Ford Focus vs. Vauxhall Astra

Why the comparison?

Why not? It's a comparison that buyers make every day in the UK. Whether it be on the company car list or poring through the brochures researching a private purchase, the Astra and Focus have long competed against each other. Since the Focus was introduced to replace the Escort it's the Ford that's been lauded as the car for people who enjoy driving, but the Astra has gotten closer on driver appeal with every new model. The Focus used to have the edge on style, too, yet despite a very recent restyle that Ford claims saw every body panel except the roof change, the Astra is still arguably the better looker. So driver emphasis or style? That's what this head-to-head might come down to, as in every other area the Focus and Astra are so close it's difficult to separate them.

How are they similar?

Well they are both huge sellers; indeed they're the most important cars in their respective manufacturers' ranges. They regularly fight it out at the top of the UK sales leagues, selling in big numbers to both company and private buyers. Unsurprisingly then the model ranges largely shadow each other; both have sporting flagships, estate versions, three-door models and even folding hardtop coupe-cabriolets. But the majority sold are the middling five-door models with petrol engines - 1.6- or 1.8-litres to be exact, Ford reckoning that the petrol/diesel model mix still remains 65% in petrol's favour - even in these increasingly diesel conscious times.

So we're pitching two of the likeliest big sellers against each other here, the Astra 1.6-litre Club five-door and the Focus five-door 1.6-litre Style. They're priced within £20 of each other, the Focus listed at £14,545, the Astra at £14,565. The Vauxhall offers 105bhp compared to the 100bhp of the Focus, that small power difference manifesting itself in a faster 0-62mph time for the Astra - 11.2 seconds bettering the Ford's 11.9 seconds. Combined consumption figures are 42.2mpg for the Ford and 43.5mpg for the Vauxhall, while CO₂ emissions for the Vauxhall are also marginally better at 156g/km compared to the Focus' 159g/km. Tiny margins of difference then, though on paper it's the Vauxhall that's the better car.

How do they differ?

The fractional differences between the cars on fuel consumption, CO₂ and acceleration don't really highlight the wider picture though. While both offer spacious cabins with the ability to sit four adults in reasonable comfort the Focus feels the more airy, and rear visibility in the Astra not as good as in the Ford. The Blue Oval's recent refresh of the Focus has added a new, easier to operate central console, which is far smarter looking than the rather clunky controls in the Astra. Visually, and for tactile appeal, the Ford's interior has the Astra beaten, and as that's where you'll be spending most of your time, that's important. The Astra is - in our opinion at least - the better looker on the outside; Ford might claim a significant 'restyle' of its Focus, but you'll need to be a fairly committed car spotter to really notice the differences.

The Focus fights back convincingly on the road. The Astra's good by any conventional measure, with a more willing engine than the Focus, but the Ford flows down tough back-roads with a fluidity and poise that nothing in its class - and many classes above - can compete with. The steering is incisive and loaded with feel, the gearshift quick and slick and its body control exceptional. The Astra, though not a bad drive in isolation, feels blunt in comparison to the Ford. Equipment is pretty much identical between the models, each coming with alloy wheels, air conditioning, decent stereo equipment and all the airbags, ISOFIX child seat fittings and seatbelt pre-tensioners necessary to help keep your family safe. But with its new Focus Ford has added ESP (Electronically Stability Programme) to the standard equipment list across the range - it being a cost option on the Astra.

So which one would we have?

In all seriousness we'd be happy with either. Some will pick one purely based on the fact that there's a dealer a few miles away making for a hassle-free ownership experience. However, if we were buying we'd probably opt for the Ford. That's purely on the basis that the Focus is the car that takes some of the grind out of daily driving, and really delivers grins when you want to enjoy it. The Astra runs it very close indeed, but the Focus would be our choice.

Kyle Fortune