Ford Focus TDCi Range Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Ford Focus TDCi range
Prices: £17,095-£20,695 - on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 6-10
Emissions: 115-147g/km
Performance: [1.6 TDCi] Max Speed 116mph / 0-60mph 10.9s
Fuel Consumption: [2.0TDCi Estate] (urban) 39.2mpg / (extra urban) 61.3mpg / (combined) 50.4mpg
Safety: Twin front airbags, ABS with brake assist
Dimensions: Length/Width/Heightmm 4342/1840/1447

FOCUS ON FLEXIBILITY

Our Rating: 7.9 / 10

Ford’s latest Focus Diesel range looks set to crush all opposition. Andy Enright reports

It’s amazing that the Ford Focus diesel we had sitting in front of our offices wasn’t being crushed under a vast weight of expectation. Not only was it a second generation Focus complete with the latest facelift, therefore having a lot to live up to, but it also sported one of Ford’s latest generation diesel engines. This was the car that the middle market looked to in order to show the current state of the family hatch art. That’s a big ask for such a modest car.

With diesel sales skyrocketing and with a choice of three or five-door hatches, an estate and a saloon, it’s crucially important that Ford get their diesel offerings right. Fortunately, they had three great engines ready to roll from their C-MAX mini-MPV range into the car we’re looking at here. The 108bhp 1.6-litre diesel is a development of the 1.4TDCi common rail unit and, like the 1.8 and 2.0-litre TDCi powerplants, was developed in conjunction with Peugeot and Citroen, drawing on the shared expertise of both companies.

Ford’s Centre for Diesel Excellence at Dagenham has become a well-respected think tank when it comes to state of the art oil burning engines and the TDCi units do its reputation no harm. The 1.6-litre engine is primarily aimed at customers with an eye on fuel economy, and in 108bhp form, will return a very creditable 57.6mpg on the combined cycle while emitting just 129 grams of carbon dioxide for every kilometre travelled. Despite the focus on frugality, it’ll still zip to 60mph in 10.9 seconds and run on to a top speed of 116mph. Torque is delivered from very low in the rev range and this makes the Focus TDCi 1.6 agreeably quick off the mark when you need to accelerate out of a T-junction into flowing traffic.

For economy-minded buyers, the Diesel Particulate Filter-equipped version of this engine is now available in Focus ‘ECOnetic’ form, a guise which features an array of aerodynamic efficiencies much like Volkswagen’s range of BlueMotion models. Average consumption for the Focus ECOnetic is a frugal 65mpg. This corresponds to an average CO2 emission of only 115g/km, which is a class-leading result for a conventional vehicle in this segment. As a direct result of the Ford ECOnetic initiative, all Focus 1.6-litre TDCi variants will achieve 119g/km CO2 and this is regardless of power rating, body style or wheel dimensions.

Though the 115bhp 1.8-litre TDCi is worth considering, if you really want to take advantage of the Focus’ excellent dynamics, the punchy 134bhp 2.0-litre TDCi engine makes a capable partner. Backed up by a six-speed gearshift, it develops more torque than a Porsche Boxster S. This means that as long as you keep the needle in the sweet spot around 2,000rpm, you’ll have plenty of acceleration in reserve whether it’s just you at the wheel or even if the car is fully-stacked. It gets to 60mph in 9.3 seconds and will hit 125mph where conditions permit. Despite this muscle at the command of your right foot, the 2.0-litre model still manages an average of over 51mpg and emits 148g/km of CO2.

Benefiting from Ford’s ‘kinetic design’ approach to styling, the latest Focus takes its inspiration from its larger Mondeo stablemate. Trapezoidal grilles, swept back headlamps, bolder wheel arches, re-shaped rear glass, a contoured tailgate and smarter tail lamps are the key changes. Higher trim grades benefit from chrome detailing and a stylish, body-coloured upper rear spoiler.

Inside, the more upmarket aura continues. Nicer soft-touch plastics now cover the instrument panel as well as the upper front door trim and this is complemented by plusher seat fabrics plus a variety of more attractive fascia finishings. The instrumentation has been re-designed too and, along with all other interior controls, is illuminated in red. Controls for the upgraded audio equipment and two-zone air conditioning have also been ergonomically improved.

Ford were the first of the major manufacturers to realise that people were growing in size – both out and up – and designed the original Focus to suit drivers of all sizes with wider opening doors and more headroom than the class norm. The latest Focus 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 pr