Ford FOCUS 1.6 ZETEC
Ford Cant Afford To Get The Latest Focus Wrong. Andy Enright Drives The Model Smack In The Middle Of Focus Heartland The 1.6-Litre Zetec
Progress can be a double-edged sword. As cars become bigger, safer and more environmentally responsible, the good old hedonistic qualities such as handling and fun behind the wheel often become increasingly diluted. When a car majors on fun and handling, developing into a more mature second generation model can suddenly turn it from an excellent product into one thats landed squarely in the middle of the pack. Fords Focus faces this particular challenge, but can it rise to the top yet again?
I can clearly remember the first time I drove a Ford Focus. The overwhelming impression was one of sheer disbelief coupled with enormous admiration. By sheer chance, we were driving the Focus in convoy with a performance
Audi and the little Focus in that instance a 2.0-litre Zetec left the German car in its wake through a set of twisties.
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Even though the Focus went on to become a virtually permanent fixture at the top of the UK sales charts, few realised quite how good it was and quite how much work had gone into making it so. Thats a trick the latest generation Focus needs to reprise. The car I chose to drive to judge whether it was capable of pulling off this particular trick was the 1.6-litre Zetec model, priced in five-door trim at £13,945.
Part of the problem facing this Focus is that its expected to repeat the massive leap forward in terms of driving dynamics realised by its predecessor and, in short, it cant. Part of the reason for this is that the Focus rivals back in 1997 were such a mediocre bunch that almost any subsequent offering would feel pretty talented. Only the
Peugeot 306 stood out as a car youd look forward to driving. Today things are a whole lot different, with outrageously talented rivals like the
Volkswagen Golf and the
Vauxhall Astra to contend with.
Therefore, instead of trying to differentiate the Focus in terms of handling agility,
Ford have instead targeted quality as their big improvement with this generation model.
"The Zetec feels an impressively polished product"
Quality is an interesting concept. Perhaps perceived quality would be a more accurate description of what Ford are looking to nail down. There are quite a few manufacturers often German - who are fortunate enough to have earned a quality image and are thus able to charge premium prices but customer satisfaction surveys often betrays the gulf between perceived and actual quality. Ford have long enjoyed excellent satisfaction scores with the Focus.
Now all they need to do is to improve the look and feel. The Zetec model certainly looks pleasantly finished. Manufacturers utilise a number of tricks to improve the perception of quality. Metallic finished detailing, jewel effect lights, doors that curve over at the tops to increase the feeling of width, weight in the doors to give a solid slam sound, slush moulding for a soft-touch dashboard top and so on the Focus has it all.
Its a bit of a shame that Ford didnt go the whole hog as some of the interior trim rather lets the side down. Sitting next to the beautiful Sony branded stereo are ventilation controls that feel scratchy and mean and a gear lever thats moulded in thin plastic. Likewise, its a thoughtful touch to provide steering column mounted audio controls, but when the whole unit wobbles as if its about to snap off and is in any case carried over from the old car, the impression of quality is diluted. The 1.
6-litre engine is new to the Focus line up and features Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (TI-VCT). This adds 15bhp to the old 1.6-litre engines power output, lifting it to 115bhp, but also reduces fuel consumption by five per cent. At low engine speeds, the engine control unit leaves the cams in their default position, which then optimises easy starting.
Once the engine speed increases, two oil flow control valves adjust the cam timing for higher airflow. Unlike engines fitted with variable valve timing, theres no sudden step where you feel power increase or step off. Its not the most accelerative unit of its type weve ever come across, although much of the engines good work is doubtless blunted by what is quite a heavy car. Even in mildly sporting Zetec trim, theres quite some compliance in the suspension, which means that although ride quality is fantastic, theres not the razor sharp turn-in of the old car.
The steering system must also take some blame for this. Although the electrically assisted rack is accurate, theres not a great deal of feel or feedback. This cars chassis is in fact a whole lot better than it feels, the uncommunicative steering doing its best to mask some excellent front end grip. The brakes arent too subtle either, offering punchy stopping power but are slightly overservoed.
Feathering the middle pedal into a corner is actually rather difficult. The Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec emerges as a better all-round car than its predecessor, although some of the magic has dissipated. Its bigger, more comfortable, quicker, cleaner and more economical but the sheer tactility and handling that made the Focus truly great has been emasculated, buried beneath a crushing weight of quality, safety and statistics.
Will it matter? For most buyers, probably not. I cant help but feel a pang of sadness.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Ford Focus Zetec 1.6 five-door
PRICES: £13,495 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 6
CO2 EMISSIONS: 155g/km
PERFORMANCE: [1.6 Ti-VCT] Max Speed 117mph / 0-60mph 10.6s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.0TDCi] (average) 43.8mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags, ABS with brake assist
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4342/1840/1447
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