Ford Focus Estate - MPG, running costs & CO2

Ford’s award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine now features cylinder deactivation – the first time this technology has appeared in a three-cylinder engine. It means that when you don’t need much power, the engine runs on two of its cylinders and burns less fuel until you need to accelerate or drive up a hill. From mid-2020, two versions of the 1.0-litre engine got mild-hybrid technology to reduce their emissions.

Innovations like this, as well as reduced weight and a slippery shape, mean the Focus Estate should be close to the class leaders for running costs for years to come. Being a Ford, it should also be reasonable to maintain, but lower residual values than models from more desirable badges can have an impact on long-term costs.

Ford Focus Estate MPG & CO2

Fuel-saving technology in the 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine means it can return 55mpg in 124bhp and 153bhp models, with emissions starting from 116g/km. For company-car drivers, this means a healthy Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax band.

While a diesel engine is more expensive to buy initially, drivers with a very high annual mileage could see cost savings thanks to 62.8mpg from the entry-level 1.5-litre EcoBlue. Even the 2.0-litre 148bhp diesel is said to manage 60mpg. CO2 emissions are similar but business users will be subject to a higher BiK than the petrols, as a result of the penalty for diesels.

Ford has tweaked the Focus’ automatic gearbox, and it’s now noticeably more economical than before and therefore easier to recommend. You can still expect nearly 59mpg from the 1.5-litre diesel, although the 7mpg drop for the petrol (47.9mpg) will be a bit more noticeable. CO2 emissions also rise with the automatic gearbox.

Every Ford Focus Estate is liable for annual road tax of £150.

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Insurance

The influx of new safety technology like standard autonomous emergency braking appears to have been viewed favourably by the Association of British Insurers (ABI). The Focus Estate sits in broadly the same groups as its predecessor. An entry-level petrol model is in group 11, while the fast ST model with a petrol engine occupies group 34. The previous entry-level model offered low insurance costs thanks to a group-eight ranking, but it’s no longer available. The 123bhp petrol in Zetec trim sits in group 12, while a sporty ST-Line grade with more power sits in group 17. Diesels span from group 12 to group 20 out of 50.

Servicing

Ford has the largest network of dealers and authorised workshops of any car manufacturer in the UK, and this is one reason its cars are so popular. It also means routine maintenance ought to be relatively convenient, with a workshop in most big towns. Annual servicing is required, or every 12,500 miles if the latter occurs first.

Your Ford dealer can arrange a service contract that takes your annual mileage into account, and this can make it easier to manage running costs. Consumable parts such as tyres and brake components are all readily available, and this helps to keep costs down – even the biggest 18-inch tyres are of a size and specification that's also used by many rival cars.

Warranty

Every Ford sold in the UK has a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which can be extended to four or five years at extra cost. A year's roadside assistance is included, too, but this warranty package is now overshadowed by those from Toyota, Hyundai and Kia – seven years or 100,000 miles in the case of the latter.