Ford Focus Estate - Long Term Test Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Ford Focus Estate TDCi 136 Long Term Test
Prices: £19,695 - on the road
Insurance Group: 10
Emissions: 151g/km
Performance: Max Speed 129mph / 0-60mph 9.4s
Fuel Consumption: (average) 49mpg
Safety: Twin front airbags, ABS with brake assist
Dimensions: Length/Width/Heightmm 4342/1840/1447

Go For Now and Later

Our Rating: No Rating Available

In the part many drivers buy or lease a car that they only plan on having for a couple of years before they trade it in for the newer, fancier model with more bells and more whistles. Today however people of all walks of life are looking for a car that will last them over the long term. They are looking for a car that they might be able to pass down to their kids as they reach driving age.

There are two ways an owner can go with; they can either go for top of the line luxury auto that breaks the bank both in initials cost and upkeep or they can go with something sensible. The new Ford Focus Estate may just be the perfect car to fit that bill.

The base model of the Ford Focus Estate starts out around 20,000 pounds with optional upgrades that will cost more, but will also stand the test of time. It will all depend on your personal needs as to if you want to add upgrades. And since you plan on keeping this car for the long term it may be wise to spend a little extra on things like the Touchscreen DVD Navi system attached to the 6-CD changer or the xenon headlights with automatic leveling. After all if you do end up giving this to your kids you will want them to be safe. Some other, non-safety related, upgrades include 18-inch alloy wheels, leather trimmed seats and also power adjusted seats.

No matter what bells and whistles you choose to add in or leave off everyone will walk away pleased who buys this car for practical reason. The back of the car measures in at 104cm long and 116cm wide and 89cm high. The back seats can be folded down to make the cargo distance go up to 167cm. This means with the proper alignment a pair of skis will fit inside the car with no need for a roof rack.

The drive of the car is almost as impressive as the interior. The driver will be greeted with a nice gentle ride that would be expected from a much pricey car all while leaving the feel of the road in driver's hands. The Ford Focus Estate isn't going to win any drag races with its not-so-impressive 0-60 in 9.4 seconds. Once the car gets up to speed though it is easy to get around other cars and moves up hills pretty easy even when fully loaded.

At the end of the day if you are looking for a car that will stand the test of time the Ford Focus Estate may just be the perfect car. If you plan on keeping it for the long haul if you add a few of the upgrades the car won't be outdated too fast and since it starts out less than 20,000 pounds to get it off the lot it won't break the bank to buy nor will it cost too much to run as it gets a whopping 49mpg combined city and highway.