like the new Fiesta) rather than stuck on the front (like a C Class). The handbrake is gone, replaced by an electric one. The switchgear is a step up in quality and design from the Mk3, which, let's face it, isn't hard.

Moving to the back, sitting 'behind myself' is easy. There's a lot of room in the back. Impressively so. This is because Ford have moved the dash and wheel forwards towards the windscreen, and so have moved the front seats forward creating more room in the back. No complaints there. The boot is a good size for this sector and surprisingly square.

Swapping from this to a Mk5 Mondeo (also in the dealer) and back again was interesting. The Mondeo feels like a generation behind now, which it is really, considering the Fusion launched in 2013 in the USA. It received some changes before being launched here, but even then it's clearly aging. The Mondeo will get a facelift in a couple of months, but what's more interesting is that the Mk6 will no longer (of course) be a 'world car' (because Ford is dropping 'cars' in the USA), but will instead be based on this new Focus platform, which should make it great. But considering how large the Mk5 is compared to the Focus, there really isn't that much more room inside to show for it.

Driving the 180 when they come into stock in the next 3 weeks or so, if they don't sell them first.

Impressed. And according to the reviews it's now the best car to drive in this sector again. Will be interesting to see if they bring some sort of auto to anything with more than 150bhp, as that's lacking at present.

[Gavin]

What struck me was the fact that a tiny engined mid size estate car cost about £27k!!! For a blooming Focus estate....

[Simon]

That's not a Ford thing though - that's just the market. They're all in that ballpark...

[speedingfine]

Saw my first one on the road yesterday, looked smart.