Ford Focus ECOnetic Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Ford Focus ECOnetic
Prices: £18,145-£18,695 [est] – on the road
Insurance Group: 7
Emissions: 99-104g/km
Performance: Max Speed 119mph / 0-60mph 10.9s
Fuel Consumption: [Start/Stop version] (urban) 62.7mpg / (extra urban) 83.0mpg / (combined) 74.2mpg
Safety: Twin front, window & side airbags, ABS, traction control, ESP.
Dimensions: [5dr Hatch] Length/Width/Heightmm 4342/1840/1447

Focus on Clean Living

Our Rating: No Rating Available

Since the advent of the car back in the early twentieth century all people wanted from their cars was the ability to get from point-a to point-b. That was how it went until the 1980s or so when people started worrying about fuel mileage. Then at the turn of the new century people started to care about the fuel mileage plus their effect on the environment. It wasn't until that time that car companies seemed to care much about how their product effected the environment. That has all started to change for the better.

While most companies are tooling around with hybrid technology and battery powers Ford has spend considerable time developing a more efficient, eco-friendly combustion engine. Ford has had a great deal of success with this strategy. They have been able to create full fuel powered engines that get amazing gas economy and emit very few particles of CO2 into the atmosphere. Ford brands these cars with the ?ECOnetic? label.

The Ford Focus ECOnetic comes equipped with a 1.6-litre TDCi engine that gets an estimated 74.2mpg in combined road tests while admitting an impressively low amount of CO2 at 99g/km. No need to adjust your screen, that is correct 99g/km from a diesel powered engine. Those old enough to remember know just how far the world has come from the smoky old beasts that used to run on diesel.

Ford is also proud of this clean engine because it still packs decent power that gets the car from 0-60mph in 10.9 seconds and to a top speed of 119mph. Not too shabby for an eco-friendly car. Ford achieves this power by adding a common-rail multipoint fuel injection system, a variable geometry turbocharger, a dual mass flywheel and a transient torque over boost function. The Eco-friendly add-ons don't stop with the engine though

Each ECOnetic branded Focus comes with optional the Stop/Start system. This system works like most other so-called stop/start systems with the engine shutting down when the engine idles at a stop light or when stuck in traffic and then it re-starts when the driver is ready to move. This saves fuel when stopped. Ford claims that this system can save upwards of 10% in fuel. Without it one still gets 70mpg combines and 104g/km of CO2 output.

Other fancy eco-friendly advancements include the Smart/Generative Charging system that increases the alternator output when the vehicle is driving and converts the kinetic energy into electric energy without the need for additional fuel. Ford also includes the so-called ?Low-Tension FEAD? that reduces the tension on the alternator belt.

All Focus versions have exteriors that are also eco-friendly. The shape was designed after the Ford engineers spend countless hours in a wind tunnel to allow for a better airflow around the car. Better airflow means a smoother ride and less fuel use.

The Ford Focus ECOnetic will please even the pickiest sectors of the green crowd with an array of fun features on the interior and exterior. While this car is being aimed at the budget-minded crowd, don't be surprised to find a few of the social-climbers bragging about their new Focus ECOnetic.