Ford Focus Estate

No matter how carefully you pack, a compact family hatch sometimes simply isn’t big enough. Enter the Focus estate – the car Ford hopes will answer the needs 

of family drivers everywhere.

Opinion is divided over the hatchback’s distinctive looks, and the load-carrier certainly makes a big impression, too. The sharp headlights, gaping grille and striking creases of the five-door are still present and correct, but there are changes at the back.

The tailgate is raked to give a sleek profile, and while the estate shares the hatch’s wheelbase, the body has been lengthened by nearly 200mm at the rear to boost load space. Whatever you think of the result, there’s no denying it’s a more modern and striking design than the conventional-looking Skoda.

Ford now offers turbo engines to improve performance and emissions, but the entry-level 1.6-litre petrol driven here is naturally aspirated. And although it has the edge on capacity over the 1.2-litre turbo Skoda, it trails on torque by some way, offering 159Nm to its rival’s 175Nm.

The Focus is hampered further by its five-speed box, and struggled during our in-gear acceleration tests. The drag from 30-50mph in fourth took 8.8 seconds – that’s 2.3 seconds longer than in the Octavia.

On the road, the difference is noticeable as the newcomer feels flat and lifeless after a run in the lively Skoda. Despite its limited straight-line pace, the Ford excels in other areas, providing more grip, feedback and precision on flowing roads. As a result, it’s a more entertaining drive.

Estate car buyers are likely to be more concerned with load space than driving thrills, though, and this is where the Focus comes unstuck. Open its sloping tailgate, and it clearly pays the price for its stylish exterior, as its 476-litre boot is visibly much smaller than its rival’s 605-litre bay.

The tape measure shows the luggage area is wider, as there is less intrusion from its wheelarches. The absence of a false boot floor also provides extra height.

Still, the Skoda’s bay is longer, more carefully thought out and trimmed to a higher standard. The Ford’s rear bench splits 60:40, and available stowage space increases to a useful 1,502 litres when fully folded – yet this figure still trails its gigantic rival by 153 litres.

Move further forward, and the Focus begins to look more appealing, as its busy cabin is more eye-catching than the plain design of its rival. The main audio screen and optional sat-nav display are small compared to the larger readout in the Octavia, although the Ford makes up for this with a high-quality display between the speedometer and rev counter on the dashboard.

Unlike the basic dot-matrix version found between the dials on the Skoda, the full-colour screen is crisp and clear. It can be used to show your current music choice, trip computer functions and sat-nav directions. Our model was fitted with optional 17-inch alloy wheels.

We would be tempted to avoid these, as the Ford generated more road noise on the move than its rival, and its suspension didn’t cope as easily with bumps. We think smaller rims would improve both matters.

One of the newcomer’s key attractions is its big-car feel, and this is heightened by the availability of advanced features such as Lane Departure Warning and Road Sign Recognition. Considering there’s so much hi-tech safety kit on offer, our model’s five-speed gearbox is behind the times. It shifts smoothly enough, but the absence of a tall sixth ratio hits economy. Cruising at 70mph in the Focus requires an extra 650rpm from the engine, and contributes to the car’s shortfall at the pumps.

Our return of 30.4mpg was 7.1mpg behind the more efficient Skoda, and its CO2 emissions reflect this. The 139g/km output places the Focus in the same road tax bracket as the Octavia, but it’s a different story for company car users, as it pushes the Ford into a higher benefit-in-kind band.

Details

Chart position: 2
WHY: The latest Focus promises to be even more practical as an estate. Entry-level 1.6-litre Zetec model should be good value, too.