Ford Focus alternatives: six cars to consider instead of the family hatch icon
As the Ford Focus prepares to bow out, we suggest a bunch of hatchbacks that are ready to steal its sales
Since it arrived in 1998, the Ford Focus has been one of the best hatchbacks to buy. It was practical, had a wide variety of trim levels to suit every need and above all, the Focus was genuinely fun to drive.
However, as with the Fiesta and Mondeo a couple of years ago, despite the Focus’s incredible success, Ford has decided to pull the plug on the car, and production will halt later this year. You might think the void left by the Focus means there’s nothing left for the traditional hatchback buyer - but here we list six great alternatives to show there’s plenty of life left in this sector.
Volkswagen Golf
- Prices from £27,760
Even when the Ford Focus was dominating the market, the Volkswagen Golf was never far behind, and the two had quite the rivalry over the years. The Ford may have been better to drive, but you could always rely on Volkswagen to put together the classiest cabin in this segment.
The Golf range starts at £27,760 in Life trim and as you’d expect from a Volkswagen it comes with a load of kit as standard, including built-in sat-na3v, keyless start, adaptive cruise control, a 12.9-inch touchscreen and a wireless smartphone charger. Like a few of the cars on this list, the Golf is also available with a more practical estate body, and there’s a decent selection of powertrains; hot hatch enthusiasts are well catered for by the GTI and R variants. The Golf is also the only car on this list to be one of the UK’s top 10 best-selling cars of 2024.
Peugeot 308
- Prices from £31,820
Unlike the Focus and the Golf, the Peugeot 308 comes with the added flexibility of pure-electric power in the E-308 edition. There are also diesel, mild-hybrid petrol and plug-in hybrid powertrains on offer, so there really is something to suit most needs in the Peugeot hatch.
One area where the 308 isn’t so varied is its line-up of trim levels. Here, you have the option of Allure or GT, which starts at £31,820 with the mild-hybrid. The interior of the 308 is a huge step forward from the old car when it comes to quality and technology, but it’s worth mentioning that the bold i-Cockpit set-up with a small steering wheel and high-set dash display won’t suit everyone; and while the boot capacity (all 412 litres of it) is impressive, it impinges on rear passenger space a tad.
Vauxhall Astra
- Prices from £25,245
The Vauxhall Astra’s longevity is incredible and the current model is the most impressive yet, even if there isn’t a hot-blooded VXR version topping the range. Sitting on the same platform as its Peugeot 308 sibling, the Astra offers all the variety of the French car, but starts in a more basic Griffin trim, bringing the starting price down to £25,245.
We argue the Astra has even more striking looks than the Peugeot and while it’s not as engaging to drive as a Ford Focus, it gives a refined and well mannered driving experience. The Vauxhall is a little pricey in plug-in hybrid or pure-electric form, however, and as in the 308, back-seat passengers might find things a little cramped.
Citroen C4
- Prices from £22,295
The cheapest car on this list comes in the form of the Citroen C4, which in its mild-hybrid petrol guise starts from £22,295. However, the C4 has more appeal than just its entry price tag. It’s also available in all-electric e-C4 trim, and Citroen’s hatchback has a slightly raised ride height to help it negotiate speed bumps and curbs. It’s not the most fun car to drive but it rides beautifully thanks to Citroen’s ‘Advanced Comfort’ set-up.
Recently facelifted for 2025, the C4 comes with a 10-inch touchscreen and 5.5-inch driver’s display as standard, along with 18-inch alloy wheels and automatic dual-zone air-conditioning, but overall it’s not as well equipped as some others – or as practical. Whether you choose petrol or mild-hybrid C4, or the fully electric e-C4, you’ll get a fairly average 380 litres of boot space, with 1,250 litres available with the rear seats lowered.
Toyota Corolla
- Prices from £30,505
The Toyota Corolla is in its 12th generation now and remains not just a popular choice amongst British taxi ranks, but globally too. Toyota’s family hatch comes in both hatch or estate bodystyles and relies on a choice of two hybrid powertrains - a 1.8-litre or 2.0-litre with 138bhp or 193bhp respectively (though a 2025 update will drop the 2.0-litre down to 176bhp).
The real reason why the Corolla has become such a powerhouse in the UK is its excellent efficiency – which has seen it steal sales from its Prius brother. Both engines can return 64.1mpg on a combined cycle, the best of the mild hybrids available on this list. As if that wasn’t enough, the Corolla is also far better-looking than many of its predecessors, steers well, soaks up rough roads nicely, and boasts build quality that’s at least a match for any other car in the segment.
Honda Civic
- Priced from £35,505
You get the sense that Honda really tried with the latest-generation Civic. The interior especially looks slick (despite a relatively dinky nine-inch touchscreen) and feels sturdy with premium materials used throughout - which is all for the best, given the Civic range’s starting price these days.
With the exception of the brilliant Type R hot hatch, every Civic uses the same 2.0-litre hybrid powertrain. It’s a clever set-up that packs two batteries, two electric motors and a CVT to provide efficiency and smoothness. Some of that finely tuned balance from the Type R must have filtered down to the hybrid model, because it’s surprisingly agile on the road. True, the space in the rear seats isn’t the best, but pop open that rakish bootlid and you’ll find a healthy 410-litre capacity back there.
Our dealer network has 1,000s of great value new cars in stock and available now right across the UK. Find your new car…
