ROAD TEST FORD FOCUS 1.6 DIESEL ZETEC SALOON:The blue oval brand has packed its Focus diesel saloon full of technical wizardry. But will it please the masses?
“IT IS WELL ENOUGH that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning.” So reckoned Henry Ford. Or at least that’s what he’s quoted as saying, for the man, whose ancestors hailed from Cork, has been attributed with more prescient sayings than Nostradamus. We haven’t had his views on the Twitter just yet, but give it time.
Workers building widgets on monotonous production lines in breeze block factories across the globe might not fully appreciate Henry’s advocacy for the mass production system but he did bring motoring to the American masses with his Model T. The founder may have been a fixture in the highest tier of US society, but there has always been a pride in the blue collar roots at the blue oval brand.
It’s only fitting, therefore, that the firm should claim its newest mass market car – aimed for all its markets globally – offers the latest in technical wizardry to the masses with its new Focus. From Mongolia to Manhattan, the same new Focus has gone on sale.
The car is billed as bristling with gadgetry normally reserved for the sort of people who are on first-name terms with their bank manager. What’s more, this technology isn’t about bling. It’s about saving lives.
Much of it is down to a camera fitted at the back of the rearview mirror. This monitors traffic signs, automatically controls headlights at night and helps the driver stay in lane.
It’s also an integral part of the new Active City Stop system that uses radar to continuously monitor the road ahead. When it encounters an obstacle the signal bounces back to the car and the difference in speed and the distance is used to work out if a collision is likely. If it is and the driver doesn’t react, the brakes are then automatically applied and the throttle is released. Designed for town driving, the system is active at speeds below 30 km/h.
As for keeping in lane, while several cars now have something similar, the Focus version not only monitors when you stray over the lines without indicating, it can also steer the car back into line. There is also a feature that shows the speed limit in the area you are driving by reading the speed signs and displaying the info.
All these technologies might not be brand new to the world of motoring (active stop technology is shared with former sister brand Volvo in its new S60), but it certainly will be to the average Focus buyer.
Before you get too excited, however, none of this new technology is standard in Ireland. The active stop will set you back an extra €420 and an entire array of the systems under a “driver assist pack” costs between €1,500 and €1,650.
In truth not all of the systems are worth it. The self-correcting lane departure system is smart on paper but a real pain in practice. And active city stop could save you repair money, but it’s a toy that’s hard to show off.
Without these features, does the new Focus lose its lustre? Not at all. Ford’s big-selling hatchback has been the best-handling car in its class and this one is no different. And that’s a major achievement, for not only has the competition got much better but Ford has moved to an electric steering system. When handling is your forte, such a move is a monumentally risky, but the engineers have pulled it off.
The feeling is remarkably mechanical and accurate, without any of the spongy feel that is synonymous with similar systems. The savings are in weight and ultimately fuel consumption. An enjoyable early morning run across the Sally Gap showed the car has lost none of its handling prowess, while earlier this year we spent two days driving it on the twisting mountain roads of southern France.
Part of the new steering system is what Ford calls its “torque vectoring control”. This ever-so-slightly brakes the inside front wheel in a corner to allow more torque to the outside wheel, supposedly offering greater traction and improved handling. It’s a smart engineering feat – if poorly named.
As to the car’s looks, well it hasn’t lost its lozenge shape but it’s a slightly more stylised offering than before and far more sculpted than most of its rivals. In hatchback format it’s smart – if not as adventurous as Ford would have you believe – while the saloon manages to mimic the Mondeo look for less money.
In terms of powertrains, there is a 2-litre diesel on offer but the 1.6-litre diesel we tested was more than adequate for the car, with plenty of punch and our only gripe was that the six-speed transmission didn’t feel as positive or precise as we would have expected. There’s also a decent 1.6-litre petrol on offer, but in reality the best is yet to come in terms of powertrains. Ford is working on a 1-litre petrol in its EcoBoost range that will pack enough punch to carry the Focus without complaint but with emissions below 100g/km, while an electric version of the car is also in the pipeline.
The new Focus has a premium pedigree in a way that previous versions never came close to approaching. It has some niggling issues, like an interior that’s simply too busy with a clutter of buttons that could seriously do with some revision on entry models. Even on the higher grade system with menu screens, having to scroll through a myriad of them on the dashboard is a distraction – possibly why you might need all that extra gadgetry to keep you safe.
An obvious rival to the Focus are the Golf and Jetta models from VW. Both are nearly as competent to drive, and also carry certain middle-class credentials in Ireland, or aspire to do so at the very least.
This Ford certainly closes the image gap in every way, and the value is better from the blue oval. These days that really counts and overall gives it the edge.
Of the rest, the Opel Astra just doesn’t garner either the public’s respect or its affection. It’s a good car, but not the equal of its two rivals. Toyota’s Corolla is a decent practical challenger, even if the Auris doesn’t live up to its “sporty” aspirations.
Finally, and perhaps the biggest challenger to Focus volume sales, in the saloon format at least, is Renault’s Fluence. This is where Focus will have its biggest fight. The range-topping Irish edition Fluence (who would have thought an Irish edition would be the range-topper?) comes loaded with kit that will add several hundred euros to an equivalently priced Focus. It’s not as good a car, but Irish buyers are rightly fixated on discounts and final prices and that’s where the Fluence scores high.
In the hatchback market the Focus is good enough to see off current rivals with a mix of driving ability, gadgetry, styling, and relatively competitive pricing. In the saloon market the battle could be more bloody, but it’s worth using a test drive as a benchmark to compare the rest against.
Factfile
Engine1,560cc four-cylinder front-wheel drive diesel putting out 114bhp and 270Nm of torque
0-100km/h8.7 secs
Emissions(motor tax) 109g/km (€104)
L/100km urban– 5.1 (55.4); extra-urban – 3.7 (76.4); combined – 4.2 (67.7)
SpecificationsStandard features include: Stereo radio/CD with six speakers and USB connectivity; remote central locking; torque vectoring control; electronic stability programme (ESP) with traction control and emergency brake assist (EBA). Edge version adds: air-con; stereo radio/CD with 3.5-inch central display; leather trimmed steering wheel; Ford EcoMode driver information system including trip/fuel computer. Focus Zetec adds: 16-inch alloys; front fog lights; quickclear (heated) windscreen; premium centre console with armrests; 12-volt front and rear power sockets; sports-tuned suspension. Focus Titanium adds: dual-zone electronic air-con; start button; cruise control with speed limiter; hill start assist; automatic headlights and autowipers; rear lights with LEDs; rear seat folding centre armrest; leather gearshift knob.
Price€23,425 (Focus range starts at €21,225)
