Ford Focus hatchback

Drive

Put simply, there's no better compact family car to drive than the Ford Focus. Its new chassis ensures all the agility and fun of the old car remain, but the latest model is now more grown-up, so it is more comfortable and is quieter. Highlights are the new electric power steering system, which is very smooth and a joy to use, and ‘torque vectoring’ which means there's lots of grip from the tyres even in the wet. The line-up is wide with 1.6-litre petrol engines ranging from 104bhp to 180bhp and 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre diesels ranging from 95bhp to 161bhp. There is also a clever three-cylinder 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol offered with 98bhp or 123bhp. The 180bhp 1.6-litre EcoBoost turbocharged petrol found in the Zetec S is fast and returns more than 47mpg, but it costs just over £20,000. Best value is the 113bhp 1.6TDCI Zetec, which posts 67mpg and costs £18,495.

Comfort

The suspension fitted to the old Ford Focus was criticised for being rather stiff - making the car feel fidgety over rough roads. The new car is far more comfortable, it's better at absorbing bumps and is very relaxing on a long journey. Road and wind noise are low and there's a real ‘big car’ feel which helps munch the miles. If you’re tempted to replace the standard 16-inch wheels with optional 17-inch or 18-inch items, expect the ride to get much worse, particularly around town. The driving position is good thanks to reach and rake adjustment and supportive seats, while reasonably thin pillars at the front and the rear make it easy to see out of. The premium-quality cabin is logically laid out with a mobile phone-inspired centre console. However, on high-specification models there are too many buttons.

Reliability

Ford's new Focus will have undergone an extremely rigorous set of tests over many thousands of miles so, while it's not possible to predict impeccable reliability at this early stage, there's a good chance that faults will be few and far between. Interior quality is also excellent with all switches and materials feeling of a very high quality. The Focus has also received a full five stars from Euro NCAP thanks to front, side and curtain airbags as well as electronic systems like lane departure warning and a driver tiredness monitor. Anti-skid control and ABS are also both standard.

Practicality

At 1.5m high, 4.4m long and 1.8m wide, the new five-door model is 16mm lower, 21mm longer and 16mm narrower than the outgoing car – and inside there's definitely more headroom and legroom for rear passengers. You really can travel with a pair of six-foot rear passengers sitting behind similarly-sized front occupants. However, boot space has been sacrificed and is now below the class average. With just 316 litres, it trails the Vauxhall Astra by 54 litres. At least the split-fold rear seats are easy to drop flat to extend the luggage area for larger items. Buyers who struggle with reversing parking can now also opt for Park Assist, an automatic parallel park feature.

Value for money

New Ford Focus models come in Edge, Zetec, Titanium and Titanium X trim levels. Standard on entry-level Edge models is air-conditioning, digital radio, Bluetooth, electric windows, and central locking. Zetec adds 16-inch alloys, a Quickclear windscreen and heated door mirrors. Titanium and Titanium X models are get keyless go, cruise control, hill start assist, automatic lights and wipers as well as some other premium features. Prices are expensive, costing more than the equivalent Volkswagen Golf, but you're guaranteed a car that is one of the best in its class so the expense is worthwhile.

Running costs

With the latest engine technology on-board every single Focus in the line-up has a CO2 emissions figure under 140g/km – an incredible feat considering the amount of engines on offer. There's currently no model that offers a road-tax and congestion charge exempt 99g/km figure but it's only a matter of time before an ECOnetic model is introduced which hits the magic number. Most efficient of the current line-up is the 1.6-litre TDCi Duratorq diesel engine that claims 109g/km and fuel economy of 67.3. The 123bhp 1.0-litre Ecoboost petrol engine returns an impressive 56.5mpg, while the worst of the lot is the 1.6-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, which emits 139g/km of CO2 and is capable of 47.1mpg combined.