Ford FOCUS ESTATE RANGE
The British Market For Small Estate Cars Is Correspondingly Diminutive But That Wont Stop
Ford Trying To Claim A Sizeable Chunk Of It With Their Latest Focus Estate. Andy Enright Reports
Youre probably not going to buy this car. No, really. If youre sold on a Ford and need to load luggage, youll step up to a Mondeo whereas if shifting people is a priority, youll likely opt for a Focus C-MAX. Sales data indicates that one of the last things youll do is sign on the dotted line for a Ford Focus Estate.
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Youre probably not going to buy this car. No, really. If youre sold on a
Ford and need to load luggage, youll step up to a Mondeo whereas if shifting people is a priority, youll likely opt for a Focus C-MAX. Sales data indicates that one of the last things youll do is sign on the dotted line for a Ford Focus Estate.
Its not just a Focus thing either.
Vauxhall Astra,
Peugeot 307 and
Toyota Corolla estates have all given dealer principals the length and breadth of the country a case of the cold sweats, remaining resolutely glued to dealership floors. Whereas the large estate sector is showing the first signs of a recovery post the MPV boom, small estates are still the leper colony of British motoring. All of which is something of a shame as the Focus Estate might just be the most attractive bodystyle available.
Its certainly a good deal bonnier than the outgoing model a car that seemed to suck all the life and verve from the excellent Focus platform and transmogrify it into something rather less lovely. The current generation model has a hefty shovelful of styling flair, the rising windowline and tapered roofline gving it a tauter, more dynamic stance. The styling of the glasshouse may look a little reminiscent of the
Honda Stream, but the overall look is anything but derivative. Ford have worked hard to give the car a more muscular look and the results are tangible.
Despite the sexier lines, theres a clear bias towards practicality and the Focus Estate features a no-nonsense but versatile load bay. Fully carpeted, it includes a pair of lashing hooks on either side to secure luggage during sharp cornering, although enterprising owners can also make use of the rear
seat anchor points for much the same purpose. Given that these are metal loops rather than plastic hooks, this may well represent a more practical option for heavier items. A retractable luggage cover serves to keep your belongings away from prying eyes although theres not the sort of underfloor tray that many manufacturers increasingly specify.
"The overall look is anything but derivative"
A 12v auxiliary power outlet on the side of the load bay is a neat touch, as are the indented grab handles on the inside of the tailgate. If youre reasonably tall, strong and limber of wrist, you can even close the tailgate in this way without getting your hands dirty on road grime plastered to the back of the car. The tailgate opens so high that even if you stand 64" tall, youll not bump your head. The downside to this si that shorter owners may well have difficulty reaching it. Theres no strap hanging down from the handle, so if youre very small, you may encounter difficulties here. The other issue when opening the tailgate is that approximately 75 per cent of the water that gathers on it falls onto the rear light cluster with the other quarter landing squarely on the luggage cover or, if its retracted, your gear.
The loading lip is low and features a non-slip surface, but it would have been nice to see some longitudinal rails built into the floor of the load bay so that bags can easily be slid into position. On the plus side, the load floor is perfectly flat with zero intrusion from the compact rear suspension assembly. Break out the tape measure and youll find the Focus among the leading contenders in its class when it comes to space. Theres 475 cubic litres of load space with the 60/40 rear bench in place, which compares favourably to the 385 litres available in a Focus hatch.
Drop the seats and theres a cavernous 1525 litres, making the Focus a good deal bigger than many executive class estate cars. With the seats in place the load bay is just over 104cm long, 116cm wide and up to 89cm high. With the rear seats folded you have a 167cm long distance from seat back to tailgate. Utilising schoolboy trigonometry, I believe this means that you can, in effect, carry a pair of 203cm skis diagonally.
Thats quite some achievement for a car that retains all of the Focus driving dynamics. Prices kick off at £12,845 for the 1.6-litre Studio model, topping out at £18,525 for the range-topping 2.0-litre TDCi diesel in Titanium trim.
Between the two are LX, Sport, Zetec, Zetec Climate and Ghia trim variants with no fewer than seven engine variants. The 1.6-litre engine I tried 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.
As good as it is, its tough seeing too many takers for the Focus Estate. Drive one and you could easily be convinced of its merits but to many buyers small estate has an oxymoronic quality that doesnt excite them. The Focus Estate deserves a better rub of the green. Its well built, designed with care and actually looks very sharp.
Theyve caught on in Europe where estate sales are resolutely buoyant. We may need additional incentivising.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Ford Focus Estate range
PRICES: £12,845-£18,525 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 4-10
CO2 EMISSIONS: 127-170g/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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