Introduction
What Car? says...
As SUVs become ever more popular, the Ford Focus and other traditional family hatchbacks face a serious challenge to retain sizeable share of the market. Even so, the Focus still does well in the sales charts, and that owes a lot to perhaps its greatest asset: fun handling.
For this latest version, Ford has worked to improve the areas that previous generations of Focus have dropped the ball: interior quality, rear leg room, boot space and on-board tech. Those are all things it needs to get right if it’s going to be competitive in the hotly contested family car class.
So, is the Ford Focus the best family hatchback out there? That’s what we’re going to figure out over the next few pages, as we put it through its paces in key areas including performance, practicality and running costs. We'll also let you know which engine and trim combination makes most sense.
When you've decided on the right model for you (regardless of brand), make sure you pay a fair price by searching our free What Car? New Car Deals service. It's a great place to find new family car deals.
Read our comparison test: Ford Focus vs Ford Fiesta
FAQs
In the 2022 What Car? Reliability Survey, the Focus didn’t fare too well against rivals, coming near the bottom of the family car table. Ford as a brand didn’t do much better, placing 27th out of the 32 included brands.
Our preferred version is the entry-level Titanium trim with the 1.0 Ecoboost 125 petrol engine. That combination keeps costs down while still giving you plenty of power and lots of standard kit.
In short, yes. Even if you go for the Titanium version rather than one of the sportier trim levels, it has great body control and steering that keeps you involved. If performance is a priority, have a look at the hot hatch version, the Ford Focus ST.
It depends what you're looking for in a car. The Ford Fiesta and the Focus are both good to drive and quite economical, but the Focus is bigger, so it gives you more space inside for front and rear passengers.
| RRP price range | £27,080 - £39,950 |
|---|---|
| Number of trims (see all) | 7 |
| Number of engines (see all) | 3 |
| Available fuel types (which is best for you?) | petrol |
| MPG range across all versions | 35.3 - 54.3 |
| Available doors options | 5 |
| Warranty | 3 years / 60000 miles |
| Company car tax at 20% (min/max) | £1,502 / £2,875 |
| Company car tax at 40% (min/max) | £3,003 / £5,751 |
| Available colours |
