Ford Focus range : FOCAL POINT

June Neary tries out Britain's best seller, Ford's Focus

You'd certainly know that Ford's latest Focus is, well, a Focus. The styling is a development of that used on the original model, a car with looks that I loved and a facelift has sharpened the whole package visually. Like its stablemates, this Ford's smart appearance actually enhances its practicality. The wide upright stance improves both internal space and driving stability. The Focus also has a distinctive rear section with high-mounted light clusters that make the car easier for following drivers to see. If, like me, you think that's useful, you'll probably be surprised to find that the design also allows for a wider tailgate opening. In all, it's a package that has the looks and the features to suit me.

Buyers continue to choose from three and five-door hatches, as well as a saloon and an estate variant. No matter which one's right for you, you'll be driving a car with one of the longest wheelbases and highest rooflines in its class. That means you'll have more cabin space than you would if you chose many of its rivals. When it comes to gadgets, I just can't get enough of them. After all, they really do increase the 'feel good factor' when you spend so much of your day behind the wheel. The Focus Zetec model I tested satisfied my demands with central locking, sports suspension, the Quickclear windscreen, electric front windows, air conditioning, ESP and ABS. There was also a key-operated lock for the bonnet hidden behind the Ford badge, along with incredible 'get you home' electronics that keep the engine running, even if the radiator is out of coolant. I remember the original Focus as suiting drivers of all sizes with wider opening doors and more headroom than the class norm. The latest model expands on this theme, offering an optional electrically adjustable pedal set. The multi-adjustable steering column helps in ensuring a comfortable driving position and Ford have integrated a number of practical aspects from the C-MAX mini-MPV including a glove box big enough to house a 1.5-litre bottle, a sunglasses holder, a dash-top cubby and class-leading luggage space. Although it seems hard to believe given that almost coupe-like silhouette, this MK2 Focus design actually improves the rear seat accommodation and luggage space. This is partly due to Ford increasing the length of the rear overhang slightly to give a hefty 385-litre carrying capacity. The compact control-blade rear suspension helps here, as the load bay is completely flat and unencumbered by suspension intrusion.

As the ads suggest, the Focus interior looks reassuringly expensive. The branded Sony stereo, the metallic detailing on the centre console, instruments and chunky-rimmed steering wheel, the soft-touch fascia and the silicon-damped hinges all smack of executive class investment. Developers have worked to ensure that the feel of the switches - a push button in the door, for example - should have the same sound, feel and travel as a push button in the centre console or the sunroof control and that rotary switches retain the same feel whether they marshal mechanical or electrical applications. Engine-wise, petrol buyers have the old 78bhp 1.4 and 98bhp 1.6-litre units at the foot of the range. If you need to go faster, there's a 123bhp 1.8-litre option, a 143bhp 2.0-litre petrol unit and the 220bhp 2.5-litre powerplant found in the ST models. For diesel buyers, there's an entry-level 108bhp 1.6-litre TDCi, while above this unit sits the highly acclaimed 2.0-litre TDCi diesel that Ford developed with Peugeot, now available in 110bhp as well as 136bhp guises.

On the road prices range from just under £12,000 to around £20,000. Whatever your budget, you'll find the Focus cheap to run: there are major components throughout the vehicle, which are designed to require minimal or even no maintenance.

Certainly, The Focus is a pleasure to drive and very easy to own - a concept that could only have been a dream for family motorists a decade ago.