Ford Focus review

Thinking back to our school days, most of us can recall at least one teacher pointing out calmly — or perhaps loudly and irritably, depending on their mood and where we fell on the waywardness spectrum — that “you must focus if you want to succeed”. Well, modify that mantra mildly and it’s apt for Ford; it has got a Focus and, by crikey, does it need its family hatchback to succeed.

You see, Ford has sold more than 16 million Focuses worldwide since 1998, which comes, in part, thanks to a consistent reputation for sublime ride and handling. For the sake of the company's bottom line, that tally needs adding to.

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So for this fourth generation it has pulled out all the stops. Not just to continue that hereditary dynamic sparkle, but also to improve areas where previous Focuses have dropped the ball: interior quality, interior space and on-board technology. These are all areas in which chief rivals, including the Volkswagen Golf at the pricier end of the market and the Skoda Octavia at the cheaper end, do rather well.

So, can Ford’s family stalwart raise the game? To find out, keep reading the next few pages and we’ll walk you through every aspect of the Focus, with key comparisons to its closest competition .

And, did you know that when you’re done you can find the best deals on all new cars, not just the Focus, through our no-hassle New Car Buying page?